Welcome to The Playbook for Week 7, which kicks off Thursday night with a game between the Patriots and Bears. This column features score projections, over/unders, win probabilities, and easily digestible fantasy advice for seasonlong leagues and DFS. It is designed to support sit/start decisions, last-minute waiver adds and lineup choices.
This week's guide also folds the Shadow Reports into the game-by-game breakdowns. Using play-by-play data, ESPN tracks defensive schemes and where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. These WR/CB matchups, including potential shadow situations, help shape the fantasy guidance. A more detailed WR vs. CB Cheat Sheet and strength-of-schedule analysis are also available.
Advice is centered on 12-team PPR leagues with standard scoring and lineup settings (1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 Flex, 1 K, 1 D/ST), with notes on shallow or deep leagues for some starters. Charts show all players projected for at least 6.0 fantasy points this week, along with all D/STs. Matchup ratings factor in raw and volume-adjusted fantasy points allowed to each position by the opposing defense. DFS values cover only Sunday's main slate.
In the Patriots-Bears preview, the projected score is Bears 26, Patriots 24. Lineup locks include Drake Maye, D'Andre Swift, A.J. Brown and Luther Burden III. Colston Loveland returned to form with 18.5 fantasy points after Caleb Williams' return, leading all tight ends in snaps. He is considered a mid-to-back-end TE1 against a Patriots defense that has allowed only one tight end to reach 8.0 points this season. Christian Gonzalez may shadow Rome Odunze, though that is not a lock.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing