With just six weeks left of the regular season schedule, the drama in the NFL continues to ramp up.

The playoff picture is wide open and Week 13 action presents clashes between a number of sides who each boast a winning record this season.

Victories this week would provide a considerable boost for those teams' hopes of continuing beyond the regular campaign.

A huge divisional rivalry between the Washington Commanders and New York Giants is the pick of the action, while there is also a rematch from last season's AFC Championship game with the Kansas City Chiefs seeking redemption against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Stats Perform has delved into the numbers for those matchups along with some of Sunday's other big games.

New York Jets (7-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-2)

The Jets head to Minnesota with an 8-3 record against the Vikings, though have lost the last two meetings – including a 37-17 loss in the last meeting in 2018, which marked the most ever points scored by the Vikings in this series.

Defensive strength has been key for the Jets this season, with last week's 31-10 victory over the Chicago Bears being the fourth time this year where they have held their opponents to 10 or fewer points – the last time they had such a sequence was five games in 2010, which was also their last season with a trip to the playoffs.

The Jets defense will be tested against the Vikings' aerial threat, however, with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen each catching touchdown passes in the Thanksgiving win over the New England Patriots – the ninth time each player has had a receiving TD in the same game, which marks the most of any NFL teammates since Jefferson's 2020 debut.

A win against the Jets would see head coach Kevin O'Connell join Jim Caldwell and Jim Harbaugh as the only men this century to earn 10 wins in 12 or fewer games to start their career as an NFL head coach.

Washington Commanders (7-5) @ New York Giants (7-4)

A series sweep for Washington last season was the franchise's first against the Giants since 2011, leaving the Commanders looking for their first win streak of at least three games against New York since a four-game streak that ended in 2000.

Four consecutive wins on the road have seen Washington hold their opponents to 54 points total in those contests, marking the first time they have won four straight road games while allowing fewer than 60 points since 2001.

The Giants head into the contest having lost their last five against divisional opponents, standing just 1-7 in that regard over the past two seasons. That makes them just one of two teams without multiple wins in divisional games over that span (also Denver Broncos, 1-8).

Saquon Barkley remains the biggest threat for the Giants and sits just eight rushing yards short of his third 1000-yard season, where he would join Tiki Barber (6), Rodney Hampton (5) and Joe Morris (3) as the only Giants with at least three such seasons for the team.

Tennessee Titans (7-4) @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

Philadelphia host the Titans on the back of a six-game winning run against AFC opponents dating back to last season, matching the Eagles' longest such streak in franchise history.

Last time out against the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles scored a touchdown in four of their five trips to the red zone – with Philadelphia leading the NFL in touchdown efficiency in the red zone this season, scoring in 29 of 40 trips (72.5 per cent).

Tennessee, meanwhile, have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of their last three games, matching their longest streak since Mike Vrabel became head coach in 2018.

In the 20-16 loss to the Bengals last time out, Derrick Henry fumbled but was it was recovered. Of the 39 players with at least 200 offensive touches since the beginning of last season, Henry, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey are the only three to have not lost a fumble.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

Two meetings last season saw the Bengals win by three points in both contests, including in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City, with the Chiefs' last road win against the Bengals coming in 1984 – losing six straight since.

A 26-10 home victory against the Los Angeles Rams last week saw Travis Kelce catch his 12th touchdown pass of the season, with no other tight end having more than five this term. The largest all-time gap between a league leader and second place stands at six (Rob Gronkowski in 2011 and Antonio Gates in 2004).

The Bengals overcame the Titans 20-16 on the road last week, giving Cincinnati their first three-game winning streak of the season. Since 2018, they stand 3-34 when scoring 20 or fewer points in a game, but two of those wins have come against Tennessee.

Cincinnati have converted 78.1 per cent (25-for-32) of their third downs this season when needing fewer than four yards, the best mark in the league. However, they've also allowed opponents to convert such third downs at a 76.5 per cent rate (26-for-34), the worst record in the league.

Elsewhere…

The Miami Dolphins head to San Francisco with a 4-3 record on the road against the 49ers, the second-best such record by any team behind the Carolina Panthers (7-4).

The Los Angeles Rams host the Seattle Seahawks having won eight of the last 10 clashes between the two divisional rivals, with Seattle's last victory on the road in this matchup coming in Week 5, 2017.

An overtime victory over the Seahawks last week was the second in a row for the Las Vegas Raiders, having beaten the Denver Broncos in OT in Week 11. No NFL team has ever won three consecutive games in overtime going into the Raiders' latest battle with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dallas Cowboys host the Indianapolis Colts on the back of a four-game spell with at least 400 net yards, with only one longer streak in team history – running eight games in that regard in 2016.

The Miami Dolphins moved into a dominant position in their Week 12 game with the Houston Texans, but suffered a potentially significant injury blow.

