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Late-week injuries, suspensions, and unexpected coaching decisions with personnel can upend a fantasy lineup.
We've developed this feature to provide you with resources to help navigate potential player losses and stay ahead in free-agent bidding wars by securing an early look at the future fantasy flavor of the week.
As the author of the most comprehensive scouting analysis of skill players since 2006, I'm one of those resources—especially for players at the bottom of depth charts, practice squad hopefuls, and even the occasional case of the guy training at home with dreams of that phone call from an NFL team.
Every week, I'll walk you through the shortlist of players who will get their shot to contribute as replacements for players falling victim to unexpected late-week events.
I won't be updating this piece over the weekend, but you'll get the goods on players worth consideration, and based on the past three years, this column has offered a lot of quality short-term and long-term options — many of them as preemptive picks.
This is a partial list, but you get the point.
We'll examine three types of replacements:
- Players who get immediate playing time.
- Preemptive additions from your league's waiver wire.
- Options worth monitoring in case the established backup eventually misses time.
Many of these players are late-round picks and street-free agents. I'm not giving you obvious waiver candidates that will command a large percentage of your FAAB dollars. These are options you'll often find in your First-Come, First-Served section during the latter part of the week before kickoff.
If you think street-free agents won't be factors, talk to Jordan Mason last year. James Robinson would like to tell you about his 2020 campaign. And Raheem Mostert has time on his hands if you need a deeper consultation.
Past Replacements
Here's a running list with brief thoughts. I update how I have them categorized as the season unfolds.
Add Now
- Isaiah Bond: A recommendation to monitor last week, Bond made two excellent grabs last week and became the starter opposite Jerry Jeudy after Cedric Tillman injured his hamstring. You can read more about Bond (and Dillon Gabriel) in this week's Gut Check.
- Malik Washington: Tyreek Hill will miss this year and part of next year, and his career may be effectively over after dislocating his kneecap and tearing ligaments. Washington has been playing a bit part in the Dolphins' offense as a check-down extension of the ground game. If Washington shows the vertical prowess he displayed at Virginia, he'll become a hot property in fantasy football.
- Emari Demercado: A preemptive stash last week when James Conner got hurt, Demercado scored twice. As mentioned last week, Demercado can be the lead back, and Michael Carter can earn an active roster spot as the third-down back who provides a change of pace. I've always liked Carter's talent, and he's earning first-team reps late in the week. This could be a straightforward indication that Carter will start, but it could also be the Cardinals' way of re-acclimating Carter to the offense while intending to start Demercado. Both will have a role. I'm still leaning Demercado as the safest of the two.
- KaVontae Turpin: A speedster from TCU who is an electric return specialist, Turpin as the Lamb replacement might be overstating it for fantasy GMs, but the ceiling for Turpin as a big-play option is high enough to consider week-to-week.
- Luke McCaffrey: The second-year receiver's skills are a good mix of Terry McLaurin's and Noah Brown's. He can do a little bit of everything in the Commander's offense as the third option in this passing game. He has performed well enough to deliver some fantasy value.
- Bhayshul Tuten: The rookie's workload includes red-zone touches. He's Mr. Inside to Travis Etienne Jr.'s Mr. Outside in a Liam Coen offense that likes to run outside. Tuten could see a huge increase in value if Etienne falters.
Preemptive
- Brashard Smith: I moved Smith down from preemptive status to monitor last week after learning through Cris Collinsworth's conversation with Andy Reid that Reid doesn't believe Smith is big enough to handle the Chiefs' lead role at this time. The Chiefs announced this week that Smith will see more touches in the offense. It could still play out that Smith is no more than a receiving back, but the news returns Smith to preemptive status.
- Sean Tucker: A speedy cutback runner, consider Tucker a preemptive play with Bucky Irving out this week. The likely plan will be for Rachaad White to lead the way, but the staff likes Tucker and believes he has starter ability. If Tucker gets hot early, the Buccaneers could ride him for the duration of the game.
- Isaiah Davis: Consider Davis a luxury-level preemptive addition who can deliver as a runner and receiver. He has the size to start for the Jets if Breece Hall somehow follows Braelon Allen to the injured list.
- Zavier Scott: Labeled a monitor last week, Scott scored twice as a receiver who has rapport out of the backfield with Carson Wentz. Scott is a well-built back with perimeter rushing skills, size, and burst. He displaced Ty Chandler on the depth chart due to his special teams prowess.
Monitor
- Casey Washington: If called upon, Washington's ball-winning skill could make him a worthwhile late-week addition for desperate GMs.
- Chris Moore: A longtime veteran with stints with a variety of teams, including the Texans, Cardinals, and Ravens. He's an excellent contested-catch option at the boundary, but he's not as promising with other man-to-man routes. More is at his best with zone coverage.
- Kyle Monangai: The Bears are among the league leaders in yards before contact, but among the worst in yards after contact. Far and away, the only RB with relevant touches has been D'Andre Swift. Monangai's opportunities should be coming, but "should" is a dangerous word.
- Jake Browning: It has been a rough two weeks for Browning. Expect better weeks ahead if you chose Browning as your emergency QB2 in Super Flex formats.
Ignore
- Kimani Vidal: Omarion Hampton earned most of the backfield volume, and Vidal was deactivated this week.
