Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 7.Half PPR

Teams around the league have been calling the Minnesota Vikings about trading for edge-rusher Danielle Hunter, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Hunter is likely to be moved before the trade deadline on Oct. 31, Rapoport adds.The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $20-million deal with Minnesota during the offseason that includes a no-tag clause. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024.Minnesota was fielding calls on Hunter in the offseason before the LSU product signed a deal.Hunter is off to a terrific start this campaign, racking up 32 tackles with a league-leading eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss.The Vikings are 2-4 heading into their Monday night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones isn't expected to play Sunday against the Washington Commanders due to a neck injury, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo.Tyrod Taylor is slated to make his second straight start in place of the injured Jones.Jones was initially listed as questionable for the contest, but he has yet to be cleared for contact. The signal-caller suffered his neck injury in Week 5.The 26-year-old is 1-4 as a starter this year. Jones has thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (two).Taylor completed 24 passes for 200 yards in last Sunday night's 14-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He didn't throw an interception but was also unable to lead the Giants to the end zone.The Giants sit in last place in the NFC East.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders told teams they won't trade star wideout Davante Adams before the Oct. 31 trade deadline, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Multiple teams have reportedly considered trading for Adams in the buildup to the deadline, according to Schefter.Adams complained about his lack of targets Wednesday. The wideout has only been targeted nine times over the last two games.The 30-year-old also publicly voiced concerns with the Raiders' direction following a Week 3 defeat in September, saying he doesn't have "time to wait around." In the offseason, he said he doesn't see eye to eye with the front office on what's best for the franchise.Las Vegas acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 offseason to pair him with former college teammate Derek Carr. However, the Raiders moved on from Carr this past offseason after finishing 6-11 last campaign.A six-time Pro Bowler, Adams is coming off two consecutive 1,500-plus-yard seasons. His 14 touchdown receptions last year were also the most in the NFL.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel will miss at least the next two games with a hairline fracture in his shoulder, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.Meanwhile, running back Christian McCaffrey is questionable to play Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings due to an oblique injury, the team announced.Left tackle Trent Williams is also doubtful with an ankle injury.Samuel will miss contests against the Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals before the 49ers enter a bye week. The earliest he could return is Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.McCaffrey missed practice Thursday and Friday before participating in a limited capacity Saturday.The star running back said multiple times after Saturday's practice that he feels "great", according to NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco.Behind McCaffrey on the depth chart are Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason. Jaylon Moore is expected to be Williams' backup at left tackle after he played two snaps in relief of the Pro Bowler last week.Samuel, McCaffrey, and Williams were all injured in the Week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, the 49ers' first defeat of the season.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals are activating safety Budda Baker from injured reserve, the team announced Saturday.Baker is expected to play against the Seattle Seahawks this weekend, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The 27-year-old has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. He hasn't played since the club's Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders.Baker returns against a Seattle offense that's averaging 332.6 yards and 24.8 points per game.Baker, a five-time Pro Bowler, has racked up at least 98 tackles every year since the 2018 campaign. The Washington product owns seven interceptions, 34 pass deflections, six forced fumbles, and 655 total tackles in 94 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Baker Mayfield completes his 19th pass of the game, and it's first-and-10 at the Lions' 29-yard line with plenty of time on the clock. Four incomplete passes later, Mayfield over 20.5 pass completions dies a grim death and we're left with another 5-5 week as we sit three games below .500 through two-thirds of the season in our alternative ways to play Sunday's games.Bijan Robinson: Under 54.5 rushing yardsI'm not expecting much from the Falcons' offense. Expectations were high for the Atlanta running game this season, but at 4.0 yards per carry, the offensive line hasn't opened holes with ease. Only the Eagles have been able to do anything on the ground against the Buccaneers' run defense, so the Falcons will be better served by trying to throw the ball to Bijan Robinson to give him a chance in the open field.Rhamondre Stevenson: Over 43.5 rushing yardsWe'll be buyers at what we hope is the low point in the market for the Patriots' offense. Rather than backing Mac Jones, though, let's assume that Rhamondre Stevenson can do some work against a Bills run defense that's giving up the second-most yards per carry and is without hole-clogger DaQuan Jones in the middle of the defensive line.Gardner Minshew: Over 198.5 passing yardsThere are two ways this wins from a game-script perspective. The Colts could have early success against the Browns' defense, whose metrics might be inflated due to the opponents and last week's weather in Cleveland. It's also possible that, like last week, Indianapolis finds itself trailing and Gardner Minshew gets over a total that's 30 yards short of a road game in Jacksonville.Jared Goff: Under 35.5 longest pass completionHere are Jared Goff's yardage totals in outdoor games after October 1st the last two seasons and before last week's big game in Tampa Bay:OPPONENTYARDSPatriots229Bears236Giants165Jets252Panthers355Packers224It took a late 51-yard touchdown on fourth down against the Jets and 27 second-half pass attempts while trailing by three scores in Carolina to get over this total twice. With high winds expected in Baltimore, the Ravens' defense will keep everything in front of them as Goff struggles to complete anything deep down the field.Michael Mayer: Over 2.5 receptionsBrian Hoyer came in for Jimmy Garoppolo in the second half last week and half his six completions went to tight ends. Michael Mayer saw his snap share go from under 50% in the first three weeks to 81% last week and a season-high six targets. The market hasn't caught up to how much the Raiders want to get the ball to the former Notre Dame tight end, who is playing a stone's throw from South Bend this week.Patrick Mahomes: Under 36.5 longest pass completionThe Chiefs' long completions this season have come via medium-length passes turned into long gains. Their less-explosive offense won't be able to beat the Chargers deep, as Los Angeles has done a solid job of containing Patrick Mahomes on a per-pass basis and has the lowest Y/A of any team to face him at least four times.Kenneth Walker: Over 79.5 rushing yardsWith a prime candidate for a ladder - betting someone to hit higher alternative yardage marks - the Seahawks should emulate everyone's success running the ball on the Cardinals this season. Arizona couldn't do anything to stop the Rams in the second half on the ground last week, and though Kenneth Walker hasn't had a 100-yard rushing game this season, he had 97 on 18 carries against the Panthers in the most comparable game to this matchup.George Pickens: Over 50.5 receiving yardsAny decent offensive coordinator should have come out of the Steelers' win over the Ravens and through the bye week with the idea that we can trust George Pickens with contested catches. Add in Diontae Johnson's return, which will draw some attention to the other side of the field, and Pickens - over this total in three of his last four games - should be able to do work against the Rams' secondary.Aaron Jones: Over 2.5 receptionsWe'll need Aaron Jones to play in this game, and we've all been fooled before regarding his availability. However, if Jones is cleared, this number is too low. The Packers' offensive line is still not good, and Jordan Love needs all the help he can get. Jones averaged 3.5 receptions per game in this offense last year with Aaron Rodgers, whose confidence in going downfield was much higher.Dallas Goedert: Over 39.5 receiving yardsUnder the lights and in a big game, Jalen Hurts likes to go to his reliable tight end, who will be critical in extending long drives to keep the Dolphins' offense off the field. Miami allows 5.6 receptions and over 50 yards per game to opposing tight ends, even though the only elite tight end the team has faced is Darren Waller (eight receptions, 86 yards).Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated wide receiver Diontae Johnson from injured reserve ahead of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced Saturday.They also placed tight end Pat Freiermuth on IR with a hamstring injury. Freiermuth aggravated the ailment in practice Thursday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.Johnson was placed on the reserve list in mid-September after he suffered a hamstring injury in the team's season opener against the San Francisco 49ers."I am very excited. It's been a long process, fighting to get back. I am looking forward to showing them I am ready for Sunday," Johnson said this week, according to team reporter Teresa Varley.The Toledo product should help spark a passing game desperate for production. Pittsburgh ranks 27th in yards through the air per contest.Johnson led the team in receiving yards last season with 882. The 27-year-old has 3,694 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in 66 career games since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2019.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Eagles' schedule is about to get difficult.Sunday night's heavyweight bout with the Dolphins teases what's to come for the reigning NFC champions. A road date with the Commanders to close out October is the easiest matchup ahead. Ensuing weeks break down as follows:

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone goes over the notable injury updates heading into Week 7.

