Michael Mayer Emerging as a Viable Waiver-Wire Target 17mLink copied!

Oct 19, 2026, 9:28 PM ET

Houston Texans running back Jawhar Jordan saw his first game action of 2026 in Week 6 and delivered, recording six carries for 43 yards and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jordan began the year on Houston's practice squad, but he was elevated to the active roster in Week 6 with running back David Montgomery (groin) sidelined by injury. If Montgomery returns in Week 7, Jordan will likely slide back into the RB3 role in Houston behind both Montgomery and Woody Marks. Still, Jordan was productive when given opportunities with Houston last season as well, logging 227 scrimmage yards on 50 touches. In deeper fantasy leagues, Jordan could be worth picking up off the waiver wire just in case Montgomery ends up requiring an extended absence.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 19, 2026, 9:08 PM ET

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (knee) was carted off the field after suffering a non-contact knee injury during his team's Week 6 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. McLaurin has officially been ruled out for the remainder of the game, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Before getting injured, the veteran wideout hauled in one catch for 27 yards on one target. It's too early to speculate, but losing McLaurin for an extended stretch would obviously be a rough blow for the Commanders' offense. Without him on Monday night, Commanders wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams, as well as tight end Chig Okonkwo, will likely see increased workloads.--Will Brady
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows

Oct 19, 2026, 8:12 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs (shoulder), who was placed on Injured Reserve on Monday after suffering a shoulder injury in Sunday's Week 6 win over the division-rival New York Jets, is not expected to face a long-term absence and is hopeful to return after the team's Week 11 bye, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. It is good news for fantasy managers who will be stashing the first-year Patriots receiver in deeper leagues now that he may only end up missing four games while on IR. The 26-year-old former fourth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2022 from Nevada caught his only target of the game in the win over the Jets, and it ended up going for 42 yards and his third touchdown of the season. Doubs has averaged a career-high 18.6 yards per catch through six games while hauling in 14 of his 24 targets for 261 yards and three touchdowns, which has been rather disappointing when considering that top wideout A.J. Brown just returned on Sunday after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He will not be a must-hold in shallower fantasy formats over the next four weeks. Doubs is currently rostered in 67% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler

Oct 19, 2026, 7:57 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals officially placed tight end Tanner Hudson (pectoral) on Injured Reserve on Monday with a pectoral injury that he suffered in the Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins, according to the team's official website. Hudson will now be forced to miss at least the next four games, starting with Cincy's Week 7 contest this Sunday against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. In four games so far in 2026, Hudson was not on the fantasy football radar with only seven catches (on seven targets) for 33 yards and one touchdown. The 31-year-old veteran's pectoral injury will open up more playing time for Drew Sample behind starting tight end Mike Gesicki moving forward, although Sample should remain on the waiver wire in all leagues. Hudson has never been a high-end pass-catcher at the position, and he has accumulated 99 catches for 906 yards and only five touchdowns in 75 regular-season games played (four starts) in his seven-plus NFL seasons. Hudson is in his fourth year with the Bengals.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Bengals.com

Oct 19, 2026, 7:43 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is expected to do some running on Tuesday, head coach Mike LaFleur told Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. The Cardinals should have a better idea of where he is at and what he will do on Wednesday during the first official practice of the week as the team prepares to face the visiting Denver Broncos in Week 7. A lingering ankle injury kept the Notre Dame product off the field for the Cardinals' surprising Week 6 win over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams on the road. Tyler Allgeier led the Arizona backfield on Sunday with 18 carries for only 38 yards (2.1 yards per attempt) and caught one of two targets for 10 yards in the passing game. Bam Knight surprisingly had only three fewer carries than Allgeier and was way more productive on the ground, gaining 80 rushing yards and adding two receptions for 18 yards. If Love does enough in practice this week to gain clearance to play in Week 7 versus Denver, he could immediately return and lead the Cardinals' backfield with Allgeier underwhelming. The No. 3 overall pick in April has been a little underwhelming himself through his first five NFL games, averaging 3.7 yards per carry while rushing for 245 yards and a touchdown on 67 carries. Love has added 11 catches for 36 yards and another score. He still has by far the most short- and long-term fantasy value of anyone in this backfield.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake

