Fantasy football owners have had an up-and-down relationship with Deebo Samuel this year, but in a favorable matchup like Week 7's Monday Night Football tilt in Minnesota, he was going to be in a lot of lineups. However, a shoulder injury has thrown a wrench into those plans, and Samuel has become one of the biggest start 'em, sit 'em headaches of the week. (UPDATE: Samuel has since been ruled out for Monday night.)
Updates will be crucial ahead of both Sunday's and Monday's kickoffs, and we'll be here every step of the way to help fantasy owners with one of their toughest lineup decisions of the week.
We'll continue to update this article with news on Samuel until the official active/inactive report comes out on Monday around 6:45 p.m. ET.
WEEK 7 INJURY UPDATES:
QBs | RBs | WRs | McCaffrey
Is Deebo Samuel playing Monday night Week 7?
UPDATE: Coach Kyle Shanahan announced Saturday afternoon that Samuel will miss at least the next two games while dealing with a fracture in his shoulder.
Samuel (shoulder) hasn't practiced yet this week, but he's been known to play without practicing before. His status figures to come down to game time, but if he suits up, fantasy owners can feel reasonably confident in his ability to play normal snaps.
WEEK 7 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Samuel's owners might still be leery about starting him after he played through knee and rib issues in Week 4 but saw just three carries and no targets. For what it's worth, he played 87 percent of snaps (his usual amount), but clearly, he was more decoy than Deebo. He's been inconsistent all year, and he shouldn't be considered a "must-start," especially given the injury.
WEEK 7 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
The matchup against a Minnesota defense allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to WRs might seem too juicy to pass up, but if you want to hold out for Samuel, make sure he's in your flex and you have a Monday night pivot. Ray-Ray McCloud saw a few extra touches after Samuel exited in Week 5, and Jauan Jennings saw extra targets. Neither has a particularly high ceiling, but they have outside chances for a touchdown. You could also try RBs Jordan Mason or Elijah Mitchell regardless of whether Christian McCaffrey (oblique) plays, as at least one (likely Mason) figures to see more touches.
In 12-team leagues, Brandon Powell and Josh Oliver are your best, low-owned bets on the Vikings' side. In shallow leagues, you can probably pick up K.J. Osborn, who's your best overall bet despite the tough matchup.
