Footballguys Fantasy Football Show: Week 7 Risers & Fallers (Oct 20, 2025)

Hosts: Joe (Alfredo Brown) & Dave Kluge
Theme: Rapid-fire, in-depth analysis of notable player "risers" and "fallers" for each NFL Week 7 game, focused on actionable insights for 2025 fantasy football.

Episode Overview

Joe and Dave break down every Week 7 NFL matchup, highlighting players whose fantasy stock is trending up ("risers") or down ("fallers"), with passionate debate, data-driven observations, and a fair dose of cathartic, fan-fueled rants. The show mixes sharp fantasy advice with the hosts’ signature banter, offering both expert evaluation and emotional connection for every fantasy manager–especially those feeling the pain of disappointing teams.

Broncos vs. Giants (33-32)

Notables:

• Bo Nix & Cortland Sutton: Big Rally: Denver engineered one of the season's biggest fourth-quarter comebacks. Bo Nix put up a week-best 46.75 fantasy points (Footballguys 6pt settings).
• Giants' Collapse: Missed extra points, defensive meltdowns, and frustration boiling over (Brian Burns upset with play-calling).

Risers

• Tyrone Tracy (DEN):

  • "Seeing him involved, 5.1 yards per touch... had the big touchdown run, of course..." (06:38, Dave)
  • Healthier, more involved. Flex appeal going forward, though still rotational.

• Evan Engram (DEN):

  • "Four straight weeks of six or more targets... offense is still bad... not within the top 12 at tight end, but the role is growing." (07:21, Joe)

Fallers

• R.J. Harvey (NYG):
  • "I can go lower. Yeah, like he's going lower every single week and I just, I don't... there's another rookie running back just like this. I just don't think there's any hope left." (09:06, Joe)
  • Usage and opportunities evaporating.

Browns vs. Dolphins (31-6)

Notables:

• Cleveland Over Miami Rout: Browns dominated what many saw as a previously "worst-in-NFL" team.
• Dolphins' Fan Meltdown: Joe delivers a flaming, humorous but cathartic vent over years of frustration as a battered Miami fan.
  • "The Dolphins have not won a playoff game the entire time I have been a fan. They have the longest playoff win drought of any team." (15:19, Joe)

Risers

• Harold Fannin (CLE): Remains among targeted options in a surging Browns offense.
• Quinshon Judkins (CLE):
  • "Three actually kind of bad [TDs]. But despite the three touchdowns... that's the thing: you're just firing up any running back against the Dolphins this year." (16:36, Dave)

Fallers

• ALL Miami players:
  • "They are all my followers from this game. I'm. I'm done. I'm done with the Dolphins. I can't do this anymore." (12:22, Joe)

Chiefs vs. Raiders (31-0)

Notables:

• Rashee Rice Returns:
  • "Absolutely dominated the touches. Patrick Mahomes was so excited to have Rashee Rice back..." (19:01, Joe)
• Notable Quote: "This is a good, good Chiefs team. We haven't seen these explosives in the passing attack in a long time." (19:53, Dave)

Risers

• Rashee Rice (KC): Re-established as clear target leader.
• Patrick Mahomes (KC): Enhanced ceiling with full WR corps.

Fallers

• Xavier Worthy (KC):
  • "He only had four touches in Rashi Rice's first game back... might be going back to just a deep threat role." (21:02, Dave)
• Travis Kelce (KC):
  • "8.8% target share... this is the time that if you are the Travis Kelsey fantasy manager... I'm very, very worried. This is the end." (21:25, Joe)

Rams vs. Jaguars (35-7)

Notables:

• Jaguars Disarray; Rams Roll
  • "Jaguars are goofy, man. They're goofy. I don't really even know, like, I feel like I've been saying this for a year now. I don't really know that Trevor Lawrence is actually good." (24:55, Joe)

Risers

• Matthew Stafford (LAR):
  • "There’s not many quarterbacks playing better football. I think he belongs in that MVP race." (27:12, Joe)
• Travis Hunter (JAX):
  • "He can just take over games and we saw that...a special, special talent." (28:32, Dave)

Fallers

• Brian Thomas Jr. (JAX):
  • "Obvious faller for both of us, because of just the performance, the injury late in the game..." (24:55, Joe)

Bears vs. Saints (26-14)

Notables:

• Ugly Bears’ Win, Offensive Shifts

Risers

• DeAndre Swift (CHI):
  • "This is back-to-back really good games now... If you put him behind a bad offensive line, he's not going to do anything at all. But if you can pave the way for him and let him get into the secondary..." (31:14, Dave)
• Colston Loveland (CHI): Emerging tight end value.
• Chris Olave (NO):
  • "Finally got the touchdown regression... while still retaining the same level of target volume..." (32:29, Joe)

Fallers

• Rome Odunze (CHI):
  • "So hot to start the season... I still think that when we're looking at him, he's probably a top 10, top 15 guy rest of season. But...doesn't look like he's going to make that leap." (34:13, Dave)
• Alvin Kamara (NO):
  • "My faller is Alvin Kamara and he kind of sucks, I'm not gonna lie... has not been up to your standard." (36:32, Joe)

Eagles vs. Vikings (28-22)

Notables:

• Philly's Offensive Identity Change
• Saquon Barkley’s Usage Drops

Risers

• Eagles Receivers (AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith):
  • "The Eagles are now a passing team. Didn’t see that coming." (39:42, Joe)
• Jalen Hurts (PHI):
  • "That's the most passing yards he's had in a game since 2022." (41:12, Dave)

Fallers

• Saquon Barkley (PHI):
  • "Saquon just isn't doing it right now. Haven't scored more than 20 PPR points in a game yet." (41:07, Dave)
• Jordan Mason (MIN): Vikings offense in flux, especially with the QB uncertainty.