Oct 19, 2026, 7:36 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams veteran wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) is expected to have a procedure on his left hamstring tendon to clean it out, with hopes that he can return around the time of the team's Week 11 bye or a little after, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Adams suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 6 upset loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and is expected to miss anywhere from six to 10 weeks. Fantasy managers need to keep Adams stashed on their rosters, as he could return just in time for the start of the fantasy playoffs. Star receiver Puka Nacua will be targeted even more with Adams out, as will receivers Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield and tight ends Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, at least until Terrance Ferguson (ankle) returns from Injured Reserve. Running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum should also see more passing-game work with Adams sidelined for a while. The 33-year-old Adams led the league with 14 touchdown receptions in 2025 in his first year in L.A., and he had 30 catches for 480 yards and four touchdowns on 49 targets through the first six weeks of the 2026 campaign before his injury on Sunday.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

Oct 19, 2026, 7:29 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle), who is not eligible to return from Injured Reserve until the Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, should have a big role in the Rams' passing attack when he returns after the team placed veteran receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) on IR on Monday. Adams suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 6 loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and is now expected to miss anywhere from six to 10 weeks. The 23-year-old Ferguson easily has the most pass-catching upside among the many names in the Rams' tight end corps, even though he had only seven catches on 12 targets for 63 yards and one touchdown in the three games that he has played so far in 2026. Ferguson is expected back after a minimal IR stint, so fantasy managers looking for upgrades at TE should consider stashing the former second-rounder from Oregon off the waiver wire now. He is currently rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues. Ferguson came on strong down the stretch in his rookie campaign and finished with an 11-231-3 line in 14 regular-season games.--Keith Hernandez
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport

Oct 19, 2026, 7:20 PM ET

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) will have a full week of work in practice and that there is a good chance that he will make his season debut in Sunday night's Week 7 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. It has been only eight months since Charbonnet had reconstructive surgery on his knee after tearing his ACL in the postseason in January, but he has made great progress and is on the verge of returning to Seattle's active roster as their primary RB. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 from UCLA will probably be eased into the Seahawks' backfield alongside Emanuel Wilson and George Holani if he is active this Sunday night, but Charbs deserves to be rostered in all fantasy football leagues after rushing for 730 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns on 184 carries in 2025 in his third year in the league next to Kenneth Walker. Charbonnet also had 20 receptions for 144 yards in 16 regular-season games. With Walker now in KC, Charbonnet is expected to take over lead-back duties sooner rather than later. If he is still available on your league's waiver wire, he needs to be scooped up ASAP.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Tacoma News Tribune - Gregg Bell

Oct 19, 2026, 7:14 PM ET

Washington Commanders veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs (hamstring) is officially active on Monday night on the road against the San Francisco 49ers to close out Week 6 action. Diggs' return to action on Monday is great news for Washington's offense as they look to give the 49ers their first loss of the 2026 season, but it is bad news for the target shares of both Terry McLaurin and rookie Antonio Williams in Week 6. The 32-year-old Diggs injured his hamstring in the Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in London and was unable to play in last Sunday's tie against the division-rival New York Giants. He is sporting an 18-170-3 line in his first four games for the Commanders this year in his 12th year in the league. All three of Diggs' touchdowns this year came in the first two weeks of the season in losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys before quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow. Most fantasy managers in traditional leagues have benched Diggs this week because his status was up in the air, and he should be faded in DFS lineups on Monday night against a strong Niners defense.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Washington Commanders

Oct 19, 2026, 7:06 PM ET

San Francisco 49ers veteran wide receiver Mike Evans (ribs, Achilles) is officially active for the Monday Night Football game against the visiting Washington Commanders, according to Brooke Evans of the team's official website. Evans did not practice all of last week but will still play to close out Week 6 action as he battles through several broken ribs and Achilles soreness. Despite breaking some ribs in the Week 3 win over the division-rival Arizona Cardinals, Evans has not missed any games and has caught 12 of his 18 targets for 189 yards and one touchdown in the last two games without much help from the rest of the 49ers' banged-up receiving corps. Veterans Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) and Christian Kirk (calf) will be out against Washington, leaving the team with Jacob Cowing and veteran Brandin Cooks to help pick up the slack behind Evans. Fantasy managers who rolled the dice on Evans this week have to be happy with their decision since he is active as he looks for a second straight 100-yard performance. Evans caught a season-high seven passes for 113 yards and his third touchdown of the year in last week's big divisional win over the Seattle Seahawks.--Keith Hernandez
Source: 49ers.com - Brooke Evans