Miami led 30-0 against the one-win Texans early in the third quarter, however, it came as a cost as tackle Terron Armstead was ruled out with a pectoral injury.

Armstead was signed to a five-year, $75million deal in March.

He has never completed a full season-long slate of games in his NFL career, and last season played only eight in his final year with the New Orleans Saints.

The speed with which he was ruled out by the Dolphins will raise concerns he could be set for a spell on the sidelines as the Dolphins attempt to clinch a place in the postseason and potentially win the AFC East.

A victory over the Texans would improve the Dolphins to 8-3 heading into a tough Week 13 meeting with the San Francisco 49ers.

This Thursday marks Thanksgiving in the United States.

That means several things. Food, family and lots and lots of football, with the traditional three games on the schedule for the holiday.

With the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings all playing, there will be plenty of fantasy relevant players in action, meaning there's no time to waste in terms of getting a winning line-up set.

Thanksgiving is, as the name makes obvious, a time to say what you're grateful for, and Stats Perform hopes you will be appreciative of the fantasy help we're here to provide with our picks of four offensive players and a defense for Week 12.
 

Quarterback: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers @ Arizona Cardinals

The Chargers may not be feeling too grateful after having their heart broken again by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

But they must be appreciative of getting to face the Cardinals' defense in Week 12, especially with Herbert's top receiver, Keenan Allen, back in the fold.

The Cardinals have allowed 118 pass plays of 10 yards or more, the fourth-most in the NFL. Coming off a game in which he averaged 9.3 yards per attempt, Herbert is well-positioned to get the Chargers' playoff push back on track against opposition that should facilitate one of his best performances of the season.

Running Back: Jeff Wilson Jr, Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans

When Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel sits down to eat his turkey on Thursday, he may express thanks for the trade with his former employers, the San Francisco 49ers, that landed Wilson's services for Miami.

Wilson has quickly established himself as the top runner in a Dolphins backfield that was not firing on all cylinders prior to his arrival.

He averaged seven yards per carry against the Cleveland Browns' dreadful run defense last time out and now gets to face a Houston defense that has allowed 57 runs of at least 10 yards, which is 12 more than anyone else in the league.

Wide Receiver: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills

Detroit's leading receiver may not be happy to go against the Buffalo defense in Week 12, but Jameson Williams' debut is likely to bring a smile to his face.

Williams, Detroit's second first-round pick in 2022, is practising after recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in his final college game, and will give the Lions a tremendous deep threat who can stretch the field and open underneath areas for St. Brown to exploit.

In a game where the chances of the Lions falling behind and being forced to throw the ball consistently are high, that is a recipe for St. Brown racking up completions and yardage in the Thanksgiving opener.

Tight End: T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings vs. New England Patriots

There is likely to be gratitude in Vikings circles that they get the chance to quickly wash the stink off from their blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

Having been shellacked by the Cowboy defense, the Minnesota offense will face a different challenge in the form of the Patriots, who consistently drop eight players into coverage.

New England will almost certainly look to take Justin Jefferson away with double teams, meaning quarterback Kirk Cousins will likely have to frequently look to Hockenson over the middle of the field.

Targeted 28 times in three games since his arrival in a trade with Detroit, Hockenson appears primed for massive fantasy performance in the Thanksgiving nightcap, especially in points per reception leagues.

Defense/Special Teams: San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints

The Saints' coaching staff may have a stressful Thanksgiving game planning for the 49ers, who appear to be rounding into form on both sides of the ball.

San Francisco's defense has not allowed a second-half point in any of the Niners' last three games and is giving up just 4.67 yards per play this season, the second-fewest in the NFL.

Facing a Saints offense that has committed the most giveaways (19) in the NFL, the San Francisco defense should dominate once more and deliver a crucial contribution for its fantasy owners.

Miami Dolphins edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his triceps in Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, according to multiple reports.

Ogbah exited in the second quarter with what was initially termed an elbow injury, and did not return to Miami’s 39-17 win.

The injury ends a disappointing campaign for Ogbah, whom the Dolphins re-signed to a four-year, $65million contract in March. The seven-year veteran managed just one sack and 11 tackles in nine games.

Ogbah was coming off back-to-back nine-sack seasons and ranked second among Dolphins players with 12 passes defensed in 2021.

Miami did address a need for pass-rush help at the recent trade deadline by acquiring outside linebacker Bradley Chubb from the Denver Broncos on November 1. The Dolphins signed the impending free agent to a five-year, $110m extension shortly after the trade.

The Dolphins also have 2021 first-round pick Jaelan Phillips and veteran Melvin Ingram available as edge rushers.

We are somehow already at Week 10 in the NFL season, all wondering where the time actually does go.

Two of the shining lights of the campaign face off in Buffalo as the Bills host the Minnesota Vikings.

