Bye weeks are a great equalizer in fantasy football. The Lions, Texans, Raiders, and Titans don’t play in Week 6. The Lions need time off to get D’Andre Swift and Amon-Ra St. Brown healthy. Based on the play through the first five games, fantasy teams will need to find replacements for these top players:
Running Back: Dameon Pierce, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry
Wide Receiver: Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow
Tight End: Darren Waller
I didn’t include the already mentioned Lions’ players and all of the starting quarterbacks from Detroit, Tennessee, Houston, and Las Vegas are more likely QB2 for most fantasy football teams.
Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Surprisingly, Jones is the 17th-ranked quarterback after four games despite only passing for 631 yards with three touchdowns. His ability to run (31/913/2) helps his floor, but Jones still lacks trusted receiving talent at wide receiver and tight end. He threw the ball better against the Packers (217/0 – 8.0 yards per pass attempt), helping New York rally after halftime. The Giants have a favorable schedule from Week 7 to Week 11 (@JAC, @SEA, bye, HOU, and DET), giving Jones a possible matchup value as a bye-week filler.
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
In his first NFL start vs. a top defense, Pickett passed for 327 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in the blowout loss to the Bills (38-3). His completion rate (65.4) and overall completions (34) point to upside for the Steelers’ receiving corps going forward. However, Pickett must improve his success in the red zone to increase his value by delivering touchdowns. As a result, I don’t expect him to be a viable starting quarterback option until Week 10 (NO, CIN, @IND, @ATL, and BAL).
DeShaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
For teams struggling to get consistency from their quarterback over the first five weeks, it is time to think about rostering Watson. Once your starting quarterback clears his bye week, Watson will be much easier to add to your team. Watson was suspended by the NFL after more than two dozen women filed sexual assault and sexual harrasment lawsuits against the Browns quarterback.
Running Backs
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
The Patriots second-year rusher is already on a majority of fantasy teams, but if you play in an 8-team league or 10-team league with shallow benches, he might be available. Regardless, he should now be rostered in every type of league. A hamstring injury to Damien Harris after five touches (12 yards with a catch) led to Stevenson receiving a workhorse opportunity for the Patriots. He finished 25 rushes for 161 yards plus two catches for 14 yards. Heading into Week 5, Stevenson was the 27th-ranked running back in PPR leagues. However, he can’t push to elite status without more touchdowns (1) and better quarterback play. At the very least, Stevenson should be considered a starting RB2 in all formats if Harris can’t suit up.
Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts
With Jonathan Taylor out this week and Nyheim Hines leaving after the Colts’ first series with a concussion, Jackson led Indianapolis in running back snaps (58%) with a respectable day (13/62 and four catches for 29 yards). The status of the Colts’ top two backs will be up in the air this week, but Taylor hopes to return in Week 6. I view Jackson as an insurance card, while understanding Phillip Lindsay will also be a factor. Over his best three seasons at Duke, Jackson gained 2,700 combined yards with 18 touchdowns and 57 catches over 36 contests.
Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks
Rashaad Penny left this week’s game with a leg injury. Walker came off the bench against the Saints to deliver 88 yards with a score on eight carries, thanks to a late-game 69-yard touchdown run. Seattle added him with the 41st overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Last year at Michigan State, he gained 1,725 yards with 19 touchdowns and 13 catches. The Seahawks should rotate in Deejay Dallas on passing downs. Walker should bring RB2 stats when in the starting lineup while relying on touchdowns to produce double-digit fantasy points.
Wide Receivers
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts
After missing Week 2 with a concussion, Pierce has seized the No. 2 wide receiver role for the Colts over the past three games (3/61, 4/80, and 8/81). Over this span, he caught 78.9% of his 19 targets while only being on the field for 50.0% of Indy’s snaps. Pierce flashed big play ability in college (17.5 yards per catch). If Indy can pass-protect better, Matt Ryan should give him more deep shots. For now, Pierce offers bye-week cover value.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
Over the first four games, Cobb caught 10 of his 12 targets for 150 yards while only being on the field for 41.3% of the Packers’ plays. Aaron Rodgers looked his way 13 times against the Giants, leading to seven catches for 99 yards. Cobb is past the prime of his career but still has Rodgers’ trust. I view him as a player to add in deep formats to cover a short-term injury or play during a bye week.
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
Despite playing with a third-string quarterback and coming into this game with a lingering knee issue, Meyers had the best showing (7/111/1 on eight targets) of his young career. Before missing the previous two games, he delivered two steady outcomes (4/62 and 9/95 on 19 combined targets). Meyers averaged 7.4 targets in 2021, with his best value coming as WR4 in the fantasy market (83/866/2). He needs Mac Jones healthy to receive more chances, but New England does have a reasonable schedule over the next three weeks (@CLE, CHI, and CHI). Meyers falls into the low-upside but consistent category until his scoring production improves.
Our full Waiver Wire pickups article is published on Tuesday.
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