Oct 19, 2026, 6:53 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee has caught 24 of his 29 targets through six weeks in 2026 for 246 yards and one touchdown, averaging 10.3 yards per catch. Higbee had his best game of the early season in last week's overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills, when he caught five of his six targets for 83 yards. He was not as productive in Sunday's surprising loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals in Week 6, though, catching all four of his targets for 22 yards. The basis for the 33-year-old veteran still being an option off the fantasy football waiver wire going into a Week 7 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road is that fellow TE Terrance Ferguson (ankle) will not be eligible to return from Injured Reserve until Week 8 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Higbee will have at least one more week to serve as L.A.'s top pass-catching tight end against the Raiders, putting him in play as a TE streamer with bye weeks in full swing. From Weeks 3 through 5, Higbee had at least 62 receiving yards and five receptions. Higbee is rostered in 35% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 19, 2026, 6:41 PM ET

Fantasy managers may have been dropping New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas going into the team's Week 6 matchup on Sunday against the division-rival New York Jets with star receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) returning from Injured Reserve. Brown struggled with drops in his first game back, and Romeo Doubs suffered a shoulder injury, leading to Douglas having a second straight strong game, catching seven of his eight targets for a team-high 86 yards and his third touchdown of the season in the 26-19 victory. The 25-year-old pass-catcher now has 11 receptions on 13 targets for 151 yards and three touchdowns in the last two weeks. Brown is now back for New England, but Douglas will be a popular waiver-wire target this week in fantasy football now that Doubs has been placed on Injured Reserve. Doubs will miss at least the next four games, opening up a bigger window for Douglas to see consistent targets from young quarterback Drake Maye. At the very least, the slot man should be in play as a WR4/flex option, especially for a potential shootout against the Chicago Bears this Thursday night in Week 7. Douglas is widely available and is currently rostered in only 8% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 19, 2026, 6:34 PM ET

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry could be the perfect solution off the waiver wire for fantasy managers struggling with bye weeks going into Week 7 of the 2026 season. Henry caught four of his five targets for 48 yards and his second touchdown in as many weeks in the 26-19 win over the division-rival New York Jets in Week 6 on Sunday, with his score in the fourth quarter proving to be the difference in the game. The 31-year-old veteran and former second-round pick from Arkansas has found the end zone in each of the last two games after going scoreless in the first four contests of 2026. The Patriots' offense has looked better during their three-game winning streak, and receiver A.J. Brown's return from Injured Reserve should open up more space for Henry to operate underneath, especially in the red zone, where he is a big-bodied target for quarterback Drake Maye. Henry has become more attractive in fantasy after scoring in each of the last two weeks, but he should still be considered more of a touchdown/dependent high-end TE2. He is rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues and could have a big game this Thursday night on the road against the Chicago Bears to get Week 7 kicked off.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 19, 2026, 6:23 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane returned from Injured Reserve in Sunday's Week 6 loss to the division-rival Cleveland Browns and was productive in just his second NFL game while playing 54% of the offensive snaps, which ranked third among Baltimore's receiving corps behind Zay Flowers and Devontez Walker. Lane did not go off by any means in his first game back from a wrist injury, but he was involved, catching four of his five targets for 40 yards. Only Flowers had more targets (11) from backup quarterback Tyler Huntley in the three-point loss to Cleveland. The 22-year-old third-rounder from USC went down with a wrist injury in the season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts. Lane was a standout during training camp and the preseason and built strong chemistry with both Huntley and starting QB Lamar Jackson, giving the young pass-catcher intriguing fantasy upside. There is a clear path for Lane to take over WR2 duties from Rashod Bateman (shoulder) as the season wears on. Lane will have even more upside once Jackson returns from his ankle injury. He is only rostered in 12% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 19, 2026, 6:15 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams kicker Blake Grupe (knee) suffered a torn ACL in the Week 6 upset loss to the division-rival Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and is out for the rest of the year, according to Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. The 27-year-old was making his debut with the Rams on Sunday before injuring himself while trying to make a tackle on a special teams kickoff. He was officially placed on Injured Reserve on Monday, so the Rams will have to find their third kicker of the year after starting the season with Harrison Mevis. The Rams signed Grupe off the New York Jets' practice squad after cutting Mevis last week. Before tearing his ACL against Arizona, Grupe made a 44-yard field goal on what will end up being his only kicking attempt of the season. Expect the Rams to work out kickers on Tuesday and decide on an option shortly thereafter as they head into a Week 7 road matchup in Las Vegas against the Raiders. It remains to be seen if Grupe will be fully healthy for the start of next season, but his torn ACL certainly will not help his chances of signing with a new team in 2027.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Associated Press - Greg Beacham

