Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode: Week 7 Matchup Previews with Julia Papworth
Date: October 17, 2025
Hosts: Dave Kluge, Alfredo Brown
Guest: Julia Papworth

Episode Overview

Dave Kluge welcomes Footballguys and Fantasy Footballers writer Julia Papworth to break down six key NFL games for Week 7. The discussion is packed with actionable fantasy football advice, deep-dive player analysis, roster moves, and the ever-present laughs the Launch Pad is known for. The conversation covers player trends, trade targets, injury updates, usage changes, and rest-of-season outlooks for both stars and sleepers—plus memorable personal stories and philosophy about being flexible in both fantasy and life.

Key Matchup Previews & Fantasy Insights

New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears

Segment Start: [02:09]

• Alvin Kamara – Start, Sit, or Trade?

  • Kamara’s output has been disappointing. Volume keeps him in fantasy lineups, especially as running backs across the league drop like flies.
  • Julia: "If you have him, you have to start him because you probably ended up paying so much to get him." [02:29]
  • Kamara stated he’d rather retire (“sit on the beach drinking pina coladas”) than accept a trade.
  • Kendre Miller is a player to watch long term; deserves more opportunity as Kamara ages.

• Chris Olave – Regression or Offense Problem?

  • Only 2 TDs on his last 108 targets—volume is there, not the red zone luck.
  • Julia: "He only has one game with less than 10 targets…do I think there's a strong chance for positive regression? Yes, I think there is." [05:56]
  • Advice: Always start Olave in PPR; targets are king.

• Colston Loveland & Chicago TE Situation

  • Loveland is trending up, out-snapped Cole Kmet last week. But Julia wants to see one more week before trusting him:
    • “I’m not starting him yet... Because right now, he's literally a touchdown or bust.” [09:54]
  • Loveland could be a strong stash, especially if DJ Moore misses time.

• Caleb Williams ROS (Rest of Season) Ranking

  • Debate over where Caleb fits among fantasy QBs going forward. Both Dave and Julia now have him in the QB8-QB12 range, mirroring trends seen with young QBs in rebuilds.

Notable Quote:

• Julia: “Every time I watch him (Caleb Williams) it's like he's almost there… you’re six inches short on that throw, or you just miss that one tackle, and it's frustrating ‘cause you know the talent's there.” [12:52]

Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs

Segment Start: [14:38]

• Trey Tucker – Breakout or Fluke?

  • Recent big game might be more than a fluke. Target usage and route profile evolving, similar to how Pete Carroll’s WRs developed (first deep threats, then more complete routes).
  • Jacoby Myers trade rumors open a path for more targets.
  • Dave: “I'm very intrigued for Trey Tucker as somebody who just a month ago was completely writing him off as a fluke.” [18:08]
  • Still, QB situation (Geno Smith struggles) clouds things.

• Michael Mayer as Streamer TE

  • "If you have a chance of scoring a touchdown, that puts you in the streamer discussion." [20:22]
  • Both hosts would consider starting Mayer over players like Evan Engram or AJ Barner this week. “He's a guy that plays football for the tight end position—and that might be what you need right now.” [22:01]

• KC WRs – Rashi Rice’s Return

  • Rice, Hollywood Brown, and Xavier Worthy could finally be active together, condensing targets among a true trio.
  • Travis Kelce and fringe WRs (e.g., JuJu Smith-Schuster) likely see lower target shares as a result.
  • Julia: “They can all work different parts of the field… hopefully this will allow the running game to get going.” [22:57]

• KC RBs – Pacheco vs. Kareem Hunt vs. Rashard Smith

  • Julia: “I think you have to say Pacheco... Pacheco is the better football player… we will learn a lot in this game.” [26:01]
  • Dave notes Pacheco looked a bit better last week, but questions remain about the backfield's ceiling.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings

Segment Start: [27:50]

• Saquon Barkley: Buy, Sell, or Hold?

  • Neither host is high on Saquon's rest-of-season value, but trade options are slim due to plummeting value.
  • Julia: “If you have him, you’re starting him... there’s so much volume there. I don’t know what's going on with the Eagles. I really don't.” [28:27]

• Eagles Offensive Identity Crisis

  • Jalen Hurts’ vibes are an issue when losing; coaching staff and team camaraderie in question after two straight losses.
  • Dallas Goedert and Devonta Smith become more uncertain as starts, but top players remain in lineups.

• Will Shipley vs. AJ Dillon – Next Man Up?

  • Former "injury-away" darling Shipley has lost ground; Dillon now appears as the clear handcuff.
  • Julia: “It seems like nothing the Eagles are doing is making sense at this point… massive quads…” [32:38]
  • O-line discussion prompted by Jason Kelce's training video story—fun moment.

• Jordan Mason as Vikings RB

  • Julia: “I think Jordan Mason is going to smash this week... [The Eagles] have allowed running backs to run for a first down or a touchdown on almost 30% of their attempts. That's the second highest in the league.” [34:55]
  • Concerns about Vikings passing usage linger as J.J. McCarthy might not yet be healthy.

New York Giants @ Denver Broncos

Segment Start: [39:20]

• Cam Skattebo: ROS RB Ranking?

