- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
Week 7 kicks off Thursday with the Patriots visiting the Bears in a matchup carrying a 49.8 over/under, fifth highest on the slate. The Bears hold a 57% win probability, 13th highest.
Colston Loveland has emerged as a key fantasy option at tight end. The rookie compiled 24.0 fantasy points across his first five games before posting 18.5 against the Falcons in Week 6. He leads all TEs in snaps and ranks fifth in end zone targets with four. Loveland is projected as a mid-to-back-end TE1 against New England, which has allowed only Brock Bowers to reach 8.0 fantasy points among tight ends this season.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams enters fresh off a sharp performance, completing 30 of 36 passes in the win versus the Falcons. Christian Gonzalez may shadow Rome Odunze, who runs 77% of his routes on the perimeter, or could draw Luther Burden III at 50% perimeter.
Lineup locks for the Thursday contest include Drake Maye, D'Andre Swift, A.J. Brown and Burden. The PIT-NO matchup carries a 49.7 total, sixth highest, with Pittsburgh holding an 81% win probability, third highest of the week.
Source: ESPN - Thu Oct 22, 8:22 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).