About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We're into the meat of the fantasy football schedule with the first set of bye weeks hitting and on top of all of the injuries this season, your roster might be looking thin.
Let's look at a few players you can stash now, before next week's waiver run happens.
Ja'Kobi Lane is on his way back for the Ravens. He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and could be activated for this week's game against the Browns . Lane is only rostered in 12% of Yahoo! leagues, and considering the lack of pass-catchers on the Ravens outside of Zay Flowers, his role has a high ceiling. If he's activated this week, so be it, but I like the landing spot next week against the Bengals' secondary.
There's been some odd news surrounding Ashton Jeanty, where he may or may not be seeing some time off,. It's a bit strange, but if he were to miss time, Mike Washington -- who was a preseason darling -- would be a prime waiver wire target. He's not seeing a ton of time right now, but he does average 5.0 yards per carry, which is pretty darn solid for a backup. His efficiency would drop with more volume, but he's got some juice when he gets the ball.
Week 5: The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals, Big Red, performs before the game against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) Week 5: New England Patriots cheerleaders perform during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 5: San Francisco 49ers fans cheer as Brock Purdy #13 leaves the field after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) Week 5: A Seattle Seahawks fan cheers during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) Week 5: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson does a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears, 31-7 . (Sarah Kloepping, Green Bay Press-Gazette) Week 5: Fans look on from the stands during the game between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game ended in a 27-27 tie . (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) Week 5: The mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jaxson de Ville, performs before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Jaguars won the game, 19-17 . (Nathan Ray Seebeck, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 5: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on October 8, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) Week 5: Singer and songwriter Lainey Wilson dances with members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) Week 4: The San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders take the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. (Darren Yamashita, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: Seattle Seahawks fans hold cutouts of quarterback Sam Darnold prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field. (Joe Nicholson, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: Houston Texans mascot Toro and Superfan pose for a photo prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Reliant Stadium. (Thomas Shea, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders perform before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium. (Jonathan Dyer, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: A young fan of the Baltimore Ravens looks on before the start of the game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: Washington Commanders mascot Major Tuddy holds a camera during the second quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. (Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 3: Denver Broncos cheerleaders perform during the "Sunday Night Football" game against the Los Angeles Rams at Empower Field at Mile High.
Week 3: The Maracanã Stadium gets set to host the International Series game between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Week 3: Corgi dog competitions take place during halftime of the game between the Detroit Lions and New York Jets at Ford Field.
Week 3: A fan looks on during warmups prior to the game between the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
Week 2: Singer Taylor Swift watches the game between the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 2: The Canadian and U.S. anthems are sung during a pregame ceremony before the "Thursday Night Football" game between Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills at new Highmark Stadium.
Week 1: Singer Taylor Swift and actor Tom Cruise attend the "Monday Night Football" game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 1: Fans arrive ahead of the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers won the first NFL game played in Australia, 27-7 .
Week 1: Kim Thayil of Soundgarden and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam perform during halftime of the 2026 NFL Kickoff Game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
1 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals, Big Red, performs before the game against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) 1 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals, Big Red, performs before the game against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) 2 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: New England Patriots cheerleaders perform during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 3 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: San Francisco 49ers fans cheer as Brock Purdy #13 leaves the field after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) 4 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: A Seattle Seahawks fan cheers during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) 5 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson does a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears, 31-7 . (Sarah Kloepping, Green Bay Press-Gazette) 6 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: Fans look on from the stands during the game between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game ended in a 27-27 tie . (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) 7 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: The mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jaxson de Ville, performs before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Jaguars won the game, 19-17 . (Nathan Ray Seebeck, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 8 / 37 NFL Week 5 highlights, standout performances and reactions Week 5: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on October 8, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) 9 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: Singer and songwriter Lainey Wilson dances with members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) 10 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: The San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders take the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. (Darren Yamashita, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 11 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: Seattle Seahawks fans hold cutouts of quarterback Sam Darnold prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field. (Joe Nicholson, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 12 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: Houston Texans mascot Toro and Superfan pose for a photo prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Reliant Stadium. (Thomas Shea, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 13 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders perform before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium. (Jonathan Dyer, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 14 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: A young fan of the Baltimore Ravens looks on before the start of the game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 15 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: Washington Commanders mascot Major Tuddy holds a camera during the second quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. (Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 16 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 3: Denver Broncos cheerleaders perform during the "Sunday Night Football" game against the Los Angeles Rams at Empower Field at Mile High.
Week 3: The Maracanã Stadium gets set to host the International Series game between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Week 3: Corgi dog competitions take place during halftime of the game between the Detroit Lions and New York Jets at Ford Field.
Week 3: A fan looks on during warmups prior to the game between the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
Week 2: Singer Taylor Swift watches the game between the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 2: The Canadian and U.S. anthems are sung during a pregame ceremony before the "Thursday Night Football" game between Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills at new Highmark Stadium.
Week 1: Singer Taylor Swift and actor Tom Cruise attend the "Monday Night Football" game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 1: Fans arrive ahead of the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers won the first NFL game played in Australia, 27-7 .
Week 1: Kim Thayil of Soundgarden and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam perform during halftime of the 2026 NFL Kickoff Game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
Gesicki is on bye this week, and next week we see the Buffalo Bills , Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders , and Jacksonville Jaguars on their bye weeks. That means Dalton Kincaid, Oronde Gadsden, Chig Okonkwo and Brenton Strange are not playing. Are those elite tight ends? No, but if you have one of them, you might want to grab Gesicki now, so you don't have to fight for a replacement tight end with FAAB bids. He has a lower 9.1% target share, but a team-high 42.9% goal-line target share, which brings that sweet touchdown upside.
I have no idea what the Saints are doing with their backfield usage, and apparently, neither do they. Travis Etienne is on IR, Alvin Kamara is terrible at this point and CJ Donaldson is a non-factor. Miller has played on 26% and 31% of the snaps in the last two weeks, and has a 26.1% red zone rush share and 28.6% goal-line rush share. Both of those are the highest on the team with Etienne out, which does bring solid fantasy upside in a murky backfield situation.
Given the injuries the 49ers have dealt with, there has to be something we can do in fantasy. That means being ahead of the curve with Christian Kirk coming off of IR. To be clear, he hasn't been activated, and his timetable is unclear right now. But with Mike Evans routinely banged up, Deebo Samuel out and De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robins on IR, they simply need healthy bodies. If and when Christian Kirk comes back, he'll be an interesting waiver option in a high-powered offense.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football waiver wire lookahead: 5 players to stash now
Source: Sports
0 Comments