The New York Giants are listing quarterback Daniel Jones as questionable for their game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.Jones is still not cleared for contact, head coach Brian Daboll said Friday, according to Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports. He is dealing with a neck injury that he suffered in Week 5.Daboll added there's still a chance Jones starts Sunday, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.Tyrod Taylor will get his second consecutive start if Jones can't play.The 26-year-old Jones was a limited participant in every practice this week. He did not practice leading up to the Giants' Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.Jones is 1-4 this season, throwing for 884 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions.Taylor got his first start of the season last week against the Bills, completing 24 passes with 224 total yards. New York's 317 yards of offense were the most the team had in a single contest since Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals.Andrew Thomas (hamstring), John Michael Schmitz (shoulder), and Matt Peart shoulder) have been ruled out. Adoree' Jackson (neck) and Evan Neal (ankle) are also listed as questionable.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders are starting veteran Brian Hoyer over rookie Aidan O'Connell in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears, a source told The Athletic's Dianna Russini.Hoyer filled in for Garoppolo after the latter exited last week's victory over the New England Patriots due to a back injury. However, O'Connell replaced an injured Garoppolo earlier in the season, entering during a Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.Hoyer ended the Week 6 win over New England with six completions on 10 attempts for 102 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.The 38-year-old journeyman has made 40 starts over his lengthy career, winning 16 of them. He's also thrown for 53 touchdowns to 35 interceptions.The 3-3 Raiders will catch a break Sunday as they'll avoid Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who is out with a thumb injury. Instead, Las Vegas will face undrafted quarterback Tyson Bagent.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 7.The final rankings will be released Sunday morning.Half PPR

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to return for Sunday's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, head coach Dan Campbell announced Friday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.The rookie missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury.Fellow running back David Montgomery was ruled out for Sunday's game due to a rib injury."(Gibbs is) going to need to take the load of (the work)," said Campbell. "We're just going to have to see where he's at. I'd like to say we're going to be careful with him, but the reality is we need him."The Lions' restrained usage of the first-round pick had drawn some criticism before the injury. Gibbs averaged just under 10 carries per game over the first four weeks despite gaining a solid average of 4.6 yards on his rushing attempts.Meanwhile, free-agent addition Montgomery is averaging around 19 carries per game while rushing for 4.1 yards per attempt.Craig Reynolds is the Lions' No. 3 running back, but he's listed as questionable after missing Wednesday's practice with toe and hamstring injuries. Devine Ozigbo and Mo Ibrahim are on the club's practice squad.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Our best bets against the spread have been as advertised, but we're hoping to hit a couple more upsets going forward, and teasers should always be more successful through the middle of the season, when game results tend to finish closer to the point spread.Best bets ATSWe've already discussed the five underdogs with a shot to win outright relative to their price, and as always, they're worth a look against the spread.TEAMSPREADPatriots+8.5Bears+3Steelers+3Chargers+5.5Vikings+7However, there are more plays worth making this week.Buccaneers -2.5Desmond Ridder had over 300 yards last week, and the Falcons' backers were bummed out about the performance because of the crucial turnovers that cost Atlanta the game. Bettors may like the production enough to keep this line from going to -3, but they have more faith than I do that Ridder's road statistics will turn around this week. His yardage per attempt is 1.7 yards lower on the road than it is at home, and he completes almost 10% fewer passes.The Buccaneers were closer to the Lions than the scoreboard suggests, as a batted Baker Mayfield pass prevented a potential long touchdown for Mike Evans, and Jameson Williams held on to a juggled long touchdown on a third-and-10. Had those two high-leverage plays gone differently, the Bucs might not be so mad about their play and might not be so focused on a visit from Ridder this week.Colts +3The Browns' win probability shouldn't have been adjusted down drastically when P.J. Walker replaced Deshaun Watson before the 49ers game. It also shouldn't be flipped back so aggressively with the likelihood Watson will play versus the Colts.Indianapolis is likely being downgraded because Gardner Minshew will be facing the heavily lauded Cleveland defense, which has had a good run of matchups on that side of the ball, including an injured Joe Burrow, the Steelers, the Titans, and Brock Purdy dealing with a driving wind. Getting the full field goal is a good bet on the Colts.Ravens -2.5 (-120)Jared Goff goes from summer and the indoors to dealing with the Ravens' defense in windy conditions. The Lions will have a hard time relying on the run game without David Montgomery. Detroit ran 22 times for just 40 yards last week in Tampa Bay (another reason to like the Bucs above).The Lions' ATS record under Dan Campbell is getting more publicity, and their market rating is creeping up, so it may look appetizing to buy Detroit as an underdog. However, the available -2.5 at -120 is a valuable bet on Baltimore since - based on previous closing point spreads - this line should be -3.5 without public perception skewing it lower.Eagles -2.5The Eagles' injury report on offense isn't ideal, but the Dolphins' defense is 27th in DVOA. Philadelphia might not need to be at full strength to move the ball well. What is make-or-break in this game is the Eagles' ability to pressure Tua Tagovailoa and slow down Miami's offense.The Eagles' red zone defense and pressure rate has room to improve, but they should have a healthy front seven at The Linc on Sunday night. We saw how Miami's offense was affected when the team went from blowing out inferior opponents to a road game against a contender in Buffalo. Tagovailoa was sacked four times and turned it over twice.Moneyline upset of the weekOur defined parameter for this section is underdogs paying at least +150.Chargers (+200)In five games between Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs and Justin Herbert's Chargers, the coin has landed in favor of Kansas City four times. With two overtime games and two won by a field goal, these matchups are always a coin flip, as discussed in our round-robin moneyline parlay. It would be peak Chargers for L.A. to go on the road and beat K.C. six days after coughing up a winnable Monday Night Football home game against Dallas.Best 6-point teaserGiants (+8.5) / Seahawks (-1.5)Thankfully, this probably doesn't require a lot of explanation since two-team, six-point teasers are now commonly priced at -130, and you need to be as certain as ever that your teaser legs have value. The Giants have been blown out, but those games came against the Cowboys, 49ers, Seahawks and Dolphins - all playoff-calibre teams. Even Washington's biggest win of the season - by eight last week in Atlanta - came when the team gave up more than 200 yards than it had on offense.As for Seattle, if we're using the team in survivor contests this week, it's safe to say we like them to win, and losing this would require quite the turnaround from Arizona's recent penchant for losing by two touchdowns.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.Consult our Week 7 rankings for the rest of your lineup decisions. You can also listen to the Week 7 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.StartBrock Purdy, 49ersat Vikings Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / GettyPurdy was the QB8 in fantasy points per game over the first five contests before last week's loss saw Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and Trent Williams suffer injuries against a tough Browns defense.That trio has a shot to play on Monday night, but Purdy will produce with or without them in a much easier matchup versus the Vikings.Minnesota is allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2023. The ranking would be even worse if Justin Fields hadn't left early in Week 6.Boone's projection: 253 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 9 rushing yardsOther QBs to start

