By Winsto (10/21/2025)
This week will have to be brief like last week, as I am still currently under the weather. I will save my observations from Week 7 for the weekend write-up.
NOTE: These are players rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues.
QUARTERBACK
Jaxson Dart (NYG)–I don’t know what else this man has to do to get your attention. In four games, since taking over the starting role, he has 10 total TDs (7 passing, 3 rushing), averages 198 passing yards, and averages 44.5 rushing.
Sam Darnold (Sea)–If you want to plan ahead for Week 09, he gets Washington after his Week 08 Bye. Afterwards, it gets a bit dicey for him.
Deeper League Adds:
Joe Flacco (Cin)–The Bengals offensive line is going to do him no favors, but he has high end pass catchers on the other end of his throws. In addition, his remaining schedule is pretty delicious.
Aaron Rodgers (Pit)–He has had a few games in a row with solid fantasy production (6 TDs in the last two games). He squares off against his old team (Green Bay) in Week 07. Could he face plant? Absolutely. Could he keep his fantasy success going another week? Perhaps. As you can see, I am not completely sold here, but if you need a Bye Week fill-in, he is an option.
RUNNING BACK
Bam Knight (Ari)–He has a Bye Week this week, but he is seeing more snaps and carries than anyone else in this backfield. He will be game-script dependent, as Michael Carter (RB-Ari) appears to be the preferred option in passing situations.
Kyle Monangai (Chi)–I mentioned him over the weekend as someone to watch. He saw the highest snap percentage (45%) and most carries (13) he has seen all season in Week 07. This may have been in part due to D’Andre Swift (RB-Chi) being banged up heading into this weekend, but this could be the beginning of a meaningful role in what seems like a solid offense.
Tyler Allgeier (Atl)–He has double digit carries in four of the six games Atlanta has played this season, and has scored a TD in three of those games. He is a decent Bye Week flex play, and he seems clearly locked in as part of this offense and the hand-cuff to Bijan Robinson (RB-Atl).
Deeper League Adds
Brashard Smith (KC)–I will mention him every week for the foreseeable future. The theme here is that while Isiah Pacheco is a solid RB, his vision and potential for explosive plays seem to have limitations. Kareem Hunt (KC) has vision, but not much burst. The 7th round rookie may have vision limitations, but he is also more explosive and better at catching the ball. He is already seeing an increase in snaps, and I suspect that will continue. For PPR leagues, he is worth a look if you have space. He is someone who may work his way into significant playing time here, though his ceiling may be limited as Hunt does seem to have a solid grip on short-yardage situations.
Jerome Ford (Cle)–Rumors are swirling of him being a trade target. May not be a bad grab just to see what materializes if you have the room.
Isaiah Davis (NYJ)–The Jets are going nowhere fast. Breece Hall (RB-NYJ) is in the final year of his contract. There is a non-zero chance he could be traded in the coming weeks. Davis, in his 2nd season, would be the last man standing in this backfield (assuming recently signed Khalil Herbert does not throw his hat into the ring).
Devin Neal (NO)–Kendre Miller (RB-NO) is now out for the season with a torn ACL. The 5th round rookie is next in line. Who knows?
WIDE RECEIVER
Tez Johnson (TB)–With Mike Evans (WR-TB) expected to miss most of the remaining season, Tez is top on this WR list. He is playing more than Sterling Shepard (WR-TB), and his upside is higher. The 7th round rookie is slight in stature, but he has shown decent quickness so far. And, he is probably going to be the 2nd-3rd receiving option on this fairly potent offense.
Luke McCaffrey (Was)–Even with an eventual return of Terry McLaurin (WR-Was) and Deebo Samuel (WR-Was), McCaffrey has a safe floor in leagues that award return yardage.
Deeper League Add(s)
Christian Watson (GB)–The Packers have designated Watson for return from the I.R., giving him a 21-day window to be activated. The 4th year professional has flashed in the past, but injuries have plagued him. This add is more about taking a “wait and see” approach, as injuries, competition for targets may very much be too frustrating for you to bear. But, the upside could be worth it, as demonstrated by a 4-game stretch in 2022 where he had 7 TDs and averaged 78 receiving yards a game.
Hollywood Brown (KC)-He is the at best the 4th receiving option on this team, but considering how potent this passing game is looking, that is worth something. I see him as a WR4/5 in fantasy.
Tyquan Thornton (KC)–I still envision 1-2 deep shots directed towards him in each game putting him in the WR4/5 range.
TIGHT END
Oronde Gadsden II (LAC)–A quick history lesson: there was a time, believe it or not, when the Miami Dolphins were a competitive team, year-in and year-out. That seems like a century ago. And, Oronde Gadsden II’s father played for that competitive team. In fact, Oronde Gadsden Sr. , who played 6 seasons for Miami, caught the last TD pass ever thrown by Hall of Famer Dan Marino (QB-Mia). Is this information particularly relevant? No, not really. But, it is interesting. What we saw in Week 07 from Gadsden II was impressive. He showed ability to both catch the ball and do something with it afterwards. The rookie has seen over 75% of the snaps in the last two weeks, and in that time he has seen no fewer than 8 targets a game. He has no fewer than 7 receptions and 68 receiving yards during those two games. This team has struggled a bit running the ball, so Herbert is throwing much more this season than last. Those are the pros. The cons are that Justin Herbert has thrown the ball 93 times in the last two games (which is probably unsustainable), Quinton Johnston (WR-LAC) missed one of those games, and Keenan Allen (WR-LAC) and Ladd McConkey (WR-LAC) are also on this team. What does this all mean? I think Gadsden is worth a grab, as this offense can score, can feed multiple pass-catchers, and is led by a top-tier QB. He is my top Waiver Wire Add of the week.
Mason Taylor (NYJ)–Now that Justin Fields (NYJ) has been benched, Taylor is back in play as a viable fantasy option. Cincinnati’s defense is on deck for Week 08.
Theo Johnson (NYG)–Four TD receptions in the four games since Jaxson Dart (QB-NYG) has taken over. We need to start paying attention to this.
Harold Fannin Jr. (Cle)–I mention Fannin Jr. every week. He is seeing targets, though admittedly; they are typically in the short range. Still, in PPR leagues, he has value.
Deeper League Add—Taysom Hill (TE-NO)–You know there will be that occasional game where he blows up. He could also score a 0.