Fantasy Football News

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has drawn 14 targets over his last three games after getting just eight across the first three weeks of the season. He caught four of a season-high six targets for 25 yards and a five-yard touchdown in Sunday's 26-19 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, giving him two scores in his last three outings. Washington has also earned five red-zone targets this season, including two inside the 10-yard line. Pat Freiermuth (calf) remains heavily involved, though, and scored three touchdowns in the two games before that. With Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) and Roman Wilson (finger) on injured reserve, Pittsburgh has leaned harder on its tight ends in the passing game. Rostered in just 2% of leagues, Washington deserves a look as a 12-team bench addition, with more compelling streaming appeal in 14-team formats ahead of this Sunday's matchup against New Orleans in Paris.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki has scored a touchdown in three consecutive games, but he's caught only seven passes during that stretch. His latest score came on his lone four-yard reception against Miami in Week 5, and the Bengals return from their bye to face Baltimore on Sunday. Gesicki has four touchdowns on just 12 receptions through five games, which makes him a viable streaming option in 12-team PPR leagues despite an inconsistent workload. He drew seven targets in the season opener against Tampa Bay, when he finished with five catches for 78 yards, but has seen only 10 targets across the four games since. Tee Higgins (43 targets) and Ja'Marr Chase (38) dominate Cincinnati's passing game, leaving fewer opportunities for Gesicki between the 20s. Rostered in just 14% of leagues, he's a worthwhile short-term pickup for managers needing tight end help, though much of his fantasy production has come from an unusually high touchdown rate.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (knee) will miss the rest of the 2026 season after an MRI confirmed a torn patellar tendon, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The 31-year-old was carted off during the first quarter of Monday's 23-17 loss to San Francisco after his left knee buckled while he was running a route. McLaurin finishes his season with 15 receptions for 230 yards and one touchdown across five games. Stefon Diggs, who has already caught 24 passes and scored four touchdowns this season, should remain Jayden Daniels' most dependable wide receiver. Treylon Burks is another player to watch after catching four of six targets for 66 yards against the 49ers. Listed directly behind McLaurin on Washington's depth chart, Burks has a clear shot at a bigger outside role. Tight end Chig Okonkwo also impressed Monday, catching all seven targets for 69 yards. The Commanders have a Week 7 bye before hosting Philadelphia on November 1.

Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said that running back Josh Jacobs "looks great," according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "Josh, I think will definitely help for sure," Stenavich added. Jacobs was officially removed from the commissioner's exempt list on Monday and will be eligible to practice with the team for the first time during the regular season. However, the Packers have not yet decided if the 28-year-old starting RB will make his 2026 debut in a Week 7 divisional clash against the Detroit Lions. Jacobs was on the exempt list for the first six weeks of the season due to an arrest back in May. The NFL is still reviewing his case and could hand down a suspension eventually, but Jacobs' time served on the exempt list could effectively cancel out any potential suspension. The Packers have mostly used a combination of MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson with Jacobs away from the team, and they have struggled mightily on the ground. Jacobs is hoping to be much more efficient as the Packers' lead back, but he could be eased back into the fold when he makes his debut. Jacobs should be rostered in all fantasy leagues now that he is back with the team.

The Miami Dolphins announced on Tuesday that they have signed free-agent kicker Zane Gonzalez to their practice squad. In a corresponding move, the team released Riley Patterson, who served as their starting placekicker for the first five games of the season. Gonzalez is returning to the Dolphins after he was cut on Aug. 19 with an injury settlement after he was placed on Injured Reserve. He is now apparently healthy and ready to take over Miami's kicking job now that Patterson is no longer around. The Dolphins sent Patterson to the free-agent market after he missed two field goals and an extra point in the first five weeks of the season. The 31-year-old Gonzalez, a former seventh-round pick in 2017 from Arizona State, has made 81% of his 142 career field-goal attempts over seven seasons with five different teams. Gonzalez went 19-for-22 (86.4%) on field goals and 17-for-18 on extra-point attempts in nine games for the Atlanta Falcons last year. In Miami's lowly offense, fantasy managers should continue to ignore Gonzalez.

