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49ers’ Mac Jones to start again as Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall ruled out vs. Falcons

Fri Oct 17 7:22pm ET
Field Level Media

The San Francisco 49ers will again turn to backup quarterback Mac Jones with starter Brock Purdy out for Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday.

Purdy continues to recover from a lingering toe injury that he aggravated in Week 4. Jones, who has gone 2-2 as a starter this season, will make his fifth consecutive start after returning to full practice participation late in the week.

Meanwhile, Ricky Pearsall will miss his third straight game with a sprained knee.

The 49ers received better news elsewhere on offense, with tight end George Kittle cleared to return from a hamstring injury that had kept him sidelined since Week 1. Shanahan said Kittle will have "no pitch count" in his return.

"George has rehabbed really well, came back 100 percent, had a good week of practice," Shanahan said.

Despite a rash of injuries to key players, including season-enders for defensive stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, San Francisco enters Week 7 with a 4-2 record and tied for first in the NFC West with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

Shanahan said the team hopes to have Purdy back "soon" after he practiced each day this week.

"He was able to get out there, throw more," Shanahan said of Purdy on Friday. "Thought it was definitely a step further ahead than it was last week, so going in the right direction."

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 7

Player Notes
Cairo Santos Oct 17 10:00pm ET
Cairo Santos

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (thigh) has been ruled out for the upcoming Week 7 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Santos will officially miss his second straight game due to a lingering thigh issue. Jake Moody will handle the kicking duties in Chicago for at least one more week. Moody made four of his five field goal attempts, including a game-winner during last week's win over the Washington Commanders. Moody should offer streaming value for fantasy managers in need of a kicker for this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Chris Rodriguez Jr. Oct 17 10:00pm ET
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. played only one snap in Week 6 against the Bears after missing practice all week with a calf injury. Rodriguez is now off the injury report heading into Sunday and should be expected to play a bigger role. He did, however, drift back into a depth role in Week 5 against the Chargers. He played only four snaps in the first three quarters while rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt handled the bulk of the touches. All five of Rodriguez's carries in that game came in the fourth quarter when Washington was leading by two scores. Croskey-Merritt will likely lead the backfield again, leaving Rodriguez with only a handful of touches against a Dallas defense that has been repeatedly gashed by opposing running backs. He's safe to leave on waivers for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Rashee Rice Oct 17 9:50pm ET
Rashee Rice

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will take the field for the first time this season against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7. The Chiefs receiver was injured to end last season and served his six-game suspension to begin this season, so Rice has not been active since Week 4 of 2024. That said, everyone in the Chiefs organization seems confident in his ability to be an impact player upon his arrival. Rice was averaging 21.6 PPR points per game to begin last season and had an explosive 12-catch, 110-yard performance the week before his injury. The 25-year-old is more than a year removed from the injury and should slot right back in as the team's top target. Rice will face the Raiders, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Rice is ranked WR8 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a strong WR1 in his first game this season.

From RotoBaller

Marquez Valdes-Scantling Oct 17 9:50pm ET
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (calf) was placed on the injured reserve on Friday. He recently suffered a calf injury and will now miss the next four weeks because of it. Valdes-Scantling wasn't offering much value anyway with four receptions for 40 yards heading into Week 7. His absence will only mean less depth for the already significantly banged up 49ers offense. Demarcus Robinson could see more playing time now, but he hasn't done much with his time on the field this season. Valdes-Scantling won't be eligible to play in a game until November 16.

From RotoBaller

Brandon McManus Oct 17 9:40pm ET
Brandon McManus

Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus (quad) is officially questionable for the Week 7 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. McManus is in danger of missing his second straight game due to a right quad injury. The veteran kicker hasn't practiced all week, which puts him in serious danger of missing another contest. Last week, Lucas Havrisik handled the kicking duties with McManus absent. He made both his field goal attempts and three extra point attempts in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It seems like the Packers are in good hands if McManus is unable to go.

From RotoBaller

Trevon Diggs Oct 17 9:30pm ET
Trevon Diggs

Dallas Cowboys defensive back Trevon Diggs (concussion) has been ruled out for the Week 7 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Diggs reportedly had an incident at his home on Thursday that has landed him in concussion protocol. There isn't much information outside of that, but his absence will certainly hurt this secondary. Luckily for Dallas, the Commanders could be without both their top wideouts in Terry McLaurin (quad) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) for Sunday's game. Regardless, C.J. Goodwin will likely be asked to step up and play a big role without Diggs. There's a chance that Diggs returns for the Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos.

From RotoBaller

Trey Hendrickson Oct 17 9:30pm ET
Trey Hendrickson

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip) is optimistic that he'll be ready to play for the Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets. Hendrickson was pushing to play in Thursday's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals ultimately decided to give Hendrickson another week to recover. It sounds like the superstar pass rusher will play next week, but that'll be determined on his level of participation in practice this upcoming week. Fantasy managers will need to check back for more updates next week.

