Yet another week with a handful of critical injuries, of course the most serious being Malik Nabers, who's done for the season with an ACL tear. It's unfortunately a relatively shallow waiver wire group this week, and that's further exasperated by the first set of bye weeks. The Packers, Bears, Falcons and Steelers are off.
Just a reminder that we'll update this article daily with a handful of new fantasy football waiver-wire pickups. As the injury report continues to get updated throughout the week there will always be more players who emerge who will certainly make a difference, but especially early in the season, just a practical understanding of certain data points, and especially the volume, can also make a critical difference. The Box Score breakdown has also been a constant tool that I use to determine a number of relevant data points to build on in the coming weeks.
Looking to upgrade your roster? Check out our trade analyzer and stay in the know with breaking news that drives every deal.
For the audio and video component of the article, I also went through a fully developed list on the RotoWire YouTube channel that you can view below.
Tuesday Update: Cooper Rush, Isaiah Davis, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Wednesday Update: Dillon Gabriel, Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, Bam Knight, Sean Tucker
Thursday Update: Mason Taylor, Darren Waller, Jalen Tolbert
Quarterback
Jaxson Dart, Giants - I think Sunday's win was about all you could hope for in the rookie's first professional start. Dart's fantasy production lives solely off his capabilities as a runner, which I think even the most optimistic Giants fan would have probably guessed anyway. New Orleans, the Giants Week 5 opponent, has been far more gamey than its record indicates, but with four teams on bye there's likely few better streaming options available. FAAB: 6 percent if you need a starter this week
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins - This article will be published before the Dolphins play Monday, but I'm like 72 percent certain I'd still roll the dice and play Tagovailoa against the Panthers Week 5 if I'm in a pinch. And more than likely many will be in a pinch, given Jordan Love and Caleb Williams have a bye, and Lamar Jackson (hamstring) might be unavailable too. Don't skimp out if you need a replacement because the other potential options are ... bleak. FAAB: 5 percent if you need a starter this week
Cooper Rush, Ravens - The plague of critical quarterback injuries continues with Lamar Jackson now expected to be sidelined multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. While I could talk myself into the likes of Marcus Mariota and Jake Browning to a certain extent, I can't work up the courage to have confidence in the former Cowboy. Ideally, there's anybody else available to play, but in deeper two-QB leagues, this might be all you get. FAAB: Hopefully this isn't something you need to consider
Dillon Gabriel, Browns - I recognize there's going to be some contingency of people that will yell at the clouds that Shedeur Sanders is not the new Browns starter. The NFL told you how this was going to work when Sanders fell to the fifth round. Cleveland told you how this was going to work when they took Gabriel in the third round. If you want to speculate on Sanders eventually playing that's your perogative. I don't think Gabriel is a particularly good prospect, but I do think he's uniquely suited to benefit in Kevin Stefanski's system because he's a quick processor and decisive thrower. That Gabriel had the collegiate production to back up the argument further proves my point. I'd be surprised if we Sanders at all this season, but if someone wants to continue rostering him to prove a point that the NFL is wrong more power to you. FAAB: 12 percent in deeper 2QB leagues
Running Back
Woody Marks, Texans - I'm frustrated that I didn't project the changing of the guard earlier given I had recommended picking up the rookie multiple weeks to begin the season. Tennessee's defense is one of the easiest for opposing fantasy running backs, but it was still encouraging to see Marks tally 21 touches to Nick Chubb's 15 while demonstrably outproducing the veteran. The USC product is already the team's best pass-catching running back, but that skillset hasn't been showcased with how needed he's been in pass protection. That handicaps Marks' fantasy value somewhat for me because I don't know how the offensive line changes for the better, but this felt like a backfield that's no longer in flux. It's best to think of this situation like Tyrone Tracy emerging for the Giants last season. FAAB: 37 percent if you need a RB2, 23 percent keep-em-honest bid otherwise
Kendre Miller, Saints - The third-year back now has back-to-back weeks with at least 20 offensive snaps, though Sunday easily amounted to Miller's career-high figures with Alvin Kamara healthy. More important, there's been a handful of rumors suggesting Kamara could be a trade candidate given the Saints are predictably one of the league's worst teams. Anything is, of course, possible, but remember a team has to have the necessary cap space to acquire Kamara (the Chiefs for example only have $3.5 million available) and has to sweeten the pot with enough draft capital for the Saints to take on at minimum $12 million in dead cap space. I completely support the notion that someone should pick up Miller in fantasy because it never hurts to have good quality running backs on your roster, but if someone specifically is aggressive acquiring Miller in hopes that a trade is imminent, I think that's reckless. FAAB: 2 percent of budget