We went 1-2 last week to bring our season record to 10-8.Unders are hitting at a staggeringly high rate this season: 61% of games have fallen under the point total, the highest win rate for unders through six weeks since 1991.We broke down how scoring is down this season and why. It's important to keep this in mind when sifting through the totals market.Here are our best total bets for the weekend:Raiders @ Bears under 37.5This may be the ugliest game of the season, and should come with a "Viewer discretion is advised" warning. It likely won't be featured on NFL RedZone much because, well, I can't imagine either team earning too many trips to those parts of the field.The Bears (1-5) and Raiders (3-3) are struggling franchises that consistently have more questions than answers at season's end. And in Week 7, both are without their starting quarterbacks.Jimmy Garoppolo is out with a back injury. It's unclear who'll start in his place - either Aidan O'Connell or Brian Hoyer. O'Connell started earlier this season when Garoppolo was injured, but Hoyer replaced Garoppolo when Garoppolo was forced from his last game early.No matter who starts, the Raiders have the fifth-worst scoring offense in the NFL, and it'll only get worse without Jimmy G. Meanwhile, Bears starter Justin Fields is out with a thumb injury. Rookie Tyson Bagent will make his first start Sunday.This game won't feature a ton of points with two backup QBs taking over already inadequate offenses.Bills team total over 24.5 pointsThe Bills looked like they were cruising after a 28-point win over the Dolphins in Week 4, but they've struggled the last two weeks in a loss to the Jaguars and a narrow win over the Giants. Buffalo scored 20 and 14 points respectively over the last two weeks.There's no reason to panic, though. The Bills' offense is still elite with Josh Allen under center and weapons all over. The Patriots are the perfect opponent for the Bills to get back on track.New England is in contention for worst all-around team in the NFL. Its defense looked good on paper to start the season, but the offense has been so putrid that it doesn't really matter what the defense does.The Patriots have the NFL's ninth-worst scoring defense. While this is a divisional rivalry, Buffalo's the superior team and should steamroll New England.Dolphins team total over 24.5 pointsThe Dolphins-Eagles total is the highest of the weekend (51.5) as two of the best offenses in the league meet.The Dolphins' offense has been exceptional, scoring at least 24 points in five of six games. The Eagles are 2.5-point favorites simply because they're at home. Oddsmakers see this as a closely contested contest between two Super Bowl contenders.Expect the Eagles to score points, too, especially after their poor offensive showing against the Jets last weekend. This game should be played into the 30s, but I lean towards the Dolphins team total because the Eagles' defense is banged up.Philadelphia is in desperate need of secondary help. Cornerback Darius Slay and defensive lineman Jalen Carter both missed last week's game, while safety Reed Blankenship and cornerback Bradley Roby left last week's game with injuries. The status of all four remains questionable heading into the weekend.The Jets weren't able to take advantage because Zach Wilson is their QB. The Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa will exploit the Eagles' injury-riddled defense.Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverageCopyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you enjoy betting the over on NFL games, the 2023 season (so far) isn't for you.Unders are hitting at a historically high rate through Week 6, with 61.3% of games failing to surpass oddsmakers' point total, per data from TeamRankings.That marks the highest win rate for unders through six weeks since 1991, according to The Action Network's Evan Abrams.Part of the reason for this surprisingly high rate is the fact scoring is down across the NFL.An average of 43.4 points have been scored per game through Week 6, slightly down from last year's 43.8, continuing the downward trend since games averaged a whopping 49.6 points in 2020.Thirteen teams are averaging fewer than 20 points a game. Remove the Dolphins (37.2 points) and the 49ers (30.7), and the remaining teams are averaging only 20.9 points, which would be the lowest since 2007.Last eight seasonsYearPoints/GameTeam Yards/Game202343.4329.7202243.8340.1202146.0343.6202049.6359.0201945.6347.9201846.6352.2201743.4334.1201645.6350.4(Data source: Pro Football Reference)As seen in the data above, teams' offensive yards per game are also way down. A 329.7 yards-per-game average is the lowest since 2008.A decrease in passing yards is the key reason for the overall dip in offense, with teams averaging only 218.6 yards through the air compared to 235.7 from 2012-2021.Teams struggled to throw in 2022 as well, averaging 218.5 yards. However, they made up for it on the ground by rushing for 121.6 yards per game, the most since 1987.But aren't over/unders supposed to factor in lower scores and lower offensive outputs? Yes and no.The over/under set by a sportsbook's algorithm is not intended to predict the total points scored in a game. While they will often come close, the main objective of opening lines is to reduce one-sided action from sharp bettors.If the total for a theoretical Chiefs-Bills game opens at 48.5 and sharp bettors believe the over is more likely to hit than the odds indicate, sportsbooks will adjust the total accordingly until one-sided action subsides.But the fact that this theoretical line moved from 48.5 to 50.5 does not mean the sportsbook's algorithm was necessarily wrong, nor does it change the likelihood of a specific total occurring.Rather, line movement only indicates the sharp-betting market disagreed with the sportsbook's opening line. In short: data and models generate an opening line, while sharp bettors' opinions (ignoring potential key injuries or weather) form the closing line.With that in mind, let's look at the average closing line game total in the past seven years, and the average since 2003, to see if there are any answers as to why unders are hitting at 61% this season.YearAvg. TotalOver %Under %202344.138.761.3202244.240.857.6202146.544.655.1202048.250.048.0201945.252.147.6201846.650.649.0201744.141.457.7Since 200344.050.348.5(Data source: TeamRankings)Scoring in 2020 was historically high. It was also a bizarre year due to the pandemic, which forced many games to be played without fans and made it easier for offenses to operate.That said, the betting market adjusted to the higher scores with a 48.2 average game total, which produced a relatively even split between overs and unders.The three years that stand out from the chart above are 2023, 2022, and 2017. Each of these years has a scoring average of slightly over 43 points and an average game total of roughly 44. This combination resulted in under bets winning at a much higher rate than the expected 50-50 split.The last time period when the points-per-game average was similar to the three above years was 2003-2013.Here is the over/under data from that 11-year stretch.YearAvg. TotalPts/GmOver %Under %201345.546.851.646.4201244.845.648.350.7201143.744.450.048.7201042.84455.842.6200942.84349.649.3200842.34447.140.3200741.643.446.048.6200640.541.440.257.3200541.141.239.757.8200441.34351.348.3200341.341.646.652.4The points-per-game average from 2003-2013 was 43.5 and the average game total was 42.5. Overs hit 47.8% of the time and unders occurred at a 49.3% rate. (Pushes account for the remaining percentage.)Let's compare that to the games played in 2017, 2022, and 2023 when overs hit 40.3% of the time and unders a staggering 58.9%. During these three years, the points-per-game average was 43.5 (the same as the 11-year stretch above) but the average game total was 44.1, which is 1.6 points higher than the average game total from 2003-2013.Is that point differential the reason why unders are hitting nearly 60% of the time since 2022? It's too difficult to say that's the only reason, but it's definitely a significant factor.Perhaps this data reveals a market inefficiency where total points scored begin to trend down and the betting market is slow to catch up.As noted, the betting market was able to adjust quickly as more points were scored in 2020, as well as the stretch from 2010-2013 when points per game increased by nearly three while the over/under splits remained close to 50-50.If NFL teams continue to struggle to put points on the board and the sharp betting market fails to adjust by lowering average game totals, then those who bet the over in hopes of exciting back-and-forth action will usually be handing over money to sportsbooks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau was frustrated with his late-game drop during the team's 31-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night."Yeah, you know, it's tough," Moreau said, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. "In front of every man, woman and child I've ever known. It's a dark place to be. It's the National Football League. It doesn't come down to one play, but it comes down to one play."The team fought. The team fought as hard as we did, and it's just unacceptable. It's just pathetic."On third down with 30 seconds remaining in the game and down by seven points, Carr threw a pass to Moreau in the back of the end zone that would have resulted in a touchdown if caught. The Louisiana native could not secure the pass, as the ball went right through his hands.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will start Thursday night's game against the New Orleans Saints despite nursing a knee sprain, head coach Doug Pederson confirmed to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.Lawrence was initially a game-time decision but was deemed good to go after participating in a pregame workout.Lawrence - who's yet to miss a game in his NFL career - said Tuesday that he was optimistic about suiting up for Week 7 after being injured on a sack late in Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts.The 24-year-old has completed 67.1% of his passes for 1,439 yards and seven touchdowns against three interceptions this season.C.J. Beathard is Lawrence's immediate backup.Beathard has 12 career starts and has appeared in 15 more games during his six-year career, which has been split between Jacksonville and the San Francisco 49ers. He has thrown for 3,546 yards and 18 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.Jacksonville promoted quarterback Nathan Rourke to its active roster as insurance.The Jaguars sit atop the AFC South with a 4-2 record.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy cleared the air surrounding his Thursday Night Football pregame confrontation with former five-time Pro Bowler Steve Smith last week."Where I'm from, if someone talks bad about you, you don't go to them in person and try to act friendly toward them like you didn't just talk bad about them," Jeudy said Thursday.Jeudy added: "If you feel some type of way, keep that same energy when you see me in person. I don't got nothing against him or anything, that's just how I feel."Smith went viral last week after ripping Jeudy on-air after he claimed the Broncos wide receiver snubbed him before Thursday's game. The 44-year-old said he approached Jeudy to apologize for making critical comments about him on his podcast.

We spent a lot of time last week trying to figure out whether the Browns would start Deshaun Watson or PJ Walker. While Walker was presumably going to be thrown to the wolves in the form of the 49ers' defense, we didn't know what the final moneyline odds would be for backing Cleveland, since the Browns were still 5.5-point underdogs as of Thursday and little more than +200 on the moneyline.Then Watson's status was confirmed and the moneyline closed shy of +400, the type of price that - had it been available during the week - would have been perfect to include here. Our weekly guilty pleasure bet is designed to back underdogs we think are mispriced, risking less than a unit on the result while still having a chance to profit off the remaining four teams.Taking a shot with the Browns would have cost us 0.7 units with a loss, but a win suddenly makes two, three or four other games even more interesting. Though we didn't know the eventual peak price at publish time last week, it's just another reminder that this is the time to get weird.How it worksWe parlay five underdogs together - which we also bet against the spread - in 10 different three-team parlays. Using every combination of a three-team parlay is called a round robin, so we'll use a total of 1.1 units to make 11 different bets: 10 three-team parlays and one five-team parlay, each for .1 units. You'll likely double your money if three teams pull off the upset. If four teams win, you're connecting on four separate parlays and will be very pleased with the return. If all five teams win, you'll be diving into a gold doubloon silo like a young Scrooge McDuck.Who to playPatriots (+320) over BillsThis is solely about price relative to the Bills' rating in the betting market - since it obviously doesn't have anything to do with the Patriots' play over the last three weeks.While the Patriots only have themselves to blame for their rating plummeting from an average NFL team to around 40/100, it's not Buffalo's fault that its rating needs to be dropped from a Super Bowl contender to merely a playoff team.Since crushing the Dolphins, the Bills have sent Tre'Davious White, Matt Milano, and DaQuan Jones to the IR - arguably their most important players at all three defensive levels. As bad as things have been for the Patriots' offense, if the Giants can create a scenario versus Buffalo that comes down to one play, it's not out of the question for the Patriots.Losing a spread bet on a safety last week at least suggests that we found the low point for New England in the market. The spread for this game should be no higher than +7, and the moneyline should be around +250.Bears (+140) over RaidersIt's time for quarterback roulette in Chicago! Jimmy Garoppolo is just out of the hospital, Justin Fields can't grip a ball, and Aidan O'Connell is hoping for another chance to prove he won't get sacked a million times. Moreover, am I supposed to believe Josh McDaniels should be favored on the road and this isn't a 50-50 matchup? I'll take +140 in a game where literally anything can happen.Steelers (+140) over RamsSoFi Stadium will be black and yellow this week. Steelers fans will be more vocal than Wiz Khalifa, and the Rams - with a rash of tailback injuries - won't be able to rely on running as they did when they dominated the Cardinals. Matthew Stafford will be forced into a one-dimensional offense, and that's when T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith will start caving in the pocket.Offensively, this should resemble Pittsburgh's best showing in Las Vegas, as the Rams' defense has a nearly identical profile to the same Raiders unit. Plus, if the Steelers ever tweak their offense, they'd do it out of their bye - and hopefully, they'll place more trust in George Pickens in one-on-one matchups.Chargers (+200) over ChiefsStrangely, the Chargers were the more buttoned-up outfit Monday night, but Justin Herbert - usually the highlight of every Bolts game - missed a handful of key throws versus the Cowboys. While very disappointing, it doesn't mean their season's over, and we know the Chargers always play the Chiefs right down to the wire. For their part, the Chiefs used to be more capable of crushing opponents, but now they're a defense-first team that plays closer games, and Patrick Mahomes' aggressive decision-making should catch up to him eventually.Vikings (+250) over 49ersThe only thing that could change these moneyline odds is Christian McCaffrey (and to a lesser extent Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams) being ruled out for Monday, shortening the price. It's not a bad time to buy the Vikings ahead of any news.As for Minnesota's path to a win: Maybe it's a product of their opponents, but the Vikings' run defense is in the league's top 10, it scored in two of their last three games, and it only allowed 333 yards to Kansas City. The Vikings were 4-point underdogs at home to the Chiefs but are +7 here because Justin Jefferson isn't available. Expect Kirk Cousins to have a better connection with the remaining targets at home and be up for a potentially high-variance shootout with Brock Purdy.How the odds look this week:PARLAYODDS (Approx.)NE+CHI+PIT+2400NE+CHI+LAC+3000NE+CHI+MIN+3400NE+PIT+LAC+3000NE+PIT+MIN+3450NE+LAC+MIN+4300CHI+PIT+LAC+1700CHI+PIT+MIN+1900CHI+LAC+MIN+2400PIT+LAC+MIN+2500NE+CHI+PIT+LAC+MIN+26000Who are your five underdogs for a football betting lottery ticket?Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, and Google.In this episode, Boone opens up the fantasy mailbag to answer your questions before Week 7.