History will be made in Munich as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Seattle Seahawks in the first-ever regular season NFL game played in Germany, while the San Francisco 49ers will look to continue their return to winning ways against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Stats Perform takes a closer look at the numbers behind some of Sunday's NFL clashes.

Minnesota Vikings (7-1) @ Buffalo Bills (6-2)

The Vikings have played eight games at Highmark Stadium and have held the Bills to 23 points or fewer in each one, which is the longest streak of allowing 23 points or fewer by a visiting team in the stadium's history.

Minnesota have won six straight games, all by eight points or fewer, tied for the second-longest streak of one-possession wins in NFL history, behind a seven-game streak by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.

T.J. Hockenson boasted nine catches on his Vikings debut last week, tying the Bills' Keith McKeller (October 18, 1987) for the most receptions by a tight end on debut with a team in the Super Bowl era.

The Bills have allowed 21 points or fewer in 12 straight regular-season games, the longest streak in franchise history and the second longest by any NFL team over the last 15 seasons (Baltimore Ravens, 13 straight from 2019-20).

Buffalo are allowing just 4.6 points per game in the second half this year. No NFL team has allowed fewer than 5.0 points per game in the second half over a full season since the Carolina Panthers in 1996 (3.5).

Seattle Seahawks (6-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)

It should be a great experience in Bavaria, but the Bucs are 0-3 in games played outside the United States (all in London), having been outscored 96-51 in those games. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are 2-0 outside the U.S. (one in Toronto, one in London), outscoring their opponents, 77-20.

Pete Carroll is in his 17th season as an NFL head coach and has had at least six wins in each campaign. The only other coach to have six or more wins in each of his first 17 seasons was Don Shula, who did so in all 33 seasons of his career.

Kenneth Walker III is the first NFL rookie to rush for a touchdown and have his team win in each of his first four career starts since Robert Edwards for the New England Patriots in 1998.

Tom Brady has thrown at least 40 passes with no interceptions in seven consecutive starts. No other QB in NFL history has done that in more than four straight starts.

The Bucs have rushed for 75 or fewer yards in eight straight games, the second-longest streak in the Super Bowl wera behind a nine-game streak by the Cardinals from 1991-92.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (4-4)

The Chargers are looking to win their sixth-straight game against the 49ers, which would make them the first team to do so since the Seahawks (nine games from 2014 to 2018).

Justin Herbert was not sacked in the Chargers' recent win against the Atlanta Falcons. The Chargers have allowed the fewest sacks in the league this season (10), and have not allowed 10 or fewer sacks through eight games since the 2008 season (also 10).

Through 40 career starts, Herbert has played a part in 90 touchdowns (82 passing, eight rushing). Only Patrick Mahomes (107), Dan Marino (95) and Kurt Warner (91) accounted for more scores in their first 40 starts.

San Francisco's last five games have all been decided by at least 14 points (3-2 record). They have not had six consecutive such games since an eight-game streak in 1999.

Christian McCaffrey threw for, rushed for and caught a touchdown in San Francisco's win over the Rams. He was the first player to do so since the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson completed the feat in Week 6 of the 2005 season.

Elsewhere...

The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) will need a plan to deal with Chiefs (6-2) QB Mahomes, who attempted 68 passes (completing 43) in last week's win over the Tennessee Titans, both of which set single-game team records. The only player to attempt more passes in a win in the NFL since 1950 was Drew Bledsoe with 70 in Week 11 of the 1994 season.

Former Chief Tyreek Hill has 1104 receiving yards this season for the Miami Dolphins (6-3), the most by any player through his team's first nine games in the Super Bowl era. Prior to this year, there had only been 11 times a Dolphins receiver recorded 1100 yards in an entire season, and Hill will look to add to those against the Cleveland Browns (3-5).

Last week was Cooper Kupp's 20th career game with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2017. The only other players with more than 15 such games in that span are Davante Adams (19) and Hill (18), and the Los Angeles Rams (3-5) will need their star to step up again against the Arizona Cardinals (3-6).

Aaron Rodgers' passer rating is at 89.0 this season after posting 111.9 in 2021. The decrease of 22.9 is the largest by a Green Bay Packers quarterback (min. five games played) since Bart Starr from 1966 to 1967 (105.0 to 64.4). With a record of 3-6, the Packers will hope he can improve that against the Dallas Cowboys (6-2).

Chicago Bears emerging star Justin Fields set an NFL single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback with a 178-yard performance in Sunday’s contest against the Miami Dolphins.

Fields eclipsed the previous high mark of 173 yards set by Atlanta’s Michael Vick in 2002. Former San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick still has the most rushing yards by a quarterback in any NFL game when he ran for 181 in a playoff victory over Green Bay in January 2013.

The 2021 first-round pick also set a franchise record for the longest run by a quarterback when he eluded a rush and scrambled for a 61-yard touchdown in the third quarter of Chicago’s 35-32 loss.

