Fantasy Football Storylines: Cooper Kupp, Tyrone Tracy, Sean Tucker (Week 7)

Young running backs were one of the storylines in Week 6, and they’re a prominent storyline for Week 7. However, the first eye-catching storyline for this week is a potentially returning target-hog wide receiver.

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Fantasy Football Storylines

Will Cooper Kupp Return This Week?

Cooper Kupp worked out on Monday, and his practice participation, or lack thereof, will determine his availability this week. He should instantly return to fantasy lineups when he’s active.

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

Things are dicier behind Kupp. Through Week 2, Demarcus Robinson was tied for first on the Rams in route participation (93.1%), Colby Parkinson was third (80.7%) and Tyler Johnson was fifth (67.5%). Johnson has since been phased out for 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. Gamers who relied on any of LA’s ancillary pass-catchers in Kupp’s absence shouldn’t cut bait immediately with them, but they should bench them if possible to see how Sean McVay deploys them after Kupp returns.

Is Big Blue’s Backfield Poised to be a Timeshare?

Tyrone Tracy has done everything the Giants could have asked him in Devin Singletary‘s absence the past two weeks. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), since Week 5, Tracy has handled 35 of New York’s 42 rush attempts by running backs, rumbling for 179 yards, 5.1 yards per carry one touchdown, 3.03 yards after contact per attempt and four missed tackles forced. Moreover, he played 61 passing snaps and ran 48 routes versus 29 and 19 for Eric Gray. The converted wideout had eight targets, seven receptions and 58 receiving yards.

According to Fantasy Points, Singletary has had 3.95 yards per carry, 0.88 yards before contact per attempt, 3.07 yards after contact per attempt and a 53.6% stuff rate versus 4.43, 2.30, 2.13 and 47.8% for Tracy. So, the rookie has done 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 straightforward that the rookie should be more heavily utilized as a pass-catcher, but Singletary could be more trusted as a pass-blocker in long-down and distance situations. However, Tracy’s also been more explosive as a runner and might have done enough to overtake Singletary as the lead runner. Singletary is unlikely to go away, but Tracy’s the more exciting fantasy option going forward, and gamers without top-shelf alternatives can use him as an RB2 against the Eagles this week, even if Singletary returns from his groin injury.

Tampa Bay’s Backfield Has Gotten Messy

Through the first five weeks, Rachaad White was first in Tampa Bay’s backfield in rush attempts (51), passing 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 this year for the running backs via Fantasy Points. It was a relatively straightforward two-person backfield, with White and Irving splitting rushing work and White doubling up Irving in routes.

It’s about to become a three-headed monster.

White was out in Week 6 with a foot injury, and Sean Tucker made the most of his opportunity. Tucker had 14 rushes for a team-high 136 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, three targets, three receptions, 56 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. Irving wasn’t a slouch, either. The rookie running back had 14 rush attempts, 81 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, two targets, two receptions and 24 receiving yards.

Circling back to Tucker, he was undrafted last season. Yet, he almost certainly would have been drafted if not for a heart condition. Tucker was productive in his college career at Syracuse, and he has legitimate juice. Meanwhile, White has struggled with efficiency as a runner in his professional career. As the following table will illustrate, he’s far and away Tampa Bay’s least efficient runner this year.

White is a talented receiver and can add value to the Bucs through the air. Still, he's out of excuses for his inefficiency on the ground since Irving and Tucker have thrived behind the same offensive line. Additionally, while White is an above-average receiver, Irving and Tucker aren't slouches. As a result, White is the least interesting player in Tampa Bay's backfield since the value he adds as a receiver might be offset by the tell he'd provide the defense if the Bucs almost entirely use him on passing plays.

The Bucs also don't have a reason to rush White back with his foot injury after Irving and Tucker excelled in his absence. It's difficult to trust any of Tampa Bay's running backs this week if all three are active, but Irving and Tucker are more exciting bench options than White. Gamers in anything shallower than 14-team half-point per reception (half PPR) and PPR leagues can cut White loose. It will be interesting to see how the Bucs rotate their running backs this week.

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.