Brashard Smith, Chiefs - Tying into the above statement, I think Smith gives Kansas City's offense another gear. Maybe I'm biased because I'm regretting not more aggressively recommending Marks, but the rookie played 18 offensive snaps, easily his career high, and looked good specifically in the passing game, recording three receptions on four targets for 27 yards. And more important, I have zero confidence Kareem Hunt or Isiah Pacheco will be part of the solution long term. Remember that one two-month stretch when Jerick McKinnon went nuclear in fantasy in 2022? I could see something similar happening. FAAB: 2 percent of budget
Kenneth Gainwell, Steelers - Pittsburgh has a bye this week so it might not matter, but Gainwell filled in admirably with Jaylen Warren (knee) sidelined. We likely won't know anything regarding Warren's status for another week, but Sunday's early morning scramble was a perfect reason why it pays to roster relevant backups in most formats. FAAB: 1 percent of budget
Zavier Scott, Vikings - Scott's touchdown was very much of the garbage-time variety, but it was reaffirming to see the rookie used so heavily in passing situations. The Vikings take on a toothless Browns offense in Week 5 in yet another European game (London) before a Week 6 bye. That leaves basically one realistic game where Scott has fantasy utility (Week 7 against the Eagles) before the return of Aaron Jones (hamstring). FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Isaiah Davis, Jets - I chastised people pushing the "trade Alvin Kamara" agenda above, but I'm far more comfortable with the idea New York trades Breece Hall. I want to make it perfectly clear that it would be a moronic move given Hall is one of the most talented backs in the league, but there's a bevy of teams that need a significant upgrade at the position and Hall is in the final year of his rookie contract without an extension in sight. It costs the acquiring team effectively $3.5 million, which isn't nothing, but given the Jets' record, I could see this happening. Braelon Allen appeared to suffer a knee injury significant enough that it could warrant an IR stint, but even if Allen was healthy I'd have recommended speculating on Davis. The second-year back totaled more than 3,000 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter at South Dakota State and has shown flashes of that sort of upside in the NFL too. I'll put it this way, if you have roster fodder, this is lottery ticket I'd take a swing on, and it'll cost you nothing to do it now. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Emari Demercado/Michael Carter/Bam Knight, Cardinals - Welcome to the most inconsquential fantasy connudrum in recent memory. With Trey Benson (knee) the second Cardinals back to go on injured reserve in consecutive weeks, fantasy managers are going to have a headache on their hands in Arizona. There's something to be said about the team rostering Demercado all year relative to the other mentioned names, but the third-year back has only ever been a situational option and genuinely grades out best as a pass catcher out of the backfield. That's worth noting because Michael Carter theoretically is better at that specific function than Demercado, meaning the Cardinals either are going to attempt to pigeonhole one back into a role they shouldn't play, or just create some quasi platoon of imperfect backs each overlapping one another. The last part is the worst option for fantasy, but one that I think is most likely, and it could get even more complicated if Bam Knight, a preseason star, or veteran D'Ernest Johnson also get a few looks. Every 12-team league and deeper needs to speculate on this backfield, and I'd recommend getting as many shares as you can, but odds are this is going to be more of a headache than a benefit for the next month-plus. FAAB: 17 percent of budget on Demercado, waterfall to seven percent on Carter. Knight/Johnson adds only in deepest of formats
Sean Tucker, Buccaneers - With Bucky Irving nursing a sprained foot, the Buccaneers committee now adds to the chaos as well. I guess beggars can't be choosers, but when I was asking for more viable waiver wire options, I wasn't envisioning the chaos from the past 48 hours. Rachaad White immediately becomes a plug and play in the event Irving is inactive, but White was already rostered everywhere. The Buccaneers all caps love Tucker, and for good reason given he averaged over five yards a carry across 50 totes last year. If this truly is just a short-term issue for Irving I think I'll only passively wade into these waters, but I do think Tucker is a legitimately talented back and would explode with a full workload. FAAB: 7 percent if you have a roster space to burn in 12-team leagues
Wide Receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants - Robinson is already rostered in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, but it's worth checking just to make sure, with Malik Nabers (ACL) done for the season. The Giants have a ridiculously difficult schedule after the Week 5 game against the Saints, but if there's going to be volume in the passing attack Robinson will be the first to benefit. I'd argue that's the exact last thing Brian Daboll wants to make his young quarterback do, but game script might dictate otherwise. FAAB: 13 percent of budget in deeper formats, 7 percent budget of budget in 10-team leagues
