Fantasy Football News

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki offers upside at the position for fantasy managers in a pinch ahead of the team's road divisional clash with the Baltimore Ravens. Gesicki entered Cincinnati's Week 6 bye with a touchdown in every game he'd recorded a target. On the downside for prospective owners, the ninth-year pro hasn't commanded enough consistent volume to be a locked-and-loaded weekly TE play. That said, Gesicki has the highest average depth of target among tight ends (10.4) and ranks second on the Bengals with four red zone looks, trailing only wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (seven). The Ravens have been one of the better units against fantasy tight ends, but Gesicki's red-zone usage and his connection with quarterback Joe Burrow keep him an intriguing flyer off the waiver wire.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is a streamable asset ahead of Sunday's outing with the New Orleans Saints in Paris, France. Freiermuth saw a slight dip in opportunity in last weekend's overtime win over the Buccaneers, falling below four targets for the first time all season. The timing was unfortunate for fantasy managers who rolled with him after three touchdowns in the two games prior. The Penn State product doesn't project to win owners their week on the back of a high target share. However, he's as good a bet as any in the Steelers' offense to score a TD. Freiermuth is currently tied for the team lead with five red zone targets, and sits atop all Pittsburgh pass catchers with four receiving touchdowns. His snap split with teammate Darnell Washington isn't an ideal scenario for fantasy, but the 28-year-old gets a slight boost this week against a Saints defense that's been one of the worst against the position.

Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel is riding a hot streak ahead of Sunday's home meeting with the New York Giants and is worth a look on the waiver wire for fantasy managers in need of a high-upside spark. Noel doesn't meet the requirements of a high-volume, plug-and-play fantasy receiver, though he has some interesting traits to his game. Furthermore, he's gone from an afterthought in the offense through the first three weeks to a legitimate field-flipping deep threat over the prior three. The second-year pro primarily operates from the slot, so he'll lose playing time when Houston runs out two or fewer wide receivers. However, owners will be happy to know the Texans utilize 11 personnel at the ninth-highest clip in the league (60.9%). Unfortunately, given Noel's play style, there will be a few clunkers for fantasy. Either way, Houston is airing it out 62.23% of the time, the seventh-highest rate, and quarterback C.J. Stroud is playing some of the best football of his career.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson hasn't been involved enough to garner standalone value in his rookie season. However, he's a worthy bench stash as we approach the halfway mark of the campaign. Johnson isn't the fastest or most agile back, but he runs hard and had a nice role in the receiving game during his tenure at the University of Nebraska. In the former Cornhusker's final two collegiate seasons, he piled up an 85/656/5 line through the air. While he hasn't had the same opportunity in the pros, Johnson is poised to fill a pristine role if backfield mate Kenneth Walker III ever misses time. For now, fantasy managers with an extra bench spot would do well to stow the 23-year-old away for a rainy day. Johnson is the clear handcuff to own in Kansas City, and could see a slight uptick in touches this Sunday night with teammate Brashard Smith (hamstring) being placed on IR.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington is the primary option in a bad offense, and his large role as the team's alpha receiver lately has put him on the fantasy radar as an impressive streamer. Washington has double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in each of his last three games, totaling 23 targets and 16 catches during that span. Washington occupied a larger role because Caleb Douglas (ankle) was sidelined, but now that he has been able to carve out a sizable role in Miami, we expect that he'll remain on the fantasy radar even after Douglas's return. We should get our answer pretty soon, as Douglas is playing in Week 7 against the New York Jets. For the time being, we're continuing to trust Washington as a WR3/flex option with substantial streaming appeal.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas is on track to play in his first game since Week 2, when he suffered an ankle injury. It's now Week 7, and Douglas will look to return to his sizable role as soon as he steps back onto the field. In his only two games so far this year, the Texas Tech product played more than 86% of the snaps. He fetched seven targets in the season opener but was held to just two catches for 19 yards the following week. Douglas has a chance to lead the receiver room in snaps this week, with Chris Bell and Malik Washington serving as his primary competition to earn targets. The 23-year-old was dropped in many leagues when he went down, but he has the youth and upside to be productive, even on a team that is heading for the worst record in football.

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson used last week's bye to clear concussion protocol, and he will get back on the fantasy radar as a streaming option for Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts. Hockenson has posted mixed results so far this year; he has at least 13.6 PPR points in two of his five games, but fewer than 6.0 PPR points in each of the other three. The veteran tight end did handle very encouraging 83% and 85% snap shares in the two weeks prior to suffering his concussion, so perhaps he'll maintain a workload large enough to contribute as a top-12 option on Sunday afternoon. In fact, Hockenson ranks as RotoBaller's TE12 in the latest Week 7 fantasy rankings, which makes him a very intriguing option in leagues where he's still on waivers. As it stands, Hockenson is available to be added in 49% of leagues.

