Week 7 fantasy must-adds, from JuJu Smith-Schuster to Tyrone Tracy

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Tuesday newsletters are for the imagination. If you read last Tuesday, you were rewarded with Chase Brown (13.4 half PPR points) and hopefully bought cheaply on Najee Harris (19.2). Today:

Week 7 renounces, buys and sells

The theme of my fantasy football week was irrational suffering. Irrational because I started with Zack Moss and suffering because I also trusted Trey Sermon. I hope you did better. Further:

My must-add players, assuming Raiders RB Alexander Mattison is unavailable:

No. 1: Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. With Rashee Rice confirmed for the season, Smith-Schuster should be the biggest beneficiary. Last week's seven-catch, 130-yard performance reminded me of his 2022 season in Kansas City, when he finished as a top-30 receiver. He may still be available in your league as his bye falls in Week 6. Pounce.

No. 2A: Giants RB Tyrone Tracy. He had 23 touchdowns as New York's leading RB and totaled 107 yards and a touchdown. The fifth-round rookie looked great (watch every touch here) and should see at least 10 touches per game when Devin Singletary returns, although Tracy could overtake him.

No. 2B: Chargers RB Kimani Vidal. With Gus Edwards on IR, Vidal moved to JK Dobbins (who told AJ Ross he sees greatness in the rookie). Vidal only played 19 of 78 snaps, but impressed in short-yard work, scoring his first touchdown for a 38-yard touchdown. If Dobbins misses time, Vidal is a top-15 option. At the moment he is a time share handcuff.

No. 3: Buccaneers RB Sean Tucker. Without the rest of the committee: Rachaad White and Bucky Irving, it would be higher. Still, Tucker – a talented prospect who went undrafted because of a heart condition – was so good on Sunday (14 carries for 136 yards, three catches for 56 yards and two total touchdowns) that there's a chance he'll become a starter before the season , not at zero end. I keep my fingers crossed for him.

No. 4: 49ers RB Isaac Guerendo. Should starter Jordan Mason miss time (he is currently deployed), Guerendo would be the primary defender. While he completed 10 carries for 99 yards on Thursday, he joined Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Brian Robinson Jr. as the only RBs weighing over 225 pounds to exceed 20 mph on a run. Even if Mason plays, expect Guerendo to play a role.

Lower leagues: Broncos WR Devaugh Vele had a team-high 78 receiving yards and should see even more snaps in the future. Saints WR Bub Means had five catches, 45 yards and a touchdown while filling in for Chris Olave (concussion), who could miss Thursday's game as well as Rasheed Shaheed (knee). And Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra caught four passes for 67 yards after replacing the injured Dallas Goedert (hamstring).

I buy: Raiders TE Brock Bowers. Given the shortage of positions at tight end, it's difficult to overpay Bowers. He looks like an elite WR, averaging a 30 percent target share in games without Davante Adams. He caught nine of 10 targets for 71 yards despite facing a Steelers defense focused on stopping him. Currently, Bowers is TE2 (see below) and looks to be a league winner.

I'm selling: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray. KC Joyner’s Week 6 fantasy recap sold me: “In 2022 and 2023, Murray ranked last in vertical passing points per game. As of Week 3 this season, Murray ranks 26th in vertical PPG. He's also one of 13 quarterbacks with four games with 15 points or fewer, and the Cardinals' pass coverage schedule for the rest of the season isn't favorable. I hope Murray has a strong rushing game again soon and then I’ll trade him.”

Thoughts vs. Reality: When Should Nick Chubb Start?

Thought: Should I start Nick Chubb when he returns? Reality: Yes. Chubb has been practicing for the past two weeks and is expected to join the active roster on Oct. 16, returning about a year after suffering the devastating knee injury. The NFL's most likeable player will start on a committee with D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong, but is likely to part ways quickly. Here's Chubb training earlier this month:

He suffered a similar injury in college at Georgia. In his first game back, he rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns on a season-high 32 carries. Most players would improve. It's not Chubb most players. Treat him accordingly.

Thought: I need to trade for a WR. Reality: Take a high-risk, high-reward approach. I would target Dolphins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. For a fantasy manager who's probably fed up, they're falling short of their sky-high draft capital. But after HC Mike McDaniel told reporters yesterday that he expects QB Tua Tagovailoa to return in 2024, time may be running out to buy the dip in two stars.

Thought: Brandon Aiyuk is disappointing. Should I buy cheap? Reality: Probably not. As Jake Ciely explains, Aiyuk's only game with more than 10 points came against a Cardinals defense that often had only one or no defenders. Other teams were smarter and held back to maintain cover. “If teams play this style to contain Aiyuk and keep everything under control, he will continue to be more of a WR3 with some big weeks, but several decent, not great weeks,” Jake writes, adding a return of Christian McCaffrey would help .

Thought: When will Christian McCaffrey (and Cooper Kupp) even return? Reality: Kupp had a positive practice yesterday and should return to training soon. The Rams are seeking a “return to performance,” according to HC Sean McVay, and will not force Kupp to play against the Raiders on Sunday. As for the bad news, Dane Martinez expressed his belief in his Buy and Sell column that the most likely outcome is McCaffrey returning sometime in November, two to three weeks before the fantasy playoffs.

For more:

What Dianna hears: Tom Brady: Finally an NFL owner

It happens. Tom Brady's bid to become minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders is expected to be approved today at the NFL's fall owners' meetings in Atlanta, according to league sources.

The league's finance committee approved Brady's application, which is expected to receive the required 24 of 32 votes. Brady and his business partner Tom Wagner plan to acquire about a 10 percent stake in the franchise.

As our Tashan Reed reported, one of Brady's New England Patriots teammates – and former Raiders defensive lineman – Richard Seymour has also been approved to buy a minority stake in the franchise. The fellow Hall of Famer's application is also expected to be approved on Tuesday.

🎧 The latest from Scoop City Podcast: The Lions' next steps after losing Aidan Hutchinson to injury (approximately 34 minutes).

Back to you, Jacob.

Around the NFL

Bill Belichick criticized the New York Jets' decision to fire coach Robert Saleh on Monday, calling the move “a little early” and taking a dig at team owner Woody Johnson.

The Chargers' Jim Harbaugh plans to wear a heart monitor after treating a heart arrhythmia but will continue to practice. “I would have to let my heart stop if I wasn’t standing out there on the sideline,” Harbaugh said.

Eagles HC's Nick Sirianni apologized for yelling at fans on site: “All my energy should be focused on training and celebrating with our boys,” he said. “I need to have more wisdom and judgment about when to use it, and this wasn’t the right time.”

According to HC Shane Steichen, Colts QB Anthony Richardson is “very close” to returning and is expected to start Sunday against Miami.

Most clicked yesterday: Mike Sando is exploring all available options for the Browns to replace Deshaun Watson.

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(Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images)