T.J. Hockenson Emerging as a Potential Tight End Solution 25mLink copied!

Oct 26, 2026, 5:03 PM ET

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that the team will not be working out other kickers during their bye in Week 8, despite rookie Dominic Zvada's struggles this year, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Harbaugh expressed confidence in Zvada after the team's overtime win on Sunday over the Houston Texans. In his first year in the NFL, the 23-year-old undrafted free agent out of Michigan has missed five of his first 18 field-goal attempts in seven games, including going 5-for-8 from 50-plus yards out. The good news is that he has not missed any of his 12 extra-point attempts. Zvada really struggled in the Week 7 win in Houston, missing both of his field-goal attempts and making all three of his extra points. Zvada will come out of the team's Week 8 bye as their starting placekicker for a Week 9 divisional clash against the Philadelphia Eagles, but if he continues to struggle, New York will likely go in another direction. Fantasy managers should continue to avoid the young kicker for the foreseeable future.--Keith Hernandez
Source: New York Daily News - Pat Leonard

Oct 26, 2026, 4:59 PM ET

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech (forearm) is expected to return to practice this week, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden. Bech has been on Injured Reserve since suffering a broken forearm in Week 3, but he appears to be nearing a return to at least the practice field. Across three games before the injury, Bech recorded five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown on six targets. A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Bech has played a limited role as a pass-catcher to this point in his career with the Raiders. Still, his presence could take a few targets away from fellow Raiders wideout Tre Tucker. Tucker has played extremely well lately, recording 10 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns on 19 targets over the last two weeks. Fantasy managers relying on Tucker may want to monitor Bech's status heading into the Raiders' Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets.--Will Brady
Source: ESPN - Ryan McFadden

Oct 26, 2026, 4:57 PM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles announced that rookie tight end Eli Stowers (quadriceps) has been activated from Injured Reserve, and he will be active for the Monday night game to close out Week 7 action against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. Fellow tight end Grant Calcaterra (back) is also returning from IR, so the Eagles are getting some reinforcements back to give them more depth at the position behind veteran Dallas Goedert. With both receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) ruled out for Monday's contest, quarterback Tanner McKee could lean heavily on the TE position against a shaky Cowboys defense, but that does not make Stowers or Calcaterra immediately attractive for fantasy purposes in a banged-up Eagles offense. Stowers, a second-rounder from Vanderbilt in April, will be making his NFL debut against Dallas as well, so his snap count could be limited. Still, Stowers has the most long-term fantasy upside at the TE position in Philadelphia behind Goedert. For now, he is only a realistic stash option in dynasty/keeper formats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Philadelphia Eagles

Oct 26, 2026, 4:51 PM ET

After saying that the team would consider all options after their Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, including at the quarterback position, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said on Monday that "Kirk Cousins is our starting quarterback. There is no controversy. He is playing at a very high level," according to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN. After a surprising 3-0 start to the season, the Raiders have now lost four in a row as they head into a Week 8 battle on the road against the New York Jets. The 38-year-old Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, has so far held off first overall pick Fernando Mendoza by completing 62.6% of his pass attempts for 1,877 yards, a league-high 16 touchdown passes, and only five interceptions in seven starts. His 1,877 passing yards are third in the league. Vegas' ground game has done nothing to help Cousins, who does not exactly have a great cast of receivers to work with outside of tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders expect Mendoza to "play at some point" in his rookie season, but Cousins will get at least one more start this weekend in a smash spot against the Jets. Cousins threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's loss to the Rams, and he has gone over 300 yards passing twice. He has multiple passing TDs in all but one of his seven games to this point.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Paul Gutierrez

