RADIO
T.J. Hockenson Emerging as a Potential Tight End Solution on the Waiver Wire
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson was one of the few players on his team's offense to have a productive game in Week 7, recording four catches for 35 yards and a touchdown on five targets. The 29-year-old's overall numbers in 2026 don't leap off the page, as he's hauled in 27 receptions for 237 yards and two touchdowns on 32 targets across six games. However, Hockenson appears to be emerging as a favorite target of Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray. In the two games where both Hockenson and Murray have started and finished the contest on the field, Hockenson has logged 17 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets. The veteran tight end also has an extremely favorable matchup on paper in Week 8 against the Detroit Lions. For fantasy managers in need of tight end help, Hockenson profiles as a viable waiver wire solution.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Caleb Douglas Emerging as a High-Upside Waiver-Wire Target
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaelon Black Worth Stashing Off the Waiver Wire Through Week 8 Bye
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Emmett Johnson Remains a Priority Handcuff Back to Target
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kendrick Bourne Inherits a Bigger Role After Cardinals Injury
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Lamar Jackson Still Uncertain for Week 8 Return
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.
Source: Jonas Shaffer
Source: Jonas Shaffer
Samaje Perine Scores Again as His Role Shrinks
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ja'Kobi Lane's Role Makes Him a Waiver Stash
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Alec Pierce Unlikely to Return to Practice This Week
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.
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jake Arthur
Source: Sports Illustrated - Jake Arthur
Jalen Brooks Suffers Season-Ending Wrist Injury on Sunday
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.
Source: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
Source: Arizona Sports - Tyler Drake
Treylon Burks in Line for Uptick in Playing Time in Washington
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.
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Marcus Mariota to Return to Practice This Week
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.
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Source: The Athletic - Nicki Jhabvala
Injuries in Giants Backfield Could Mean More Work for Devin Singletary
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.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Stefon Diggs Won't See a Workload Change with Teammate's Injury
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.
Source: Zach Selby
Source: Zach Selby
Antonio Williams Expected to Have More Responsibility Moving Forward
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.
Source: Zach Selby
Source: Zach Selby
