NFL Week 7 latest intel, buzz questions, news, fantasy tips: What we're hearing
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Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season has arrived. Insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have been making calls to sources around the league for the latest news and notable buzz.
What does the future hold for Bo Nix , Jalen Hurts , C.J. Stroud and other quarterbacks with looming contract situations? Who are some players who might be flying under the radar as trade candidates ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline? Will the Colts -- who just fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday -- keep making changes as they try to right the ship? And which of the NFC East teams in flux are most likely to shake things up in the coming weeks?
It's all here, as Jeremy and Dan answer big questions, hand out useful fantasy football nuggets and empty their reporting notebooks heading into Week 7.
Jump to: QB situations | Colts' next moves Sneaky trade candidates NFC East shake-ups | Fantasy advice More notes, intel
Graziano: I recognize that there are far more important real-life situations going on around this player right now, but for me, it's the Eagles' Jalen Hurts . He is signed through 2028, but the only guaranteed money left on his contract after this season will be $22 million of his $51.5 million salary in 2027. Regardless of how this season was to play out for Hurts and the Eagles, there was always going to be an offseason discussion about whether to extend him again -- and if so, at what level -- or look into other options.
The Eagles have some young stars coming up for extensions pretty soon, including cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean , and carrying a huge quarterback salary beyond this year is going to get more difficult. It's fair to wonder what impact Hurts being out for the rest of the season will have on the Eagles' decision-making.
Fowler: Hurts belongs high on the list, as it's worth wondering whether he has played his last down as an Eagle. He is 59-28 as a starter for the franchise, but Philadelphia, which is often proactive with contracts of core players, did not extend Hurts last offseason. So, it's difficult to pinpoint where things will stand three to four months from now.
But my pick is the Broncos' Bo Nix . Denver is good enough to keep winning despite Nix showing a limited ceiling. He is a quality starter but is not poised to enter the upper echelon. Confidence appears to be an issue this season, raising questions about what this player-team marriage looks like long term.
To be sure, the conditions around Nix aren't perfect . Denver is struggling to run the ball and effectively create explosive plays off play-action. He has had two playcallers this season. Nix got skewered for last week's performance versus Seattle . But Denver didn't have as big of a problem with it because it had to play conservatively in a tight game between two great defenses, as whichever team won the turnover battle was probably going to win the game. Broncos coach Sean Payton knew that and most certainly relayed it to Nix, whose struggles against the 49ers in Week 4 were considered more problematic. That said, Nix -- who broke his right ankle in January -- doesn't appear to be the runner he once was. His viability with Denver might hinge on how he plays over the next 11 or so games.
Graziano: I did have someone last week tell me the big difference with Nix was that he's not getting himself out of bad spots with his legs the way he did last season but that he doesn't look much different otherwise. But that lack of running is a big deal, and if it doesn't improve, we could be left watching his flaws the rest of the way.
I'm a bit curious about Sam Darnold 's situation, as he'll have one year left on his contract after this season. He is scheduled to make $35.5 million in 2027, but none of that money is guaranteed. There is a $10 million roster bonus that vests on the fifth day of the league year (March 16), so the Seahawks will want to decide by then whether they want him on next year's team. But if they do, they'd also look to extend him beyond that.
What's interesting to me is that this is a different setup than Darnold had last offseason, when $17.5 million of his 2026 compensation became guaranteed on the fifth day after the Super Bowl. That was a no-brainer, of course, since Seattle won the Super Bowl with him five days earlier. But if this season doesn't go as well (the Seahawks are 3-3, and only Justin Herbert has thrown more interceptions than Darnold's seven), Seattle has four more weeks to make the decision on Darnold than it did a year ago.
Fowler: It's not helping that Drew Lock has been impressive for the Seahawks, both behind the scenes and in relief of Darnold. Darnold has earned a lot of street cred with Seattle, but he must limit the turnovers, especially with the team's dominant defense.