From RotoBaller

Arian Smith Oct 17 9:20pm ET
Arian Smith

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith is poised to see a workload uptick in Week 7 when his team takes on the visiting Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium. The 24-year-old rookie saw an increase in snap share last weekend with fellow wideout Garrett Wilson (knee) in and out of the game while battling a knee injury, and should benefit again if the latter is forced to miss more time. While Smith would fill in as the team's No. 2 option behind veteran Josh Reynolds in that case, he'll be difficult to trust as anything more than a dart throw regarding fantasy due to projected minimal volume. Even with Wilson at less than full health, the former Georgia Bulldog is a low-floor asset in a mercurial Jets offense. Smith is RotoBaller's PPR WR92 for his meeting with the Panthers.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Johnson Oct 17 9:20pm ET
Tyler Johnson

New York Jets wide receiver Tyler Johnson won't be on the fantasy radar for his team's home matchup in Week 7 with the Carolina Panthers. Johnson is set to rack up extra playing time this weekend, with teammate Garrett Wilson (knee) expected to miss the outing with a knee injury. Despite the increased involvement, Johnson can't be trusted by owners to supply viable fantasy production, as he's compiled just four receptions on seven targets (63 yards) across five appearances in the campaign. With Wilson on the mend, a majority of the vacated targets should go to fellow WR Josh Reynolds, while running back Breece Hall and rookie tight end Mason Taylor figure to absorb the rest. Outside of desperation, Johnson isn't in play, coming in as RotoBaller's PPR WR96 ahead of Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Carlson Oct 17 9:20pm ET
Daniel Carlson

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson draws a challenging matchup in Week 7 versus the Kansas City Chiefs, making him a risky fantasy start. The Chiefs have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers this season and continue to limit scoring opportunities with one of the league's stingiest defenses. Meanwhile, Geno Smith and the Raiders offense have struggled to sustain drives or finish in scoring position, further capping Carlson's upside. While the veteran remains a very accurate kicker, his lack of opportunity makes him tough to trust in fantasy lineups this week. Managers should consider streaming a kicker from a more favorable offensive environment until the Raiders show more consistency.

From RotoBaller

Nick Folk Oct 17 9:20pm ET
Nick Folk

New York Jets placekicker Nick Folk is a low-end fantasy option for his team's contest with the visiting Carolina Panthers in Week 7. As has been the case all season, the veteran was perfect in Week 6, knocking through all three of his field goal attempts - a season-high. Carolina's defense has been stingy in the yardage department, but they're a bottom-half team in terms of scoring and one of the worst NFL teams regarding red zone efficiency. With that said, New York's offense may have trouble matriculating the ball sans its WR1 in Garrett Wilson. Folk has been excellent when called upon, and would be a reliable option if the Jets could find more offensive consistency. However, he again won't be a recommended fantasy asset despite what should be a juicy matchup. The 40-year-old is RotoBaller's K25 for this weekend's slate of games.

From RotoBaller

Ray-Ray McCloud Oct 17 9:20pm ET
Ray-Ray McCloud

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III will be a healthy scratch for the Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. The 29-year-old will now miss his second straight game for personal reasons. It sounds like McCloud was sent home on Friday while he deals with a personal matter. It didn't sound like the coaching staff was sure when McCloud would rejoin the team. He has been a non-factor anyway with six receptions for 64 yards in four games. Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. remain the top receiving options in Atlanta right now.

From RotoBaller

Jeremy McNichols Oct 17 9:20pm ET
Jeremy McNichols

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols continues to play a key role on pass downs, but it hasn't translated to much fantasy production. He had two carries for five yards and added three catches (four targets) for 30 yards last week against the Bears. It was his most productive game as a receiver, but he hasn't had more than four carries in a game all season. With third-year Chris Rodriguez Jr. now off the injury report, he should handle more carries in Week 7 after playing only one snap in Week 6. It's an ideal matchup against a Dallas defense that has allowed the fourth most PPR points per game to opposing running backs, but McNichols hasn't scored more than 6.5 PPR points since Week 3 against the Raiders when he broke off a 60-yard touchdown. He's only an option in deeper leagues for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Tory Horton Oct 17 9:10pm ET
Tory Horton

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton has been an exciting rookie to watch in 2025. He has scored four touchdowns in six games, and he is a big play waiting to happen. Unfortunately, his role in the offense is inconsistent. The Seahawks matchup with the Houston Texans in Week 7. Houston is the No. 2 team against opposing wide receivers in fantasy. Simply, this defense is elite and is very adept at shutting down opposing passing games. Additionally, Houston is not playing well on the offensive side of the ball this season. They are unlikely to put pressure on Seattle to air it out on Monday night. As such, Horton's number may not be called often. Horton has yet to play more than 49% of the snaps this season. He is firmly the No. 3 wide receiver in Seattle's offense. Seattle will play against several solid offenses following their Week 8 bye. Horton may be able to produce then, but he should remain a bench stash in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Josh Reynolds Oct 17 9:10pm ET
Josh Reynolds

