It seems fair to say that most fantasy football managers have never heard the name Ben DiNucci, but he started at quarterback for the James Madison University Dukes in the FCS championship game against the North Dakota State University Bison back in January, and the Dallas Cowboys made him a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. This coming Sunday night in Philadelphia, DiNucci might have to start against former Bison quarterback Carson Wentz in a critical NFC East battle between downtrodden two-win teams. Amazing, and perhaps a bit concerning for fantasy managers.
It is one thing to note DiNucci hardly comes recommended for fantasy purposes at this early juncture, and another for many fantasy managers to question the viability of several other Cowboys suffering statistically since the season-ending injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 5. Capable veteran Andy Dalton replaced Prescott, and while he threw for 266 yards and a touchdown in his first start versus the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, running back Ezekiel Elliott underachieved and wide receiver Michael Gallup did little. Only Amari Cooper appeased fantasy managers.
Still, Dalton is a 10-year NFL veteran of the Cincinnati Bengals who once finished as fantasy's No. 5 quarterback, in 2013, and he had some moments of statistical relevance for deep leaguers in 2018. DiNucci did not Sunday, and Dallas has scored one touchdown and two field goals in the past two games.
Dalton left Sunday's embarrassing 25-3 loss to the Washington Football Team with a concussion, the direct result of a third-quarter cheap shot, and he was having a poor statistical game. His availability for Week 8 is unclear. DiNucci threw three passes and suffered three sacks in relief, with the game outcome hardly in question. The Washington pass rush controlled the line of scrimmage and made things difficult for all Cowboys. With a battered offensive line and several backups playing, Dallas simply cannot protect its quarterback, and Philadelphia and other defenses should enjoy their matchups.
Still, even with volume, Elliott again struggled, and because he is active in every fantasy league, that raises eyebrows. Cooper reached 80 receiving yards, one more than in the first Dalton start, so at least for now there are few concerns about his production. Neither Gallup nor rookie CeeDee Lamb caught a pass Sunday, though they combined for seven targets, and tight end Dalton Schultz caught only two passes, likely forced to assume a larger role in pass protection. These 2-5 Cowboys are noteworthy for the Prescott injury and a truly awful defense, but for fantasy purposes, the current concern is the offensive stars.
Elliott has rushed for fewer than 50 yards in consecutive games, but this also occurred in November 2019 and he bounced back from those outings to score five touchdowns in December, surpassing 100 rushing yards twice. Nobody panicked. As for Sunday in Washington, well, at least he did not fumble! Still, he gets so much volume and remains active in the passing game, so there should be no thoughts of benching him in fantasy. Perhaps he drops a few spots in the next end-of-season rankings, behind Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry and a few wide receivers, but Elliott remains a safe RB1. Look around, and other reliable running backs overcome shoddy quarterback and offensive line play.
Cooper remains a safe WR2, whether it is Dalton, DiNucci or someone else at quarterback. His lone outing this season with single-digit PPR points came in the Giants game in which Prescott was injured, and he remains among the league leaders in receptions and targets. Future games versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens could prove difficult, but sitting Cooper in Week 8 is the wrong move. For Lamb and Gallup, however, even in a solid matchup against the Eagles struggling pass defense, consider other options. Whether it is Dalton, DiNucci or someone brought in this week, relying on other Dallas receivers appears to be an issue.
In retrospect, the fact Prescott was able to throw for 450 yards in three consecutive games behind a terrible offensive line, and Elliott maintained his status as arguably the top fantasy running back, is worthy of more appreciation. Sure, the Cowboys struggle to prevent points, and that should mean more fantasy points all around, but Dalton had little chance versus Washington and nobody knows for sure about DiNucci. Perhaps he is competent, or an upgrade. He could also be Nathan Peterman. Let us not assume the worst! Regardless, we shall see in the next Sunday night game!