Fields' continued development as a passer was also on display, as he threw for a career-high three touchdowns and finished with a quarterback rating over 100 for a second straight game.

"I think I’m just growing and getting better each and every week," he said afterward. "My main goal is just to continue to do that, continue to trend up. Each and every day I practice, just keep getting better and better. That’s really all you can do."

After recording a 71.8 passer rating with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 9-to-13 through his first 14 NFL starts, the 23-year-old has posted a 99.7 rating with eight touchdown passes and just two interceptions over his last five outings.

"Obviously, start of the season [he’s] feeling his way, and now the last three games he’s really taken off," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. "We are excited about that as a group and we are excited about that for the Chicago Bears and the franchise."

Sunday’s effort gave Fields 602 rushing yards in 2022, making him the fifth quarterback since 1960 with 600 or more rushing yards through nine games in a season. The former Ohio State star joined a list that includes Vick, former Bear Bobby Douglass and two active players, Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray.

"He’s as fast as any skill position runner," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel remarked. "He is really, really fast and he can cut and break tackles.

"There are a lot of running quarterbacks. This one in particular I think is very elite and adept at that."

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill made history in his side's 35-32 road win against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, and gave plenty of credit to his quarterback.

Hill caught seven passes for 143 yards and a touchdown, and in doing so, broke Hall-of-Famer Calvin Johnson's record for the most receiving yards through a team's first nine games in a season.

It was the fifth time this campaign Hill has eclipsed 140 receiving yards in a game, and he now has 1104 yards for the season, surpassing Johnson's record of 1083 in his first nine games for the Detroit Lions in 2013.

Hill, who is a four-time All-Pro, is only 375 yards away from his career-high total of 1479 from his 16 games in the 2018 season.

Speaking to NFL Network before leaving the field, Hill was grateful for the position he is in.

"For me, man, just to touch the paint – I haven't scored since Week 2, I believe," he said. "To be able to get into the endzone, I just want to thank God for blessing me with this amazing opportunity.

"Blessing me with this chance to play with this special group of young guys – Tua [Tagovailoa] and Jaylen [Waddle] – and just the whole offense.

"Also, you add coach McDaniel and Wes Welker – they're legends – I'm extremely blessed and I'm looking forward to playing more football this season.

"I don't even know what to say [about breaking the record]... I tell people all the time, keep faith in whatever goals you've got, just believe in yourself and always put God first.

"You never know when it's your time, and I feel like this is my time."

When asked his thoughts on Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Hill doubled-down on his preseason comments calling him the most accurate quarterback in the game.

"He's the best in the league," he said. "He's the most accurate quarterback in the league. Know that."

The Miami Dolphins are now 6-3 in the stacked AFC East, trailing the 6-2 Buffalo Bills and the 6-3 New York Jets, while the fourth-placed New England Patriots (5-4) are also above .500.

Aaron Rodgers lost a fifth straight game for just the second time in his NFL career as the Green Bay Packers were upset again by NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions.

The Packers are enduring a torrid season and fell to 3-6 with this latest 15-9 defeat on Sunday.

Green Bay had not previously lost five in a row since 2008 – Rodgers' first year as a starter – but there is no sign of their misery ending any time soon.

Rodgers, previously so dominant in division matchups, threw three interceptions in a game for only the fifth time in his career and for the first time against NFC North opponents.

Two of those came with the game still scoreless, giving the lowly Lions a foothold they fought hard to protect.

Detroit had traded T.J. Hockenson within the division to the Minnesota Vikings at the deadline, but that void was filled by a pair of career-first touchdown catches from tight ends.

Shane Zylstra – elevated from the practice squad on Saturday alongside wide receiver brother Brandon – got the Lions on the board with his first catch of the year, while rookie James Mitchell's score at the start of the fourth quarter ultimately proved decisive.

Bills loss leaves AFC East in the balance

The fourth of Rodgers' five successive defeats had come against the Buffalo Bills last week, but Josh Allen was also on the end of a shock loss on Sunday as the New York Jets blew the AFC wide open. Despite two rushing TDs, Allen was every bit as hapless as Rodgers through the air as he threw two interceptions in the Jets' tense 20-17 win.

With the Bills 6-2 and the Jets 6-3, the AFC East is among the year's closest fought divisions, with the Miami Dolphins just about improving to 6-3 by fending off the Chicago Bears 35-32. Justin Fields kept the Bears in touch, throwing three TD passes and rushing for 178 yards – a Super Bowl era record among quarterbacks. His stunning 61-yard TD run was the longest of his career.

Mixon makes hay with Bengals' first five-TD game

There was no late drama in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers, which was dominated by running back Joe Mixon. He rushed for four TDs and had five total scores – also catching a Joe Burrow pass. It was just the ninth five-plus-TD game of the Super Bowl era – and the first by a Bengal – and set up a 42-21 victory.