New York Jets wide receiver Josh Reynolds will get a chance to operate as the team's WR1 in this weekend's home matchup with the Carolina Panthers. Reynolds has been off the fantasy radar all season in New York's low-volume passing attack. However, he'll have an opportunity to shine this Sunday with teammate Garrett Wilson (knee) battling a hyperextended knee. While Wilson is officially listed as doubtful, it's expected that he will be unavailable in Week 7, leaving Reynolds and tight end Mason Taylor as the Jets' primary pass catchers outside of running back Breece Hall. Even with the suspected bump in usage, the 30-year-old remains a lower-end option for fantasy, landing as RotoBaller's PPR WR47 for his outing with Carolina.

From RotoBaller

Cooper Kupp Oct 17 9:10pm ET
Cooper Kupp

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp is not entering a friendly matchup for his fantasy football props this week. Kupp has produced when the Seahawks have needed his services. However, Seattle's defense should be able to handle the Texans' offense, leading to low volume in the Seahawks' passing game. Kupp has only cleared five targets and four receptions twice in six games this season. On both of those occasions, Seattle was playing significantly from behind at one point in the game, and the passing game was necessary to even the score. Otherwise, the Seahawks have attempted to heavily rely on the running game in 2025. Kupp is likely going to be a flex option in the right matchups this year. However, this does not project to be one of them.

From RotoBaller

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Oct 17 9:10pm ET
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba draws a tough matchup in Week 7 against the Houston Texans. The Texans boast one of the best defenses in the NFL, particularly against the pass. However, Smith-Njigba has been matchup-proof in 2025. He has yet to score less than 13 PPR fantasy points in a game this season. That is due to JSN's uncanny ability to separate and his clear chemistry with quarterback Sam Darnold. Smith-Njigba's high floor is buoyed by his 56 targets, which is good for No. 5 in the NFL. Additionally, Smith-Njigba is averaging an eye-popping 16.6 yards per catch. He is not the underneath threat that he has been through two seasons in the NFL. He is catching deep bombs, which are leading to big plays and touchdowns. The Texans may be able to keep a lid on JSN over the top. However, his volume and route-running savvy will make him a safe WR1 this week.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Waddle Oct 17 9:10pm ET
Jaylen Waddle

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has stepped up in the last two games for Miami without Tyreek Hill (knee), and he is a strong starter in standard leagues this week, even in a tough matchup against the Browns. In his two games since Hill's season-ending injury, Waddle had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers and followed by six catches for 95 yards against the Chargers last week. Waddle gets plenty of work deep down the field and in the red zone, with a 24.6% target share, a 51.9% share of air yards, and a 35.6% first-read share over the last two weeks. All the extra work without Tyreek Hill is enough to make him the WR18 in RotoBaller's Week 7 rankings, even though the Browns' secondary has been solid against receivers this year.

From RotoBaller

Isaiah Davis Oct 17 9:10pm ET
Isaiah Davis

Despite ascending in the team's backfield pecking order, New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis has not seen his opportunity translate to fantasy success and remains exclusively in a change-of-pace role for this Sunday's game with the visiting Carolina Panthers. In two appearances as the backup to running mate Breece Hall, the 23-year-old has accrued seven yards on three carries and four receptions for 27 yards (five targets). In contrast, Hall has racked up 40 touches over that time frame. If the veteran were ever to be traded, Davis projects to step in as the lead back and would undoubtedly be interesting for fantasy. In the meantime, he doesn't command enough work to garner standalone value. He ranks as RotoBaller's PPR RB47 ahead of this weekend's slate of action.

From RotoBaller

Mason Taylor Oct 17 9:00pm ET
Mason Taylor

New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor is poised to see a more significant target share this weekend when his team squares off with the Carolina Panthers. The LSU alum's usage was trending in the right direction over the previous few weeks, but his production bottomed out in a tough matchup with the Broncos in London. Although that isn't prescriptive moving forward, it's a firm reminder of the floor of the Jets' passing offense. Taylor will look to put last weekend's performance in the past, and figures to absorb a few extra looks with the news that wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) might miss Sunday's contest. If that comes to fruition, it wouldn't be surprising to see the 21-year-old make a sizable impact. Even if Wilson suits up, it's likely he does so at less than 100%, giving Taylor a slightly higher fantasy floor. He's a high-end TE2 and, officially, RotoBaller's PPR TE16 for his outing with the Panthers.

From RotoBaller