Tucker Kraft Poised for Second-Half Surge? 0mLink copied!

Oct 9, 2026, 12:38 AM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf is emerging as the team's undisputed WR1 in the early portion of 2026. Metcalf's first season with Pittsburgh was fine, although there was definitely meat left on the bone. Fast forward to this year, and the situation is already vastly superior. For starters, the eighth-year pro is at 33 targets through four weeks, putting him on pace for 140 over 17 games. That's nearly a 50% increase from his 99 in 2025. Furthermore, Metcalf is the clear leader in Pittsburgh's WR corps, easily outpacing the team's second-leading target-getter, Roman Wilson (24). There will always be some boom-bust in the former Ole' Miss product's game, but his role is valuable, and he's being targeted like a true alpha for the time being. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers appears to have his trust. The spike weeks will come.--Alex Ciulla
Source: ESPN

Oct 9, 2026, 12:20 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. has wasted no time reacquainting himself with head coach Kyle Shanahan's system in 2026, as evidenced by strong early-season production. The 30-year-old is already up to three touchdowns in San Francisco's first four games, half of his total from a 2025 stint with the Commanders. There may be some inconsistency, since Samuel currently ranks fourth in targets and receptions behind fellow wideout Mike Evans (ribs), tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey. Still, he's involved in the rushing game and is tied with Kittle for the team lead among pass catchers with five red-zone opportunities. Samuel is slated for an imposing Seattle defense in Week 5, though he could get some extra work with Evans banged up a bit.--Alex Ciulla
Source: ESPN

Oct 9, 2026, 12:18 AM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy caught three of his four targets for 90 receiving yards in his team's upset loss in Week 5 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cowboys WR1 CeeDee Lamb (quad) aggravated a quad injury he was dealing with early in the week before the game, and if he's not able to return to action for Week 6, Flournoy would immediately have value as a fantasy football WR3/flex with upside. Additionally, Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson failed to haul in a deep pass late in the fourth quarter on Thursday Night Football, which resulted in a ricochet that was intercepted by a Tampa Bay defender. This gaffe led to a game-sealing first down by the Bucs. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott could become more reluctant to throw the ball Ferguson's way, and would naturally look to Flournoy to step up and absorb more targets. With two important factors pointing to a potential increase in Flournoy's involvement in the passing game, his fantasy value is on the rise ahead of a Week 6 showdown with the struggling Green Bay Packers.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 9, 2026, 12:13 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka got a small boost after he rushed one time for 14 yards and a touchdown and caught six of his nine targets for 38 yards in his team's Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys. His yardage totals have been severely lacking so far this season, and he mustered just 52 yards total in the game, but his starting quarterback was out with a thumb injury. The touchdown rush accounted for over 43 percent of his fantasy production, but it's refreshing to see him getting goal-line work regardless. Tampa Bay's offense has been one of the most disappointing in the league, but Egbuka reaffirmed his WR1 status, and when QB1 Baker Mayfield (thumb) returns, they'll have a chance to turn things around. For now, the road remains rocky, as undrafted free agent QB Jalon Daniels is set to start again in Week 6. But there is a glimmer of hope that Egbuka can remain heavily targeted and start to pay off his fourth-round redraft ADP.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 9, 2026, 12:01 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving channeled his inner rookie season in his team's stunning Week 5 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. The third-year pro rushed 21 times for 165 yards and one touchdown and caught two of three targets for 10 yards and another score. He gashed the hapless Cowboys defense multiple times, including on a special rush in which he juked multiple defenders to break through the defensive line and ran down the sideline for a huge explosive play. Irving dominated backfield touches for his team, with no other Bucs RB handling more than five carries, which is excellent news for his fantasy value moving forward. He appears to have put any injury concerns behind him and slammed the door shut on any ideas of a committee backfield moving forward. Dallas' defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and that certainly contributed to Irving's big night, but he made a strong case to be a workhorse RB1 moving forward. A Week 6 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers looms -- they have a middling run defense, which should allow Irving to have another solid outing. He's pushed back into low-end RB1 territory for now.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:48 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson remained involved in his team's offense in Week 5, as he was targeted six times in the upset loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. He only caught three of those passes for 19 yards, though, and didn't find the end zone. Additionally, he wasn't able to reel in his final target, an accurate pass from quarterback Dak Prescott that hit him in the hands, which led to a ricochet and the game-losing interception. Ferguson's egregious drop might cost him targets moving forward, as the Cowboys could look to third-string WR Ryan Flournoy to get more involved. He's shown flashes in previous seasons, and has likely done enough to earn a bigger role. Dallas may have no choice but to continue to throw to Ferguson in Week 6, as their WR1, CeeDee Lamb (quad), aggravated a quad injury in Week 5 and could miss time. But it's hard to trust a pass-catcher in fantasy after two minimally productive games in a row. Ferguson should be parked on benches in Week 6 -- Lamb was hardly targeted in the loss, yet that didn't lead to a big day for the struggling TE.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:44 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was poised to heavily exploit the porous secondary of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Week 5 contest on Thursday Night Football. Instead, he threw two interceptions and managed just one passing touchdown, though his 316 passing yards were adequate. One of the picks wasn't his fault, though -- it was tight end Jake Ferguson who failed to corral a pass that hit him in the hands, and the ricochet flew high in the air and landed in the hands of a Bucs defender. Prescott's fantasy value is likely to take a hit due to the injury to his elite WR1, CeeDee Lamb (quad), but Prescott still scored over 14.6 PPR fantasy points in the loss. It was his lowest output all season. Even if Lamb misses Week 6, though, the duo of WRs George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy are more than acceptable to keep him out of single-digit scoring territory. Prescott can be treated as a QB2 for his Week 6 game against the Green Bay Packers, as it seems Lamb may need time to recover to avoid another re-aggravation of his quad injury.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:41 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal saw five carries for 25 yards and caught two of his three targets for 11 yards and his first touchdown of the 2026 season in the Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The 25-year-old played 25 offensive snaps, which matched Omarion Hampton, while Keaton Mitchell handled 26 snaps. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said that the Chargers have not lost faith in Hampton, a former first-rounder who is the RB1 on the team's RB depth chart. L.A. is trying anything they can to try to pick up their first win of the season, and Vidal, Hampton, and Mitchell will all continue to be involved in some capacity as long as they are all healthy. Going into Week 4, Vidal had just one rushing attempt for six yards and one reception for a 14-yard gain in the first three games of the season. Vidal's fantasy arrow is pointing slightly up after his involvement last week, but he still is not close to having standalone value going into a Week 5 tilt against the division-rival Denver Broncos.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