The 2022 trade deadline day proved a historic one for the NFL.

Teams struck 10 deals on Tuesday prior to the 16:00 EST deadline, with a total of 12 players traded, the most ever on deadline day.

None were of the level of the San Francisco 49ers' blockbuster trade for Christian McCaffrey on October 20.

However, there were still several deals that will have significant short and long-term impacts for some of the franchises involved.

So what can we glean from the hive of activity at the deadline? Stats Perform dug into the advanced data around the trades to answer that question.
 

Dolphins crank up pressure on opponents, and Tua

The Miami Dolphins made the headline move of trade deadline day, sending a package that included the 2023 first-round pick they acquired from the 49ers to the Denver Broncos for edge rusher Bradley Chubb.

It is a move aimed at improving the Dolphin defense's ability to better complement an offense that fired on all cylinders in their Week 8 win over the Detroit Lions.

Miami recovered from 14 points down to beat the lowly Lions 31-27, Tua Tagovailoa producing five passing plays of at least 20 yards in a single game for the third time this season.

Yet the Dolphins might not have needed such heroics from their quarterback had the defense been better equipped to keep the Lions at bay in the first two quarters.

The Dolphins are allowing successful plays on 47.7 per cent of passing downs, well above the league average of 41.1, and have tallied just 14 sacks for negative yardage this season, tied for 20th in the NFL.

Chubb's arrival brings the Dolphins a high-ceiling pass rusher who already has 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 2022.

His 32 pressures are more than every other Dolphins defender save for Jaelan Phillips, who has racked up 41, the fourth-most in the NFL, in a strong second season.

The hope will be that pairing Phillips and Chubb will greatly improve the defense's capacity to create negative plays and remove some of the onus from a high-powered offense.

That offense has a new name in the backfield for the second half of the season. The Dolphins traded running back Chase Edmonds to the Broncos, before sending a fifth-round pick to the 49ers for Jeff Wilson Jr, who reunites with former team-mate Raheem Mostert in Miami.

Wilson's departure was always a possibility after the 49ers struck their blockbuster trade for McCaffrey, but he should prove an excellent complement to Mostert.

He can excel at both zone and gap-scheme runs and has proven effective at picking up yards with less than ideal blocking. Among backs with at least 50 carries, Wilson is 11th with 3.37 yards per rush on runs where there is a disruption by a defender.

With a strengthened pass rush and an apparent upgrade in the backfield, Tagovailoa's support system looks to be improved following the trade deadline, but that will only heighten the scrutiny on him if he cannot turn a 5-3 start into a playoff berth.
 

Lions have long way to go

If their 1-6 record didn't already make it obvious, Detroit's decision to trade tight end T.J. Hockenson to NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings hammered home the point that the Lions still have a lot of rebuilding to do.

Detroit received a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-rounder in exchange for Hockenson, a 2023 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-rounder.

It is a move that sees them part with a tight end that was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2020 and who has been an efficient receiver in 2022.

Hockenson is averaging 15.2 yards per reception, the most among tight ends, with Detroit's willingness to part with him reflective of how much they value acquiring draft capital for a team that appears further away from competing than many thought heading into the season.

While the struggles on the field may put them in position to land their quarterback of the future, the Lions are clearly in need of more resources to improve a defense that has allowed a play success rate of 46.1 per cent, the second worst in the NFL, and continues to struggle to create pressure or cover in the secondary.

The beneficiaries of the Lions' need to amass picks are the 6-1 Vikings, who can work in Hockenson as a replacement for Irv Smith Jr. after he was lost for eight to 10 weeks with an ankle injury.

It was not clear in which direction the Vikings were headed after a sea change in the front office and at head coach after missing the playoffs last season, but the Lions were thought to be on an upward trajectory following an impressive offseason.

That assessment has proven misguided, with these two teams' divergent paths enabling the Vikings to enjoy the advantages of having another offensive weapon as the Lions are left wondering how long it will take for them to be in a position to be buyers at the deadline.
 

Chicago has faith in Fields

The Chicago Bears were also a seller, sending linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday having also dealt pass rusher Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Unlike the Lions, however, the Bears were in the business of adding to their roster, striking a deal that serves as an illustration of their belief in second-year quarterback Justin Fields.

After receiving a second and a fifth-round pick for Smith, the Bears parted with a second to acquire wide receiver Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Claypool's worth was clearly not depreciated by a downturn in his production in terms of scoring from his rookie year. He scored 11 touchdowns (nine receiving, two rushing) in 2020 but has just three from scrimmage since.

Yet Claypool has excelled at winning his matchups with covering defenders this season, with his open percentage against man coverage of 42.42 prior well above the average for wide receivers of 36.32.

That points to the problem in recent years being the Steelers' offense, which has struggled to target him downfield amid its deficiencies at the quarterback position. Claypool's average depth of target of 9.8 yards this season is below the league average of 10.4.

