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Matt Bowen
At numerous factors through 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 supply 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 bunch of working backs. In the meantime, the matchups have actually restricted the quarterback upside this week, however there may be one you’ll be able to take a flier on. Lastly, there’s a protection out there in additional than 80% of ESPN leagues that would produce numbers in your lineup.
Large receivers
Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (18.1% rostered; at Lions)
Even when Mike Evans (hamstring) returns for the Monday night time matchup in Detroit, Shepard can nonetheless play a key position with each Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) and Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula) uncertain for the sport. Shepard has seen at the very least 4 targets in 5 of six video games performed this season, with double-digit factors in two. He can get unfastened after the catch. With Baker Mayfield enjoying at an MVP degree, in a recreation that might 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 provide one other 20-plus-point day, as he’s averaging simply 3.0 receptions per recreation this season. Nonetheless, Boutte’s huge numbers final Sunday ought to earn him some extra appears to be like, and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is enjoying 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) have 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 might 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 obtained the beginning in Week 6 in opposition to the Titans, catching 5 of seven targets for 50 yards, together with a landing on a crimson 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 quite a lot of two-deep zone, which results in beneath targets to the tight finish, plus recreation circulate may drive the Raiders to throw with quantity.
Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers (1.4% rostered; vs. Colts)
Gadsden produced his finest numbers of the season (with Will Dissly lively, even) within the Week 6 win over Miami, catching seven of eight targets for 68 yards. Quite a lot 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 harm), as he rushed 5 occasions 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 troublesome matchup in opposition to the Patriots. However with eight to 10 touches, plus the pass-catching potential, Spears will 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 working again has seen at the very least 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 isn’t an thrilling transfer to drop Miller into your lineup contemplating the restricted upside, however when you want some quantity on the place, Miller can at the very least provide you with 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 occasions for 34 yards. Not nice. Nonetheless, Knight had a dashing landing for the second straight recreation, and he has seen at the very least one goal-to-go carry in each. You take an opportunity right here on Knight in Sunday’s matchup with Inexperienced Bay — and betting on continued utilization close to the aim 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 dashing numbers. Even when Dart produces low totals as a passer, the rookie is averaging 10 carries and 55.7 yards dashing per recreation over his three professional begins, plus he has run for a rating in two of them. Dart will probably be pressured to maneuver versus a protection that may warmth up the pocket. You possibly can 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 prime 10 versus the run (94.5 yards per recreation). Let’s go along with Carolina versus the NFL’s lone winless workforce.
