Young running backs were one of the storylines in Week 6, and they are an important storyline for Week 7. The first storyline that stands out this week, however, is a potentially returning target hog wide receiver.

Fantasy football storylines

Will Cooper Kupp return this week?

Cooper Kupp practiced on Monday and his participation in practice, or lack thereof, will determine his availability this week. Once active, he should immediately return to fantasy lineups.

According to Fantasy Points data collection, Kupp ranked 18th in air yard percentage (40.7%) and second in target percentage (35.5%) among players with at least 25 routes in the first two weeks of this year. and first in targets per route pass (0.39), first in first-read percentage (52.1%) and second in expected half-point per reception (half-PPR) points per route pass (0.67).

Things get more difficult behind Kupp. In Week 2, Demarcus Robinson tied with the Rams for first in route participation (93.1%), Colby Parkinson was third (80.7%) and Tyler Johnson was fifth (67.5%). Johnson has since been hired to replace Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington. Since Week 3, Robinson was first on the Rams in route participation (87.2%), Atwell was second (82.6%), Parkinson was third (78.9%) and Whittington was fourth (72.5%). Interestingly, Robinson had the lowest targets per route run (0.13), Atwell had 0.22 and Whittington had 0.27. Players who relied on one of LA's additional pass catchers in Kupp's absence should not take them with them right away, but rather bench them if possible to see how Sean McVay uses them when Kupp returns.

Is Big Blue's backfield ready to become a timeshare?

Tyrone Tracy has done everything the Giants could have asked of him over the last two weeks in Devin Singletary's absence. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), since Week 5, Tracy has intercepted 35 of New York's 42 running back rush attempts, rushing for 179 yards, 5.1 yards per carry and one touchdown, 3.03 yards after contact per attempt and four forced missed tackles. Additionally, he played 61 pass snaps and ran 48 routes compared to 29 and 19 for Eric Gray. The converted wideout had eight targets, seven receptions and 58 receiving yards.

According to Fantasy Points, Singletary had 3.95 yards per carry, 0.88 yards before contact per attempt, 3.07 yards after contact per attempt and a stuff rate of 53.6% versus 4.43, 2.30, 2.13 and 47.8% for Tracy. So the rookie did a better job of gaining yards before contact and avoiding getting stuffed. Tracy also has 1.43 yards per route run this year, compared to 1.18 for Singletary.

Unsurprisingly, the converted wide receiver has more yards per route run than Singletary. So it seems clear that the rookie should be used more as a pass catcher, but Singletary could be more trustworthy as a pass blocker in long-down and distance situations. However, Tracy was also more explosive as a runner and might have done enough to overtake Singletary as the front runner. Singletary is unlikely to go away, but Tracy is the more exciting fantasy option going forward, and players without prime alternatives can use him as the RB2 against the Eagles this week, even if Singletary returns from his groin injury.

Things have become chaotic in Tampa Bay's backfield

Through the first five weeks, Rachaad White was first in Tampa Bay's backfield in rush attempts (51), pass snaps (137) and routes (105), but Bucky Irving had 44, 59 and 51. Irving was the more effective runner , and A forthcoming table will show Tampa Bay's rushing stats for running backs this year via fantasy points. It was a relatively straightforward two-man backfield, with White and Irving splitting the rushing work and White doubling Irving on routes.

It is about to become a three-headed monster.

The performance of RB Sean Tucker, who had 136 yards and a TD on 14 carries and another receiving touchdown, means he will be more likely to be in the backfield alongside Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. “It’s definitely worthy of him turning it into a three-headed monster,” coach Todd Bowles said of…

– Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) October 14, 2024

White was sidelined in Week 6 with a foot injury and Sean Tucker made the most of his opportunity. Tucker had 14 carries for a team-high 136 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, three targets, three receptions, 56 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Irving was no slouch either. The rookie running back had 14 rush attempts, 81 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, two targets, two receptions and 24 receiving yards.

Back to Tucker, he went undrafted last season. Still, he would almost certainly have been drafted had he not suffered from heart disease. Tucker was productive during his college career at Syracuse and has real potential. Meanwhile, White struggled with efficiency as a runner in his pro career. As the table below illustrates, he is by far Tampa Bay's least efficient runner this year.

White is a talented receiver and can add value for the Bucs through the air. Still, he has no excuses for his inefficiency on the floor, as Irving and Tucker thrived behind the same offensive line. While White is an above-average receiver, Irving and Tucker are no slouch. As a result, White is the least interesting player in Tampa Bay's backfield, as the value he adds as a receiver may be offset by the suggestion that he would take over on defense if the Bucs used him almost exclusively in passing plays.

The Bucs also have no reason to rush White back because of his foot injury after Irving and Tucker performed exceptionally well in his absence. It's difficult to trust any of Tampa Bay's running backs this week when all three are active, but Irving and Tucker are more exciting bench options than White. Players on fewer than 14 teams with half a point per reception (half PPR) and PPR leagues can give White some slack. It will be interesting to see how the Bucs rotate their running backs this week.

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. Find out more from Josh here Archive and follow him @BChad50.