The New York Giants' 1-5 start puts them in prime position to be sellers at the trade deadline, but the player who's arguably their biggest asset says he doesn't want to be dealt."Everyone knows I don't want to get traded," star running back Saquon Barkley told reporters Thursday, including ESPN's Jordan Raanan.Barkley continued, "I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to get traded anywhere. It's not an easy thing to do. You have to move. I have a family. I would love to be here."The 26-year-old is set to become a free agent next offseason. The Giants franchise tagged Barkley this past offseason but settled on a revised one-year contract after being unable to agree on a long-term deal. The former first-round pick previously said that dispute didn't change his desire to end his career in New York.Barkley said he hasn't talked with his inner circle about the possibility of being traded."Obviously I've been public and vocal about how I feel about this organization and where I want to be," Barkley said. "But like I said, knowing the business and seeing that side of it, there are a lot of things that I can't control."Barkley has rushed for 207 yards over three games this season. He returned in Week 6 after missing the Giants' last three games with an ankle injury.The trade deadline is Oct. 31.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo won't play in Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears due to a back injury, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.Brian Hoyer replaced Garoppolo after he was injured in the second quarter of last week's win over the New England Patriots.Either Hoyer or rookie Aidan O'Connell - who filled in for Garoppolo in the Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers due to a concussion - will start against the Bears.Garoppolo was taken to hospital for precautionary tests, but Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said Monday that the 31-year-old "dodged a big bullet" regarding internal injuries, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com."The prognosis is a lot better than it might have otherwise been," McDaniels added.The Bears could also be without their top quarterback for the Week 7 matchup, as Justin Fields is doubtful to play because of a dislocated thumb. Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent is in line to start.Garoppolo, who joined the Raiders this past offseason on a three-year free-agent deal to replace longtime starter Derek Carr, has struggled when on the field this year.The veteran's eight interceptions lead the NFL, while his QBR of 48.4 ranks 19th among 33 qualifying quarterbacks.Hoyer completed six of 10 passes for 102 yards as the Raiders won their second straight game to improve to 3-3 last weekend.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers have granted wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. permission to seek a trade, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.Marshall is looking for a more prominent offensive role, Fowler adds. However, he's reportedly welcome back if no trade materializes.Marshall's snaps have drastically decreased over the last two weeks. After playing in 63% of the snaps in Week 4, he didn't see a single snap in Week 5 and only played in 32% of the offensive plays last week.Head coach Frank Reich took responsibility for Marshall's lack of playing time in Week 5."He should've played. He should've played some," Reich said, according to Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire. "I wish he had gotten in there a little bit more. That's my fault. I need to make sure after the week he had the week before with the nine catches and got a little momentum going that he and I had a conversation."Carolina's offense is in disarray to start the 2023 season. The team ranks 23rd in yards and points per game. It was reported in early October that Carolina is looking to trade for a wide receiver to help out quarterback Bryce Young.The Panthers traded up to select Marshall in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has 61 catches for 742 receiving yards and one touchdown in 32 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets traded wide receiver Mecole Hardman to the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday, the team announced.The deal's terms weren't released, but the Jets sent Hardman and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for a 2025 sixth-rounder, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.Hardman spent the first four years of his career with the Chiefs before signing a one-year, $4-million deal with New York ahead of this season.Hardman failed to carve out a role with the Jets and has just one reception for six yards this season, but the speedster proved he could produce with the Chiefs.The 25-year-old eclipsed 530 receiving yards in each of his first three campaigns before being limited to eight games a season ago. Hardman averaged at least 11.7 yards per reception in all four seasons with the Chiefs, including 20.7 per grab in his rookie year.Hardman also contributed as a returner for Kansas City. The Georgia product amassed 555 punt return yards and a touchdown on 62 returns in addition to 927 yards and a touchdown on 39 kick returns.The 5-foot-10, 187-pound wideout has 152 receptions for 2,094 yards, and 16 touchdowns in 62 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is looking to rebound after an ugly performance in the team's Week 5 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders."It's not a great feeling, definitely left a very sick taste in my mouth that whole week," Love said, according to Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. "But, it's part of the game. I've had three-interception games before. You've got to find a way to bounce back."He added: "Having that sick taste in my mouth, it's going to keep pushing me forward, keep motivating me to keep going, keep getting better."Love finished the game with 16 completions on 30 attempts, throwing for 182 yards with zero touchdowns and three interceptions. His 32.2 passer rating was his worst mark of the season.The 24-year-old threw his third pick with under a minute left, which iced the game for the Raiders. It was Love's first three-turnover game of the season, and the Utah State product now has six interceptions in his last three games."You have to stay focused, just reflecting on the games so far, the performances so far, the things I did good, the things I did bad," Love said. "You refocus, just re-lock back in, and just take that time away, that week off, and get your mind back to, 'All right, let's reset and get back to winning this week.'"The 2-3 Packers will face off against the Denver Broncos in Week 7. Denver has struggled to stop opposing quarterbacks this season, ranking dead last in passer rating allowed this campaign.

