Rico Dowdle rides a hot streak with back-to-back 200+ yards from scrimmage, averaging ~30 touches and a 19% target share, finishing two straight weeks as fantasy RB1. Panthers lean run-heavy as Bryce Young struggles; Chuba Hubbard looms to rejoin the backfield, threatening a split. If Dowdle stays the lead, ride the upside in the near term, but be ready to pivot if Hubbard returns and workload tightens.

Jets start 0-6 as offense stalls: Justin Fields’ brutal stat line (9-of-17, 45 yards, nine sacks, -10 net passing yards) and a non-existent run game overshadow a defense that still shows grit. With Garrett Wilson sidelined and depth at WR minimal, the team debates a potential quarterback shakeup and leans on Tyrod Taylor as a realistic contingency. Trade chatter swirls around Bree Hall, Jermaine Johnson, and others as the Panthers loom, making it a pivotal week for offense, leadership, and future strategy.

Kamani Vidal headlines the week seven waiver priorities at running back after a 70%+ snap share against Miami, signaling him as the Chargers’ lead back when the line heals. Zonovan Knight sits right behind, with Indianapolis’ run defense looking vulnerable and the Jets needing a trustworthy floor. At wide receiver, a crowded, injury-hit scene includes Kahon Booty, Downs, and Luther Burden, with Tez Johnson or Sterling Shepard offering safer week-to-week floors in deeper formats. Harold Fannon Jr. tops tight ends, highlighted by a Dolphins-friendly matchup and Njoku’s absence looming. Aaron Rodgers, Jackson Dart, and Justin Fields are the QB streaming focal points, while the Buccaneers’ WR situation tightens with Evans back and Shepard offering the safest floor. The tight-end landscape thickens with Mason Taylor and Harold Fannon Jr. as main targets. Week eight buys loom large, complicating rosters already juggling six teams on bye. Plan aggressively, especially in leagues with shallow benches, and consider handcuffs on Vidal and Knight to weather the coming injury wave.

Dallas faces a crossroads after a surprising loss to Carolina that underscored a historically leaky defense even as Dak Prescott and an elite receiving corps keep the offense humming. The trade deadline debate centers on whether a one-big-mix fixes all, or if the Cowboys must lean into a longer, offseason overhaul. Jerry Jones’ blunt Panthers remark adds a tinge of culture critique to the urgency. Short-term wins matter, but the defense will decide the ceiling.