Oct 8, 2026, 11:37 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens finally had a monster game in his team's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football in Week 5. The second-year Cowboy caught nine of his 13 targets for 130 yards and a touchdown in an upset loss to the 0-4 Bucs. It was apparent from early in the game that Cowboys WR1 CeeDee Lamb (quad) was playing injured, and he was eventually pulled from the game due to the injury. He was cleared from the team's injury report with the same issue before the game, so it looks like he aggravated a pre-existing issue. While Pickens' night was fantastic for his fantasy managers, it appears that he doesn't have anywhere near the upside he had last season when Lamb is actually healthy. But it's possible No. 88 could miss time, in which case Pickens immediately becomes a WR1 with top-5 fantasy scoring potential every week. The Cowboys will face the Green Bay Packers next, who are another team struggling on defense this year. Pickens has easy week-winning upside if Lamb can't play or is still hampered by his quad injury next week, so Dallas' injury reports next week should be followed closely.--John Johnson
Source: ESPN

Oct 8, 2026, 11:34 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has served in a workhorse role for the Steelers in the last two weeks with backfield mate Rico Dowdle (toe) out injured. Warren has yet to find the end zone for Pittsburgh in 2026 through four games, but he has 34 rushing attempts for 220 yards (6.5 yards per attempt) and six catches for 82 yards through the air in the last two games. In the first two weeks with Dowdle involved, Warren handled 21 rushing attempts for 89 yards (4.2 yards per carry) while catching seven passes for 61 yards. The 27-year-old has been the Steelers' clear lead back of late, but head coach Mike McCarthy plans to go back to a committee approach with Warren and Dowdle when Dowdle is cleared to return, possibly as soon as this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts. Still, even upon Dowdle's return, Warren will have RB2 upside for his strong start to the 2026 campaign with Dowdle injured.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

