Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson likely out vs. Steelers

Thu Oct 16 2:53pm ET
Field Level Media

All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson is not expected to play Thursday when his Cincinnati Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Network reported.

Hendrickson, who is listed as questionable for the game, did not practice this week after sustaining a hip injury during Cincinnati's 27-18 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

As for the Steelers (4-1), starting safety DeShon Elliott traveled to Cincinnati and is expected to play against the Bengals (2-4).

Elliott will no longer have an injury designation after previously being listed as questionable for personal reasons.

Hendrickson, 30, led the NFL in sacks last season with 17.5 and has four in six games in 2025.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his previous four seasons with Cincinnati, he was an All-Pro in 2024, Hendrickson has 81 sacks, 235 tackles and 15 forced fumbles in 116 career games (87 starts) with the New Orleans Saints (2017-20) and Bengals.

The Bengals placed Mike Gesicki on injured reserve with a pectoral injury on Wednesday and ruled out fellow tight end Tanner Hudson (concussion) for Thursday's game. Wide receiver Charlie Jones (ribs) and guard Lucas Patrick (calf) are listed as questionable for Thursday's contest.

Elliott, 28, missed two games after sustaining a knee injury in the season opener against the New York Jets. He has 24 tackles, one interception, one sack and one forced fumble in three games.

The Steelers previously ruled out safety and special teams captain Miles Killebrew (knee) and wide receiver Calvin Austin III (shoulder) for Thursday's game. Malik Harrison (knee), who is on the designated for return list, is questionable after turning in a limited practice on Wednesday.

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 7

Player Notes
Jake Elliott Oct 17 7:40pm CT
Jake Elliott

Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott has made less than two field goals in five out of six games this season, and his most recent performance was yet another example. While Elliott didn't miss anything, he made just one field goal of 42 yards and two extra points. He faces the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7, who allow just 19.4 points per game to opposing offenses-fifth-best in the league. It's best to sit Elliott in fantasy this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Alec Pierce Oct 17 7:40pm CT
Alec Pierce

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (ankle) returned from a two-game absence to catch two passes for 48 yards in a 31-27 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. Pierce was listed with an ankle injury this week, but he practiced fully on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and is good to go for a road matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7. Pierce could see a larger role with Josh Downs (concussion) ruled out after suffering a concussion. While he is not a safe play, Pierce sets up as a boom/bust flex option who is worth a look in deeper leagues in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Dontayvion Wicks Oct 17 7:40pm CT
Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable to play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7. Wicks should be cleared to play in the desert on Sunday, but he should remain out of starting fantasy lineups, as the fourth option, at best, in the passing attack behind Romeo Doubs, rookie Matthew Golden, and tight end Tucker Kraft. The 24-year-old is going to fall even further down the pecking order in Green Bay's WR room when Christian Watson (knee) likely makes his season debut in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wicks has had exactly two catches in four of his five games this season. His best game came in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders, when he caught four of his six targets for 44 yards. Wicks has been a limited contributor for the Packers, with 12 receptions on 18 targets for 129 yards and no scores through five games this year.

From RotoBaller

Ollie Gordon II Oct 17 7:40pm CT
Ollie Gordon II

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II continues to serve as the primary backup for De'Von Achane, but hasn't been involved enough to make him a good fantasy play this week against the Browns. Gordon played 24% of snaps last week against the Chargers but only had two carries for one yard and one catch on one target for one more yard. He has played 14 or 15 snaps in each of the last four weeks, but he hasn't produced over 10 yards in any of those contests. He's only the RB55 in RotoBaller's rankings this week since the Browns have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. The rookie's role looks like it will remain minimal for as long as Achane is healthy.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Oct 17 7:40pm CT
Justin Fields

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields will be a riskier option than usual for Week 7's meeting with the visiting Carolina Panthers. The 26-year-old has done well for the most part to keep his fantasy value afloat via the run game in 2025. Still, he's likely to be without his primary weapon in the passing game, wide receiver Garrett Wilson (knee), after a fantasy dud against the Broncos in London. Even if Wilson can suit up, it's unclear in what capacity he'll be available after a week's worth of missed practices. Carolina's defense hasn't given up too much yardage and is particularly stout against the run (94.5 yards per game [ninth-fewest]). However, they're yielding the twelfth-most points per contest (24.3), so if Fields can get the offense rolling, there is an opportunity for some fantasy goodness. The fifth-year pro may be relied upon to create more frequently on his own this Sunday, but the loss of Wilson makes him a fringey QB1. Fields is officially RotoBaller's QB12 for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Adonai Mitchell Oct 17 7:40pm CT
Adonai Mitchell

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell will be active in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers after he was inactive in Week 6 and played just six snaps in Week 5. The Colts effectively benched Mitchell after he made several mistakes in a Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but they will turn back to him with both Josh Downs (concussion) and Ashton Dulin (chest) inactive for Week 7. The Chargers represent a tough matchup for Mitchell as they are allowing just the 30th-most fantasy points per game to receivers this season. It also remains to be seen just how much the Colts use Mitchell in Week 7, even with him active. He should not be in fantasy lineups against the Chargers this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Oct 17 7:30pm CT
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels could be without all three of his top wide receivers for Week 7's matchup at Dallas, with Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) ruled out for the fourth straight game, Noah Brown (groin) placed on IR, and Deebo Samuel Sr. (heel) listed as questionable. Daniels faced a similar situation last week against the Bears, as Samuel was clearly limited by the injury and less effective than usual, yet Daniels still delivered an excellent fantasy performance. The star QB threw three touchdowns and totaled 52 rushing yards on 10 carries, both his highest since Week 1. Now Daniels and the Washington offense head on the road to face a Dallas defense that has allowed the third-most points and the highest yards per pass attempt in the league. There should be plenty of points scored on both sides in this matchup, and Daniels will rank as one of the top QBs in fantasy for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Oct 17 7:30pm CT
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is coming off of another underwhelming performance, failing to eclipse 50 receiving yards in a game for the third time this season last week. Managers never really know what they're in for when starting Smith, and the doubts will only grow stronger this week as he faces a strong Vikings defense. Minnesota has been able to shut down receivers for the most part this season, and Smith has taken a backseat to A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert repeatedly. He's best seen as a WR3/FLX option in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

DJ Giddens Oct 17 7:30pm CT
DJ Giddens

Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens was quiet in a Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals as he did not receive a touch while playing just two snaps on offense. The Colts surprisingly turned to Ameer Abdullah in the game as he notched two touches behind workhorse Jonathan Taylor. Giddens will look to get back in the stat sheet in a Week 7 road matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Colts are one of the few teams that lean heavily on just one running back in Taylor, which doesn't leave much work for his backups. That being said, Giddens is still worth keeping an eye on as a handcuff option in case Taylor is forced to miss time at any point, although that could change if he plays behind Abdullah again in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Michael Pittman Jr. Oct 17 7:30pm CT
Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. turned in a slow day at the office in a 31-27 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, catching just two of his three targets for 20 yards as the team leaned on Josh Downs (concussion) in the passing attack. Pittman has a chance to bounce back on the road in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers as Downs has been ruled out with a concussion. The Chargers have been excellent against receivers in fantasy this season as they are allowing just the 30th-most fantasy points per game to the position through six games. With four touchdowns already in six games, Pittman is safe to deploy as a low-end WR2 in fantasy in Week 7 despite the difficult matchup.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Oct 17 7:30pm CT
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert cannot be stopped from scoring this season, as he found the end zone for his fourth straight game against the Giants. On top of that, Goedert had his most impressive overall showing yet, racking up nine catches on 11 targets for 110 yards. His next opponent is the Vikings, who are tough on WRs but allow the 13th-most fantasy points to tight ends. In Minnesota's last game, Browns tight end David Njoku led his team in receptions and receiving yards. Goedert has given no reason to doubt his production when it comes to red zone looks, and should be considered a solid TE1 in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Tre Tucker Oct 17 7:30pm CT
Tre Tucker

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker has firmly established himself as the team's top receiving option and one of the few bright spots in the offense this season. With Jakobi Meyers (knee) questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Geno Smith will likely continue to rely heavily on Tucker, who has already emerged as his go-to target. The 24-year-old leads the team with 24 receptions on 33 targets for 356 yards and four touchdowns, consistently producing explosive plays and showing improved route running. Tucker's chemistry with Smith has made him a focal point of the passing attack, and his volume and scoring potential keep him firmly in the WR3/flex mix for fantasy managers, even in a tough divisional matchup against the Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Devon Achane Oct 17 7:20pm CT
Devon Achane