Oct 26, 2026, 4:47 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back Seth McGowan has played a limited role in his team's offense so far in 2026, recording 146 yards from scrimmage on 36 touches across seven games. The 25-year-old had his usage scaled up in Week 7, logging 11 carries for 46 yards against the Minnesota Vikings. McGowan's growing role could be a sign of things to come. The Colts still have superstar running back Jonathan Taylor firmly ahead of McGowan on the depth chart, which will not change as long as Taylor remains healthy and on the roster. However, with the Colts currently sitting at 2-5 and riding a three-game losing streak, trade speculation around Taylor has begun to heat up. If Taylor were to get moved, McGowan could be in line to assume a workhorse role in the Indianapolis backfield. In leagues where he is available on the waiver wire, McGowan profiles as a priority stash candidate as the trade deadline approaches.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 4:43 PM ET

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) tweaked his ankle in Sunday's Week 7 victory over the division-rival Green Bay Packers, according to Richard Silva of The Detroit News. The plan is for the Lions to let St. Brown sit out of practice on Wednesday before he returns on Thursday. St. Brown was not really slowed down by his ankle in the 20-17 win on Sunday, as he caught nine of his 11 targets for a season-high 153 yards against Green Bay. As long as he returns to Thursday's practice, St. Brown should be just fine to play in Week 8 against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, where he would be a must-start WR1 in fantasy leagues despite the tough matchup against one of the best defenses in the NFL. St. Brown played only 78% of the Lions' offensive snaps on Sunday, but the slightly reduced playing time did not hurt his production at all. The 27-year-old four-time Pro Bowler has had exactly 11 targets in each of the last three games and has not seen double-digit targets in just one of his six games so far in 2026. After his big game against Green Bay, St. Brown is the WR3 overall in half-PPR scoring with 46 catches on 68 targets for 525 yards and five touchdowns so far this year.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Detroit News - Richard Silva

Oct 26, 2026, 4:27 PM ET

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas returned from Injured Reserve with a bang in Week 7, recording two catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns on three targets in his team's victory over the New York Jets. Douglas suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 that caused him to miss three games. However, he's been productive when healthy, logging nine catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets across three games. Even after a productive week against the Jets, the Dolphins' passing game remains highly questionable and should lead fantasy managers to approach Douglas with caution. Still, the 23-year-old has clearly proven an ability to make big plays down the field. In leagues with 12 or more teams, Douglas profiles as a viable waiver wire target.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 4:18 PM ET

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black had the best game of his young career in Week 7, recording 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown in his team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Black's fantasy upside is limited by the presence of star 49ers back Christian McCaffrey (thigh). Still, Black has seen relatively consistent work in a secondary role this season, recording 57 carries for 223 yards and a touchdown across seven games. McCaffrey also suffered a thigh injury in Week 7. Both he and the team have downplayed the injury, and the 49ers have their bye in Week 8, so McCaffrey may not miss any time. However, even a small increase in Black's touches coming out of the bye could put him in flex range for fantasy managers in the right matchups. Of course, if McCaffrey were to be sidelined for any reason, Black would be a must-start running back. Black should be rostered across almost all fantasy formats coming out of Week 7.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 4:12 PM ET

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Emmett Johnson has seen very limited usage in his team's offense to this point in 2026, recording 19 carries for 62 yards and nine catches for 109 yards on 11 targets. The Chiefs have given almost all of their backfield work to superstar RB1 Kenneth Walker, who currently leads the NFL in both yards per rush attempt and rushing yards per game. As long as Walker remains healthy, Johnson is highly unlikely to provide fantasy managers with consistently relevant production. However, Walker is also currently on pace to log nearly 400 touches this season, which may be an unsustainable workload. If Walker were to get injured, Johnson could assume a three-down role in Kansas City and would immediately vault into must-start territory for fantasy managers. In leagues where he remains available, Johnson profiles as a priority waiver wire handcuff stash.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 3:55 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne just inherited a bigger role, with Jalen Brooks (wrist) announcing Monday that he will miss the remainder of the season. With Marvin Harrison Jr. traded to the Houston Texans and Brooks requiring season-ending wrist surgery, Bourne is positioned as the Cardinals' No. 2 wide receiver behind Michael Wilson. The production already backs it up: he has drawn 22 targets over Arizona's past three games and turned them into 13 catches for 126 yards, even after three receptions for nine yards Sunday. Brooks played 52 offensive snaps and drew six targets in the 30-16 loss to the Denver Broncos, compared to Bourne's 45 snaps and six targets. Tight end Trey McBride remains the offense's primary receiving option after commanding 13 targets against Denver, but Bourne now faces far less competition for opportunities. Add him in 12-team PPR leagues as a potential flex option heading into Arizona's Week 8 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 3:27 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) is a coin flip for Sunday's Week 8 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Jesse Minter said Monday that Jackson should be "in a decent spot" health-wise heading into Week 8, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner. Minter declined to explain why Jackson was ruled out Saturday and stressed he will play only if he performs at his usual level. Jackson missed his third consecutive game in Sunday's 35-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 4. He returned to limited practice in Week 7 but acknowledged Friday that running remained painful. Plan around Tyler Huntley, who stays Baltimore's starting quarterback if Jackson can't go against Buffalo.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Jonas Shaffer