Oct 8, 2026, 11:02 PM ET

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (quadriceps) is questionable to return to the Thursday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth quarter due to a quadriceps injury, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Lamb exploded for 17 catches on 21 targets for 189 yards and his fourth touchdown of the year in the Week 4 win over the Houston Texans, but he had only two receptions on five targets for nine yards on Thursday night before leaving with his quad injury. If Lamb misses the rest of the game or more time after this week with his quad injury, both George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy would have higher target shares in Dallas' pass-happy offense. Flournoy would become a very popular waiver-wire target next week if Lamb does not end up returning against Tampa. Lamb, a five-time Pro Bowler, came into Week 5 action leading the NFL in catches (37), receiving yards (498), and yards per game (124.5). Losing Lamb for any amount of time would be a big downgrade for quarterback Dak Prescott.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Jon Machota

Oct 8, 2026, 10:27 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. said that he has not been paying attention to trade rumors that have been swirling around him, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss and Stephen Holder. The speculation that Harrison could be moved by the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline has been fueled by Harrison hiring Todd France and Tory Dandy as his agents on Sept. 23. The former fourth overall pick in 2024 did not have an agent before that. "Truthfully, I pay it no mind," Harrison said of the speculation. "I'm only focused on Detroit, helping the Cardinals win football games at the moment. So whatever rumors you're talking about, I don't pay it no mind." Other teams are doing their due diligence on the struggling wideout, but sources say that the Cardinals are not actively shopping Harrison. The Indianapolis Colts are a team considering trading for Harrison, the son of Marvin Harrison Sr., the Hall of Famer who has multiple Colts receiving records. Indy has struggled to produce explosive plays on offense since putting receiver Alec Pierce (heel) on Injured Reserve. Harrison has reached a low point early in his third NFL season and has only five receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown through four games. A change of scenery might be exactly what the young wideout needs to turn things around.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Josh Weinfuss and Stephen Holder

Oct 8, 2026, 10:18 PM ET

Free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) took the stand in his assault and battery civil trial on Thursday and denied allegations that he ever physically abused his estranged wife while also saying he was "deeply ashamed" for having threatened his wife's safety by saying he was "able to get people to hurt her," according to ESPN's Xuan Thai. The NFL is reviewing Hill's personal conduct, and his agent said that Hill could be close to negotiating a new NFL contract after recovering from knee surgery that ended his final season with the Miami Dolphins early in 2025. Reports have suggested that Hill is most likely to rejoin the Kansas City Chiefs, who are on bye in Week 5, after they drafted him in the fifth round in 2016 out of West Alabama. Hill repeatedly denied abusive behavior and claimed most of their disagreements surrounded financial concerns he had with respect to a post-nuptial agreement that he claims she would not sign. It remains to be seen if Hill will face any discipline from the league if he signs with a new team, but for now, with his return to the NFL potentially coming soon, the Cheetah is worth stashing, especially if he rejoins the Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid. The 32-year-old eight-time Pro Bowler has six 1,000-yard seasons, including a league-high 1,799 receiving yards in 2023 with Miami.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Xuan Thai

Oct 8, 2026, 9:58 PM ET

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London got off to a rough start to the 2026 season, recording just six catches for 80 yards on 10 targets across his first two games. However, London has been a completely different player since the Falcons got starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. back from injury in Week 3. Over the past two weeks, London has hauled in 14 catches for 300 yards on 16 targets. Even with the slow start and his lack of touchdown luck so far, London ranks as the WR14 in PPR scoring. The 25-year-old has been targeted on 35.6% of Penix Jr.'s pass attempts, so his production could reach an even higher level if Atlanta is forced into some more pass-heavy game scripts in the weeks to come. As long as he stays healthy, London carries top-12 wide receiver upside for fantasy managers going forward.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:45 PM ET

