RADIO
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
Dierre Hill Jr. Set Up Well in Week 8 Matchup
Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. has a pretty strong outlook in his Week 8 matchup against Illinois. The Fighting Illini have surrendered 375.2 total yards and 27.8 points per game so far this season - Illinois has allowed 126.8 rushing yards per game. Hill has 295 rushing yards and three touchdowns across 66 attempts this season, while catching 17 passes for 198 yards. He has at least 10 carries in all but one of his appearances this season, and has factored into the passing game in each contest as well. He's more of a flex-level option because he's not a workhorse back, but between what we've seen from him this season so far and the matchup, Hill is still a decent starting option for Week 8.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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
Kevin Jennings has Solid Outlook in Week 8
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has a pretty solid fantasy outlook for Week 8 in a matchup against California. The Golden Bears have allowed 27.7 points and 386.1 total yards per game. Jennings has completed 72.9% of his passes for 1,834 yards and 16 touchdowns across six games so far. He's thrown five interceptions, but none over the past two contests. Jennings has added 95 rushing yards and two scores across 36 attempts. Jennings is a solid starting option for Week 8, both because of what he's done this season and because of the matchup he has lined up. He can be confidently started in a lot of fantasy leagues as a result.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cam Cook Faces Tough Challenge in Week 8
West Virginia running back Cam Cook faces a very tough test in Week 8 against TCU. The Horned Frogs are allowing just 264.2 yards and 12.2 points per game so far this season, and just 92 of those yards are coming on the ground. Cook has 833 rushing yards and seven touchdowns across his 168 attempts, while hauling in 10 passes for 102 yards and another score. Cook has at least 20 rushing attempts in all but two contests, and has scored at least one touchdown in all but two games. On volume alone, Cook could still deliver a big fantasy showing, but in this tougher matchup, his fantasy owners need to temper expectations a little bit.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Byrum Brown Faces Stiff Challenge in Week 8
Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown will take on a talented LSU defense in Week 8. So far this season, the Tigers have surrendered just 256.4 total yards and 15.9 points per game. Brown has been a decent fantasy asset this season, despite having eight touchdown passes to seven interceptions. He has completed 64.3% of his passes for 1,205 yards. Brown is a better fantasy option thanks to his 459 rushing yards and five touchdowns across 107 attempts. So while his matchup is tougher this week, many fantasy owners are still going to roll with Brown in Week 8. Temper fantasy expectations a bit, but he's produced enough to trust in this matchup.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Alonza Barnett III Not Starting Again in Week 8
UCF quarterback Alonza Barnett III (hamstring) will not start again in Week 8 against BYU. He suffered his injury back on September 12, and has not played since. Keyone Jenkins is expected to start for the fifth straight contest. Barnett has thrown for 344 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the two games he's appeared in this season - he has 22 rushing yards and a touchdown across 18 carries as well. Jenkins has completed 70.3% of his passes for 806 yards and eight touchdowns, while also tossing three interceptions this season. He has rushed for 41 yards and three scores across 31 attempts as well. BYU is a tough opponent, allowing just 274.7 total yards and 15.2 points per game so far, so Jenkins doesn't have a great outlook if he indeed gets the start.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
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
Cyrus Allen's First NFL Catches Come on Just Nine Snaps
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen recorded the first two receptions of his NFL career in Sunday's 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing with 27 yards on two targets. His 23-yard catch in the fourth quarter offered a glimpse of his potential, but the rookie played just nine of Kansas City's 61 offensive snaps. That limited role is especially concerning with Rashee Rice (hamstring) unavailable and Tyquan Thornton (ankle) facing an extended absence. Jalen Royals logged 45 snaps, while Andrew Armstrong played 42 and started alongside Xavier Worthy, who led the team's receivers with seven catches for 73 yards. Rostered in just 3% of leagues, Allen is a speculative bench stash in 12-team formats and not a viable fantasy starter heading into Week 7 against Seattle. Rice's eventual return could complicate Allen's path to consistent playing time even more.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
