Another week, another list of injuries that made fantasy football managers nuts.
As if the list of superstars who were out this week wasn’t already long enough, we saw Nico Collins, Aaron Jones and De’Vone Achane go down due to injuries. Collins is dealing with a bum hamstring, Jones hurt his hip and Achane suffered a concussion. Heck, we even lost one of the better fantasy kickers in the league, Jake Moody, to an ankle injury,
To help fantasy manager fill the void, here's an early look at 10 players (and other notables) you should look to add off the waiver wire.
For a complete list of adds after the week, be sure to tabs on Jen Piacenti’s list of fantasy free agents to target coming out on Tuesdays. Also, be sure to check out Fantasy Dirt with me and Lindsay Rhodes!
Tank Bigsby, RB, Jaguars (ESPN – 9.5%; Sleeper – 31%; Yahoo! – 22%)
Well, folks, we have a backfield committee in Jacksonville.
Bigsby, not Travis Etienne Jr., led in running back touches, rushed for 101 yards, averaged 7.8 yards per rush and scored two touchdowns in a win over the Colts. Those totals were good enough for Bigsby to finish with 25.9 points. He has standalone value and should be rostered in most leagues.
Josh Downs, WR, Colts (ESPN – 34.8%; Sleeper – 53%; Yahoo! – 40%)
Downs produced two straight nice stat lines in a row, scoring 15.9 fantasy points in a loss to the Jaguars. He was targeted 12 times in the game, and he’s now seen 21 targets in his last two games. The slot man has benefitted from the presence of Joe Flacco under center, and he’s well worth a look in all fantasy leagues. The Colts face the Titans in Week 6.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Falcons (ESPN – 45.1%; Sleeper – 41%; Yahoo! – 51%)
Cousins had a slow start to the season, scoring a combined 42.4 fantasy points in his first four games. That’s likely why his ownership percentages are modest on most platforms. But after he went off for 509 yards, four touchdowns and 34.5 points against the Bucs, the veteran will be a hot add where available. He has a great matchup at Carolina next.
Caleb Williams, QB, Bears (ESPN – 44.7%; Sleeper – 38%; Yahoo! – 60%)
I’ve been critical of Williams’ fantasy expectations as a rookie, but he has started to turn things around. Over the last three weeks, he’s scored 17-plus points twice including a 23.6-point performance in Week 5. That total, along with a 126.2 passer rating, were both career bests. With a matchup against the Jaguars up next, Williams has starting appeal.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Giants (ESPN – 18.4%; Sleeper – 33%; Yahoo! – 23%)
Tracy Jr. saw a bigger role in the Giants offense in the absence of Devin Singletary, and he certainly made the most of it. The rookie rushed for 119 yards on 15 carries (7.9 YPC) and finished with a respectable 13.4 points. While it’s too soon to know if Singletary will miss next week’s game against the Bengals, Tracy Jr. should still be added just in case.
Ty Chandler, RB, Vikings (ESPN – 35%; Sleeper – 36%; Yahoo! – 28%)
Chandler saw an uptick in carries in a win over the Jets in London, as veteran starter Aaron Jones left the game with an injured hip. The Vikings have a bye upcoming, however, so that gives Jones extra time to get healthy. Regardless, this is a good reminder that he’s not been very durable in recent seasons, so now’s the time to get Chandler on your roster.
Jaylen Wright, RB, Dolphins (ESPN – 8%; Sleeper – 20%; Yahoo! – 8%)
Wright saw some burn in Sunday’s win over the Patriots, carrying the rock 13 times for 86 yards (6.6 YPC) in the absence of the injured De’Vone Achane. The playmaking rookie will be in a committee with Raheem Mostert if Achane misses time, though Miami has a bye in Week 6. Regardless, Wright is still worth a look as insurance if you have Achane.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars (ESPN – 33.4%; Sleeper – 47%; Yahoo! – 54%)
Lawrence got his first NFL win since last year, and he also had his best stat line in a while against the Colts. He threw for 371 yards with two touchdowns and scored 21.1 fantasy points, his best total since Week 13 of 2023. While I don’t love his matchup against the Bears in Week 6, Lawrence could still be of some use to fans during the bye weeks.
Joe Flacco, QB, Colts (ESPN – 5.4%; Sleeper – 13%; Yahoo! – 7%)
Flacco, who was listed in this space last week, took some more of that fantasy magic out of his hat against the Jaguars. He threw for 359 yards with three touchdowns and scored 26.6 fantasy points, while also posting a passer rating of 121.3. I’m not sure this will guarantee him another start if Anthony Richardson is healthy, but Flacco still needs to be added.
Tyler Conklin, TE, Jets (ESPN – 37.2%; Sleeper – 29%; Yahoo! – 30%)
Tight end is a dumpster fire, but Conklin hasn’t been too bad lately. He scored 11.5 points against the Vikings on Sunday, and he’s now scored 11-plus points in two of his last three games. Conklin has also seen a combined 23 targets in that trio of games, so he’s got the attention of Aaron Rodgers. He’s well worth a look in Week 6 against the Bills.
Notables: Aidan O’Connell, QB, Raiders; Jameis Winston, QB, Browns; Trey Sermon, RB, Colts; Alexander Mattison, RB, Raiders; Antonio Gibson, RB, Patriots; Alec Pierce, WR, Colts; Jordan Whittington, WR, Rams; Michael Wilson, WR, Cardinals; DeMario Douglas, WR, Patriots; Tutu Atwell, WR, Rams; Cade Otton, TE, Buccaneers
Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio and the Bleav Podcast Network. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.
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