Houston's C.J. Stroud is fueling the offseason intrigue with his excellent play. He is putting up MVP-type numbers, pacing for nearly 4,900 passing yards over a 17-game slate while registering only one interception on 219 passing attempts. Betting on himself in Year 4 should literally pay off. The Texans were willing to extend Stroud on a deal worth well above $50 million per year. But Stroud saw a bigger picture: a growing quarterback market and his place in it. Stroud and Carolina's Bryce Young both appear well-positioned for offseason negotiations. And Houston's trade for Marvin Harrison Jr. -- Stroud's teammate while at Ohio State -- amplifies the Texans' feelings on Stroud.
Fowler: It feels as if everything is on the table in Indianapolis, from an eventual head coaching change to a quarterback demotion, barring an uptick in performance. Daniel Jones ' play -- 30th in QBR (38.2) with 1.5 turnovers per game -- is unsustainable over a 17-game season. This situation mirrors that of the 2025 Dolphins, who fired general manager Chris Grier in October but evaluated coach Mike McDaniel over the remainder of the season, only to fire him four days after Week 18 . Miami also benched a quarterback with a high-priced contract in Tua Tagovailoa late in the campaign.
The sentiment as of now is that Colts coach Shane Steichen will get more chances to state his case for the job moving forward. But typically, franchises like to synchronize their brain trust on similar timelines, often with a newly appointed general manager spearheading a search for the new coach. That might not bode well for Steichen, whose acumen never has been questioned. He'd be in the mix for head coaching jobs or primo playcaller positions in the 2027 cycle. I'm curious about your take, Dan, but I believe team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon plans to place her stamp on the franchise in a big way over the coming months.
Graziano: I would agree that while Steichen is well-regarded and well-liked in the building, this is definitely a situation worth monitoring for potential change at the end of the season, if not sooner. Firing a GM in mid-October indicates disappointment from ownership, obviously, but it also signals the possibility of major change on the roster, maybe even in the next few weeks. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 10 -- less than three weeks from now -- and the Colts have a very interesting roster. There were a number of veterans who could have received contract extensions this past offseason, and the only one who got one was running back Jonathan Taylor .
High-profile veteran players such as offensive lineman Quenton Nelson , defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart , and wide receivers Josh Downs and Keenan Allen are on contracts that expire at the end of the season. If the Colts (who are without a 2027 first-round pick as a result of last year's Sauce Gardner trade ) want to try to regain some draft capital, they could look to deal some players who they don't view as part of their future. Depending on the extent of that dealing, it could get even more difficult for Steichen to win games in the second half of the campaign, which would make it harder to convince the Colts to keep him around.
Fowler: Rival teams believe Indianapolis will be open for business ahead of the trade deadline, but for now, let's take Irsay-Gordon at her word. The last sentence from her statement Monday announcing GM Chris Ballard's firing read: "We have a lot of football in front of us, and I expect us to compete, improve and win football games." That puts Indy on a three-week clock, with the Vikings , Jaguars and Cowboys on the schedule between now and Nov. 8, two days before the deadline.
If Indy can find a way to steal two wins in that slate, perhaps that affects trade plans. But this iteration of the Colts does not look poised for upsets, so perhaps change is inevitable. What Indianapolis does with Nelson will be fascinating. He's a legacy Colt, a 2018 first-round draft pick and eight-time All-Pro. But the team did not aggressively pursue an extension this summer and rarely do premier O-linemen become available at the deadline. Also, defensive tackle Jerry Tillery is a name to watch.
Graziano: The new GM hire will be the first major organizational structure move since Irsay-Gordon took over as controlling owner, and it's even more significant if it is coupled with a coaching hire. You have a team that looks as if it will be in the offseason quarterback market, but it doesn't have a first-round pick, so the Colts might have to pursue unconventional ways of fixing their biggest roster problem of the past decade. How the Colts' decision-making structure comes together will be watched very closely around the league, as Irsay-Gordon is an unknown in terms of how she wants the team to operate and could be a very different type of decision-maker than her late father.