But a partnership with Fields, who has been starved of receiving talent in Chicago, could be one that gets Claypool back on his previous trajectory.

Last week against the Dallas Cowboys, Fields was accurate on 90.9 per cent of his throws while averaging 9.5 air yards per attempt. His season-long average of 9.64 is fourth among quarterbacks with at least 100 passes this season.

If Fields sustains that downfield accuracy, it could see Claypool re-emerge as the deep ball-winner he was in his rookie season.

Though they have traded other assets for picks, the Bears feel Fields has shown enough to be worthy of their faith he can blossom into Chicago's franchise quarterback and are backing him to revitalise Claypool while inspiring further strides for an offense that has made definitive progress in recent games.

The Miami Dolphins have acquired edge rusher Bradley Chubb from the Denver Broncos, sending a package that includes a first-round pick in a blockbuster trade.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Miami parted with the 2023 first-round pick they received from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade that facilitated the Niners moving up in the 2021 draft to select quarterback Trey Lance third overall.

In addition, the Dolphins sent a 2024 fourth-round pick and running back Chase Edmonds in exchange for Chubb and a 2025 fifth-round pick.

The Dolphins will hope Chubb can provide a significant boost to a defense that has allowed 5.89 yards per play, the seventh-most in the NFL, and tallied 14 sacks for negative yardage, only good enough for a five-way tie for 20th.

Their pressure rate of 39.6 per cent is above the NFL average, but Chubb will be tasked with improving Miami's ability to convert those pressures.

This season the 2018 first-round pick has registered 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles for a stellar Denver defense, the efforts of which have been wasted by continued poor performances on offense.

Denver beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in London last Sunday to improve to 3-5, still a hugely disappointing record for a team that had hoped to make the leap after sending five picks, including two first-rounders, and three players to the Seattle Seahawks for nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson.

But the struggles of the Wilson-led attack created talk of them being sellers at the trade deadline. No team will be able to make trades after 16:00 EST on Tuesday.

Such speculation proved accurate, with the 5-3 Dolphins landing a pass rusher who is tied 10th in adjusted sack rate among players with at least 50 edge snaps, according to Stats Perform data.

Chubb figures to form an imposing duo with second-year edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, whose pressure rate of 27.6 per cent is the fifth-best in the NFL for edge rushers (minimum 50 snaps).

The Dolphins face the Chicago Bears in Week 9 at Soldier Field, where Chubb could make his debut.

Following the move for Chubb, the Dolphins also struck a deal with the 49ers for running back Jeff Wilson Jr, sending a fifth-round pick to San Francisco.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a career-high four touchdown passes in Sunday's big 35-13 home win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was also a career day for Hurts' top receiver, A.J. Brown, who caught three touchdown passes for the first time – and he did it all in the first half.

Brown's first score came on a 39-yard deep-ball into the endzone, coming down with it between two Steelers defensive backs in the first quarter. He then added two more scores in the second quarter –  a 27-yard touchdown and a 29-yard touchdown to open up a 21-10 lead.

He finished the game with six catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first Eagles receiver to total at least 150 yards and three touchdowns in a single game since 2007.

Hurts would start the second half with his fourth touchdown pass, this time to Zach Pascal, and a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown for Miles Sanders would complete the rout.

For the Steelers, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 25 of his 38 passes for 191 yards and one interception, getting sacked six times and fumbling twice.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson collected one of those six sacks for the Eagles, and he also had the game's only interception.

The Eagles have a great chance to move to 8-0 on Thursday when they travel to take on the Houston Texans.

Tagovailoa leads strong Dolphins comeback

The Miami Dolphins had to claw their way out of an early deficit to defeat the Detroit Lions 31-27 in a high-scoring shootout.

Detroit jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after touchdown runs to D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, and after Jaylen Waddle got on the end of a Tua Tagovailoa touchdown pass to trim the margin, Williams ran in his second score of the opening half to make it 21-7.

Tagovailoa then found his rhythm and delivered another touchdown to Waddle, with the talented young receiver going on to finish with eight catches for 106 yards and two scores. He was not alone as teammate Tyreek Hill gave the Lions' secondary headaches all game, catching 12 of his 14 targets for 188 yards.

A one-yard fullback dive from Alec Ingold and an 11-yard touchdown to Mike Gesicki would pull the Dolphins ahead 31-27 late in the third quarter, and their defense would rise to the challenge down the stretch to shut the door.

Cook carries the Vikings to impressive 6-1 start

The Minnesota Vikings are one of the most surprising stories of the season and are likely playoff-bound after moving to 6-1 with a 34-26 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Star running back Dalvin Cook was at his best, shouldering 20 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Kirk Cousins and backup running back Alexander Mattison also collected rushing touchdowns.