Oct 26, 2026, 3:16 PM ET

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine scored again Sunday, but the touchdown hides a role that shrank sharply after the Week 6 bye. His one-yard fourth-quarter punch-in made it two consecutive games with a score in the 35-13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, yet he finished with 16 rushing yards on four carries and no targets. The snaps tell the story: Perine played 12 offensive snaps to Chase Brown's 40, down from Week 5, when he logged 14 carries for 68 yards and 33 snaps against the Miami Dolphins. Brown reclaimed the backfield with 11 carries for 39 yards and four catches for 19 more. Perine has scored both a rushing and receiving touchdown in his past two appearances, but limited playing time leaves him without a reliable standalone fantasy role. Add him as a handcuff in 12-team leagues, particularly if you roster Brown, ahead of Cincinnati's Week 8 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 3:07 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane has earned a stash in 12-team leagues, with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley throwing to him in both contests. The rookie has drawn five targets in each of his two games since returning from a fractured wrist. The production lags: three catches for 25 yards in Sunday's 35-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals made his two-game totals seven receptions for 65 yards. That makes him a stash, not an immediate starter. The role is what you're buying. Lane's offensive snap share climbed from 54% in Week 6 to 69% (46 snaps) in Week 7, even as Rashod Bateman's jumped from 30% to 73%, and only Zay Flowers' 11 targets topped Lane's five Sunday. Week 8 is the next test: the Ravens visit the Buffalo Bills and Lamar Jackson (ankle) could return, giving Lane his first full game with the Ravens' starting quarterback.--Bruno Mulé
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 2:34 PM ET

When asked if wide receiver Alec Pierce (heel) will have his Injured Reserve practice window opened this week, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said, "most likely not," according to Jake Arthur of Sports Illustrated. Pierce has already spent the required four games on IR, but the 26-year-old is not close to a return for the struggling Colts. He aggravated his surgically-repaired left heel in the team's Week 2 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and has not played or practiced since. It is getting harder to hold the big-play wideout in shallow fantasy football leagues without a firm timetable for a return, and it is fair to wonder how effective he will be whenever he returns to the team. The former second-rounder led the NFL in yards per catch in both 2024 and 2025, but he was only able to catch five of seven targets for 72 yards and no touchdowns in his two games for the Colts this year before landing on the shelf. With tight end Tyler Warren (groin) missing the last two games, Indy has struggled to move the ball without relying on running back Jonathan Taylor. Josh Downs has been a non-factor, which has led to veteran Keenan Allen being quarterback Daniel Jones' go-to guy in recent weeks. Pierce is now rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jake Arthur