Despite leading his team to an upset victory over the divisional rival Los Angeles Rams in Week 6, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been unable to recapture the fantasy magic that made him a league-winner after taking over the starting job midway through the 2025 season. Through six games, Brissett has reached 17 fantasy points only twice and currently ranks as the QB22 by points per game, making him little more than a desperation play in superflex formats and an easy drop candidate in single-quarterback leagues. Despite wins over both Los Angeles teams, the Cardinals sit at 2-4, and it should surprise nobody if, at some point, the team looks to find out what it has in 2026 third-round pick Carson Beck.

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson (knee) returned to practice ahead of the team's Week 6 matchup with the Ravens, and while he was ultimately ruled out for what became an important divisional win, he is nearing a return from the knee injury that knocked him out of the season opener and landed him on Injured Reserve. Sampson was limited to only two special teams snaps in Week 1, but after catching 33 of 35 targets as a rookie in 2025, he is expected to reclaim the team's pass-catching role upon his return, making him an intriguing waiver target with matchup-dependent upside. Quinshon Judkins (ankle) missed Sunday's contest with an ankle injury, while fellow second-year player Raheim Sanders (hip) was recently placed on Injured Reserve with a hip injury. Splitting carries evenly, Jaleel McLaughlin was the team's more efficient runner in Week 6 while Audric Estime managed to find the end zone, but neither showed enough to keep Sampson from earning touches once made active.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) is expected to make his 2026 season debut in the team's Week 7 matchup with the Giants, and while he'll join a suddenly crowded wide receiver room, the 2023 third-round pick is worthy of waiver consideration in a relatively scarce week. Dell last saw an NFL field in Week 16 of 2024 and has spent the past 22 months recovering from the devastating knee injury that ended his second professional season, but in 25 career games, he has averaged over 55 receiving yards while scoring 10 touchdowns. The Texans are deep at the position following the recent trade for former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and the Week 6 emergence of second-year player Jaylin Noel, but they have also thrown the ball at the league's seventh-highest rate through six weeks, and Dell's versatility and connection with quarterback C.J. Stroud could help him find a role in an ascending offense.

The NFL has concluded that the process surrounding Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' start in the team's Week 5 loss to the Jaguars "was handled appropriately," according to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic. A superficial blood clot was discovered in Hurts' calf leading up to the international game, but the team's medical staff and doctors in London cleared him to play, and he went on to throw for 220 yards and a touchdown. A follow-up ultrasound performed stateside revealed movement of the blood clot, which caused Hurts to miss the team's Week 6 matchup with the Panthers; further testing has since revealed vein thrombosis and blood clots in his lungs. Hurts is slated to miss the remainder of the 2026 season while undergoing treatment.

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan has seen modest involvement in each of the past four games, showing enough to make him an attractive handcuff behind three-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor. With the Colts in free fall at 2-4 and having recently fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard, there is also an outside chance the team could look to move Taylor ahead of the NFL's November 10th trade deadline. A seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, McGowan is the only other running back on Indianapolis' roster to receive a carry through six games, averaging more than four yards per attempt, and with multiple paths to an increased workload, he makes for an intriguing long-term stash in a week with few high-priority waiver targets.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Jahan Dotson is clearly establishing himself as the team's No. 2 pass-catcher behind Drake London. The 26-year-old caught three of a season-high five targets for a team-high 87 yards and his second touchdown of the season in Sunday's 31-23 loss at home to the Chicago Bears in Week 6. It was Dotson's second time finding the end zone in the last three weeks, and he has now gone over 50 receiving yards in each of the last three weeks after catching only four passes on 11 targets for 41 yards without a touchdown in the first three contests of the 2026 campaign. The Falcons do not have a very appealing Week 7 matchup against the 6-0 San Francisco 49ers, but Dotson is on the rise as he becomes a more reliable pass-catching option for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta. Dotson has 11 catches on 23 targets for 236 yards and two touchdowns through the first six weeks and is not a bad waiver-wire pickup in deeper fantasy leagues for those looking for better WR depth. He is currently rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues.