Top Cardinals receiver De'Andre Hopkins enjoyed a big performance, catching 12 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, but it was not enough as the Minnesota defense stepped up and denied Arizona a potential game-tying score on their final three drives. 

There is no such thing as a sure thing in sport, and certainly not in fantasy football.

Every week, expected stars underperform while big-time contributors come out of nowhere.

But for this week's fantasy picks, Stats Perform has dug through the data to identify four offensive players and a defense that represent extremely strong bets for productive fantasy performances in Week 8.

If any of these selections disappoint, don't blame us!

Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins @ Detroit Lions

The Lions defense finally showed some fight last week against the Dallas Cowboys, but they still represent a favourable matchup for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa.

Detroit's defense is allowing 7.33 yards per pass play, the most in the NFL, and the Dolphins are coming off an efficient performance on offense against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Though they only scored 16 points in their Week 7 win, the Dolphins averaged 7.5 yards per pass play, and surely would have scored more points with better efficiency on third down, on which Miami went four of 14.

It was an encouraging return for Tagovailoa, who should find third-down joy much easier to come by against this porous Lions group. Back Tua and the Dolphins for an explosive showing in Week 8.

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

McCaffrey only had 10 touches in his 49er debut last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he averaged 6.2 yards on those touches, showing the burst and the vision that led San Francisco to trade much of their 2023 draft for the former All-Pro.

With a full week to get to grips with the playbook, McCaffrey will be an integral part of San Francisco's gameplan in a critical division matchup with the Rams.

The Rams have a top-10 run defense by yards per rush allowed (4.17), but this is less about matchup and more about opportunity. McCaffrey will get rushing opportunities and he will get targets against an opponent the 49ers have dominated in the regular season, winning the last seven meetings. Los Angeles will have designs on ending that streak, but the volume McCaffrey figures to receive makes him a must-start.

Wide Receiver: Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Giants

The matchup between the 6-1 Giants and the 4-3 Seahawks is one between two of the NFL's most surprising teams, and it promises to be a compelling one.

Though the Giants have given up only seven passing touchdowns this season, their defensive approach could play into the hands of the Seahawks.

In 2022, the Giants have blitzed 43.1 per cent of the time when defending the pass, according to Stats Perform data, well above the league average of 30.6 per cent.

When faced with five or more rushers or with a defensive back blitzing, Geno Smith has delivered a well-thrown ball on 85.7 per cent of attempts, the second-best among quarterbacks with at least 10 such passes.

In other words, he is excelling against the blitz and, with D.K. Metcalf out, Lockett will be a safety net who should be the beneficiary of a plethora of pass attempts.

Winning his matchup with a defender on 67.9 per cent of targets this season – the average is 61.7 for wide receivers with 25 or more targets – Lockett remains a supremely talented pass catcher who can take advantage of those opportunities and enjoy a huge fantasy day.

Tight End: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh defense is not the force it once was, especially without T.J. Watt. 

The Steelers are giving up 6.91 yards per pass play, the fifth-most in the league, and Goedert can capitalise on their vulnerability.

He has been targeted at least six times in four of his six games this season and has a big play rate of 34.8 per cent that is fifth-best among tight ends with at least 20 targets.

Goedert clearly has the trust of Jalen Hurts, with this matchup the perfect mix of opportunity and opponent for him to flourish and put up big fantasy points.

Defense/Special Teams: Buffalo Bills vs. Green Bay Packers

Starting a defense against Aaron Rodgers?! 

That's how far the Packers have fallen, and fantasy owners should have no hesitation in starting the Bills against Green Bay's dismal passing attack.

Rodgers' average depth of target this is season is just 6.4 yards, with Green Bay lacking the ability to test defenses downfield with any kind of consistency.

Only two teams have more takeaways than the Bills (13), and the Buffalo defense – which has allowed a successful offensive play just 38 per cent of the time; the average is 39.4 – has the formula to frustrate Rodgers once again.

The Bills lead the league with a pressure rate of 45.4 per cent but blitz on just 15.1 per cent of passing downs. Simply put, they consistently get pressure with four pass rushers, giving them the resources in the back seven to rally to the ball and limit the impact of the short passing game on which Rodgers is suddenly reliant.

Buffalo can stop the Packers gaining yards and have a proclivity for taking the ball away. It promises to be a painful game for Rodgers and a productive one for the Bills' defense and those who start it in fantasy.

Tua Tagovailoa returned as the Miami Dolphins snapped their three-game skid with a 16-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night.

Tagovailoa had not played since suffering a concussion in Week 4, but threw a first-quarter touchdown for Raheem Mostert as the Dolphins raced to a 13-0 lead.

The Steelers rallied with 10 second-quarter points with rookie George Pickers pulling down a spectacular catch from a Kenny Pickett TD pass to make it 16-10 at half-time.

