As the season rolls on, bye weeks and injuries are forcing fantasy managers to dig deep into their benches and waiver wires. This is where smart pickups and bold starts make all the difference.
🏖️ Bye Weeks
• Atlanta Falcons
• Chicago Bears
• Green Bay Packers
• Pittsburgh Steelers
Key fantasy players like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, DJ Moore, Jordan Love, and George Pickens are unavailable this week.
🚑 Key Injuries for Fantasy
• Malik Nabers (WR, Giants) – Lower body issue, opening targets for Robinson/Slayton.
• Tyreek Hill (WR, Dolphins) – Nursing a foot injury; Waddle gets a huge bump.
• Lamar Jackson (QB, Ravens) – Ankle sprain, monitor his practice reports.
• Darnell Mooney (WR, Falcons) – Out, giving Drake London and Falcons WR3 a boost.
• Calvin Austin III (WR, Steelers) – Depth loss; Pickens remains the focal point.
• Miles Sanders (RB, Panthers) – Hubbard benefits as the lead back.
• Ricky Pearsall (WR, 49ers) – Out, boosting 49ers Pass Catchers volume.
• Jauan Jennings (WR, 49ers) – Also sidelined, leaving only depth pieces behind.
🔑 Key Starts/Pickups
These guys may be available, or maybe you’ve been stashing them. Time to let them spin.
Quarterbacks
- 🔥 Matthew Stafford (QB, Rams)
- Locked in with Adams and Nacua, Stafford is a must-start for the rest of the season. I cannot believe he is available in some leagues and on the bench in others
- Projection: 275 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
- 💪 Bo Nix (QB, Broncos)
- Dual-threat ability makes him a sneaky streaming play.
- Projection: 220 pass yards, 35 rush yards, 2 TDs
- 🌙 Justin Fields (QB, Bears)
- Always a rushing threat and garbage-time hero. Risky but can boom.
- Projection: 210 pass yards, 65 rush yards, 2 total TDs
Wide Receivers
- 🔥 Jordan Addison (WR, Vikings)
- Looked sharp in his return and remains a key weapon.
- Projection: 6 catches, 82 yards, TD
- 💪 Wan’Dale Robinson / Darius Slayton (WRs, Giants)
- Both benefit with Nabers out — Robinson for PPR, Slayton for deep shots.
- Projection (Robinson): 5 catches, 55 yards
- Projection (Slayton): 3 catches, 64 yards
- 🌙 Like McCaffrey (WR, Raiders)
- Two straight scoring weeks make him a deep flex.
- Projection: 4 catches, 48 yards, TD
- 🌙 Jalen Coker (WR, Panthers)
- Could step into the WR2 volume in a thin Carolina offense.
- Projection: 5 catches, 60 yards
- 💪 Tyquan Thornton (WR, Patriots)
- Red-zone weapon with TD upside every week.
- Projection: 3 catches, 41 yards, TD
Running Backs
- 💪 Kenneth Gainwell (RB, Steelers)
- Trustworthy fill-in with RB2 potential when volume comes his way.
- Projection: 11 carries, 47 yards, 3 catches, 22 yards
- 💪 Woody Marks (RB, Texans)
- Stealing touches from Chubb, intriguing stash.
- Projection: 9 carries, 46 yards, 2 catches, 19 yards, TD
- 💪 RJ Harvey (RB, Broncos)
- Thriving as the pass-catching back.
- Projection: 8 carries, 39 yards, 4 catches, 37 yards
- 🔥 Rachaad White (RB, Buccaneers)
- Clear lead role with Irving hurt.
- Projection: 16 carries, 72 yards, 3 catches, 26 yards, TD
- 💪 Kendre Miller (RB, Saints)
- Earning more work behind Kamara, stash-worthy.
- Projection: 10 carries, 45 yards, 2 catches, 18 yards
- 🌙 Emari Demercado (RB, Cardinals)
- Arizona’s favorite passing-down back, solid PPR flex.
- Projection: 5 carries, 20 yards, 4 catches, 36 yards
- 🌙 Justice Hill (RB, Ravens)
- Henry struggled, but Hill could sneak into a flex role.
- Projection: 9 carries, 42 yards, 3 catches, 24 yards
Tight Ends
- 🔥 Darren Waller (TE, Dolphins)
- With Hill out, Waller becomes a must-start behind Waddle.
- Projection: 6 catches, 64 yards, TD
- 🌙 Brenton Strange (TE, Jaguars)
- Emerging red-zone weapon in Lawrence’s rotation.
- Projection: 3 catches, 34 yards, TD
- 💪 Hunter Henry (TE, Patriots)
- Steady target for Maye, weekly starter.
- Projection: 5 catches, 51 yards
- 🌙 AJ Barner (TE, Seahawks)
- Touchdown threat, deep-league stash.
- Projection: 3 catches, 28 yards, TD
D/ST 🛡️
- 🔥 Minnesota Vikings (DST)
- Great matchup vs. a struggling Browns offense.
- Projection: 4 sacks, 2 turnovers, 14 points allowed
- 💪 Arizona Cardinals (DST)
- High-pressure defense vs. rookie QB Cam Ward.
- Projection: 3 sacks, 1 INT, 17 points allowed
📊 Final Thoughts
This week is all about surviving the byes and attacking injury-created opportunities. Addison, White, and Stafford are strong 🔥 starts, while sleepers like Demercado, Justice Hill, and Barner 🌙 could surprise. Don’t overlook defenses either: Minnesota and Arizona both carry serious upside in their matchups.