Graziano: Tampa Bay defensive tackle Vita Vea . The Buccaneers are 1-5. Vea is 31 years old, and he and the team begrudgingly came to a compromise agreement on his contract during training camp. The Bucs didn't act as if he was part of their long-term future, and if teams come looking for a big, run-stuffing defensive tackle, Tampa would be silly not to listen. He is on a minimum salary this year and is guaranteed $23 million for 2027, which would rank about 15th in terms of cap numbers for defensive tackles in the league. If you need interior D-line help right now and don't mind paying Vea $23 million next season at age 32, why not call to see what it would take to get him out of Tampa?
Fowler: Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor . He was widely considered the top corner in free agency, signing a three-year, $58 million deal with the Titans in March. His Week 6 benching has placed him on the radar of teams that might look to bolster the position in the next few weeks. He has struggled as an outside corner for Tennessee but is at his best as a disruptive slot closer to the action. He's 27 with good football left, so a trade could bring out his best.
Money is a hurdle: Taylor's salaries of $9.49 million in 2026 and $20.5 million in 2027 are guaranteed. Perhaps a new team could rework that money on a new deal while asking Tennessee to front some of the bill in exchange for a quality pick. Tennessee has the option to smooth things out with Taylor and solidify a role for him -- and I don't believe the Titans are floating his name right now -- but a benching typically signals that a player is expendable.
Graziano: Interesting concept, the idea of a team trading a player so soon after signing him. It kind of reminds me of the Jets trading Sauce Gardner at last year's deadline a few months after extending his contract . Sometimes, circumstances change or things don't work out as expected, so teams will pivot if the terms are favorable. A couple of other 2026 free agent signings who stand out as potentially available due to their situations not working out include Texans offensive lineman Wyatt Teller and Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen .
Fowler: One surprise name a few teams are tracking is Cincinnati edge rusher Shemar Stewart . The 2025 first-round pick is not a factor in the team's rotation right now. He has played 17 defensive snaps, well behind the total for the fourth defensive end, Cedric Johnson (83). And rookie second-rounder Cashius Howell has been impressive. Cincinnati typically doesn't move its young draft picks, but it would be surprising if the Bengals haven't received inquiries on Stewart, whose upside remains high.
Also, could a team pry safety Jessie Bates III out of Atlanta? He will be a free agent in 2027, and the Falcons are sitting at 2-4. I doubt Atlanta wants to trade him, but his value would be strong if that changes.
Fowler: I'll start with the Eagles. They come up most often regarding potential moves over the next few weeks. The Eagles are always active, and they could execute a mini-rebuild. Defensive end Moro Ojomo , a 2027 free agent, has strong trade value, so if Philadelphia isn't going to re-sign him, it could get compensatory pick value (or better) for him now. Woolen and wide receiver Hollywood Brown are players teams are watching.
I'm not wholly convinced the Eagles will move a marquee name such as Saquon Barkley . But can they find a taker for guard Landon Dickerson , who appears disgruntled and remains on injured reserve ? The Eagles have been forced to reshape their once-vaunted offensive line on the fly, and that could facilitate moves. It's also worth noting that Philly is in the middle of a quarterback shake-up due to Jalen Hurts' absence, and recently acquired QB Joe Milton is a name to watch. The Eagles are struggling mightily to run the ball, and Milton has mobility. He could be worth looking at soon.
Graziano: The Giants could be shaking things up at quarterback, too, should they decide to give J.J. McCarthy the start this week at Houston or after their Week 8 bye. (Update: They announced Wednesday they will turn to McCarthy for Week 7.) They'd also love to alter things at running back, apparently. The new coaching staff has clearly soured on Cam Skattebo , the Giants just released Najee Harris , and it wouldn't be shocking to see them add someone from the outside or give Tyrone Tracy Jr . a bigger chance.
