Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) will play on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Nacua has been sidelined since the opening week of the season with a PCL sprain. He was able to log two limited practice sessions this week. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable putting Nacua into their starting lineups in all formats, although his bust factor will be a lot higher with potential limited snaps. Last season as a rookie, Nacua enjoyed an incredible debut season, as he caught 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six scores. The Rams will also be welcoming back Cooper Kupp (ankle) on Thursday after he was sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in Week 2. Nacua should be viewed as a solid WR1 facing a weak Minnesota secondary that has allowed the most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.

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Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) will not play on Thursday evening, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Hockenson was able to log three limited practice sessions this week but will now hope to get ready to make his season debut in Week 9. Hockenson has yet to see game action this season due to a torn ACL and MCL he suffered late last year. Fantasy managers should expect Minnesota wide receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jalen Nailor to see the majority of the targets this evening against the Rams. No. 2 tight end Johnny Mundt is worth a look in deeper formats, as he should see starting reps once again on Thursday and was able to bring in four of his five targets last weekend.

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Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) has yet to practice this week after missing another session on Thursday. Goedert strained his hamstring in the Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns and didn't practice at all last week before missing the Week 7 divisional win over the New York Giants. The 29-year-old is tracking towards missing a second straight game this Sunday against the Bengals in Cincinnati, so fantasy managers shouldn't count on having him this weekend. Backup Grant Calcaterra caught all four of his targets for a season-high 67 yards in Week 6 and played 71% of the offensive snaps last Sunday with Goedert out, but it led to only one catch on one target for a five-yard gain. Calcaterra will be more involved again this weekend if Goedert is ruled out, but he'll be a boom/bust TE2 streamer, at best.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (ankle) missed a second straight day of practice this week on Thursday after tweaking his ankle in Monday night's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Flowers injured his ankle in the first half on Monday and quickly came back into the game, but he was barely involved after that, finishing with just one catch on one target for 11 yards while carrying the ball one time for a pickup of 19 yards in the 41-31 victory. The 24-year-old pass-catcher's status for Week 8 against the division-rival Cleveland Browns is now firmly up in the air, and if he doesn't return to practice on Friday, he'll likely be ruled out. Flowers has sandwiched two one-catch performances around back-to-back 100-yard games and has been boom/bust for fantasy managers. If he's unavailable against Cleveland, both Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor will have higher fantasy ceilings.

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Carolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) was listed as a limited practice participant for the second straight day this week. Brooks is making progress from a torn ACL that he suffered late last year while in college, but he's not guaranteed to be activated from the Non-Football Injury list to make his NFL debut this Sunday in Denver against the Broncos. And even if the 21-year-old is activated on Saturday and active on Sunday, he figures to be eased into Carolina's backfield alongside lead back Chuba Hubbard and veteran backup Miles Sanders. With that said, the first RB off the board in April's NFL draft should absolutely be rostered in all fantasy formats, especially now that he's nearing his NFL debut. By season's end, Brooks should have a pretty substantial role in the Panthers' backfield as long as he stays healthy.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was limited in Thursday's practice for the second straight day this week after his 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve was officially opened on Wednesday. Thielen will be eligible to come off Injured Reserve to play in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos after missing the required four games, but it remains to be seen if the Panthers feel that the 34-year-old veteran has made enough progress to play on Sunday. He's likely to be listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. Thielen's status will be even more important with Diontae Johnson's (rib) Week 8 status in question after two DNPs this week. If Thielen remains out and Johnson is also out or limited against Denver, quarterback Bryce Young might have rookie Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo as his top two wideouts.

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Carolina Panthers tight ends Ja'Tavion Sanders (groin, wrist) and Tommy Tremble (back) were both limited participants in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. With Tremble inactive last weekend, Sanders was one of the few bright spots for the Panthers on offense in their 40-7 loss to the Washington Commanders, catching all six of his targets for 61 yards. However, the 21-year-old could struggle to replicate those numbers in Week 8 versus a strong Denver Broncos defense on the road this Sunday, especially with second-year quarterback Bryce Young back in as the starter following an injury to Andy Dalton (thumb). In addition, Sanders probably won't see as many snaps on offense if Tremble is able to return to the fold this weekend. Sanders has only 19 receptions on 24 targets for 151 scoreless yards in his first seven NFL games in 2024.

