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Sunday, October 24, 2021
Good morning and welcome to Sunday of Week 7. Let's get those lineups set. 
Today's newsletter has updates on all of the injuries you need to know about Sunday, with my analysis of how you should approach each player as of early Sunday morning. And, frankly, there are so many injuries this week that there's no sense in taking too much of your time up on an intro. 
Adam Aizer and Heath Cummings updated you on the latest news and answered some start/sit questions on this morning's FFT podcast, and Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath are on CBS Sports HQ from 9 a.m. ET to kickoff of the 1 p.m. games to answer your questions and keep you updated on all of the news you need to know on the FFT live show. 
Make sure you check both out, but if you want more direct answers to your questions and other news updates, I've got two more ways for you to win: Go to Twitter and use the hashtag "#AskFFT", where our whole team will be answering questions all morning; and go to the FFT YouTube channel to chat with Adam and I from 11:30 until kickoff . We'll be there right up until kickoff answering as many questions as we can, so make sure you're in the chat early to get your questions in. 
Here's the rest of our preview content to get you ready, and check out my updated position rankings at the bottom of the newsletter to help with any early lineup dilemmas you may have: 
Quarterbacks
  • Out: Taysom Hill (concussion), Trey Lance (knee)
You weren't starting either play, so no worries here. If anything, these absences might raise the ceiling for Jameis Winston and Jimmy Garoppolo, who don't have to worry about losing potential goal-line scores. 
Running backs
  • Out: Saquon Barkley (ankle), Latavius Murray (ankle)
No surprises here. Devontae Booker and Devonta Freeman are both expected to see larger roles as a result of these absences, but I'm not viewing either as a must-start. If I'm choosing between them, Booker would be my choice as the clear lead back for the Giants. 
  • Expected to play: Alex Collins (groin), Antonio Gibson (shin), Damien Williams (reserve/COVID-19), D'Andre Swift (groin), Sony Michel (shoulder), JaMycal Hasty (ankle)
Collins and Gibson are probably the toughest calls here, and you may not have a choice but to start them this week. If you do start Collins, make sure you have either Travis Homer or DeeJay Dallas ready to step in for Monday's game against the Saints, though neither would be a particularly exciting option even if Collins is out. It might be best to avoid this situation if you can. As for Gibson, it looks like he's going to keep playing through his shin injury, and while coach Ron Rivera told reporters Gibson isn't on a pitch count, as we saw last week, there is a risk of Gibson suffering a setback and being limited. He's a low-end RB2 -- I prefer J.D. McKissic against the Packers.
I would also prefer to avoid Williams if I can, as well as Khalil Herbert. They get the Buccaneers this week, arguably the worst matchup for opposing running backs. The Bears are unlikely to do much in the running game, so you'd be hoping for a goal-line score or passing game work from either, and given the split, I'm not sure either's chances are worth betting on. 
Wide receivers
  • Out: Kenny Golladay (knee), Kadarius Toney (ankle), Sterling Shepard (hamstring),  DeVante Parker (hamstring), Antonio Brown (ankle), T.Y. Hilton (quad), Sammy Watkins (thigh), Curtis Samuel (groin), Terrace Marshall (concussion)
  • Legitimately questionable: Julio Jones (hamstring), Nico Collins (foot)
Jones is the biggest question mark, and I would try to avoid Jones even if he does play, given that he was already forced out of last week's game.
  • Expected to play: Tyreek Hill (quad), Allen Robinson (ankle), Darius Slayton (hamstring), John Ross (hamstring)
You're starting Hill, but that's probably it here. I could see Robinson or Slayton having a good game in their matchups, but I wouldn't want to trust either of them if I could avoid it. Robinson is outside of the top 30 and Slayton is even lower right now. 
Tight ends
  • Out: Rob Gronkowski (ribs), Jimmy Graham (reserve/COVID-19)
  • Legitimately questionable: Darren Waller (ankle)
Waller was a late addition to the injury report Saturday and the injury is a real concern at this point. Even if he does play, he may be limited as a result of it, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting Waller "doesn't feel great." It looks like he's a true game-time decision, and with the Raiders playing at 4:05, your alternatives if he is a late scratch are pretty limited. Add Waller's teammate, Foster Moreau, in case Waller can't give it a go today and make sure you make the swap if it comes to it. Moreau would be in the 15-ish range at TE in my rankings if Waller were to sit out, because he is an interesting size/speed combination who has shown skills in the red zone in his career. 