I'm curious to see whether Washington dips back into the wide receiver market in the wake of Terry McLaurin 's injury . The Commanders are 1-4-1, which might make them seem ready to unload talent. But they're only two games out of first place, and it feels like jobs might be on the line in Washington, so they might decide they need to go for it.
Fowler: The Cowboys might have one more move in them. Perhaps that's shortsighted, given their 2-4 record. But that might as well be 4-4 in this season's NFC East climate, where no commodity is proven and Philly's transitional state has cracked the door open. As one team exec pointed out to me Tuesday, Josh Sweat to Dallas makes a lot of sense. He fits Dallas' profile, and the Cowboys need edge-rush help. Sweat's Cardinals won Sunday , but they are not contention-adjacent just yet. Sweat has been linked to the Packers, too, but Green Bay has Micah Parsons returning eventually.
Graziano: Due to prior trades, Dallas has only four picks in next year's draft and is without its second-round pick in 2028, which could make deadline dealing difficult. But the Cowboys have been uncharacteristically aggressive over the past 12 months, and they're right in the thick of the division race in spite of how poorly they've played so far. They need edge-rush help, as you pointed out, and outside of the defensive tackles, it's an extremely young defense that might benefit from a Super Bowl-winning veteran such as Sweat. The Cowboys always seem to do something this time of year, though it's possible the Joey Porter Jr . trade was their very early big in-season move.
Graziano: Check to see if anyone in your league dropped Vikings running back Jordan Mason when he went on injured reserve in Week 2. Veteran Aaron Jones Sr . has held the fort and taken on a large workload, but the Vikings really believed this offseason that Mason was a back who could thrive in their redesigned run game. He'll get a chance to be their lead ball carrier, whether it's this week or in the weeks to come, and Minnesota has one of the most favorable remaining schedules for fantasy running backs in the entire league.
Fowler: Snag Washington tight end Chig Okonkwo off waivers. The Terry McLaurin injury enhances Okonkwo's value. Okonkwo and Jayden Daniels seem to have easy chemistry, resulting in 11 catches for 129 yards over the past two weeks. Okonkwo caught all seven of his targets Monday in San Francisco . He's still looking for his first touchdown this season, but that's a matter of time based on the way he's playing.
Fowler: The Jalen Hurts story continues to dominate the NFL. While NFL owners staunchly defended the Eagles' handling of the blood clot issue , the NFLPA has called for a "full investigation ." Here are a few nuggets to add to the situation.
Hurts visited specialists last week upon return from the London game, including a trip to Boston to see one Friday, per sources. That was part of Hurts' fact-finding process as he was ultimately placed on injured reserve the next day. Hurts' team considered Eagles GM Howie Roseman, specifically, "exceptional" throughout the process when it came to Hurts' health, per a source. He was "extremely hands on" throughout and "worried about Jalen's health more than anything else," the source added. That doesn't mean this process was easy for the Eagles, who took public scrutiny early this week. As one source said, the Eagles "were made to look like they put his life in jeopardy and that's simply not the case."
Some with the team didn't know the full extent of the situation Saturday in London. One source recalled Hurts wasn't on the team bus on the way to the stadium Saturday, presumably for a walk-through, and coaches and players knew he was dealing with something calf-related but that he was likely to play. Hurts received "state-of-the-art imaging" in London, per NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills, referring to the ultrasound Hurts received before the game.
Graziano: The NFLPA's Tuesday night statement calling for a "full investigation" into the Hurts situation underscores how odd the whole thing feels. NFL officials at the October league meeting spent Tuesday afternoon insisting the situation was handled correctly and the Eagles were not to blame for any sort of negligence regarding Hurts' health. The union, which has been gathering information on this situation over the past week, was taken aback by the speed with which the league claims to have investigated it and cleared the Eagles. Some concussion-protocol inquiries have taken weeks to complete, and the NFL is saying this very unusual situation has been examined and settled in about two days. So expect the union to continue to press for answers.