It doesn't quite have the pageantry of the Olympics, but every four years, the Jaguars and Saints renew whatever the opposite of a rivalry is, and we're lucky enough to see these two introduce themselves to each other in prime time on Thursday. To make matters stranger, we get the added uncertainty of Trevor Lawrence's status, as he's spent the short week with a knee brace, while backup C.J. Beathard has taken snaps with the first team.Jaguars @ Saints (-1.5, 39.5)This line opened at pick'em but quickly moved to -3 when word of Lawrence's injury hit the market. He said he intends to play, but how important is it that he rushes back for a non-conference game?A realistic interpretation of the Jags' prospects this season is that winning the AFC South is a reasonable target. While they'd like to compete for the 1-seed in the conference, they shouldn't risk the primary goal for the dream scenario. Having vanquished the Colts twice already and seen the Titans' season peel apart due to their quarterback issues, only the Texans remain as true AFC South competition. If Lawrence stays healthy, they probably win.After Thursday, the Jaguars play one game in the next 24 days. Sitting Lawrence and losing to an NFC team isn't the disaster that having him hobbled all season would be if his immobility creates further injury. A bet on the Saints -1.5 with Beathard would be valuable, considering it was -3 just on rumors that Lawrence would be out, and I'd expect it to close higher if that were made official.What if Lawrence plays, though? The line was around pick'em, so it's not like you're losing out on much if you bet Saints -1.5 and it closes +1.The Saints are fifth in the NFL in opponent yards per pass attempt despite not getting to the quarterback with even a league-average pressure rate. That suggests good coverage, forcing quarterbacks into incompletions or short gains. The Jaguars have struggled to pass protect at times this season, and Lawrence can be prone to turn the ball over even before considering that he could have compromised mobility tonight.Overall, the Jaguars' metrics have been built on a schedule that hasn't had them play a true road game since Week 1, when they trailed the Colts in the fourth quarter and only had five yards per play for the game. Meanwhile, the Saints return home for the first time since a dreadful performance against the Buccaneers three weeks ago for their only scheduled prime-time game in the Superdome in 2023. With the Saints still in the hunt for a playoff spot, this isn't an environment that the Jags have experienced all season.Between difficult communication for the offensive line and a less mobile quarterback - or Beathard playing - it should be difficult for Jacksonville to move the ball with the timing it needs in the passing game.The Saints' offense isn't exactly a thrill-a-minute, but Derek Carr can take advantage of the Jaguars' pass defense, which is in the bottom third of the league in opponents' yards per pass.Pick: Saints moneyline (-120)Alvin Kamara: Over 4.5 receptions (-110)New Orleans' vanilla offense might work well enough this week. Only three teams have allowed more receptions to opponents' running backs on a per-game basis than Jacksonville. Not counting their instant blowout of the Patriots, in the Saints' two competitive games with Kamara in the lineup after he returned from suspension, Carr has thrown it to him 22 times, and Kamara's caught 20 of them.Taysom Hill: Anytime touchdown (+300)Call it an example of "he's due" theory if you like, but seven of Hill's 24 carries have come in the red zone, and he hasn't scored yet this season after nine touchdowns in 16 games last season. Hill had 16 more snaps last week than in any other game this season, which suggests that the Saints are looking for something different out of their offense, which has struggled at 28th in red-zone conversions. Either via carry or reception, Hill should be given a chance to score, and that's enough to be worth a bet at these odds.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Chad Kelly, the former NFL clipboard carrier now electrifying the Canadian Football League, barely took any snaps between 2016 and this season.2016 was the freewheeling quarterback's final year at Ole Miss. He tore his ACL on a QB pressure, didn't get an NFL combine invite, was drafted last overall, and ultimately recorded one NFL touch. When Case Keenum exited a 2018 Broncos game to be assessed for concussion symptoms, Kelly dutifully kneeled with the ball to run out the clock before halftime. He described that play to ESPN this year as the ultimate tease.Kelly grew up in Buffalo, where his uncle, the Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, famously led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl defeats. Folk heroism awaited Chad Kelly on the far side of Lake Ontario. The Toronto Argonauts tapped Kelly, their little-used backup in 2022, to come off the bench and erase a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter of last year's Grey Cup championship game.Scrambling for 20 yards to prolong the title-winning drive, Kelly was rocked at the end of the run but held onto the pigskin."I kept active even with a couple years where I wasn't really playing football," Kelly told theScore recently. "I kept focused. Kept working hard. It showed in that moment."Injuries and disruptive behavior impeded Kelly, 29, when he was younger. Clemson, his first college team, cut Kelly for screaming at coaches during a spring game. The Broncos released him following a criminal trespassing arrest less than two weeks after he spelled Keenum. Kelly joined the Colts' practice squad, then paused to coach the offense at East Mississippi Community College, the JUCO powerhouse where he landed after his Clemson dismissal.Signing in Canada last year propelled him to stardom. Named Argonauts starter in 2023, Kelly emerged as a proficient dual threat and CFL Most Outstanding Player candidate. He's the face of a historic franchise that recently turned 150 years old and is in the midst of coasting to a division title and bye to the playoff semifinals.Toronto has only lost this season when Kelly was banged up or resting. Suddenly indispensable, he inked a three-year, $1.865-million contract extension in August that made him the CFL's highest-paid player.The Argonauts gush about his abilities. When Kelly signed the extension, general manager Pinball Clemons said the possessions he guides are must-see TV. Kelly's arm strength forces his wideouts to be in tiptop shape, Toronto receiving leader DaVaris Daniels told reporters: "You've got to be able to run the whole field every play.""(Kelly's) athletic. He can extend plays when the pocket breaks down. He can run with it," Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie told theScore. "We've had a lot of big plays this year that he ad-libbed. That's something we haven't had in the past." Richard Lautens / Toronto Star / Getty ImagesIn 2022, Kelly attempted only 45 passes during the season in relief of starter McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who dislocated his thumb in the Grey Cup and proceeded to move to the USFL. Unleashed this year, Kelly ranks among the CFL leaders in completion rate (68.3%), passer rating (109.9), passing touchdowns (22), and rushing scores (eight)."In the NFL, he never got the chance to prove himself on the field, other than on a few preseason snaps," Dinwiddie said. "Last year was a great learning experience for him to sit and watch the CFL, not just get thrown in the fire right away. He played well at the end of the year. We felt comfortable moving into this year that he was going to be our guy."

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams expects to be more involved in his team's offensive game plan."When you're a player like me, mentally, my benchmark is not wins and losses. It's greatness," Adams said Wednesday, according to Mitchell Renz of Raiders Report. "So when I go out there, I expect to be able to have that ability to put that on tape and have an influence on the game. Like I say every week, that's my purpose for being here. I'm not here just to hang out."He added: "I came here to win and to do it the right way. So if it don't look like it's supposed to look, then I'm going to be frustrated if I'm not a part of that plan. Because I have the opportunity to go and change that and make it look like a much better picture out there. And if that doesn't happen, then I'm going to be frustrated."Adams' comments come after he didn't stick around to speak to the media following Sunday's 21-17 win over the New England Patriots.Adams - a first-team All-Pro in each of the last three seasons - leads the Raiders with 59 targets in 2023. However, only nine passes were thrown Adams' way in the last two appearances combined after he was targeted at least eight times in the first four games, including 20 times in Week 3. The Raiders won their previous two contests after starting the year 1-3.The 30-year-old has racked up 471 yards and three touchdowns on 39 catches this season."It's not about me, but I'm one of the bigger pieces as to why this offense is going to go," Adams said. "And if I'm not getting (targets), then that's obviously not according to plan."Adams also voiced his frustrations earlier this year, saying, "I don't got time to wait around" after a Week 3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.The former second-round pick is one of football's premier receivers, having topped 1,300 receiving yards for three consecutive seasons. Adams led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches in his first year with the Raiders, who acquired him via trade from the Green Bay Packers during the 2022 offseason. Las Vegas then signed him to a five-year, $140-million contract.The 3-3 Raiders visit the Chicago Bears in Week 7. Las Vegas missed the playoffs after going 6-11 in 2022.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Pat Fitzmaurice of Fantasy Pros joins Boone to discuss the biggest fantasy questions for Week 7.

Seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones can't wait to help the Philadelphia Eagles."My mindset is definitely to dominate," Jones said Wednesday, according to Zach Berman of PHLY. "Don't get it twisted. I'm here to dominate. But they have guys here who are already solidified, so wherever they need me to go and be, I'll do that to the best of my ability."The Eagles signed Jones to a one-year deal Tuesday. The 34-year-old, who became one of the NFL's premier pass-catchers of his generation while playing for the Atlanta Falcons from 2011-2020, spent the 2022 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He caught 24 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns in 10 appearances with the Bucs.Jones, who's battled multiple injuries in recent years, hasn't topped 1,000 yards since 2019. That campaign was also the last time he played more than 10 games in a season.The two-time first-team All-Pro thinks he still has a lot left in the tank, though."Just keep watching. ... Keep watching, and I'll show you," he said.Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni agrees with Jones."Looking at the explosion - Does he still have the juice in his legs, the ability to run, the ability to get out of cuts, that ability to make plays? All those things we thought were really still good," Sirianni said of his new offensive weapon, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.Jones is the Falcons' all-time leader with 848 catches and 12,896 receiving yards. His 60 touchdown receptions rank second in franchise history.Jones will join an Eagles team that rosters one of the sport's top wide receiver duos in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Six weeks of the 2023 NFL season are in the books, and several stars have already started to make strong cases for the league's most prestigious individual awards.Here's a look at the best five candidates for the main honors:Coach of the Year5. Kyle Shanahan, 49ers Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettySunday's ugly loss wasn't enough to kick Shanahan out of the rankings completely. After six weeks, the 49ers are 5-1 with a league-leading plus-97 point differential. Shanahan - who finished behind Brian Daboll for COY in 2022 - is one of football's premier play-callers and does a great job maximizing San Francisco skill-position players' potential and ability to gain yards after catch. Granted, the 49ers have an absurd amount of individual talent, so he isn't really overachieving like Todd Bowles and Sean McVay - who were also under consideration here. But making sure a star-studded roster stays sharp isn't as easy as it may sound.4. DeMeco Ryans, TexansThis is why Ryans was the hottest coaching commodity in the offseason. First-year head coaches often struggle to build physical and competitive teams right away, but that hasn't been the case with the former San Francisco defensive coordinator. The 3-3 Texans - winners of three of their last four contests - have already tied their win total from last year and are on track to have their first campaign with five-plus victories since 2019. Houston's roster includes a rookie quarterback and big holes on both sides of the ball, yet Ryans has put together one of the league's most balanced teams.3. Robert Saleh, JetsThere wasn't much optimism in New York after Aaron Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury in his Jets debut. However, Saleh's outfit is 3-3 despite playing a tough schedule that included meetings with the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Eagles. New York's offense doesn't turn heads often with Zach Wilson at QB, but Saleh has helped put together a defense that's "embarrassed" quarterbacks while forcing 13 takeaways, the AFC's third-best mark. Not many teams with subpar QB play can do what the Jets have done.2. Dan Campbell, LionsCampbell offers more than just viral interviews. The 2023 Lions illustrate how great a job the 47-year-old has done while changing the culture of a Detroit team that's not used to winning recently. After a 3-13-1 record in Year 1 and a 9-8 campaign last year, the Lions have one of the league's best records at 5-1 this season. One may say their schedule is easy, but good teams roll over easy opponents, and Detroit owns a top-three point differential in the NFC. Let's not forget that the Lions went to Arrowhead Stadium and handed the Chiefs their only loss so far.1. Mike McDaniel, Dolphins Brandon Sloter / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe man in charge of the NFL's best offense is our front-runner. Granted, the Dolphins already had high expectations entering 2023 after making the playoffs despite injuries at quarterback. But McDaniel's outfit has topped its preseason hype while writing history along the way. By using pre-snap motion more than any other team and perfectly designing his plays, McDaniel has maximized Tua Tagovailoa's full potential (despite the public's idea that Tuagovailoa wasn't even a quality starter at some point in his career) while creating football's fastest offense featuring Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and De'Von Achane. The 2023 Dolphins have scored 30 touchdowns against just 14 punts, and they're also averaging 498.7 total yards per game - 103.7 yards more than the second place (Eagles). That difference is the largest ever between the league's top offenses in a season.Defensive Rookie of the Year5. Christian Gonzalez, PatriotsThe injured Gonzalez doesn't have a realistic shot at winning this award anymore, but he makes the cut here given how impressive he was before going down. The standout cornerback is a great fit for the Patriots, who posted a major steal by drafting him 17th overall. Despite missing the last two games with a season-ending shoulder injury, Gonzalez has 17 tackles, three pass breakups, an interception, and a sack while allowing an 86.1 passer rating when targeted. He's still PFF's sixth-best corner (minimum 100 snaps in pass coverage).4. Brian Branch, LionsBranch has been the best rookie in a standout 2023 draft class by the Lions. The Alabama stud was a projected first-round pick yet fell to Detroit at No. 45. Branch has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, but that's essentially the only knock on his spectacular Year 1. The versatile 21-year-old, who was drafted as a safety but has played mostly as a nickel corner, has made plays all over the field, registering 25 tackles (three for loss), four pass breakups, and a 50-yard pick-6. His seven stops against the run rank fourth among DBs.3. Will Anderson Jr., TexansAnderson hasn't stolen headlines - mostly because he's failed to translate his solid performances into sacks - but that doesn't mean he isn't one of the season's top rookies. The former Alabama star has amassed 25 tackles (two for loss) and one sack in six games to go along with 24 pressures, the second-most among first-year edge rushers. The 22-year-old, who's also blocked a field-goal attempt, is PFF's 19th-best edge. While the Texans need more game-changing plays from Anderson after trading up to draft him at No. 3, this is just the beginning. He'll continue to improve as he acclimates to Ryans' defensive system.2. Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks Christopher Mast / Getty Images Sport / GettySeattle is great at drafting cornerbacks, and it landed another stud in Witherspoon. Since missing Week 1 due to injury, the Illinois product is the NFL's fourth-best corner, according to PFF. He's allowed a ridiculous passer rating of only 62 when targeted. Oh, and Witherspoon is responsible for one of the season's top performances after recording seven tackles, three QB hits, two sacks, one pass breakup, and a 97-yard pick-6 while playing every defensive snap in Week 4's Monday Night Football.1. Jalen Carter, EaglesNo other rookie defender has been as dominant as Carter, who's the top-ranked interior lineman, according to PFF. Yes, he's ahead of the likes of Aaron Donald and Chris Jones. Donald leads the position with 30 pressures. Carter has generated 23 pressures despite playing 76 (!) fewer snaps as a pass-rusher. Remarkably, defenses have given Carter the Donald double-team treatment, but the No. 9 pick has had no problems wreaking havoc thanks to his 20.9% pass-rush win rate (the 11th-best among all defenders). The Georgia product, who was sidelined in Week 6, has also amassed 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.Offensive Rookie of the Year5. De'Von Achane, DolphinsAchane has been inactive for two games and had just two touches in Week 2, so his NFL resume is essentially limited to three full appearances. However, what the Texas A&M product did on the field was so absurd that he had to be on this list. Achane put up high school numbers in the pros, averaging 12.1 yards per rushing attempt to go along with a league-high 115 yards per game. Before missing Week 6 with a knee issue that sent him to injured reserve - and will probably keep him out of OROY contention - the third-round running back had the second-most yards on the ground in the NFL (460) despite ranking only 37th in carries. His blazing speed is a great fit in Miami.4. Sam LaPorta, Lions Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images Sport / GettyLaPorta is on pace to finish the season with 82 receptions for 921 yards and eight touchdowns, which would stand as one of the greatest rookie seasons ever among tight ends. The second-round pick has been a big part of the Lions' offense - he's tied for a team high with three TD catches while posting a 115.7 passer rating in the 42 times he's been targeted. The Iowa product also leads all first-year players in contested catches (six).3. Bijan Robinson, FalconsRobinson is already one of football's most explosive and elusive running backs, having shown an incredible ability to break tackles and make jaw-dropping plays. It still feels like the Falcons haven't figured out an offensive system to maximize the No. 8 pick's full potential - that might explain why they rank 29th in scoring. But Robinson has still amassed 590 scrimmage yards (seventh-most in the NFL). His 13 runs of 10-plus yards rank second to only Christian McCaffrey.2. Puka Nacua, RamsThe Rams' offense wouldn't have been able to hold its own in the first few weeks without Cooper Kupp if not for Nacua, a fifth-round pick who's been one of the league's most consistent receivers. The BYU product began his NFL career with a rookie-record 25 receptions in his first two games and topped 100 yards in three of his first four appearances. Nacua's numbers dropped with Kupp returning from IR in the last two games, but he's still been targeted 18 times since Week 5. Nacua's 50 catches and 598 yards place first (tied) and fourth, respectively, among all wideouts in 2023.1. C.J. Stroud, Texans Cooper Neill / Getty Images Sport / GettyThere's no debate here. Stroud has given Houston consistency and poise at football's most important position despite being surrounded by a far-from-great supporting cast that includes a banged-up O-line. The No. 2 pick attempted a record 191 passes before tossing his first career interception in Week 6. He ranks fourth in passing yards and ninth in touchdown throws. Stroud is the main reason the Texans enter their bye week at .500.Defensive Player of the Year5. Fred Warner, 49ersWith Nick Bosa still getting back to his DPOY form after an offseason holdout, Warner has been San Francisco's most impressive defender. The All-Pro linebacker has had game-changing moments on every level of the defense - sometimes even on the same play. He's collected 48 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in six games. In pass coverage, he already tied a career high with two interceptions to go along with four pass breakups and a 65.8 passer rating allowed in 30 targets. It's hard to ask for more from an off-ball LB.4. Aidan Hutchinson, LionsWe often talk about the Lions' offense, but since Hutchinson joined the team, the defense has been making plays, too. After a solid rookie campaign, the Michigan product has now taken his game to another level as he continues to make his presence known on the field. He ranks third in the league with 36 pressures to go along with 4.5 sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble, and an interception. The 5-1 Lions certainly wouldn't be where they are if not for the 2022 No. 2 pick.3. Micah Parsons, Cowboys Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyMonday's game showed how special Parsons is - he had a quiet night and didn't really fill the stat sheet until registering a clutch sack late in the fourth quarter to help the Cowboys seal the win. He always shows up when it matters the most. Parsons also finished the game with eight pressures, marking his fifth game this season with at least five. The 24-year-old, who finished second for DPOY in each of the last two seasons, has racked up five sacks, one forced fumble, and the second-most pressures this campaign (37).2. T.J. Watt, SteelersWatt remains a monster when it comes to consistency. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year has amassed an NFL-leading eight sacks in five games this year while being PFF's third-best edge rusher. He now has 51 sacks in his last 45 games dating back to 2020. Watt's 27 pressures are only tied for the eight-highest among edges, but his impact isn't limited to getting to opposing QBs; he's also notched seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and a fumble return touchdown.1. Myles Garrett, BrownsGarrett is the best player in a historically good Browns defense. The four-time Pro Bowler - owner of PFF's highest pass-rushing grade among edges - has generated 26 pressures in five games while boasting the highest pass-rush win rate in the NFL (29.8%). The former No. 1 pick has been so dominant that he's made an impact by just moving from one side of the line of the scrimmage to the other before the snap. Garrett most recently put on a show against Trent Williams in Cleveland's major upset victory over the 49ers. He won 31% of his pass-rushing snaps versus the All-Pro left tackle (the highest percentage Williams has ever surrendered).MVP5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images Sport / GettySometimes, Mahomes' biggest competitor for awards is ... himself. After claiming the regular-season and Super Bowl MVP awards in 2022, the two-time winner is off to another good start. Good by his standards, which often means very solid (not to say great) for others. The Chiefs star is in the top six in EPA per play, passing yards, and TD passes. He's done that despite Travis Kelce being banged up and the team's struggles at wide receiver. Mahomes' 84.2% on-target throws rate tops the league, but a league-high 15 of his passes have been dropped, according to Football Reference. Mahomes hasn't been No. 1 in most categories like we expect him to be every year, but he's the only reason the Chiefs are 5-1.4. Christian McCaffrey, 49ersNot only has McCaffrey been the best running back in football, but he's also the best scorer in a 5-1 San Francisco team that leads the NFL in point differential. Despite facing eight-plus defenders in the box at the sixth-highest rate, McCaffrey has rushed for 553 yards (5 per carry) and seven touchdowns while catching 23 passes for 177 yards and two scores. The 27-year-old, who's now scored in 15 straight games, also tops the position in yards after contact and runs of 10-plus yards. Since McCaffrey joined, the 49ers have suffered two losses, including last week when he didn't finish due to injury. His spectacular season, combined with a wide-open MVP race, gives him a shot at becoming the first RB to earn this honor since Adrian Peterson in 2012.3. Brock Purdy, 49ersSay what you want about Purdy, but the second-year passer was having a near-perfect season until his abysmal Week 6. We normally expect the MVP to go to a player quarterback who often makes jaw-dropping plays, but no one has done that consistently enough to run away with this award. Meanwhile, Purdy leads the NFL in EPA per play. The last four passers who topped the league in EPA/play won the MVP. It's hard to give Purdy full credit for the Niners' success given how much talent they have around him, but he's shown he can elevate his team at times while being extremely efficient. That said, Sunday's loss to the Browns and the stellar supporting cast around him leave Purdy with no more margin for error in this race.2. Tyreek Hill, Dolphins119-2,306-17.Before we hear the "Receivers have never won the MVP" argument, look above at Hill's projected numbers in a 17-game season. The seven-time Pro Bowler is having a campaign for the ages. Granted, it'll be hard for him to maintain that pace. But if there's one player who can become the first wideout ever to top the 2,000-yard mark and earn MVP, it's Hill in a historically great offense. There's also the fact that this race is wide open, as the usual contenders - Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, among others - haven't separated themselves. Hill is a long shot to win the MVP given how quarterback-driven this award is, but he's on pace to do something we've never witnessed. One of his teammates might steal some votes, though.1. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / GettyDolphins players being 1-2 in the MVP race shows how amazing they are. Tagovailoa has been in charge of the NFL's best offensive unit while being arguably football's most efficient passer. He's No. 1 in passing yards, touchdowns, yards per attempt, and passer rating. He's also second in EPA/play. Does Tagovailoa deserve full credit for what Miami has accomplished? Probably not. But QBs under center for historically good offenses are usually rewarded with the MVP. To name a few: Peyton Manning in 2013, Aaron Rodgers in 2011, and Tom Brady in 2007. Tagovailoa obviously isn't on the same level as those guys, but he's crucial for a system that's been unstoppable. With QBs like Mahomes and Allen not playing at the level that made them MVP contenders in the past, the door is open for essentially any player to take home the MVP, including the so-called system quarterbacks.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values and rest of season rankings for each position.Trade Values