Philadelphia Eagles rookie first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon was drawing some waiver-wire interest in recent weeks with fellow receiver DeVonta Smith sidelined by a hamstring injury. In the two games that Smith missed against the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars, Lemon saw more involvement in the passing game and caught eight of his 13 targets for 70 yards. The former USC star got off to a slow start to his NFL career and now has 18 receptions on 28 targets for 127 yards while still searching for his first touchdown. Lemon had at least six targets for the third straight week in Sunday's 25-14 loss to the visiting Carolina Panthers, but he caught only three passes for 19 yards with Smith making his return. Lemon still has intriguing long-term fantasy football upside, but with starting quarterback Jalen Hurts (blood clots) now done for the rest of the season, Lemon's short-term waiver-wire case has withered. He is currently rostered in 34% of Yahoo leagues as the Eagles head into a Monday night battle in Week 7 against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.

The Baltimore Ravens signed free-agent kicker Jake Moody to their practice squad on Monday, sources told Jordan Schultz. Moody was with the team earlier this season when starting placekicker Tyler Loop struggled in training camp. The Ravens have decided to bring Moody back for more competition after Loop missed his third field goal of the season in the three-point loss to the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Sunday in Week 6. The 26-year-old Moody, a former third-rounder by the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 from Michigan, has made 78% of his 82 career field-goal attempts in three seasons in the NFL, including going 8-for-14 from 50-plus yards out. He spent last season kicking for the 49ers, Chicago Bears, and Washington Commanders, going 19-for-23 on field-goal attempts and 15-for-16 on extra-point attempts in nine total games. The Ravens will keep him around for insurance in case Loop continues to struggle, and he could become a fantasy streaming option at the kicking position if he eventually takes over Loop's job.

New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy could make his first start for the team Sunday against the Houston Texans, though no decision has been announced. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News believes the Giants will turn to McCarthy even though he personally favors Jameis Winston for another week. McCarthy replaced Winston after the veteran's second interception in Sunday's 34-27 loss to New Orleans and completed 11 of 21 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding 26 rushing yards. He helped New York cut a 24-point deficit to seven, but that production came during a frantic fourth-quarter comeback and shouldn't be treated as a projection of his normal workload. Head coach John Harbaugh said Monday the team was "honing in on a decision" and acknowledged that McCarthy is still getting comfortable in the offense. Houston is a tough matchup, which limits McCarthy's immediate fantasy appeal outside Superflex leagues even if he gets the job.

