Welcome to Week 5 of the 2025 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: Let's play a little game called WR Triage. Here are the wounded.
Pick one situation to discuss.
Which established starter is helped and/or hurt the most by the absence of the receiver you've chosen?
Jason Wood: Admittedly, Cam Skattebo is an "established starter" in the loosest sense of the word, but the Giants are hardly a roster stacked with proven fantasy assets. The logic here is that between Skattebo's strong start to the season, Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s injury, and Jaxson Dart's elevation, the pieces are in place for Skattebo to emerge as a league winner, particularly in points-per-reception (PPR) formats.
We have only seen Dart throw 20 passes, so uncertainty abounds. But the loss of Malik Nabers will allow opposing defenses to tighten up at the line of scrimmage and sit on short and intermediate routes. How does that help Skattebo? Increased defensive pressure and tighter coverage on Wan'Dale Robinson's preferred routes will force Dart to dump the ball off to Skattebo more often.
David Zacharias: Jaylen Waddle is the next man up. Hill's 7.2 targets per game have to go somewhere. It's not like the 1-3 Dolphins will need to throw the ball any less -- they've surrendered the fifth-most points to their opponents through four games.
Waddle has the highest reception percentage (73.9) of any of Miami's wide receivers. He's been targeted only six fewer times (23) than Hill.
Corey Spala: De’Von Achane should benefit from the absence of Hill. He should continue to be a focal point of the offense and now the undisputed leader.
Achane had his second career game with over 20 rushing attempts against the Jets, but a season-low two targets. He should still see his typical target share now, with potential for an increase.
Achane has averaged 5.1 when playing over 50 percent of snaps and averaged 11.8 rushing attempts. Having the ball matters, so he averaged 4.1 receptions, which totals 15.9 times he has the ball in his hands per game on average.
Achane can continue to be a threat in the run game while adding to his versatility as a receiving option. He has been lining up in the slot or out wide since last season; this is not a dink-and-dunk situation.
If it were, it would not matter when you have the shiftiness and ability to make defenders miss when the ball is in your hands. I am optimistic Achane will see an uptick in touches, regardless of how they are provided.
Will Grant: With the loss of Nabers, I would expect that Darius Slayton would become the top receiving option for the Giants. This week aside, the Giants are going to be playing from behind for most of the season. That means a lot of throwing and some potential garbage time.
Slayton has the size and experience to be the top option for a team that will be looking for anyone to lift their offense. Wan'Dale Robinson is more of a short-yardage receiver than a deep ball threat, and Slayton has averaged 15 yards per catch for most of his seven-year career.
The other person who stands to benefit would be tight end Theo Johnson. As Jaxon Dart has already been given the starting job, and without his No. 1 wideout and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. out for an unknown amount of time, Dart is going to need a nice safety blanket like Johnson to dump the ball off to when the offensive line fails him. I expect Johnson to have four or five targets a week, including a few in the red zone like he did against the Chargers this week.
Jeff Haseley: I see Jaylen Waddle taking a big step forward with increased volume coming his way. He would be the biggest name who would benefit the most from Hill's.
In the only game that Hill missed with the Dolphins, Waddle was a key contributor with 8 receptions for 142 yards and 1 touchdown. Those numbers will be tough to duplicate consistently, but it seems clear that he will see an immediate bump in volume, which is excellent news for fantasy managers.
Josh Fahlsing: David Njoku has run the third most routes for Cleveland after Jerry Jeudy and, you guessed it, Cedric Tillman. Njoku has only seen 21 targets on 125 routes so far this year, while essentially splitting the tight end production with rookie Harold Fannin Jr.
Cleveland is set to start Dylan Gabriel at quarterback going forward, and I think the veteran tight end could not only soak up some of the looks that went to Tillman, but could serve as a nice security blanket for the rookie quarterback.
Gary Davenport: If there was ever a time for Jerry Jeudy to get going after a WR54 start over the first month of the season, now would appear to be it. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn’t see a sizable bump in target share. But he’s also going to see added attention from defenses, and the insertion of rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel adds uncertainty under center in Cleveland to the mix.
Matt Montgomery: Waddle has consistently shown he can produce when the conditions are right. Tyreek Hill's injury shifts the entire dynamic of the Dolphins' offense. With an already struggling unit, Miami will likely consolidate its passing game, leading to a natural increase in targets for Waddle. This boost in volume raises both his fantasy floor and ceiling.
The offense will likely lean heavily on the run, prompting defenses to stack the box and create more one-on-one opportunities for Waddle on the outside. Additionally, the emergence of Darren Waller as a reliable target in the passing game could draw defensive attention, further opening up opportunities for Waddle. Waddle has proven he can capitalize on these matchups, making him a sneaky breakout candidate for the rest of the season if he stays healthy.
Waldman: Now, which reserve or low-end contributor could emerge as a viable fantasy asset?