#AskFFT Mailbag
Get your questions answered right now on Twitter with "#AskFFT". For next week's mailbags, email me at Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com. Here are some of your questions from this morning: 
Adi: Streaming QBs and the weather scared me off Jimmy Garoppolo and Carson Wentz. Go with Mac Jones or Taylor Heinicke? #AskFFT
I do have Wentz ranked highest of this group, but the weather could be a real limiting factor in this one -- multiple inches of rain with gusts of up to 30 mph could impact play. I usually don't move players down much because of the weather, but there can be extreme circumstances that change that. I think you could pivot to Heinicke, who should be chasing points against the Packers in this one. He's been pretty rough the last few starts, but I'd take him over Jones. 
Ryan: Would you start Tyler Lockett or Corey Davis or even Rondale Moore as WR3? I'm using Damien Harris as FLEX currently.
I would sit Williams, so you'll need two of these wide receivers, and I'm going with Lockett and Moore. Neither is in an ideal situation, but Davis has the Patriots, who shut down the Jets offense the last time they faced, so I'll avoid that one. Lockett still had seven targets in Geno Smith's first start last week, and Moore has at least six touches in each of the last two games, so I'll go with him -- though I do have real concerns about how the Cardinals are going to use their weapons with the addition of Zach Ertz this week.  
Kathy: Myles Gaskin or Julio Jones? 
Oof, I don't love either option. I think I would go with Gaskin over Jones, given Jones' injury concerns. I think Jones is the better player, and if he managed to make it through the whole game without issue, it wouldn't surprise me if he was better, but I'm concerned he'll be limited even if he doesn't suffer a setback, so just start Gaskin and hope he's heavily involved in the passing game in what could be a pretty fun back-and-forth affair with the Falcons. 
Al: Pick one for my RB2: Antonio Gibson, Khalil Herbert, AJ Dillon, or Alex Collins?
I have plenty of concerns about all of the names listed here, but I think I would go with Gibson. Washington will still use him as long as he is healthy, and he'll get any goal-line work they manage to come up with, which is nice. I think McKissic is a better play than Gibson, but Herbert's splitting work in a tough matchup and Collins still looks like he is at least somewhat questionable, so Gibson is kind of the best choice by default. 
Eric: Miles Sanders or Elijah Mitchell? Brandin Cooks or Sterling Shepard?
I'm going with Sanders in what I think -- hope! -- will be a breakout game against the Raiders. The Eagles haven't really been able to get the running game going, but a matchup against the Raiders potentially without their best receiver could be just the spot to change that. Sanders has been effective in his limited role so far, and if he can get 15 carries and a handful of targets, this should be a good game for him. 
Updated rankings
Here are my latest rankings as of Sunday morning: 
Quarterback
  1. Patrick Mahomes @ TEN
  2. Kyler Murray vs. HOU
  3. Tom Brady vs. CHI
  4. Lamar Jackson vs. CIN
  5. Jalen Hurts @ LV
  6. Matthew Stafford vs. DET
  7. Aaron Rodgers vs. WAS
  8. Joe Burrow @ BAL
  9. Matt Ryan @ MIA
  10. Tua Tagovailoa vs. ATL
  11. Daniel Jones vs. CAR
  12. Ryan Tannehill vs. KC
  13. Sam Darnold @ NYG