NFL owners and commissioner Roger Goodell agreed to a three-year contract extension through March 2027, the league announced Wednesday."I'm obviously honored to do this job," Goodell said. "It's not going to change how I'm approaching my day-to-day job, and it hasn't to date."Goodell declined to speculate on whether this will be his final term as NFL commissioner."From my standpoint, I signed a three-year extension. That's what I'm going to do," he said. "We'll see what the future holds. I don't know. We'll see. I'm not making any commitments other than the next three years."The new deal was reportedly agreed upon in March and was expected to be finalized shortly after, but the official agreement was delayed until the Fall League Meeting in New York. Goodell's current contract was set to expire at the end of this season.Goodell took over from Paul Tagliabue in 2006 and will be in charge of the NFL for at least 22 years with his new deal. Tagliabue was commissioner for 17 years.Since giving up its tax-exempt status in 2015, the NFL is no longer compelled to publicly reveal Goodell's salary. However, the 64-year-old earned a combined $127.8 million for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-21, according to Ken Belson of the New York Times.The commissioner's previous average salary of just under $64 million per season far eclipses that of the NFL's current highest-paid player, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who earns $55 million a year.Goodell has landed two huge deals for the NFL since his last extension was signed in 2017.First, Goodell helped finalize a collective bargaining agreement in March 2020 that most notably added a 17th regular-season game and expanded the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams.The following year, Goodell guided the league to a media rights deal with CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and Amazon worth over $100 billion.NFL franchises have also seen their values skyrocket during Goodell's leadership.The Denver Broncos were purchased for a then-North American sports franchise-record $4.65 billion in August 2022 before the Washington Commanders set a new benchmark with a $6.05-billion sale in July. The year before Goodell took over as commissioner, the Minnesota Vikings were bought for $600 million.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals are opening the 21-day practice windows for quarterback Kyler Murray and safety Budda Baker, head coach Jonathan Gannon announced Wednesday.Murray and Baker are recovering from an ACL tear and a hamstring ailment, respectively. They must now return to the active roster within 21 days or revert to injured reserve status.Murray posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that he'll participate in Wednesday's practice.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen shrugged off any worries that he could be limited by a right shoulder injury."No concern," said Allen on Wednesday, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. "We'll be ready to go."Allen suffered the ailment in last week's win over the New York Giants. His postgame X-rays were clean, and he downplayed the injury when speaking to reporters following the 14-9 victory.The star signal-caller missed two plays after sustaining the ailment in the second quarter. He finished the game after having his shoulder checked and going through a concussion evaluation.

Former Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones was arrested for the second time in a month, police records show, according to David Ferrara of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.The 33-year-old was arrested Tuesday for violating a domestic violence temporary protection order, Ferrara adds.Jones was arrested on two counts of the same charge on Sept. 29 before being released on bond. He had allegedly taken a woman's belongings from her backyard and burned them, violating the protection order. The Raiders cut him on Sept. 30.Jones published a series of bizarre posts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, prior to his first arrest. In one of the posts, he alleged that he was taken to a mental health facility against his will.In other posts, Jones was critical of the Raiders organization, owner Mark Davis, and head coach Josh McDaniels.The 6-foot-5 defender signed a three-year, $51-million deal with Las Vegas ahead of the 2022 NFL campaign. He didn't appear in a game for the team in 2023 prior to his release.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are two ways to look at the Bills' heart-racing survival on Sunday that might have kept you up that night.The first is to feel like that was way too close for comfort for a team allegedly supposed to win 91% of the time. It didn't feel like that much of a certainty, as Buffalo survived two final red-zone plays from the Giants to close out a victory.The second way to look at it is that, while our pick was closer than anyone imagined, if that game was played 100 times, a handful of the 91 wins would be a little dicey. The nine times where the Giants pull off the upset are when the last play goes their way in a game that New York had managed just three field goals going into that final sequence. It never looked like the Giants could win by outscoring Buffalo, and the reason for fading New York last week was because - if push came to shove late - the G-Men weren't likely to convert on a do-or-die play.Every week until we get knocked out, we've mapped two paths to make it to the end of the season undefeated. As long as one of our entries still stands, we'll use the moneylines for our picks to show the odds of making it the distance traveled along the path. Once we're out, though, we're out.We could provide a series of theoretical rules to follow - like never take a road team - but the moneyline reflects a club's likelihood of winning each game. We can easily translate that into an implied win probability, listed in descending order in the chart below.Week 7 moneylinesTEAMMONEYLINEIMPLIED PROB.Bills-40080.0%Seahawks-38079.2%49ers-29074.4%Chiefs-23069.7%Rams-16562.3%Raiders-16562.3%Ravens-16061.5%Buccaneers-14058.3%Commanders-13056.5%Browns-12555.6%Eagles-12555.6%Saints-12054.5%Packers-12054.5%Broncos+10050.0%Jaguars+10050.0%Dolphins+10548.8%Colts+10548.8%Giants+11047.6%Falcons+12045.5%Lions+13542.6%Bears+14041.7%Steelers+14041.7%Chargers+19533.9%Vikings+24029.4%Cardinals+30025.0%Patriots+32023.8%Survivor Path AKnocked out in Week 3. Thanks, Ravens. This past week, Gardner Minshew's second start of the season went how we would've liked his first to have gone: poorly.Survivor Path BWEEKTEAM USEDIMPLIEDPROB.1Falcons64.9%2Cowboys80.0%3Chiefs88.9%449ers90.9%5Lions81.0%6Bills90.9%SURVIVOR PROBABILITY30.9%Based on the teams we've selected, there was a 31% chance of a rollover moneyline parlay winning. It's like winning a bet at +224 odds.As we reach the second trimester of the season, in a way, the decisions can get easier. We've already used the Bills, 49ers, and Chiefs, so there's only one team left at 70% or better via our moneyline math this week.The Seahawks pass the test of being a definitive top-18 team - meaning we'd want to use them at some point over the 18 weeks of the season. After sandwiching a bye with two road games, Seattle returns home for the first time in almost a month, with the lingering taste of a loss in Cincinnati providing some focus this week.Here are Seattle's other home opponents for the rest of the season: Browns, Commanders, 49ers, Eagles, and Steelers. None of those matchups will provide a similarly high implied win probability.As for the Cardinals, after some initial feistiness, they've lost by two touchdowns or more in three straight games. And the defense looks bad, which shouldn't be surprising considering this unit gave up 439 yards to a Giants team that currently hasn't scored an offensive touchdown in three games.Pick: SeahawksMatt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill want to play on the U.S. flag football team at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles."I'm going on the U.S. Team," Parsons said on "The Edge with Micah Parsons" podcast. "I'm gonna go win an Olympic gold medal because I can't do it in track and I can't do it in anything else, but I know I can play some flag football. I think I might be playing offense for the guys."On Monday, the International Olympic Committee approved flag football as one of five new sports to be played at the 2028 Summer Games, along with cricket, baseball/softball, lacrosse, and squash."Me and Tyreek gonna start it off, and it's just gonna be like that," Parsons added. "All of our guys should be on that team. We need Justin Jefferson out there, we need Ja'Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb. ... We should run through everybody just like we do in wrestling and everything else."Hill expressed interest in suiting up for Team USA at the Olympics on his podcast, "It Needed To Be Said.""You know how amazing it would be to assemble a super team to play in the Olympics, man? Just to compete for a (medal), that'd be crazy," Hill said."I grew up a fan of the Dream Team. I watched the documentary on LeBron (James) and them probably twice a month. I just love to see the competitive drive with those guys. ... Just being able to say, 'Hey man, I was able to play on the Olympic level and compete for a medal for the U.S.' would be special."Hill said it'd be "dope if other NFL players would buy into that."Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star tight end Rob Gronkowski also recently expressed interest in participating, according to TMZ Sports.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for Week 7.Updated rankings (including Standard and PPR) will be released Thursday, with the final version coming down Sunday morning.Half PPR