The Miami Dolphins are releasing kicker Riley Patterson as they come out of their bye week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Dolphins worked out free-agent kicker Zane Gonzalez on Tuesday, and he is expected to sign to the active 53-man roster to replace Patterson as the starting placekicker as the Dolphins get set to face the division-rival New York Jets on the road this weekend. Patterson made seven of his nine field-goal attempts and five of his six extra-point tries for Miami through the first five weeks of the 2026 season before the team decided to go in another direction coming out of the Week 6 bye. In his five-plus years in the NFL, Patterson has made 86.6% of his 97 field-goal attempts, including going 50% from 50-plus yards out on 14 tries from that distance. He has also made 96.1% of his 154 extra-point attempts with the Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Jets.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has become the odd man out on offense for the Jaguars in 2026, and the Washington Commanders and Los Angeles Rams have emerged as logical landing spots for the former first-rounder as the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaches, according to John Shipley of Sports Illustrated. The Rams are 2-4 and just lost veteran receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) for the next six to 10 weeks due to injury. Outside of star Puka Nacua and Adams, the Rams have one of the worst WR depth charts in the NFL. The Commanders, meanwhile, sit at 1-4-1 after losing to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, and they likely have lost star receiver Terry McLaurin to a season-ending knee injury that he suffered on Monday. Head coach Dan Quinn will likely be gone after the 2026 season, but general manager Adam Peters could be looking to make a move to reunite quarterback Jayden Daniels with Thomas. The two played together for one season at LSU. The 24-year-old had a 1,000-yard season and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, but he has regressed since and only has nine catches on 20 targets for 105 yards and one touchdown through six weeks this year. Thomas did not play a single snap in the second half of Sunday's loss to the division-rival Houston Texans on London, and at this point, a change in scenery might be the only thing that could revive his fantasy value.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jalen Royals has played 83 offensive snaps over his past two games, yet only six passes have come his way. He went without a catch on two targets while playing 38 snaps against Las Vegas in Week 4, then caught two of four targets for 24 yards across 45 snaps in Sunday's 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. That's a big jump in playing time for the second-year receiver, who logged just 22 offensive snaps combined in Weeks 2 and 3. With only 1% of leagues rostering him, Royals is worth a speculative stash in 12-team formats, though his production doesn't justify starting him against Seattle in Week 7. Rashee Rice (hamstring) missed Sunday's game and Tyquan Thornton (ankle) remains sidelined, which opens up opportunities in Kansas City's receiving corps. Still, Xavier Worthy drew seven targets against Los Angeles, and Andrew Armstrong played 42 snaps after being elevated from the practice squad, so Royals faces plenty of competition for meaningful receiving work.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond has caught fewer passes over his last three games than he did in the season opener alone, a sharp reversal from his promising start to 2026. Raymond opened with eight receptions for 84 yards against Carolina and piled up 19 catches for 214 yards and a touchdown on 21 targets through Week 3. Since then, he's managed just seven receptions for 30 yards on eight targets across three games. Caleb Williams' return in Sunday's 31-23 victory over Atlanta didn't change that, as Raymond caught both of his targets for 18 yards. Luther Burden III led Chicago with eight receptions for 95 yards, while Colston Loveland added six catches for 65 yards. Rostered in 17% of leagues, Raymond is a speculative bench addition in 12-team PPR formats, but his disappearing target volume makes him hard to justify starting against New England on Thursday.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks saw his opportunities shrink in Sunday's 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers, catching just two of four targets for 24 yards after drawing eight targets in Week 5. The return of DeVonta Smith, who missed the previous two games, reshaped Philadelphia's receiving hierarchy. Smith caught seven passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Dallas Goedert added six receptions for 61 yards. Wicks briefly visited the medical tent during the fourth quarter before returning, though the nature of the injury remains unclear. He now has 19 catches for 284 yards and one touchdown through six games, and his weekly outlook is further clouded by Jalen Hurts' expected season-long absence. Tanner McKee threw for 215 yards in his first start of 2026, and the uncertainty around Philadelphia's passing offense makes Wicks hard to trust as an immediate fantasy starter. Rostered in 33% of leagues, he's a speculative addition in 12-team formats ahead of Monday's Week 7 matchup against Dallas.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen recorded the first two receptions of his NFL career in Sunday's 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing with 27 yards on two targets. His 23-yard catch in the fourth quarter offered a glimpse of his potential, but the rookie played just nine of Kansas City's 61 offensive snaps. That limited role is especially concerning with Rashee Rice (hamstring) unavailable and Tyquan Thornton (ankle) facing an extended absence. Jalen Royals logged 45 snaps, while Andrew Armstrong played 42 and started alongside Xavier Worthy, who led the team's receivers with seven catches for 73 yards. Rostered in just 3% of leagues, Allen is a speculative bench stash in 12-team formats and not a viable fantasy starter heading into Week 7 against Seattle. Rice's eventual return could complicate Allen's path to consistent playing time even more.