Oct 26, 2026, 2:26 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Jalen Brooks (wrist) said on Monday that he will miss the rest of the 2026 season after suffering a wrist injury in Sunday's Week 7 loss to the visiting Denver Broncos that required emergency surgery, according to Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. It is a tough break for Brooks and the Cardinals' offense, especially after the team recently traded former first-round receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans. The 26-year-old former seventh-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 NFL Draft from South Carolina caught just one of his six targets for a season-high 35 yards in the 30-16 loss to the Broncos on Sunday, and he will finish his fourth year in the NFL with five catches on 17 targets for 81 yards. Brooks played a season-high 52 of the team's 81 offensive snaps in Week 7. His injury is good news for Kendrick Bourne, who should be the team's unquestioned WR2 going forward behind Michael Wilson with both Harrison and Brooks out of the picture. Reggie Virgil and Simi Fehoko will be battling for WR3 duties going forward in Arizona.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake

Oct 26, 2026, 2:20 PM ET

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks should be in line for an uptick in playing time going forward after Terry McLaurin suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Week 6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers last Monday night. Burks played 55.2% of the offensive snaps against the 49ers and caught four of his six targets for a season-high 66 yards in the 23-17 loss. The 26-year-old's receptions and targets were also season highs in the same game that McLaurin went down with an injury, which is not a coincidence. Veteran Stefon Diggs should operate as quarterback Jayden Daniels' go-to passing-game target, but both Burks and rookie Antonio Williams should have added responsibilities, starting in Week 8 in their Sunday night showdown against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Burks, a former 18th overall pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 from Arkansas, has caught only nine of 17 targets this year for 152 yards, but he has found the end zone twice and should be a waiver-wire target in deeper leagues this week. He is currently rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala

Oct 26, 2026, 2:12 PM ET

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Monday that veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee) will return to practice as the team comes out of their Week 7 bye, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Mariota is recovering from a sprained right MCL in his knee and missed the two games before the Week 7 bye. The 32-year-old veteran could be back on the practice field this week, but it does not guarantee that he will be active for the Sunday night game in Week 8 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. Before his knee injury, Mariota was forced into action early on in 2026 after Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in the Week 2 loss to the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. In three games played (two starts), Mariota threw for 340 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. If he does not do enough in practice this week to return for Sunday night's game against the Eagles, rookie signal-caller Athan Kaliakmanis will work as the backup to Daniels for a third straight game.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala

Oct 26, 2026, 2:00 PM ET

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary racked up 55 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the team's Week 7 overtime upset of the Houston Texans, and although the hamstring injuries suffered by Cam Skattebo (hamstring) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hamstring) are not believed to be overly serious, should either miss time after a Week 8 bye, Singletary would make for one of the better waiver stashes of the week. One week after being held without a touch, Skattebo led the team with 124 yards on 17 carries, but he pulled up on a 42-yard overtime run, clearing the way for Singletary's late-game heroics. Unfortunately, with the Giants on bye, little information will be made available, making Singletary more of a luxury stash than an immediate difference-maker.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 26, 2026, 1:52 PM ET

Washington Commanders veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs (hamstring) missed the team's Week 5 tie with the Giants and again appeared on the injury report with a hamstring concern ahead of a Week 6 loss to the 49ers. Coming out of a Week 7 bye, head coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Monday that the 32-year-old is doing "well", but he is not anticipating a drastic workload change following the season-ending injury to Terry McLaurin (knee). Diggs has seen a 59.8% snap share through his five games played, and Quinn appears content to keep him in that range, telling the media that others in the wide receiver room will be tasked with more responsibility, specifically highlighting rookie Antonio Williams. Diggs leads the team with four receiving touchdowns and has been a go-to option in the red zone, keeping him well in the flex conversation moving forward, but fantasy managers should not expect a significant value jump following McLaurin's injury.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Zach Selby

Oct 26, 2026, 1:37 PM ET

When last seen, Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams was helping to pick up the slack following the devastating knee injury suffered by Terry McLaurin (knee). With the veteran exiting early from the team's Week 6 loss to the 49ers, Williams caught all three of his targets for 50 yards, and with the team now coming out of the bye week, head coach Dan Quinn specifically highlighted the 2026 third-rounder as a player who will have more responsibility in McLaurin's absence. Through six games, Williams has made 18 catches for 205 yards and a touchdown, and with the Commanders coming off their Week 7 bye, he is readily available in many redraft leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Zach Selby