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Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (thumb) missed a second straight day of practice on Thursday after spraining his thumb during a car accident that he was involved in earlier this week. Head coach Dave Canales already said that second-year QB Bryce Young will return to a starting role in Week 8 on Sunday against the Denver Broncos with Dalton injured. Depending on how Young fares this weekend, the Panthers could continue on with him as their starter under center. Dalton gave Carolina's struggling offense an immediate shot in the arm when he took over for Young in Week 3, but in recent weeks, the Red Rifle hasn't been as productive and was pulled late in a 40-7 blowout loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 7. Against a top-five defense in the Broncos, Young is going to have his work cut out for him in his return to the starting role.

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Dallas Cowboys tight end John Stephens Jr. (knee) will miss the rest of the 2024 season after suffering a torn ACL during Wednesday's practice, according to NFL.com. The second-year undrafted free agent out of Louisiana has been with Dallas since the 2023 offseason but has not logged any stats. This injury is not consequential for fantasy football, but it depletes depth behind tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (rib) did not practice on Thursday due to a rib injury. The veteran was also absent from Wednesday's practice, but it's worth noting he logged two straight "DNPs" to begin last week's preparation and still suited up against the Washington Commanders. Johnson could still play in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos, so fantasy managers should monitor his status. However, Bryce Young will start on Sunday in place of the injured Andy Dalton (thumb), which is bad news for Johnson's potential fantasy outlook. With Young under center in Week 1 and Week 2, Johnson scored a combined 5.9 half-PPR points. With Dalton at QB, he scored at least 16.8 fantasy points in three of six games. The Broncos have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to WRs, so Johnson is a clear sit candidate on Sunday.

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New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard (chest) is not practicing on Thursday due to a chest injury. The veteran and longtime teammate of quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee) did not participate in Wednesday's practice either, so he could be trending toward missing Sunday's AFC East showdown against the New England Patriots. Lazard's stock is down after the Jets traded for All-Pro pass-catcher Davante Adams, as Lazard now has to compete with Garrett Wilson and Adams for targets. That said, he could still have spike weeks and is the current WR12 in half-PPR leagues. If he plays in Week 8, he'll likely be somewhat limited, so he's probably best left on the bench. Adams should be more involved in the offense after another week of practice under his belt.

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New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) is back on the practice field on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session. The team listed him with a foot/not-injury-related designation on Wednesday, so he was likely held out as a precaution. Stevenson missed the Week 6 outing against the Houston Texans before returning to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7. Based on what we know so far, he is trending toward playing in Week 8 in a matchup with the New York Jets. The Jets have allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs, and Stevenson has been a boom-or-bust option this season. That said, consider him an RB3 option with a low floor this Sunday if he's active.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (concussion) remains out of practice on Thursday as he works through concussion protocol. The rookie second-round pick out of Washington is looking less likely to play in Week 8 as the week moves forward after suffering a concussion in Week 7. That said, Polk should not be in starting fantasy football lineups even if he does play against a New York Jets defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Polk has hauled in just 10 of his 26 targets for 78 yards and one touchdown through Week 7. Demario Douglas and Hunter Henry are the early favorites to be Drake Maye's favorite targets in 2024.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receivers Josh Downs (toe) and Michael Pittman Jr. (back) are on the practice field on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session with toe and back injuries, respectively. The pair of Indy wideouts have logged "DNPs" or limited practice sessions often this year, and that will likely continue as they work through their ailments. Fantasy managers should follow their latest updates, but both wideouts have lower floors and ceilings with Anthony Richardson at quarterback instead of Joe Flacco. Although the Houston Texans have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to receivers this year, neither is a must-start stud given Richardson's struggles as a passer. Consider both WR4 or WR5 types with a touchdown-or-bust outlook. If one or both of them do not play on Sunday, Alec Pierce will carry the same outlook.

