Matt Bowen
At varied factors throughout the fantasy soccer season, accidents, bye weeks and breaking information may cause you to want reinforcements to 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.
Large receiver accidents in Tampa and Arizona may open some doorways for potential streaming choices on the place in Week 7. We'll begin there. Plus, there are a number of out there tight ends coming off double-digit fantasy video games final week, and we'll search for each quantity and scoring upside with a gaggle of operating backs. In the meantime, the matchups have actually restricted the quarterback upside this week, however there's one you may take a flier on. Lastly, there's a protection out there in additional than 80% of ESPN leagues that would produce numbers to your lineup.
Large receivers
Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (18.1% rostered; at Lions)
Even when Mike Evans (hamstring) returns for the Monday evening matchup in Detroit, Shepard can nonetheless play a key function with each Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula) uncertain for the sport. Shepard has seen a minimum of 4 targets in 5 of six video games performed this season, with double-digit factors in two. He can get free after the catch. With Baker Mayfield taking part in at an MVP stage, in a recreation that may very well be high-scoring, Shepard matches as a deeper-league pickup.
Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots (20.0% rostered; at Titans)
Boutte posted a career-high 26.3 factors within the Week 6 win over the Saints, catching all 5 of his targets for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Now, managers should not anticipate Boutte to supply one other 20-plus-point day, as he's averaging simply 3.0 receptions per recreation this season. Nonetheless, Boutte's large numbers final Sunday ought to earn him some extra seems, and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is taking part in top-5 soccer on the place. That creates upside for Boutte in deeper leagues.
Zay Jones, Arizona Cardinals (0.2% rostered; vs. Packers)
The Cardinals are working by means of a number of accidents, as Jones (knee), Michael Wilson (foot) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) had been all on the report this week. So, let's be affected person right here. Nonetheless, if Jones is a go for Sunday's recreation versus Inexperienced Bay, he may very well be a possible streaming choice, particularly for Harrison managers. In Week 6 in opposition to the Colts, after Harrison left the sport within the second quarter, Jones caught 5 of eight targets for 79 yards (12.9 factors). The veteran can nonetheless get open and he may function because the No. 2 goal — behind tight finish Trey McBride — in Week 7.
Tight ends
Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders (13.7% rostered; at Chiefs)
With Brock Bowers (knee) uncertain once more this week, managers can stream Mayer as a alternative. Mayer received the beginning in Week 6 in opposition to the Titans, catching 5 of seven targets for 50 yards, together with a landing on a purple zone throw (16.0 factors). Mayer additionally had an explosive-play reception on a boot idea, and he ought to proceed to see targets this Sunday versus the Chiefs. It is a powerful matchup right here, however the Chiefs will play loads of two-deep zone, which ends up in beneath targets to the tight finish, plus recreation stream may pressure the Raiders to throw with quantity.
Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers (1.4% rostered; vs. Colts)
Gadsden produced his greatest numbers of the season (with Will Dissly energetic, even) within the Week 6 win over Miami, catching seven of eight targets for 68 yards. A variety of beneath throws right here, which cater to Gadsden's catch-and-run potential at 6-foot-5, 236 kilos. The rookie has some upside in deeper codecs this Sunday in opposition to the Colts, particularly off the Chargers' boot ideas, which give him house to get vertical after the catch.
Working backs
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (28.5 % rostered; vs. Patriots)
Spears noticed a bump in quantity in final Sunday's loss to the Raiders (his second recreation again from an ankle damage), as he rushed 5 instances for 31 yards whereas catching 4 passes for 19 yards (9.0 factors). Spears will proceed to function because the No. 2 behind Tony Pollard, and he will get a tricky matchup in opposition to the Patriots. However with eight to 10 touches, plus the pass-catching potential, Spears may be performed in deeper leagues.
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (23.3% rostered; at Bears)
Miller is a matchup/quantity play for deeper-league managers Sunday in Chicago. The Saints' No. 2 operating again has seen a minimum of 9 touches in every of his previous 4 video games, and he will get a Bears protection that's permitting a median of 5.7 yards per carry this season. I get that it is not an thrilling transfer to drop Miller into your lineup contemplating the restricted upside, however in case you want some quantity on the place, Miller can a minimum of offer you that.
Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals (16.5% rostered; at Packers)
Knight break up carries with Michael Carter within the Cardinals' Week 6 loss to the Colts, carrying the ball 11 instances for 34 yards. Not nice. Nonetheless, Knight had a speeding landing for the second straight recreation, and he has seen a minimum of one goal-to-go carry in each. You are taking an opportunity right here on Knight in Sunday's matchup with Inexperienced Bay — and betting on continued utilization close to the objective line.
Quarterback
Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (42.7% rostered; at Broncos)
I actually do not just like the matchup for Dart this week in opposition to a Broncos protection permitting solely 11.6 PPG to opposing quarterbacks (second lowest). However the different out there choices on the place are tough, too, with Sam Darnold (26.2% rostered) at Houston and Trevor Lawrence (35.6% rostered) versus the Rams in London. So, why Dart? It is the speeding numbers. Even when Dart produces low totals as a passer, the rookie is averaging 10 carries and 55.7 yards speeding per recreation over his three professional begins, plus he has run for a rating in two of them. Dart might be pressured to maneuver versus a protection that may warmth up the pocket. You may take a flier right here on Dart.
D/ST
Carolina Panthers (17.3% rostered; at Jets)
The Panthers' protection hasn't produced high-level numbers this season (4.7 PPG), however this transfer is strictly primarily based on the matchup versus a Jets offense that's nonetheless missing an id. Large receiver Garrett Wilson (knee) is down this week, quarterback Justin Fields is not seeing it quick sufficient from the pocket, and the Carolina protection does rank within the high 10 versus the run (94.5 yards per recreation). Let's go together with Carolina versus the NFL's lone winless workforce.