Panthers vs. Jets (13-6)

Notables:

• Low-Scoring, RB Shakeups

Risers

• Rico Dowdle (CAR):
  • "He has, it seems like, just totally established himself as the RB1 despite the split, played better, got more touches..." (47:15, Joe)
• Xavier Legette (CAR): One-week deep flier.

Fallers

• Chuba Hubbard (CAR):
  • "He lost his job...just the obvious one." (49:16, Joe)
• Justin Fields (NYJ):
  • "Benched. And thank God they benched him because...Tyrod Taylor went out there in the second half and threw some really, really just awful ball." (49:51, Dave)

Patriots vs. Titans (31-13)

Notables:

• Mike Vrabel Revenge-Game Energy

Risers

• Rhamondre Stevenson (NE): Clear bellcow—heavy usage continues.

Fallers

• TreyVeyon Henderson (TEN):
  • "Unprecedented amounts of shade where Trevion Henderson just can’t even get on the field." (53:28, Joe)

Colts vs. Chargers (38-24)

Risers

• Aronde Gadsden II (LAC):
  • "This is not just a stash play anymore. This is a tight end that you can start every single week." (56:51, Joe)
  • Historical rookie performance: Most rookie TE yards since 1985.

Fallers

• K. Vidal (LAC): Back to earth after one-off best matchup.

Packers vs. Cardinals (27-23)

Risers

• Romeo Doubs (GB):
  • "He just consistently is getting targeted..." (61:17, Joe)
• Emmanuel Wilson (GB): Clear #2 behind Josh Jacobs.

Fallers

• Michael Carter/Bam Knight (ARI): Both ineffective; entire AZ backfield in limbo.

Cowboys vs. Commanders (44-22)

Risers

• Jake Ferguson (DAL):
  • "His role feels kind of cemented. I think there is an actual role for him that doesn’t go away by CeeDee Lamb being back." (67:39, Joe)
• Javonte Williams (DAL):
  • "I got Javonte Williams as my RB8 rest of season." (68:46, Dave)

Fallers

• Jaden Daniels (WAS): Injured, concerning times for fantasy prospects.
• George Pickens (DAL):
  • "CD Lamb is the wide receiver 1. George Pickens went back to his role as a wide receiver 2..." (67:22, Dave)

Falcons vs. 49ers

Risers

• Kyle Pitts (ATL):
  • "You can kind of rely on him now... nine targets in this game." (70:33, Joe)
• Juwan Jennings (SF): Healthier and more involved.

Fallers

• George Kittle (SF):
  • "55 snaps, 24 routes run, two targets. I don’t understand like why, why did he play?" (72:39, Joe)

Bengals vs. Steelers (Thursday Night)

Notables:

• Old QB Duel a Surprise Shootout
• Bengals Offense Still Humming with Flacco

Risers

• Jalen Warren (PIT):
  • "Just appears to have a very clean hold on the RB1 position here." (75:28, Joe)
• Tee Higgins, Jamar Chase, and others (CIN): Offense remains potent.
• Pat Freiermuth, Andrei Yosivas (CIN): Deeper league consideration.

Fallers

• DK Metcalf (SEA):
  • "Ironic... but DK is not that same guy. You’re just gonna have to ride the roller coaster..." (78:31, Joe)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Dolphins Misery:
  • "I cannot allow this team to control me anymore as a human." (10:18, Joe)
• On Travis Kelce:
  • "The usage has been down. The efficiency has been down. Dropping passes, not breaking tackles. It is mostly over for Travis Kelsey, who's like, what, the fifth option in the offense now?" (22:07, Dave)
• On Kyron/DeAndre Swift Bears Run Game:
  • "This could be more of a split backfield but... the efficiency for both of these guys goes up." (35:51, Dave)

Rapid-Fire “Lightning Rounds”: Additional Games

For games not fully broken down above, hosts move quickly in the last 30 minutes, focusing on

• Quick analysis of risers/fallers.
• Emphasis on changing usage, injury impacts, stashes, or drop candidates.

Key Fantasy Takeaways

• Prioritize healthy, versatile playmakers with well-defined roles in evolving offenses (Rashee Rice, DeAndre Swift, Aronde Gadsden II).
• Monitor murky situations: Backfields (ARI, TEN), tight ends (SF, NO).
• Don’t let hope cloud judgment—move on from underused/ineffective fantasy assets (Chuba Hubbard, K. Vidal).
• Ride the momentum: Some guys are just hot (Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle) and should be started without hesitation.

Episode Tone

Both insightful and cathartic, with moments of lighthearted despair (Joe’s Dolphins rant), dry humor (“the Icy Hot Bowl”), and deep fantasy geekery (“guardian cap,” target share analysis). Joe brings a fan’s passion to balance Dave’s analyst’s calm, with both eager to provide honest, actionable advice that helps listeners win leagues and keep their fantasy sanity.

For full insights, including deeper dives and Jovial rants, check out specific timestamps above and listen to the full discussion.