At various points during the fantasy football season, injuries, bye weeks and breaking news can cause you to need reinforcements for your fantasy lineup. Every Friday throughout the 2026 NFL season, Matt Bowen will offer some late-week pickup options at each of the primary fantasy positions to help fill those holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.
Because of that, this column will focus mostly on players rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.
We're going heavier on wide receivers this week, with four pass catchers who can provide varying levels of upside, fantasy floors and game-plan usage. All four targets can fit into lineups this week as deeper-league WR3s. Now, we are also lighter on quarterbacks and running backs, but I wrote up a veteran signal-caller who can be played as fringe QB1. As always, we'll hit on a tight end, and there is an available defense here with a positive Sunday matchup.
Wide receivers
Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans (17.3% rostered; vs. Giants)
The Texans' pass game is rolling right now with the level of play we are seeing from quarterback C.J. Stroud, and Noel is emerging as an explosive target. Noel scored a season-high 20.7 fantasy points in the Week 6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he has caught a touchdown pass in his past two games. Plus, the Texans are dialing up targets for Noel, who has the stop-start speed to set up coverage. He's a big-play WR3 for Sunday's matchup with the New York Giants.
Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets (33.5% rostered; vs. Dolphins)
I wrote about Cooper earlier this week after he dropped a season-high 22.3 fantasy points on the New England Patriots on Sunday (his first full game of the season). With a route tree that will get Cooper the ball in space and set him up on shot plays, the rookie out of Indiana can use his explosive ability. It's a tougher matchup this week versus a Miami Dolphins defense that ranks in the top five against wide receivers, but Cooper also has the traits to be schemed on manufactured touches. He's an upside WR3 in the lineup.
Malik Washington, Miami Dolphins (36.3% rostered; at Jets)
I thought the roster percentage would jump a little higher on Washington, but we'll continue to write about him in this space. Yes, Washington has a limited ceiling due to a lack of touchdown production, however, he has a solid floor in deeper formats. Washington has scored 11 or more points in three straight games, and the Dolphins scheme for him out of multiple alignments and roles. Washington has caught 16 of 23 targets over his past three games and also has five carries for 26 yards. He's a WR3 for the matchup with the Jets.
Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys (12.3% rostered; at Eagles)
Flournoy has passed tight end Jake Ferguson as the No. 3 target in Dallas behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Flournoy scored a season-high 17 points in the Week 6 loss to Green Bay, catching seven of nine targets for 40 yards and a touchdown. Flournoy has now scored 12 or more points in back-to-back games, with five or more targets in his past four. He should be viewed as a deeper-league pickup for the "Monday Night Football" game on the road against a Philadelphia Eagles defense allowing 36.3 fantasy PPG to wide receivers.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (47.2% rostered; vs. Saints, in Paris)
Rodgers is averaging 20.4 fantasy PPG over his past four, with multiple touchdown throws in each. And the Steelers are willing to throw the ball in scoring position, as Rodgers has two red zone touchdown passes in each of his past three games. With DK Metcalf and a quickly emerging rookie in Germie Bernard, Rodgers will have outlets to counter the New Orleans Saints' pressure looks. I see Rodgers as a fringe QB1 this week for the international matchup in France.
Running backs
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (40.1% rostered; vs. Steelers, in Paris)
I don't see much of a ceiling with Miller due to his limited receiving usage, but managers can roll with the rushing volume. Miller saw a career-high 20 carries in Week 6 against the Giants, and he has scored a touchdown in two of his five games played. He should be viewed as a deeper-league flex option only.
Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders (19.6% rostered; vs. Rams)
Washington (foot/back) has yet to practice this week, so keep an eye on his Friday practice participation. If he's able to play Sunday, I see Washington as a deeper-league flier or bye-week fill-in for the meeting with the Los Angeles Rams. Washington had nine carries last week (compared with 10 for Ashton Jeanty), and he was much more efficient, rushing for 43 yards, while he added one reception for 7 yards. Washington has now seen nine carries in two of his past three games, and we know he has explosive-play ability if he can get through to the third level of the field.
Tight end
Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders (24.4% rostered; vs. Rams)
Starter Brock Bowers (hamstring/calf) was limited in practice this week, so let's keep an eye on that as Mayer could quickly elevate here. However, even if Bowers is on the field, the Raiders' two-TE sets keep Mayer in the mix. He caught seven of nine targets for 95 yards in the Week 6 loss to the Bills, and he has scored 16 or more points in two of his past three games. It's a tougher matchup this week versus the Rams, but Mayer has averaged 27.7 routes per game over his past three games. Steady usage there. Mayer is a quality deeper-league option.
D/ST
Tennessee Titans (21.9% rostered; vs. Browns)
The Titans' defense had a season-high 19 fantasy points in the Week 6 win over the Indianapolis Colts, scoring a touchdown on a blocked punt while also recording three turnovers and six sacks. The Titans haven't taken the ball away at a high rate, but they've had multiple sacks in five straight games. I'll take the matchup versus a Cleveland Browns team that ranks in the bottom five in both scoring (17.7) and total yards (267.5) per game.