One of the things that seems so odd about this situation, though, is the extent to which Hurts' agent and the Eagles are aligned on the messaging. If Hurts and/or his representation felt the Eagles had been negligent, one imagines they would be raising hell at least behind the scenes. Instead, the agent signed off on a joint statement with the team Monday about Hurts' care and his health. We haven't heard from Hurts himself since that statement, but it's no stretch to assume the agent's stance reflects Hurts' own feelings about the situation.
Ultimately, it's a good thing the NFLPA is pushing for more transparency into what happened with Hurts, since that's the union's job -- and the league's position Tuesday didn't go much beyond, "Everything was handled fine, trust us." The union is currently waiting to hear back from the league regarding its request for a full investigation. In the meantime, the NFL or the Eagles absolutely could set up a news conference with a doctor or a member of the team's medical staff who has firsthand knowledge of Hurts' condition and the details of how he was treated -- it's not a HIPAA violation if Hurts gives them permission to discuss his condition publicly. But the fact that Hurts (via his representation), the Eagles and the NFL are all together on their messaging indicates the strong possibility that we won't get that.
Fowler: The future of the Chargers' coaching staff is a big talking point this week. Head coach Jim Harbaugh hasn't tweaked his offensive staff as of yet. Change, in some form, feels inevitable, but offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was part of practice Tuesday. The bigger question looms: What do the Chargers do with Harbaugh if the season continues to sink? It's not the Chargers' style to pay a coach millions to not coach. But as a few industry sources pointed out, a bottom-of-the-league finish would force the Chargers to do some soul-searching, in part because the Chargers don't bring in as much revenue for their home games as other teams do, because they don't own their home stadium. Maintaining excitement is important in that regard.
Harbaugh is coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons, which typically fosters a grace period to manage the low points. That might be the case here. But if the Chargers can't turn things around and are looking at a 3-14 finish, then what?
Graziano: I do not expect the Rams to go down without a fight, and my understanding is that they will at least explore the possibility of trading for a wide receiver in the wake of Davante Adams ' hamstring injury, which is expected to sideline him six to 10 weeks . The issue, of course, is that they don't have a ton to trade. They are without their first-round pick in the 2027 draft as a result of the Myles Garrett trade. They are without their third-round pick in that same draft as a result of the Trent McDuffie trade. And they're missing their second-round pick in 2028 and their third-round pick in 2029, both also as a result of the Garrett trade.
Could the Rams make a player-for-player swap of some sort? Would a team be interested in backup QB Stetson Bennett IV if the Rams decide rookie Ty Simpson is ready to be Matthew Stafford 's backup? (Todd Monken coached Bennett in college -- I'm just saying.) Anyway, even with a 2-4 record, four games out of first place in their division, Adams out and Garrett likely out another two or three weeks at least, this is a Rams team that had the highest of hopes for 2026 and still believes it can play well enough to salvage this season.
Fowler: NFL coaches can be on the right or wrong side of a lethal combination: the threat of a ball spot at the 35-yard line on a kickoff touchback, and kickers who can make 50- to 60-yarders with relative ease. Defensive coordinators have been concerned about this dynamic since the league voted to adjust the touchback from the 30- to the 35-yard line. And that threat is playing out this season. Both the Cowboys and Eagles lost games on the opponent's last-second field goals despite kicking off with less than nine seconds left in regulation.
Dallas kicked the ball out of the end zone, and the Ravens needed one passing play to get in field goal range for the Week 3 win. Jacksonville's Ameer Abdullah returned Philadelphia's kick 53 yards to set up the winning kick for the Jaguars in Week 5. NFL vice president of football operations Troy Vincent remembers when teams needed roughly 30 seconds and one timeout to reach scoring range. Now, they need just a few seconds. "It has become a strategic play for the head coach -- do I kick it in the end zone or do I pick my poison and kick it to my returners?" Vincent said. "This is a real play. It is changing the outcome of football games." ESPN's Stephen Holder wrote at length about this year's wild late-game endings and how they're challenging coaches.