- Cam Akers: Zavier Scott proved he could handle the big stage of the regular season, and it has made Akers expendable.
Week 5 Recommendations
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Add Now: RB Rico Dowdle (Panthers)
The Skinny on Dowdle: Dallas' leading rusher last year, Dowdle is a versatile back with contact balance, agility, and receiving skills who creates well between the tackles and in the open field. He'll lead the Panthers' backfield while Chuba Hubbard recovers from a calf injury.
Recommendation: If Dowdle is somehow still on your waiver wire, make room for Dowdle if you are desperate for running back points this week, and possibly the coming weeks ahead. Calf injuries can take time to heal and are easy to tweak.
Add Now: WR Kendrick Bourne (49ers)
The Skinny on Bourne: Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings are out this week. Bourne is the No. 3 receiver who now assumes one of the lead roles alongside Demarcus Robinson. While Robinson offers more big-play ability at the catch point along the lines of Jennings, Bourne is the better man-to-man route runner.
Bourne developed into a solid NFL contributor at the receiver position in San Francisco before having a stint with Mac Jones in New England. Now, both Bourne and Jones are starting for the 49ers this weekend. These points give Bourne the edge over Robinson as the safest addition for desperate fantasy GMs.
Recommendation: If you're seeking PPR volume, route diversity, and the potential for a big play on a deep shot, Bourne gives you the best chance. If you're hoping for 2-3 red-zone shots inside the opponent's 30-yard line, Robinson is that guy.
Add Now: QB Dillon Gabriel (Browns)
The Skinny on Gabriel: You can get strong detail on Gabriel's game in this week's Gut Check. The quick points:
- He reads the field well for a rookie.
- He can climb incrementally in the pocket against one point of pressure or a blitzer and find an open man.
- He has good placement with his passes in the short and intermediate range.
- Multiple points of pressure can derail his game and otherwise sound pocket management.
- His accuracy and placement wane beyond 35 yards.
Recommendation: Gabriel has a difficult test this week against a blitz-happy Vikings defense. If he can survive this weekend, Gabriel has a favorable schedule for the next 5-6 weeks in an offense where he theoretically is a strong fit.
With Isaiah Bond and Jerry Jeudy manning the outside and Harold Fannin Jr. and David Njoku on the inside, the Browns can force opposing defenses to abandon many disguises that can derail rookie quarterbacks. If the ground game with Quinshon Judkins is successful -- and the schedule is promising -- Gabriel might have a good statistical beginning to his NFL career as a fantasy QB2.
Preemptive: RB Michael Carter (Cardinals)
The Skinny on Carter: A longtime favorite of mine when he co-starred with Javonte Williams at North Carolina, Carter got labeled a passing-down back with the New York Jets because he's built more like Brian Westbrook and Jahmyr Gibbs but without their speed. Carter is an underrated runner between the tackles, but he has been labeled "too small" for long-term consideration as a starter.
Carter's greatest strength is his route running and receiving skills. Trey Benson's arthroscopic surgery will keep him out for multiple weeks. Carter has earned first-team reps in practice, and it's possible he could vault ahead of Emari Demercado as the Cardinals' starter, keeping Demercado in the change-of-pace role.
However, it's also logical -- at least to me -- that Carter's time on special teams limits his practice time with the offense, and the Cardinals are giving Carter first-team reps to get Carter's timing up to speed while still expecting to roll with Demercado as Benson's primary replacement.
Recommendation: If you have the luxury, add Carter and monitor how the snaps and touches are parsed in Arizona. He offers more potential weeks of viable fantasy value than Dowdle at the moment, but with a lower ceililng due to the presence of Demercado.
Preemptive: RB Trevor Etienne (Panthers)
The Skinny on Etienne: The rookie from Georgia by way of Florida is an underrated runner who has shown enough reps with explosive burst on tape that there's upside with his game. Etienne must prove he's comfortable with the Panthers' offense to play to his athletic ceiling.
Etienne can catch and set up blocks effectively, and he's sturdy enough for limited work between the tackles. Depending on how well he executes early in the game, Etienne could earn a substantial change-of-pace role to Rico Dowdle while Chuba Hubbard rehabs his calf injury.
Recommendation: If Dowdle gets hurt while Hubbard is still out, the confidence level the Panthers have in Etienne to handle the starting role could be too volatile to count on him. I would not yet presume Etienne is a player Dave Canales will roll with as the lead back if the depth chart thins out this much. I
t's a game-by-game assessment at this point, and the Panthers could bring in a free agent off the street to split snaps. Stay tuned. If you must take a chance on an RB and the names mentioned earlier in this article aren't available or viable, at least Etienne could get a shot to prove that he can handle a bigger opportunity.
Monitor: RB Khalil Herbert (Jets)
The Skinny on Herbert: An excellent runner, but not as reputable as anything more than a screen and check-down receiver from the backfield, Herbert has burst and starter-level decision-making between the tackles. I've always labeled Harbert a Dalvin Cook starter kit with more advanced cutting ability than Cook but not the power.
The Jets lost Braelon Allen for an extended period, and Isaiah Davis (see above) is the next man up if Breece Hall gets injured. New York signed Herbert in case one of Davis or Hall gets hurt.
Recommendation: Watch for an injury and act as needed.
Final Thought
Good luck!
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