Dolphins Sign Kicker Zane Gonzalez
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.
Source: Miami Dolphins
Source: Miami Dolphins
Jacoby Brissett a Drop Candidate Unlikely to Recapture His 2025 Magic
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Sampson a Waiver Target Who Could Soon Find a Role
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tank Dell a Potential Waiver Target Ahead of His Long-Awaited Return
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eagles' Handling of Jalen Hurts Situation Deemed Appropriate by NFL
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.
Source: Jonathan Jones
Source: Jonathan Jones
Seth McGowan a Top Handcuff to Look for on Waivers
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jahan Dotson Establishing Himself as Clear WR2 in Atlanta
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.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Makai Lemon has Lost Waiver-Wire Appeal
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.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Ravens Add Kicker Jake Moody to Practice Squad
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.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Source: Jordan Schultz
Rumors of J.J. McCarthy Starting in Week 7
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.
Source: Pat Leonard
Source: Pat Leonard
Dolphins Release Kicker Riley Patterson
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.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Commanders, Rams Emerge as Top Landing Spots for Brian Thomas Jr.
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.
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Source: Sports Illustrated - John Shipley
Jalen Royals Playing More, but Targets Remain Scarce
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kalif Raymond's Early-Season Production Has Dried Up
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dontayvion Wicks' Targets Drop With Eagles Receiving Corps Healthier
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
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