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (oblique), wide receiver Deebo Samuel (shoulder), and offensive tackle Trent Williams (ankle) could return for the game against the Minnesota Vikings next Monday, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.All three players avoided long-term injury, and their progress at practice this week will determine if they can suit up.McCaffrey suffered his ailment in the second half of the Week 6 game against the Cleveland Browns. He attempted to return but later jogged to the locker room and was ruled out.Samuel was hurt early in the first half of that game. X-rays came back negative on his injured shoulder, and he's considered day-to-day, per Schefter. Williams briefly exited with an ankle injury but returned to finish the contest, playing in 97% of the snaps.The 49ers fell to 5-1 with the loss against the Browns after putting up only 215 yards of offense, the fewest they've had in a single game this campaign.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.Week 7 byes

Trevor Lawrence is "optimistic" he'll be able to play Thursday against the New Orleans Saints despite his knee injury, the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback said Tuesday, according to NFL reporter Mia O'Brien."I'm gonna do everything I can to be out there," Lawrence said. "I feel a lot better today than I would've thought."Despite the optimism, Lawrence added that he only expects to make a decision regarding his Week 7 availability Thursday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.He was wearing a brace on his left knee and participated in some individual drills during Tuesday's practice.

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones, the team announced Tuesday.Jones is joining the team on a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.The 34-year-old went unsigned during the offseason after spending the 2022 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He caught 24 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games last year.Jones - the No. 6 overall pick in 2011 - played his first 10 NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, where he established himself as one of the best receivers of his generation. The Alabama product earned two first-team All-Pro berths and led the league in receiving twice from 2011-2020. He racked up 848 receptions, 12,869 yards, and 60 touchdowns in Atlanta.Jones' stint with the Falcons ended in 2021 after he was traded to the Tennessee Titans. In one year on the Titans, he had 434 yards and just one touchdown on 31 catches across 10 games.His 13,629 career receiving yards are the most among active NFL players.Jones, who hasn't played a full season since 2018, brings immediate depth and experience to Philly. The Eagles' receiver depth chart is headlined by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith - one of the best WR duos in football - but the unit lacks depth. Philadelphia recently placed wideout Quez Watkins on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.Brown leads the team with 42 receptions, 672 yards, and two touchdown catches. He also played with Jones in Tennessee before joining Philadelphia in a 2022 trade.Brown reacted to the Eagles signing Jones on social media:

If you were clouded by the assumption that the best teams in the NFL were invincible, you got jolted back to reality this past week. The 49ers and Eagles lost to the Browns and Jets, while the Chiefs and Bills had more trouble than expected with the lowly Broncos and Giants. In two cases, the underdog competed despite playing a backup quarterback, which altered that team's rating in the market and stretched the point spread too far.This is a reminder that anyone can be beaten, and, unless you're replacing a top-tier starter, an adjustment for a backup quarterback should be tempered. Let's look at what the betting market thought of your favorite team before Week 6 kicked off.How ratings workEvery week, we'll look at what the betting market thinks of each team based on the closing lines from that week's games. The "rating" column is an educated guess at the oddsmakers' rating to create a point spread, with the specific number being the percentage chance that the team beats an average opponent on a neutral field. Ratings aren't rankings. The closing line is considered a better reflection of a team's value than one game.The range column is my evaluation of what each team is capable of. It's our job as handicappers to determine where, within its range, a team will play based on factors like on-field matchups and roster/injury issues. The earlier it is in the season, the wider the range a team may have.Market ratings and our rangeTEAMRATINGRANGE49ers7660-80Chiefs7460-80Bills7455-75Dolphins7155-75Eagles7060-80Cowboys6860-80Ravens6650-70Lions6050-70Chargers5750-70Bengals5640-75Jaguars5445-65Seahawks5140-60Saints5140-60Titans4835-55Vikings4735-55Raiders4530-50Colts4525-45Rams4435-55Packers4440-60Buccaneers4330-50Broncos4235-55Patriots4135-55Falcons4135-55Steelers4140-60Commanders4035-55Jets4030-50Texans3825-45Browns3430-60Bears2920-40Cardinals2520-40Panthers2525-45Giants2425-45The estimated market rating for the Browns fell to 34/100 without Deshaun Watson as the line went up to as high as -10 for San Francisco. Was Watson playing at a level high enough to warrant a massive drop with P.J. Walker at the helm?Hindsight being 20/20, we may have fallen too far in love with the idea of the Colts having an experienced quarterback at the helm. A closing line of just Jaguars -4 couldn't have been a result of Jacksonville's rating falling since the team previously beat Buffalo. An inflated Indy rating and a depressed Browns grade made the Colts -4.5, but Cleveland is now a road favorite with both teams appearing to be adjusted back to the middle of their respective range.How did the Dolphins get to -14 against the Panthers last week? Their rating went up after blowing out the Giants and covering a big number, while the Panthers' rating came down after not covering a big underdog spread in Detroit. Carolina looked like it'd get its first cover of the season after taking a 14-0 lead, but just about everything went wrong after that as the team moved to 0-6 straight up and against the spread.The Bears aren't as bad as they were rated before beating Washington, so their rating likely went up. This makes it tricky to measure how far the Vikings' market rating fell with Justin Jefferson out. That Bears-Vikings game was ugly enough that it's still hard to determine what to make of Minnesota. Now, Justin Fields appears to be out this coming week.For one week at least, the Giants took the mantle as the NFL's lowest-rated team. Tyrod Taylor replacing Daniel Jones sent the point spread for Sunday Night Football up to -15.5, which meant New York's rating fell under the Panthers and Cardinals. The G-Men should be back above those teams going into this week's game against the Commanders.The Bills went over three quarters without scoring at home against the Giants last week, and the Patriots are still nearing double-digit home underdogs. That's exactly how bad it's gotten for New England.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Chargers fan who went viral during the team's loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football insists she's the real deal.Cameras captured the fan experiencing a wave of emotions while cheering on the Chargers, leading some to suspect that she was a paid actor and not a true supporter of the team.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses the top players available on the waiver wire.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh downplayed comments he made about his defense embarrassing "a gauntlet of quarterbacks" to begin the season."The word 'embarrassed' was probably not the right choice of words for me at that time," Saleh said on "Good Morning Football" Tuesday, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. "But there's a lot of faith in our defense and (defensive coordinator) Jeff Ulbrich and how good a job he and the defensive staff do in terms of preparing guys every week and just doing everything we can to make quarterbacks' lives hell."The Jets coach initially said his team had "embarrassed" opposing quarterbacks following New York's 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, in which the defense picked off Jalen Hurts three times."Through these first six weeks, we've played a gauntlet of quarterbacks. I know we haven't gotten all wins, but we've embarrassed all of them," he told reporters postgame, according to The Associated Press' Dennis Waszak Jr.The Jets' defense has performed remarkably well during a tough slate against high-caliber quarterbacks, including Hurts, Josh Allen, and Patrick Mahomes. The unit has yet to allow a single passer to throw for over 300 yards and is only giving up 216.7 passing yards per game (15th in the NFL) and 19.8 points per contest (13th).New York has posted a 3-3 record entering its bye week despite losing starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers to an Achilles injury in the season opener.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.