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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) is back on the practice field on Thursday after logging a limited session on Wednesday. The former second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has missed each of the last three games with an ankle injury but could be trending toward a Week 8 return against the Houston Texans. Although Houston has surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs, Taylor's potential usage makes him worth starting if he's active. If he's out again, backups Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson will likely split touches, and neither would have high ceilings in a tricky matchup. So far this season, Taylor has rushed 72 times for 349 yards and four touchdowns in four games.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is not appealing his two-game suspension and will miss the Week 8 game against the Tennessee Titans and Week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers. Williams is being sidelined for violating the league's policy against performance-enhancing substances. This is an unfortunate development for the former Alabama wideout who is having the best season of his career. Through six games, Williams has racked up 17 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns. In his absence, wide receivers Kalif Raymond, Tim Patrick, and perhaps Allen Robinson II will see enhanced roles. That said, tight end Sam LaPorta and running back Jahmyr Gibbs could also see more targets. Amon-Ra St. Brown should remain the clear target hog in the Detroit offense led by Jared Goff.

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Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (ribs) remained out of practice on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session with an apparent rib injury. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was knocked out of the Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers and seems to be trending toward missing Week 8 against the Chicago Bears. Daniels scored at least 20 fantasy points in five of his first six NFL games, so his absence from fantasy lineups could be significant. If Daniels can't go, veteran and former No. 2 overall pick in 2015, Marcus Mariota, will get the starting nod. Mariota was excellent last week, throwing for 205 yards and two touchdowns while racking up 34 rushing yards. However, Chicago has surrendered the second-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs, making Mariota a low-end QB2 option if he starts.

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Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said that quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) looked good throwing the football on his first day back with his finger injury in Wednesday's practice. However, the Browns will continue to evaluate how Thompson-Robinson feels this week to see if he can serve as Jameis Winston's backup on Sunday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. The 24-year-old injured a tendon in his right middle finger in relief of Deshaun Watson (Achilles) in the Week 7 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, but the fact that he was a full-go in Wednesday's practice is a good sign for his availability this weekend. Cleveland added Bailey Zappe as insurance at QB in case DTR isn't active. If Winston struggles this weekend, it's possible that the Browns go back to Thompson-Robinson for Week 9 versus the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said he expects kicker Brandon Aubrey to be ready for the Week 8 game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. "We have a plan to make sure he'll be ready," McCarthy said. Aubrey is set to miss a second straight practice on Thursday while on jury duty, but it sounds like the Cowboys aren't worried that he won't be ready to go as their place kicker on Sunday. The 29-year-old is expected to return to practice on Friday and be ready to kick in the primetime game against Dallas, where he'll be a high-end, must-start kicker in fantasy against a 49ers defense that hasn't been nearly as good in 2024 as in years past. Aubrey ranks fifth among all kickers with 10.0 fantasy points per game this year, including making eight of his nine field-goal tries from 50-plus yards.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are placing wide receiver Skyy Moore (core) on Injured Reserve on Thursday with a core-muscle injury. Moore is the latest Chiefs wide receiver to go on IR, which will keep him out for at least the next four games. The earliest he will be able to return from IR will be in Week 12 versus the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 24. Even with KC losing receivers Rashee Rice (knee) and Marquise Brown (shoulder) for the entire season due to injuries, Moore remained without a reception on just three targets in six games played this year before his injury. The 24-year-old former second-rounder in 2022 has been a bust for the Chiefs, catching only 43 passes for 494 yards and one touchdown in 36 games (11 starts) since entering the league. KC acquired DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans this week to boost their decimated receiving corps, and he'll slot in next to rookie Xavier Worthy and Mecole Hardman with JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) injured.

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