Also on the NFL competition front, fumbles are up about 50 from this time last year. The "Peanut punch," made famous by former Bears cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman, is creating more fumbles each week. Don't expect any short-term changes to help offensive players. "Ball security means everything in this game. The onus is on the player to protect that ball," said Vincent, who added the Peanut punch is something defensive players are practicing every day.
Graziano: As mentioned, the only prominent Colts veteran who got a contract extension this offseason was running back Jonathan Taylor , who is making $23 million this year, including the $15 million signing bonus he got when he signed that deal. If, hypothetically, someone wanted to trade for Taylor, the recency of the extension doesn't make it impossible for the Colts to move him, as it might in the case of some other extensions.
The Colts would have to account for $10 million of additional dead money accelerating onto their 2027 salary cap as a result of the signing bonus proration that remains. His 2026 salary is $6.98 million, so an acquiring team would be responsible for whatever percentage of that remains, plus $60,000 for each remaining game in the form of fully guaranteed per-game roster bonuses. If a team with 11 games remaining in its season were to trade for Taylor today, that team would be on the hook for about $5.3 million for 2026. Taylor is scheduled to earn another $16.02 million in 2027. None of the 2027 money is currently guaranteed, but it all becomes guaranteed five days after the Super Bowl.
And since we're on the topic and people around the league are wondering whether the Eagles would move Saquon Barkley if they decide to be deadline dealers, here's the contract impact of a hypothetical Barkley trade: The Eagles are paying him $16,750,100 this year, but $15,450,100 of that has already been paid by Philadelphia in the form of option and workout bonuses. The acquiring team would be responsible for only a prorated portion of his $1.3 million veteran-minimum salary; so acquiring him today would put you on the hook for about $867,000 in salary for the rest of this season. The Eagles would have to take a dead-money cap charge of a little more than $26 million in 2027. He's owed $16 million for 2027, of which only $2.5 million is guaranteed at this point.
So he'd be a low-risk acquisition from a financial standpoint, which tells us the Eagles could demand a very high price if they decided to move him.
Fowler: We talked about Dallas earlier. A source told me a trade to aid the Cowboys' defense is not a front-burner issue at the moment. So Dallas will always explore a potential move, but it's quite possible the franchise holds on to whatever 2027 draft capital it has left (just three picks in the first six rounds).
The Giants are not discounting J.J. McCarthy 's 243-yard performance Sunday as garbage-time stat accumulation but rather an impressive performance that sets him up well in lineup considerations. The Giants are in the process of deciding whether to start McCarthy or veteran Jameis Winston . One consideration: The Giants have Houston (and its formidable pass rush) this week, followed by the bye week. Do they give McCarthy another week to learn the system and turn the keys over during the bye? That's at least a consideration. The flip side ... why wait? (Update: The Giants announced on Wednesday that they would turn to McCarthy for Week 7.)
Bears guard Jonah Jackson is dealing with a hip flexor strain that could keep him out for Thursday night, but he is practicing in a limited capacity this week. He shouldn't miss significant time. Similarly, Saints guard Cesar Ruiz 's knee injury does not appear serious, per a source.
Cowboys receiver/returner KaVontae Turpin suffered an injury to his ribs Sunday, and one source believes he's dealing with cartilage damage. He will probably miss this week and go from there. The 3-2 Panthers are dealing with injuries to the secondary, but they remain hopeful that corners Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin) will be back during the second half of the season. Both are progressing well in their rehabs. So the Panthers are in a hold-down-the-fort situation, though fill-ins Will Lee III and Akayleb Evans have played admirably so far. It helps that the Panthers are facing backup quarterbacks, with Philadelphia's Tanner McKee last week and possibly Tampa Bay's Jalon Daniels this week.