Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 24th at 4:05 PM ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas Nevada
Betting Odds: LV -3, 48 total via Oddsshark
Network: FOX
Philadephia Eagles
Quarterback
Jalen Hurts (Start)
If you just took Jalen Hurts by his passing numbers he would be a hot topic in sit-start discussions. He has been good in 3 games. Throwing for multiple touchdowns in weeks 1,3 and 4. He also has over 250 yards in all those games. The other weeks he hasn’t been so good. He only has one passing touchdown in weeks 2, 5, and 6. He has interceptions in two of those weeks and doesn’t have over 200 yards passing. That doesn’t build confidence for Eagles fans for their “franchise” quarterback. What is good news is the rushing work from Hurts. He has at least 7 carries every week and is averaging 50 yards per game. He also has 5 rushing touchdowns. He is leading the team in rushing yards and touchdowns and only trails starting running back Miles sanders by 4 carries. The Raiders are pretty good against the QB position but when facing rushing quarterbacks they have not stopped them. Lamar Jackson in week 1 rushed for 12 attempts for 86 yards. The Raiders are 10th in terms of giving points to the quarterback position but 22nd to the running back position. In all accounts, Hurts is the lead back on the Eagles. With 6 teams on bye this week you have to start Hurts.
Running Backs
Miles Sanders (Start, Flex), Kenneth Gainwell (Sit) Boston Scott (Sit)
The lack of rushing for the Eagles offense has been a head-scratcher most of the season. Much was made of Miles Sanders getting only 1 carry in the first half of the week 6 Thursday night game against Tampa Bay. He did finish with 9 carries for 56 yards. He also added 2 catches for 10 yards. It’s now week 7 and there are 6 teams on a bye. That’s on top of all the injuries. You may have to start Sanders in your RB2 spot but you aren’t happy about it. He has 3 games with over 10 carries but never more than 15. He doesn’t have more than 74 yards in a game. He hasn’t found the endzone at all this season. That’s a huge disappointment for fantasy owners. The Raiders are 22nd in giving up points to the running back position so if there was a game to get Sanders involved this would be the one. I don’t really see that happening. Sanders has also been losing some work to Kenneth Gainwell. Gainwell has had weeks where he is involved in the passing game. Gainwell has been a flex-worth option at times this year after scoring in weeks 1 and 4. Despite the byes and injuries, I don’t think you can bank on Gainwell’s production to be there and need to sit him this week. In the past two weeks, he has only 5 total targets and adds in only 2 carries. Boston Scott has been non-existent this year.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
DeVonta Smith (Start,WR2), Quez Watkins (Start, Flex), Dallas Goedert (Start), Jalen Reagor (Sit, Flex)
The rushing offense for the Eagles has been horrible. The passing game hasn’t been much better. They have been up and down all year. You can read Hurt’s stats above. One of the bright spots has been rookie DeVonta Smith. He is playing on 91.8% of the snaps. He has 64 more total snaps than the next guy Jalen Reagor. Smith is averaging 7.8 yards per target and is the first read on most passing plays. The lack of touchdowns is concerning and the Raiders are 4th best in not giving points to the wide receiver position. With bye weeks you might not have a better option the Smith. His volume keeps him in the conversation for fantasy. Outside of Smith, it’s hard to trust another wide receiver in Philly. The good thing is that the Eagles seem to want to take a few deep shots each week. If those connect they can save a fantasy day. I believe Quez Watkins is the wide receiver that I’m putting my chips on to get those long targets. He has hauled in some this year already. He has yet to score and is only playing on 62.9% of the team snaps. Jalen Reagor is playing on more snaps. (74.7%). He has outpaced Watkins in targets and catches. 28/17 to 22/16 respectively. But Watkins has more yards, 311 compared to 140. Reagor could be a flex play if you are in a tough spot but I would be expecting low floors for both Reagor and Watkins and you are hoping they find the end zone. You do want to start Dallas Goedert if he is off the Covid list. The Eagles traded away Zach Ertz after the Thursday night game. This opens up more targets for all the receiving options but more should go to Goedert. Goedert comes into week 7 with 8 red-zone targets and should absorb most of Ertz’s 6 red-zone targets he has had this year. if Goedert isn’t back you are for sure benching Jack Stoll.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
Derek Carr (Start, QB1)
Derek Carr has been a surprise this season. He has 2 passing touchdowns in all but one game. He has 2 games without interceptions as well. He has some really good weapons to throw the ball to and the rushing game for the Raiders has taken some pressure off Carr. The Eagles are middle of the road in giving up points to the quarterbacks. The Raiders did have a season-low in attempts in week 6 against the Broncos which could be indicative of the new coaching’s philosophy or it could just be that they got the lead early. Carr is close to 2000 yards already this season and is on pace for 5500 yards. There are 6 quarterbacks on bye including some top options of Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, and Kirk Cousins. Carr isn’t the exciting start but he will be a good fantasy option in week 7
Running backs
Josh Jacobs (Start, RB1), Kenyan Drake (Start, Flex), Peyton Barber (Sit)
The Raiders haven’t been really balanced in their rushing attack this season. They are only rushing the ball 36.64% of their plays. A lot of that has to do with Josh Jacobs being injured in weeks two and three. His return has seen him getting around 15 carries a game. The Eagles are 25th in terms of giving up points to the running backs and backs are averaging 118.8. yards per game. The Raiders have been a workhorse-back type team not really working Kenyan Drake into the rushing game. Jacobs has scored in all but 1 game he has played in. He has also been involved in the passing game getting 5, 5, 1 targets in the past three weeks. Drake hasn’t been involved in the rushing game much this year even when Jacobs was injured and Peyton Barber took over. He is involved in the passing game. In the first three weeks of the season, Drake was seeing 5 targets a game. Peyton Barber was a healthy scratch in week 6 so Drake saw an increase in opportunities as the Raiders look to keep Jacobs healthy for the long haul. They are in a good place in the divisional race. With the Eagle’s offense not being very efficient and their defense getting gashed by backs all season both Jacobs and Drake are worth starting during the BYEpocolyps.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
Henry Ruggs (Start, WR1), Bryan Edwards (Start, WR3), Hunter Renfrow (Start, WR2), Darren Waller (Start)
The Raiders invested heavy draft capital last year in receiving group and it is starting to pay off. Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards have been good so far this season. Both Ruggs and Edwards are deep ball threats. They are both seeing an average depth of target over 11 yards. Ruggs is 14th in the league in yards with 445. He only had 452 all last season. Ruggs is showing he is the clear number 1 on the team. He is catching 62.5% of his passes. He leaders the league averaging 22.3 yards per reception. That’s better than fantasy darling Ja’Marr Chase who is at 20.5, Edwards isn’t that far behind. He is averaging 20.2 yards per recpetion. What is holding him back is his catch rate. He is only catching 55.6% of his targets which is moving him down the pecking order in the passing game. Hunter Renfrow has been underneath guy compared to Ruggs and Edwards deep balls. Renfrow is averaging 7.9 yards per target. He trails only tight end, Darren Waller, in total targets for the team with 43. He has been one of the go-to guys for Carr in the short passing game. The team leader for receiving is tightened, Darren Waller. He has been a target machine soaking up 53 targets through 6 weeks. That ties him for the tightened lead with Travis Kelce and puts him 8th overall in the NFL. The Eagles are pretty good against the pass but usually, one wide receiver has a great game. That projects to be Ruggs in week 7.
– Dustin Ludke (Dunit13dl on Reddit)