Meanwhile, the Eagles are certainly no strangers to injury woes as well, though their starting quarterback remains upright. Most of the starting offensive line and Wentz's weapons, however, are hurt, though running back Miles Sanders, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and tight end Dallas Goedert could return for Week 8. Wentz relied on running back Boston Scott and surprise top receiver Travis Fulgham in the comeback win over the New York Giants earlier in Week 7, and members of this offense eagerly look forward to facing the Dallas defense.
Tua time
As for a more heralded rookie quarterback scheduled to make his first start, the Miami Dolphins announced entering their current bye week that Tua Tagovailoa would replace Ryan Fitzpatrick for Week 8 versus the Los Angeles Rams. Tagovailoa entered Sunday as the No. 3 most added quarterback in ESPN standard leagues, behind only awesome Los Angeles Chargers rookie Justin Herbert and underrated Titans veteran Ryan Tannehill (a former Dolphin), but even that might be misleading. Some of these are surely keeper/dynasty formats. For this season, it remains possible Tagovailoa, an accurate lefty with poise, maturity and the legs to become a fantasy star, matters statistically, but he is a rookie and the position is hardly starving for fantasy options.
Fitzpatrick, incidentally, entered Week 7 as the No. 9 quarterback in fantasy points, so do not assume Tagovailoa struggles because of his situation or his teammates. Fitzpatrick, who could be starting in Dallas or somewhere else by Week 8, fared well. Running back Myles Gaskin has become an RB2 option and DeVante Parker a safe WR3, while Mike Gesicki is a borderline starter at tight end. Tagovailoa, who struggled to remain healthy at Alabama, will face the Chargers, Arizona Cardinals and Rams the next three weeks, and each of these defenses rush the passer well. It seems tough to rank Tagovailoa even at the QB2 level for now in redraft formats, but he is surely worth watching in his first start.
Welcome back?
It is hardly definite as of this writing, but rumor has it Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey could return for the Week 8 Thursday night clash with the Atlanta Falcons. McCaffrey, the first selection in most fantasy drafts, suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 and has missed five games, including Sunday's tight loss to the New Orleans Saints. Fill-in Mike Davis performed exceptionally well initially in McCaffrey's absence, but he scored a combined 20.1 PPR points the past two contests. Perhaps McCaffrey is not 100% healthy and the Panthers keep him sidelined until Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs, but watch the news this week. Regardless, the window of opportunity to trade for McCaffrey in fantasy leagues might end as soon as he returns and produces big stats.
As for a few other running backs who missed Week 7, the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers -- and fantasy managers! -- would love to have Dalvin Cook and Aaron Jones healthy. Cook, who has scored a touchdown in each of his five games this season (and seven overall), missed one game with an adductor strain, and fill-in Alexander Mattison struggled as the starter. The Packers cruised in Houston sans Jones on Sunday, as Jamaal Williams scored 21.4 PPR points, a figure Jones topped in only two of his five games. Other notable players on the mend who could suit up for Week 8 include Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, while we await further word on Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Monday madness
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the beleaguered New York Giants on ESPN's Monday Night Football, and this not only seems an unfair fight for competitive purposes but also for fantasy ones. Few Giants warrant attention for fantasy purposes, though with four teams on the bye (Cardinals, Jaguars, Texans, Washington) it is possible some rely on wide receiver Darius Slayton, tight end Evan Engram and running back Devonta Freeman. Myriad Buccaneers are worth it, starting with rejuvenated quarterback Tom Brady, running back Ronald Jones II, wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans and tight end Rob Gronkowski.
In addition, according to ESPN's Tristan H. Cockcroft, Brady will enter the game needing 30.7 points to become the all-time leading PPR fantasy-point scorer, passing Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Cool!
Then there is wide receiver Antonio Brown, about to join the team, and he is the most added option in ESPN standard fantasy leagues but cannot debut in Week 8. If you added him, be aware he likely debuts in Week 9 versus the Saints. It is interesting, however, how popular he has become in fantasy. He will not be the only Buccaneers wide receiver, you know, and Godwin and Evans are quite accomplished, each finishing among the highest PPR scorers last season. Anyway, a player who cannot suit up due to suspension but is already rostered in 75% of leagues is still worth watching in Week 8.