Oct 19, 2026, 6:07 PM ET

Houston Texans second-year wide receiver Jaylin Noel has stepped up in the last three weeks as the team's WR2 behind Nico Collins with Jayden Higgins (knee) out for the entire season. Noel had his best game of the season in Sunday's 34-31 win over the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday, catching all four of his targets for a team-high 107 yards and his second straight week with a touchdown. The 24-year-old former third-rounder from Iowa State now has 12 catches on 12 targets for 233 yards and two touchdowns in the last three games and is on the rise as a waiver-wire candidate. The one downside to Noel's recent resurgence in the Texans' offense is that they just traded for Marvin Harrison Jr. and appear to be getting Tank Dell (knee) back in Week 7 against the New York Giants for the first time since the 2024 season. Still, Houston's offense is on the rise, and Noel has built strong chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud, so he could remain firmly involved in the WR pecking order. Noel is currently rostered in 7% of Yahoo leagues, so he is widely available.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com

Oct 19, 2026, 5:43 PM ET

The NFL officially activated Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs from the commissioner's exempt list on Monday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Head coach Matt LaFleur said that Jacobs will get in a full week of practice as he returns to the team, but the Packers have not decided yet whether he will be available to play in Week 7 on Sunday against the division-rival Detroit Lions. The NFL was expected to activate the 28-year-old to begin this week, but fantasy managers should not consider him a lock yet to make his season debut against Detroit. Jacobs won't count against the active roster for another week, which lessens the demand to bring him back right away after just one week of practice. The veteran running back did not play in the first six weeks of the season due to off-the-field issues involving the league's personal-conduct policy. A suspension from the NFL is a possibility, but the good news for Jacobs' fantasy managers is that his time spent on the exempt list in the first six weeks could count towards any future suspension the league hands down. If Jacobs makes his debut in Week 7, he could face snap-count limitations, making him a much riskier starting RB. The three-time Pro Bowler and former first-rounder has four 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his seven NFL seasons, and he has a whopping 28 rushing touchdowns in his two years in Green Bay.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Matt Schneidman

Oct 19, 2026, 5:06 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett (knee) will not practice this week, according to Nate Atkins of The Athletic. Garrett played in the season-opening loss to the division-rival San Francisco 49ers in Australia but then landed on Injured Reserve. He will now miss six straight games with his knee injury and will not suit up this Sunday in Week 7 to face the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. Garrett's next chance to make his return for a struggling Rams team will be on Sunday, Nov. 1, at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 30-year-old's knee was not feeling right after debuting in Week 1, so he had surgery, which is why he is currently on IR. Garrett will need to return to practice with the Rams next week to have any chance of facing the winless Chargers. When healthy, Garrett is one of the top pass-rushers in the league. In his final season with the Cleveland Browns in 2025, Garrett was unstoppable, breaking the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks while adding 60 tackles (43 solo), a league-high 33 tackles for loss, 39 QB hits, and three forced fumbles in 17 starts. Getting both Garrett and Aaron Donald on the field together in 2026 has to be a priority for L.A.'s defensive unit.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Nate Atkins

Oct 19, 2026, 5:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) has suffered a ruptured hamstring and is expected to miss six to 10 weeks, per Nate Atkins of The Athletic. It's a crushing blow for the Rams, who will now be without their number two wideout for a significant stretch of the remainder of the 2026 season. Across six games before the injury, Adams recorded 30 catches for 480 yards and four touchdowns on 49 targets. Without him, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua could be in line for a truly monstrous target share. However, removing Adams' downfield presence could shift defensive coverage even more heavily toward Nacua. Rams wide receiver Konata Mumpfield now becomes a potential waiver wire target for fantasy managers, while tight ends Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson could see increased roles as well. Once he returns from Injured Reserve, Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson (ankle) could be the biggest beneficiary of the Adams injury.--Will Brady
Source: The Athletic - Nate Atkins

Oct 19, 2026, 4:58 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers did not activate veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf) from Injured Reserve, and he will not play in the Monday night game against the visiting Washington Commanders, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Kirk was trending towards being activated to make his 2026 season debut to close out Week 6 action, but it is not happening. Meanwhile, there is momentum for veteran Mike Evans (ribs, Achilles) to play despite the fact that he did not practice all of last week. If Kirk can return to a full practice at some point this week, he could be lined up to come off IR to make his season debut in Week 7 this Sunday against the hosting Atlanta Falcons. Considering that Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring) could miss multiple weeks with a hamstring strain that he suffered in the Week 5 win over the division-rival Seattle Seahawks, Kirk could have a substantial role behind Evans in the Niners' passing attack immediately. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider adding the former 1,000-yard receiver off waivers this week. Kirk is rostered in under 10% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Matt Barrows