At numerous factors in the course of the fantasy soccer season, accidents, bye weeks and breaking information may cause you to wish reinforcements in your fantasy lineup. Each Friday all through the 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen will provide up some late-week pickup choices to assist fill these holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.
Due to that, this column will focus totally on gamers rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.
With six groups on a bye this week, the choices are fairly slim, however there are sufficient high quality gamers obtainable to drop into deep-league lineups. We’ll begin at quarterback, with two longtime veterans coming off big-time video games. I am additionally eyeing a pair tight ends who’re offering double-digit fantasy manufacturing, and we’ll hit on a number of operating backs and extensive receivers, too. As all the time, I am going to provide you with a protection to stream this week, and this one can strain the quarterback.
Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals (26.3% rostered; vs. Jets)
Flacco has tried not less than 45 passes in every of his two begins, with 18 or extra fantasy factors in each. Whereas a damaging recreation script did play a job, we all know this can be a heavy passing offense in Cincy. Plus, Flacco performs with an aggressive throwing mentality, and he has upper-level move catchers in Ja’Marr Chase (23 targets in Week 7) and Tee Higgins. Certain, Flacco tends to get unfastened with the ball at occasions, the decision-making can decline, too. However with a Sunday matchup towards a winless Jets group, you’re betting on Flacco to remain sizzling in Week 8.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (34.1% rostered; vs. Packers)
From a participant’s perspective, matching up towards your former group does matter. And it goes up a notch if that group moved on from you. Simply one thing to consider right here as Rodgers will get the Packers on Sunday night time. However let’s not neglect that Rodgers was driving the ball — with velocity and placement — within the Week 7 recreation towards the Bengals. Rodgers completed with 4 landing passes in that one, posting a complete of twenty-two.56 factors. He now has a number of landing throws in three of his previous 4 video games and I feel he is trending up based mostly on the tape. He suits right here as a deeper-league choice for Week 8.
Tight ends
Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (23.5% rostered; vs. 49ers)
Schultz was restricted in observe earlier this week (again/shoulder), so let’s monitor the studies. Nonetheless, with the damage state of affairs within the Texans’ extensive receiver room, Schultz is a great pickup for Sunday’s matchup with the 49ers — if he can go. Within the Monday night time loss to the Seahawks, with Nico Collins (concussion) exiting early and Christian Kirk (hamstring) down for the sport, Schultz had season-highs in receptions (9), targets (10), receiving yards (98) and factors (18.8). That gave Schultz back-to-back video games with double-digit factors, plus he has not less than 5 receptions in 4 straight. Schultz has the seam-stretching capacity to work the 49ers’ zone coverages, and we all know he can discover open turf beneath as a goal for C.J. Stroud.
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (39.6% rostered; at Saints)
I am shocked Otton’s roster proportion is not increased after three straight video games with 10 or extra factors. And identical to the Texans, there are a number of accidents on the extensive receiver spot in Tampa. Otton caught seven of 9 targets for 65 yards (13.3 factors) within the Monday night time loss to Detroit, and he has not less than 4 receptions and 50 yards in his previous three video games. He is a dependable goal for quarterback Baker Mayfield, with a strong matchup towards a Saints protection that ranks in the course of the street towards opposing tight ends.
Operating backs
Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears (31.5% rostered; at Ravens)
Monangai has the traits to enrich the operating fashion of D’Andre Swift in Chicago, and his utilization is climbing. Within the Week 7 win over the Saints, Monangai had season highs in touches (15), complete yards (94) and factors (17.4), plus he scored his first landing as a professional. He’s an offended runner, with the contact steadiness and foot quickness to function in tight quarters between the tackles. And the Bears — since popping out of the bye in Week 6 — are operating the soccer with far more effectivity. The rookie from Rutgers has some upside this Sunday versus a Ravens protection that has allowed 29.1 PPG to opposing operating backs, the second most within the league.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (32.8% rostered; at Colts)
In deeper codecs, managers can check out Spears on this week’s assembly with the Colts because of his receiving numbers. He has caught not less than three passes in back-to-back video games, with 4 targets in every, and he can function beneath as an outlet for quarterback Cam Ward. Sure, I might prefer to see Spears get extra carries (5 in every of his previous two video games), however you may plan for 8-10 touches within the lineup. And with six groups on a bye this week, you may need to take a flier on him.
Extensive receivers
Tez Johnson (30.8% rostered) and Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16.4% rostered; at Saints)
Mike Evans (collarbone) is probably going executed for the season and Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula) is uncertain for Sunday’s recreation. So, we have now two choices for potential replacements in Tampa, relying on what you want. Johnson offers managers a better ceiling. He has big-play juice, plus he’s slippery after the catch. Johnson caught 4 of 9 targets for 58 yards and a landing (15.8 factors) within the Week 7 matchup with Detroit, his second straight recreation with a scoring seize. Shepard, in the meantime, has a better ground. He netted solely 25 yards receiving towards Detroit, however he caught all seven of his targets, and he has two video games with double-digit factors this season. Me? I all the time take the higher-ceiling choice (Johnson), however Shepard has PPR worth this Sunday, too.
Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (31.9% rostered; vs. Payments)
Legette had profession highs in final week’s victory over the Jets, catching 9 of 11 targets for 92 yards and a landing (24.2 factors). And whereas backup quarterback Andy Dalton will begin this week for an injured Bryce Younger (ankle), Legette nonetheless has upside because the Panthers’ No. 2 versus a zone-heavy Payments protection. Scheme open the home windows and script the shot performs for Dalton.
Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans (2.2% rostered; at Colts)
With Calvin Ridley coping with a hamstring damage, extensive receiver Elic Ayomanor (22.3% rostered) will also be picked up this week as a result of constructive matchup towards the Colts. However I am going to go along with Dike first due to the big-play capacity he brings to the sector. He’s a burner, with 4.34 pace, and we noticed that on his 38-yard landing catch final week towards the Patriots. He can run away from protection on deep overs and crossers. Dike caught all 4 of his targets for 70 yards, ending with a career-best 16.9 factors. Take the upside right here with Dike — if Ridley is out.
D/ST
Buffalo Payments (41.9% rostered; at Panthers)
The Payments’ protection hasn’t taken the ball away at a excessive charge this season (eight complete turnovers compelled). I might prefer to see a better quantity there. However this unit has a strain charge of 38.9% (second highest within the league), and so they have not less than two sacks in 5 of six video games performed. With the quantity of groups on a bye this week, taking a protection that faces a backup quarterback (Dalton) is healthier than anticipated.