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has largely underperformed preseason expectations so far in 2026, recording 14 catches for 233 yards on 20 targets across four games. However, the 24-year-old is coming off his best game of the season in Week 4, hauling in six receptions for 94 yards on seven targets against the New York Jets. Week 4 was Chicago's first game with backup quarterback Tyson Bagent under center. Bagent is set to make another start in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers, which could be a good thing for Odunze's production. Bears QB1 Caleb Williams (hamstring) should also be back from his hamstring injury within the next few weeks, which obviously raises the ceiling of Odunze and the rest of the Bears' pass-catchers. As the Bears offense gets healthier, Odunze could re-establish himself as a top-24 wide receiver for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:30 PM ET

Four games into his 2026 campaign, Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has recorded 17 catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns on 23 targets. Heading into Week 5, Fannin Jr. currently ranks as the TE7 in overall PPR fantasy scoring and the TE8 on a per-game basis. The 22-year-old has recorded back-to-back games with a touchdown catch and has seen at least five targets in three consecutive contests. Cleveland has gotten solid production from rookie wide receivers KC Concepcion Jr. and Denzel Boston, which could threaten to take some work off Fannin Jr.'s plate. Still, the Browns offense has been surprisingly competent overall this season, and Fannin Jr. appears to be emerging as a preferred red zone option for Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson. As long as he stays healthy, Fannin Jr. profiles as a solid top-12 tight end option for fantasy managers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:22 PM ET

A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II has spent most of his career to this point in a reserve role. However, with star Dolphins back De'Von Achane (knee) out for the remainder of 2026 after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, Gordon II could be in position to take over the RB1 role in Miami. Gordon II had a big day in Miami's first full game without Achane in Week 4, recording nine carries for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. While the Dolphins also gave backfield work to Jaylen Wright (foot) in Week 4, Gordon II was clearly the more productive of the two backs. Heading into Week 5, Wright is battling a foot injury and may not even be active for the Dolphins' upcoming matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. If Gordon II plays well for a second straight week against the Bengals, he could cement himself as the clear lead back for the Dolphins.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 9:12 PM ET

Across four games so far in 2026, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten has recorded 60 carries for 277 yards and two touchdowns. Tuten has split rushing work to some degree with fellow Jaguars back Chris Rodriguez Jr., who has tallied 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season. However, Tuten has emerged as the clear lead back in Jacksonville in recent weeks, recording back-to-back games with at least 17 touches and 90 yards from scrimmage in Weeks 3 and 4. The 23-year-old currently ranks as the RB15 in half-PPR scoring and could only be on his way up as the season progresses. As long as Jacksonville's key offensive pieces around him stay healthy, Tuten profiles as a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside for fantasy managers going forward.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Oct 8, 2026, 8:59 PM ET

Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (foot) was added to the Week 5 injury report with a foot injury on Thursday and was listed as a limited participant in practice, according to David Furones of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. It remains to be seen if Wright had a setback with a foot injury that caused him to miss the Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but we should have a better idea of his status for this weekend's contest at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins are already without starter De'Von Achane (knee) for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, so if Wright cannot play this weekend, Ollie Gordon II should handle a hefty backfield role as the Dolphins look for their first win of the season. Although the 23-year-old Wright only has eight carries for 17 yards and no receptions through three games, he is a worthwhile fantasy handcuff who could eventually have a bigger role alongside Gordon if he can stay healthy. Wright is currently rostered in just under 20% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel - David Furones

Oct 8, 2026, 8:38 PM ET

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) was limited in Thursday's practice for the second straight day this week. Goedert sprained the MCL in his right knee in the Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans and has missed the last two games, but he is tracking towards a potential return this weekend when the team travels to London to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The timing of Goedert's return could not be better, with both receivers DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring) both questionable to play this weekend due to hamstring injuries. If Goedert is not cleared to return this weekend, veteran Zach Ertz will certainly be in play as a streamer in two-TE fantasy leagues. Goedert had four catches on five targets for 77 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 1 win over the division-rival Washington Commanders and would immediately be back in the TE1 conversation in fantasy if he plays in London on Sunday. Check back on Friday to see if Goedert can sidestep a designation heading into the weekend.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Philadelphia Eagles