Miami's defense held firm to thwart two fourth-quarter Steelers' drives with interceptions, firstly by Jevon Holland and then Noah Igbinoghene, the latter settling a game where no points were scored in the second half. The win improved Miami's record to 4-3, sitting third in the AFC East, while the Steelers are 2-5 and last in the AFC North.

In the Steelers' last drive, Pickett had connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receiver Diontae Johnson for major gains in the final minute, before Igbinoghene's pick.

Miami's defense had only one interception all season but notched three in this game alone from Pickett's throwing with the Steelers QB completing 32 of 44 passes for 257 yards.

Tagovailoa made it four wins from four starts, with 21-of-35 passing for 261 yards with no interceptions, running four times for 15 yards.

Jaylen Waddle had four catches for 88 yards including a brilliant flying catch, while Tyreek Hill was a regular target with seven receptions for 72 yards. Touchdown scorer Mostert had four receptions for 30 yards along with 16 carries for 79 yards.

Tua Tagovailoa says he was "wondering what happened" after being knocked unconscious by a big hit in the Miami Dolphins' defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Dolphins quarterback was briefly hospitalised after hitting his head on the ground while attempting to extend a play during a 27-15 Week 4 loss.

Tagovailoa has not played since, but he cleared the concussion protocols last weekend and is set to start against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

The 24-year-old has spoken for the first time about the injury he sustained on September 29.

He said: "I wouldn't say it was scary for me at the time because there was a point where I was unconscious, so I couldn't really tell what was going on.

"When I did come to and kind of realised what was going on and what was happening, I didn't think of anything long term or short term. I was just wondering what happened."

Tagovailoa has vowed to learn from the experience and change his approach where necessary.

"Throwing the ball away hasn't been something that I've done in the past really well," he said.

"Because I'm trying to make plays, and so just learning from that – if it's not there, it's okay to throw it away. It's the longevity of me just being able to be the quarterback for this team and not try to make something out of nothing."

Miami started the season with three consecutive wins but are now 3-3 after three defeats in a row.

Tagovailoa warned he will not be returning with a magic wand to ensure their fortunes are turned around immediately. 

"I just gotta be myself – I'm not the saviour of this team. I don't just come in and we start winning games," he said.

"It's a team deal. The defense gets us stops, the offense goes and puts points on the board, and the defense can help put points on the board as well as special teams.

"So for me, I just look at it as coming into this week and just be myself. Don't try to force anything. Don't try to make plays that aren't there – just give our playmakers the ball and let them go to work."

The Miami Dolphins are preparing to have Tua Tagovailoa return as the team’s starting quarterback for their Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday.  

Tagovailoa resumed football activities last week and cleared concussion protocols on Saturday, but remained inactive during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.  

"The plan is for him to approach the game as the starter," McDaniel said. “He'll be able to get those reps on Wednesday… we felt really good about how he was able to get back on the field."

Tagovailoa last had a full week of practice in Week 3 and has been inactive since being carted off the field with a concussion on September 29.  

The Dolphins jumped out to a 3-0 start this season, and their third-year quarterback appeared on his way to a career year. Miami is 0-3 since, and McDaniel is hoping that having Tagovailoa under center again will help the team find its way back in the win column.  

"He's a captain. He's a captain for a reason, and as I've told you guys from the onset, I think he's a very, very good player at that position," McDaniel said. "So very good players, they definitely give people a boost – not because of what other people aren't but more just because he is who he is.  

"So he's a strong fabric of this team, and that's exciting when you get to go play with one of your brothers, which is why the team will be excited, and it will be exciting." 

Tagovailoa’s first injury of the season came on September 25 when he took a hit from Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano and appeared to hit his head on the ground. He stumbled when he got up and was immediately taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.  

He returned to the game shortly thereafter and was not in the concussion protocol the following week, despite questions about why he was allowed to return to the game after displaying motor impairment.   

Just four days later, Tagovailoa was slammed to the turf by Cincinnati Bengals lineman Josh Tupou in a startling scene that has left many to question the NFL's efforts to minimize head and neck injuries, and led to the league altering their concussion protocol to prevent a similar situation from happening again.

Both injuries occurred after Tagovailoa extended plays outside the pocket.

"There's risks in this game and you've got to be able to control the controllables," McDaniel said. "One thing for him is you love his competitive nature, but there is a time in a play where you have to kind of concede, and that's where he's kind of been focusing on because it's something that's not natural to him.

"He wants to break every tackle, and he doesn't like when plays don't work. Well, sometimes they won't. 

"So that's something that he's mindful of, and I think that that's a consistency of all the really great quarterbacks that you think of, the guys that you look up to, the guys that kind of set forth the example of how to play the position, they do find ways to be available.

"Part of that is that concession, but that is – all things considered, that's probably a good problem to have in terms of a competitor. You just need to be able to understand your importance to the team and how sometimes the best play you can make is a throwaway."

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