San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black currently lacks standalone value in his role as the No. 2 ball-carrier behind Christian McCaffrey. However, he is one of the league's highest-upside handcuffs because of how much his value would rise if McCaffrey were to miss any time. McCaffrey had 25 touches last week, including nine receptions. While Black may not quite handle that many touches in this hypothetical jump to the No. 1 spot on the depth chart, he would absolutely be the lead-back option ahead of Jordan James, who hasn't played an offensive snap since Week 2. Black has been much more involved to this point, amassing 45 carries, 170 rushing yards, two catches, and eight receiving yards. Evidently, while Black would take on a lot of McCaffrey's hypothetically vacated rushing attempts, the 25-year-old rookie doesn't have much appeal in the passing game, and so he'd have less value and a lower floor in PPR leagues compared to half-PPR and standard formats.

Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier is expected to lead the team's backfield for the second week in a row. Jeremiyah Love is usually the team's primary running back, but he has been ruled out for Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, marking his second consecutive absence. Occupying the lead-back role automatically makes Allgeier a strong fantasy football streaming option, although managers will want him to perform better than he did last weekend. In Week 6, Allgeier had 18 carries for just 38 rushing yards, and he also caught a 10-yard pass. He had more snaps and touches than Zonovan Knight, but was drastically outperformed by Knight in terms of total yardage and efficiency. Last week's efficiency concerns will leave Allgeier with a lower floor, but he still ranks as an RB3 and can be worth streaming in many leagues for Week 7 against Denver.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson is looking to build off his strong performance against the Arizona Cardinals last week. Parkinson hauled in five of his six targets for 31 yards and a touchdown during last week's win. Coming into that game, Parkinson only had four receptions on the season. The expectation is that Parkinson is going to get more involved after his solid performance last weekend. The Rams are still without Terrance Ferguson (ankle), so Parkinson figures to keep having steady playing time. Fantasy managers should consider Parkinson a potential deep league streaming option ahead of the Week 7 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon is quickly moving up the depth chart on this roster. Both DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) have been ruled out ahead of the Week 7 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. With neither of them active, Lemon will move into the top spot on the depth chart ahead of this juicy matchup against the Cowboys' secondary. The 22-year-old hasn't done much this season, but he should be counted on more frequently this weekend. Fantasy managers in deep leagues who are looking for a possible streaming option should consider Lemon for this weekend.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Mike Washington Jr. (foot, back) is currently listed as questionable ahead of the Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Washington missed back-to-back practices this week, but head coach Klint Kubiak said they expect Washington to play this weekend. The rookie back saw a season-high 35 percent snap share during last week's game against the Buffalo Bills. Washington carried the ball nine times for 43 yards in the loss. Ashton Jeanty remains the top back in Las Vegas, but it seems like Washington is going to have a decent role when he's healthy. The 23-year-old is worth stashing in deep leagues at the minimum right now.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf) has been activated from the Injured Reserve ahead of the Week 7 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Kirk has been sidelined since suffering a calf injury during training camp in late July. He's set to make his season debut this weekend after missing the first six games of the regular season. Kirk could immediately become a top target with Mike Evans (ribs, Achilles) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) both ruled out. The veteran wideout might end up becoming the top target in the offense during his first game back in the mix. Fantasy managers in deep leagues looking for a possible flex option should consider adding Kirk.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Dameon Pierce could be the lead back once again this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys. Last week, Pierce carried the ball 12 times for 35 yards and scored one touchdown in the loss to the Carolina Panthers. He also hauled in four of his five targets for 15 additional yards through the air. Lead back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of this game after missing each of the last two games. If he returns, Pierce won't be an ideal streaming option as the No. 2 back in Philly. However, Pierce could be someone worth streaming if Barkley is unable to go against the Cowboys' horrendous run defense.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is currently only rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues and could be worth a look as a streaming option for fantasy managers in deep leagues in need of a wideout ahead of a Week 7 matchup with the Denver Broncos. Bourne is yet to score in 2026, but he has tallied 22 receptions (on 30 targets) for 225 yards (10.2 yards per reception) and will remain heavily involved in the passing game for the Cardinals. He ranks third on the team in both receptions and receiving yards. Bourne set season-highs in a Week 6 upset victory over the Los Angeles Rams, with eight receptions for 75 yards (9.4 yards per catch). Bourne, who has played 247 offensive snaps this season, will line up alongside fellow wide receivers Michael Wilson, Jalen Brooks and others, and after Marvin Harrison Jr. was traded to the Houston Texans, Bourne's role is even clearer. While tight end Trey McBride dominates targets for Arizona, Wilson is an intriguing streaming option who is available in 82% of Yahoo leagues.