  14. Derek Carr vs. PHI
  15. Justin Fields @ TB
  16. Taylor Heinicke @ GB
  17. Jameis Winston @ SEA
  18. Carson Wentz @ SF
  19. Jimmy Garoppolo vs. IND
  20. Geno Smith vs. NO
  21. Mac Jones vs. NYJ
  22. Jared Goff @ LAR
  23. Zach Wilson @ NE
  24. Davis Mills @ ARI
Running back
  1. Derrick Henry vs. KC
  2. Alvin Kamara @ SEA
  3. Aaron Jones vs. WAS
  4. Leonard Fournette vs. CHI
  5. Darrell Henderson vs. DET
  6. D'Andre Swift @ LAR
  7. Joe Mixon @ BAL
  8. Jonathan Taylor @ SF
  9. Cordarrelle Patterson @ MIA
  10. Mike Davis @ MIA
  11. Chuba Hubbard @ NYG
  12. Darrel Williams @ TEN
  13. Josh Jacobs vs. PHI
  14. J.D. McKissic @ GB
  15. Devontae Booker vs. CAR
  16. Miles Sanders @ LV
  17. Damien Harris vs. NYJ
  18. Antonio Gibson @ GB
  19. Alex Collins vs. NO
  20. Chase Edmonds vs. HOU
  21. Elijah Mitchell vs. IND
  22. James Conner vs. HOU
  23. Michael Carter @ NE
  24. Devonta Freeman vs. CIN
  25. Myles Gaskin vs. ATL
  26. Jamaal Williams @ LAR
  27. AJ Dillon vs. WAS
  28. Damien Williams @ TB
  29. Nyheim Hines @ SF
  30. Khalil Herbert @ TB
  31. Kenyan Drake vs. PHI
  32. David Johnson @ ARI
  33. Rhamondre Stevenson vs. NYJ
  34. Jerick McKinnon @ TEN
  35. Mark Ingram @ ARI
  36. Ty'Son Williams vs. CIN
  37. Kenneth Gainwell @ LV
  38. Royce Freeman @ NYG
  39. Ty Johnson @ NE
  40. Le'Veon Bell vs. CIN
  41. Sony Michel vs. DET
  42. Jeremy McNichols vs. KC
  43. Brandon Bolden vs. NYJ
  44. Giovani Bernard vs. CHI
  45. Deejay Dallas vs. NO
Wide receivers
  1. Davante Adams vs. WAS
  2. Tyreek Hill @ TEN
  3. Calvin Ridley @ MIA
  4. Cooper Kupp vs. DET
  5. D.J. Moore @ NYG
  6. Ja'Marr Chase @ BAL
  7. Terry McLaurin @ GB
  8. Brandin Cooks @ ARI
  9. Deebo Samuel vs. IND
  10. A.J. Brown vs. KC
  11. Marquise Brown vs. CIN
  12. Mike Evans vs. CHI
  13. Chris Godwin vs. CHI
  14. Sterling Shepard vs. CAR
  15. Robert Woods vs. DET
  16. Jaylen Waddle vs. ATL
  17. D.K. Metcalf vs. NO
  18. DeAndre Hopkins vs. HOU
  19. Tee Higgins @ BAL
  20. DeVonta Smith @ LV
  21. Jakobi Meyers vs. NYJ
  22. Tyler Lockett vs. NO
  23. Corey Davis @ NE
  24. Tyler Boyd @ BAL
  25. Jamison Crowder @ NE
  26. Hunter Renfrow vs. PHI
  27. Michael Pittman @ SF
  28. Rashod Bateman vs. CIN
  29. Darius Slayton vs. CAR
  30. Amon-Ra St. Brown @ LAR
  31. Mecole Hardman @ TEN
  32. A.J. Green vs. HOU
  33. Henry Ruggs vs. PHI
  34. Rondale Moore vs. HOU
  35. Robby Anderson @ NYG
  36. Darnell Mooney @ TB
  37. Allen Robinson @ TB
  38. Christian Kirk vs. HOU
  39. Marquez Callaway @ SEA
  40. Brandon Aiyuk vs. IND
  41. Dante Pettis vs. CAR
  42. Jalen Reagor @ LV
  43. Elijah Moore @ NE
  44. Russell Gage @ MIA
  45. Nelson Agholor vs. NYJ
  46. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine vs. KC
  47. Devin Duvernay vs. CIN
  48. Dyami Brown @ GB
Tight end
  1. Travis Kelce @ TEN
  2. Mark Andrews vs. CIN
  3. Dallas Goedert @ LV
  4. Kyle Pitts @ MIA
  5. T.J. Hockenson @ LAR
  6. Mike Gesicki vs. ATL
  7. Darren Waller vs. PHI
  8. Hunter Henry vs. NYJ
  9. Ricky Seals-Jones @ GB
  10. Tyler Higbee vs. DET
  11. Zach Ertz vs. HOU
  12. Evan Engram vs. CAR
  13. Cole Kmet @ TB
  14. Jonnu Smith vs. NYJ
  15. Kyle Rudolph vs. CAR
  16. Robert Tonyan vs. WAS
  17. Mo Alie-Cox @ SF
  18. Cameron Brate vs. CHI
  19. Jack Doyle @ SF
  20. C.J. Uzomah @ BAL
  21. Anthony Firkser vs. KC
 
 
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