  • Both hosts rank Skattebo as a mid RB1 (12–15 overall) going forward.
  • Dave: “He’s just so good, and he is completely a joy… the identity of this team just changed…” [41:15]
  • Skattebo and Jackson Dart’s chemistry credited for revitalizing New York’s offensive energy.

• Jackson Dart vs. Denver:

  • Great at home; on the road is a different story. Denver excels against mobile QBs (allowing only 46 rushing yards to the position all year).
  • Julia: "Denver’s done really, really good work defending mobile quarterbacks…‘if they do well against Denver…we all have to be all in on the Giants’” [44:53]

• Denver RBs: J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Javonte Williams

  • It's a mess, but J.K. Dobbins is the only one the hosts would regularly start.

• Courtland Sutton: Consistency Concerns

  • Down weeks blamed on weird game scripts (e.g., travel to Europe).
  • Julia: “We were to circle back again to the Chris Olave thing, right? Courtland Sutton is going to get targets. You just have to hope that sometimes he starts to score.” [49:25]

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Segment Start: [50:30]

• Tucker Kraft – Panic Level?

  • Not worried; talented, athletic, and still trusted in the offense.
  • Both hosts prefer him over many other TEs; Arizona generous to TEs.

• Emmanuel Wilson – The Forgotten RB Stash

  • Only 3% rostered despite clear RB2 role and upside if Jacobs misses time.
  • Julia: “If you really want to think about the combination of the running back with a huge usage on a team that has offensive firepower, like those two things should be the backup you have.” [53:16]

• Arizona QB Dilemma: Jacoby Brissett vs. Kyler Murray

  • Julia’s preference for “normalcy” with Brissett: “It opens up the playbook a little bit more. Everything felt a little more normal.” [56:23]
  • Contract situation dictates Kyler stays, even if he isn’t the right fit.

• Backfield: Michael Carter vs. Bam Knight

  • Michael Carter the preferred option for his pass-catching ability, especially against a Packers defense soft to RB pass volume.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions

Segment Start: [62:11]

• Buccaneers WR Rankings (Week 7)

  • Mike Evans: Strong play if healthy, but could be limited for injury management.
  • Tez Johnson: Upside play; “the fun one.”
  • Sterling Shepard: Safe.
  • Cameron Johnson: Only if desperate.
  • Cade Otton: "The forgotten man"; great for TE premium/DFS.
  • Julia: "If you're starting any of these guys, you just have faith in Baker, and you have to…" [66:14]
  • Fun side stories about Tez Johnson’s background and celebratory gymnastics.

• Rachaad White’s Emerging Role

  • Two strong finishes (RB10 and RB7 recently), but speculation Bucky Irving will eat into his massive workload once he returns from injury.

• Detroit Lions – Jameson Williams Conundrum

  • Once a breakout darling, now a headache to start or hold.
  • Julia: “If you are trying to be kind to your mental health, I feel like you can drop Jameson Williams if you want to not go through this every single week.” [70:23]

• David Montgomery’s Involvement

  • Dan Campbell’s coach-speak is reliably truthful. Expect Montgomery to return to a 50/50-ish touch split with Gibbs soon.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fantasy Analysis:

  • "You chase volume and the volume is there. Sometimes it’s just that simple." – Dave [07:05]

• On Changing Opinions:

  • “It’s never too late to pivot. It’s OK to change and say, you know what, maybe I was wrong on this guy. We’re wrong more times than we’re right sometimes.” – Julia [74:45]

• Personal Philosophy:

  • Julia on career change and life pivots: “I had always talked about it, and … five years later I’m… on the verge of being able to do this as my life, which is amazing. The older you get, the scarier it is to pivot, but you’re never too old to do it right.” [75:23]

• On Dry Cleaning:

  • “Dry cleaning is a scam. That is my hill I’m willing to die on.” – Julia [73:25]

Timestamped Summary Table

| Time | Topic Highlight | |------|----------------| | 02:09 | Saints @ Bears: Kamara, Olave, Chicago TEs, Caleb Williams ROS QBs | | 14:38 | Raiders @ Chiefs: Trey Tucker, Michael Mayer, Rashi Rice, KC RBs | | 27:50 | Eagles @ Vikings: Saquon Barkley, Eagles offense, Shipley/Dillon, Jordan Mason | | 39:20 | Giants @ Broncos: Skattebo ranking, Jackson Dart, Denver RBs, Sutton | | 50:30 | Packers @ Cardinals: Tucker Kraft, Emmanuel Wilson, ARI QB, RB committee | | 62:11 | Bucs @ Lions: TB WRs, Rachaad White, Bucky Irving, Jameson Williams, Montgomery |

Final Segment: Hill to Die On

[73:25]

• Julia’s serious answer: "It’s never too late to pivot"—in football, life, or otherwise; be willing to change takes or directions as new information comes in.

Where to Find Julia

• X/Twitter: @JuliaPapworth
• Fantasy Footballers (content editor/writer)
• Footballguys (“Beat the Waiver Wire” weekly article—highly recommended!)

In Summary

This episode delivers deep and thoughtful fantasy advice across all skill positions and a diverse range of matchups—with practical start/sit calls, rest-of-season stashes, handcuff strategy, and a hefty dose of real-world wisdom.
Don’t miss Julia’s “Beat the Waiver Wire” article for an edge on pickups—her calls have been out front all season.