Darius Slayton, Giants - Slayton is available almost entirely across the board, but the 28-year-old has always been a big-play threat throughout his career and now might see his role in the offense elevated. I don't think New York wil throw more than 25 times a game so long as Jaxson Dart is under center, and if so, Wan'Dale Robinson profiles as the easier target to force feed. But in half-point PPR or standard leagues, Slayton might be an interesting pickup given he should see more opportunities schemed his way, which coupled with his customary one long reception might be enough to scratch out flex consideration. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Isaiah Bond, Browns - Cedric Tillman left Sunday's loss to the Lions with a hamstring injury after missing practice time earlier in the week with dueling hand and hip injuries. Bond saw his snap count soar as a result and ultimately led the team in receiving yards (58). It's only a matter of time until Dillon Gabriel starts for Cleveland, which I think will handicap the passing game somewhat, but I'm willing to speculate on being wrong given it costs effectively nothing to do so now. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers - Ricky Pearsall felt "instability in his knee" after a terrific catch in the first half of Sunday's loss to the Jaguars, which forced the second-year wideout out of the game. That coupled with Jauan Jennings, who seems to be perpetually banged up, could open the door for both Bourne and Demarcus Robinson to have some fantasy utility on a short week against the Rams come Thursday. Bourne had fringe fantasy utility back in his first stint with the team in 2020, and I think he's well poised to have a similar sort of role in Kyle Shanahan's scheme. I can't imagine many are in a bleak enough spot where they need to play the 30-year-old, but if Pearsall misses extended time, one of Bourne or Robinson comes into deep-league flex consideration. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dolphins - I have a hard time deciphering who between Westbrook-Ikhine and Malik Washington stands to benefit after the unfortunate season-ending injury to Tyreek Hill (knee). Westbrook-Ikhine saw a significant bump in targets, but Washington already had a defined role as a gadget-esque target, and the speedy wideout much more easily projects to replace the Hill role in the offense if coach Mike McDaniel wants a similar function. Of course, it's possible Jaylen Waddle just absorbs that into his current workload in the offense, which then opens up Westbrook-Ikhine to be a bigger boundary wideout. If this all sounds messy, it absolutely is and almost doesn't feel the inevitable headaches. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Jalen Tolbert, Cowboys - KaVontae Turpin (foot) appears unlikely to play Sunday against the Jets after spraining his foot in the tie last week against the Packers. That by default opens the door for Tolbert to have some utility in deeper leagues as effectively the last man up. Ryan Flournoy got a bit more run than I anticipated last week and could be a name to monitor as well, but a narrow funnel in Dallas might just have to include Tolbert this week. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Tight End
Kyle Pitts, Falcons - Pitts is only rostered in 46 percent of leagues, so this just serves as a reminder to pick him up if he's available. The fourth-year tight end has at least five targets in all four games this season and clearly seems to have a connection with Michael Penix, especially when split out against single coverage. There's a long list of tight ends who basically have a floor of TE10 in PPR leagues that are dependent on touchdowns to elevate further, but Pitts is one of the top of that list. FAAB: 11 percent if you need a starter
Cole Kmet, Bears - Maxx Crosby single handily forced Caleb Williams to check it down to Kmet, who saw a season-high nine targets, at least three times in the win Sunday. Still, with no Colston Loveland (knee), it was a reminder the Notre Dame product can be a bigger part of the passing tree when needed. Chicago has a bye and Loveland could very well return directly after, but this is a situation fantasy managers should monitor in the coming weeks. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Tommy Tremble, Panthers - I mentioned it last week when Ja'Tavion Sanders suffered a high ankle, but Tremble quietly could become more involved in the offense. Conventionally used as a blocking tight end, Tremble might be asked to elevate beyond that given how much the position has been a crutch for Bryce Young. If the mostly Hyde Panthers continue to be in favorable passing scripts, Tremble could fall into low-end TE1 status future weeks. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Darren Waller, Dolphins - Waller finally made his season debut (hip) and immediately helped out bestball leagues with two short touchdown catches on just 16 offensive snaps. I recognize the easy way to look at the Miami offense post Tyreek Hill (knee) is to just assume they repeat things from last year, AKA making Waller turn into Jonnu Smith 2.0. That seems incredibly foolish to me because they simply aren't the same type of player, especially at Waller's stage of his career, but I've been wrong about a lot of things already this year. Someone is going to overreact in your league to the two-touchdown day, but it seems foolish to chase past production. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
Mason Taylor, Jets - One of my favorite late-round targets during fantasy draft season, the rookie finally broke out against the Dolphins to the tune of five catches for 65 yards and more importantly has 12 targets in the past two games. Taylor practiced in limited fashion both Wednesday and Thursday so he's potentially at risk of missing Sunday's game, but I don't mind him as a low-end TE1 if you're trying to find a replacement for a plethora of injured/bye options. FAAB: 0 percent of budget