New York Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. looks to build off of his Week 6 performance, in which he recorded six receptions (on seven targets) for 103 yards (17.2 yards per reception) and a touchdown. The touchdown came on a 48-yard reception in the 26-19 loss to the Patriots. That was Cooper's first appearance since he suffered an ankle injury in the Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans and was forced to miss the following four games after being placed on injured reserve. Cooper is currently available in 53% of Yahoo leagues and faces a Miami Dolphins defense in Week 7 that allows 219.2 passing yards per game. Cooper has competition for targets in the passing game with fellow wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell, and tight ends Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq, but he should be in line for his fair share of targets.

The Denver Broncos have activated running back Jonah Coleman (ankle) from injured reserve and added him to the 53-man roster ahead of a Week 7 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. Coleman missed the past four games while he was on IR due to an ankle injury. Coleman was a full participant throughout the practice week, but was given a questionable designation on Friday. The full week of practice and getting activated to the main roster signal that Coleman is in line to play against the Cardinals. In two appearances in 2026, Coleman has amassed 10 carries for 39 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and a touchdown, while adding three receptions for 19 yards (6.3 yards per carry). He will have competition for touches in the backfield with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, but should have a role if he plays on Sunday. The Broncos also activated outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane returned to the lineup in a 13-10 Week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns and immediately played a role, catching four out of five targets for 40 yards (10.0 yards per reception). Lane had missed the previous four games due to a stint on injured reserve after suffering a wrist injury in a Week 1 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Lane, who created a lot of buzz for himself during training camp, will play with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley in a Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, as Lamar Jackson (ankle) remains out with an ankle injury. Lane is currently owned in just 17% of Yahoo leagues. He has competition for targets with fellow wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, as well as tight end Mark Andrews, but Lane is a streaming option for the matchup against Cincinnati. Lane ranks as RotoBaller's No. 37 wideout for Week 7.

With multiple injuries in the wide receiver room for the Philadelphia Eagles, Elijah Moore could potentially see a much larger workload in a Week 7 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. The Eagles will be without their top-two wide receivers, DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks, against the Cowboys. Moore, rookie Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, Hollywood Brown and Britain Covey will be available for Philadelphia at wide receiver in Week 7, while tight end Dallas Goedert will remain heavily involved in the passing game. Moore has not played a big role for the Eagles thus far in 2026. He has played 36 offensive snaps and recorded just one catch (on two targets) for four yards. With Smith and Wicks both out, however, it is certainly possible Moore sees more opportunities against the Cowboys. Philadelphia is dealing with many other injuries, including at the quarterback position, as Tanner McKee will make his second consecutive start at quarterback with Jalen Hurts (blood clots) expected to miss the remainder of the season due to multiple blood clots found in his lungs. The Dallas defense has not been strong against the pass, allowing 232.7 yards per game (23rd in the NFL) and, according to Pro Football Reference, 24.4 fantasy points per game to wide receivers (27th in the NFL). Still, Moore is currently rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues, and there is no reason to add him until he shows he has fantasy football value.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper is poised for a larger role in a Week 7 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys due to injuries in Philly's wide receiver corps. Starters DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) are both out for Monday's rivalry game against Dallas. Additionally, the Eagles will start quarterback Tanner McKee for the second consecutive week, with Jalen Hurts (blood clots) expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season due to multiple blood clots found in his lungs. Cooper will likely step into a starting role next to rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon, while Elijah Moore, Britain Covey and Hollywood Brown are other options at wideout for the Eagles. Meanwhile tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) is expected to play versus Dallas. Cooper has been a big-play wide receiver for the Eagles on low volume this season. He has only recorded eight receptions (on 15 targets) for 139 yards (17.4 yards per catch), but eight of those catches have gone for a touchdown. Cooper has been impressive with 50% of his targets going for scores, and according to Pro Football Focus, his 5.24 fantasy points per touch (half-PPR) ranks second in the NFL behind only Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (6.42). According to RotoBaller, Cooper has accumulated 41.9 fantasy points in half-PPR scoring formats. However, fantasy managers will need to see higher volume and more consistency before considering putting him in starting lineups. He could certainly see more opportunities with an increased role against a Dallas defense that allows 232.7 yards per game (23rd in the NFL) and, according to Pro Football Reference, 24.4 fantasy points per game to wide receivers (27th in the NFL). However, Cooper's exact role on Monday remains to be seen. Cooper ranks as RotoBaller's No. 87 wide receiver for Week 7. He is currently rostered in just 5% of Yahoo leagues, and there is no need to start him until he proves he can have more consistent production.