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has been one of the top running backs all season despite his team's offensive inconsistencies. Achane had his best game of the season last week, racking up 128 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, four catches, and 22 receiving yards in his team's narrow loss to the Chargers. He has six touchdowns in his six games this season, averaging 65 rushing yards and 32.5 passing yards per game. He's had a total of 10 catches in the last two weeks without Tyreek Hill (knee) available, and he should remain very involved and productive as both a rusher and receiver as the Dolphins go to Cleveland to take on the Browns. Even though the Browns have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season, Achane's volume and production are enough to still make him the RB6 in RotoBaller's Week 7 rankings.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Oct 17 7:20pm CT
Daniel Jones

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns while adding a third touchdown on the ground in a Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Jones' bounce-back season has been one of the best stories in the NFL this year as he has now thrown for 1,502 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions while adding four rushing scores. He will now head on the road to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7 as he looks to stay hot. The Chargers have been tough on quarterbacks this season, allowing the 25th-most fantasy points per game to the position through six games. That being said, the Colts and Jones in particular have been too good this season to fade due to a difficult matchup. Jones sets up as a top-12 fantasy QB heading into Week 7's games.

From RotoBaller

Saquon Barkley Oct 17 7:20pm CT
Saquon Barkley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had his second-lowest total yard count (67) of the season last week against the Giants and will look to bounce back this Sunday against the Vikings. Barkley has also seen less touches recently, with his two lowest rush attempt tallies coming in the last two weeks. On the bright side, Minnesota has the ninth-worst run defense in the league, allowing an average of 132.2 yards per game. And with Philly losing each of their last two contests, they could very well turn back to their superstar RB to rely on for production. View Barkley as a bonafide RB1 once again in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

AJ Dillon Oct 17 7:20pm CT
AJ Dillon

Philadelphia Eagles running back A.J. Dillon was the only other member of the Philly backfield to get any action in Week 6, carrying the ball once and grabbing two receptions in the loss. Dillon played just 14% of snaps once again, but seems to have cemented himself as the primary handcuff option for if Saquon Barkley goes down. If managers have Barkley and some extra room on the bench, Dillon isn't a bad piece to add just in case. But for now, that's his only fantasy value. He should not be in lineups for his upcoming matchup against the Vikings.

From RotoBaller

Jonathan Taylor Oct 17 7:20pm CT
Jonathan Taylor

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor turned in yet another dominant performance in a Week 6 win as he rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. Taylor will look to stay red-hot as he gets ready to head on the road to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7. The Chargers have been decent against the run this season, allowing the 17th-most fantasy points per game to the position through six games. That being said, Taylor has been dominating the backfield work in Indy and already has eight all-purpose touchdowns to his name in 2025. He sets up as a top-five fantasy running back who should be locked into fantasy starting lineups for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Oct 17 7:20pm CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown got back into a bit of a groove in his last game, racking up his second-highest receiving yards count (80) so far this season and had his second week in a row with at least five catches. In Week 7 he faces a Vikings defense that allows the least amount of fantasy points to WRs this year. However, just three weeks ago Minnesota let Pittsburgh's top receiver DK Metcalf go off for 126 yards and a touchdown. Brown is still a target machine and the Eagles have relied more on the passing game recently, so consider him a low-end WR2 this week as he continues a shaky first half of the season.

From RotoBaller

Darnell Mooney Oct 17 7:20pm CT
Darnell Mooney

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said that he's "feeling good" about wide receiver Darnell Mooney's (hamstring) chances of playing on Sunday Night Football in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mooney has not played since injuring his hamstring in Week 4, but it seems there's a good chance he could make it back this weekend despite not practicing on Friday. The 27-year-old wideout was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday and is officially listed as questionable to return. Mooney appears to be on the right side of questionable, but with Atlanta's game coming on Sunday night, we wouldn't recommend risking it with him in your starting lineup this weekend. The Falcons' offense looked much better in the Monday night win over the Buffalo Bills, but Mooney has a mere seven catches on 16 targets for 79 yards and no scores in his three games this year.

From RotoBaller

Michael Badgley Oct 17 7:10pm CT
Michael Badgley

Indianapolis Colts kicker Michael Badgley made a strong debut with his new team, hitting his lone field goal and adding four extra points in a Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The veteran kicker will look to keep it going in a Week 7 road matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Los Angeles has been generous to kickers this season, allowing the 11th-most fantasy points per game to the position thus far. The Colts have one of the top offenses in the league and have afforded plenty of scoring opportunities for their kickers through six games. Badgley sets up as a top-15 fantasy option heading into Week 7.

From RotoBaller