Week 6 Fantasy Football Reactions & Injuries + Early Week 7 Waiver Wire (Ep. 2274)

After returning from injury with some early drops that got in his head, AJ Brown is expected to be fine going forward; Jalen Hertz assesses his recovery outlook at 90% confidence, noting he'll shake off the rust and return to form as the primary target.

Jalen Hertz is not panicking on AJ Brown despite recent hand drops, rating his concern at 1 out of 10. Hertz notes that unless Brown gets benched like Cam Scadaboo for mistakes, the drops are not a major concern. Hertz loves Brown's target volume and plans to take him in a bet next week, indicating confidence in his continued role and production.

At 41-42 years old, playing the best football since tearing his Achilles; last four weeks: 22.6, 22, 22, and 16 points (three straight 20-point performances). Jalen Hertz notes that if you average his last four weeks, he'd be fourth among quarterbacks behind Allen, Purdy, and Goff, just ahead of Joe Burrow. The Steelers offense, which Hertz thought would be poor heading into the year, has been good. Hertz says if you've had problems at quarterback, Rodgers might be your answer, and he's better than Tyler Shuck (playing with a broken hand), better than Patrick Mahomes, and better than Justin Herbert and Bo Nix. Next week he plays the Saints in Paris.

Alec Pierce is on IR for the Colts; his return would help clear opportunity for Josh Downs and provide another receiving option in the Colts offense.

Jalen Hertz notes that Blake Corum has been in and out of the lineup, playing the last two weeks but being out before that. This inconsistent usage pattern suggests Corum's role remains uncertain and he may not be a reliable fantasy option until his playing time stabilizes.

Jalen Hertz uses Caleb Williams' injury as a comparable for Saquon Barkley's moderate-severity injury profile in terms of expected return timeline and recovery pattern.

Seven targets, six catches, 70 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis; Jalen Hertz notes Tate had 70% of Cam Ward's 102 passing yards in this game, and similarly dominated target share in his other good game (110 of 212 yards). Hertz loves Tate's talent but is lukewarm on him overall due to the poor quarterback situation with Ward, who looks ineffective and may not be long for the job. Hertz would consider selling high on Tate in redraft leagues given the QB uncertainty, though he's a buy if available on waivers for those with weaker receivers like Makai Lemon or Wicks.

Carson Steele, who was getting some passing work in the Eagles backfield, left with a shoulder injury; part of a depleted running back room.

Jalen Hertz strongly recommends trading wide receiver depth (Buka or Burden) straight up for Chase Brown, calling him a potential game-changer. Hertz notes that Chase Brown has been significantly better in the second half of the year for the past two years, though he acknowledges utilization concerns with the Bengals backfield. Despite the rough start, Hertz would make either trade without hesitation.

Struggling the past couple of weeks with tough matchups (Vikings) and Tyler Shuck playing with a broken hand and offensive line injuries. Jalen Hertz rates panic at a 3, noting that Olave is fairly QB-proof and the Saints play fast, creating games where they run up and down the field. Hertz expects the offense to improve when Etienne returns. He's less concerned about Olave than Juwan Johnson.

Jalen Hertz expresses some panic about Olave following a down performance but expects the Saints offense to improve when Etienne returns. Hertz rates his panic level at 3 out of 10, suggesting minimal concern despite the recent underperformance. The fast-paced Saints offense should generate games where they run up and down the field, supporting Olave's long-term outlook.

Six receptions, 65 yards and a touchdown in Caleb Williams' first start; Jalen Hertz had ranked Loveland low (14 or 15) heading into this game because of his poor performance earlier in the season despite the high draft pick, but Loveland is back now that Caleb Williams is back and the offense is humming. Hertz is back in on Loveland given the improved quarterback play and offensive rhythm.

Did not have terrible Week 6 performance. Jalen Hertz suggests slight downgrade with Jalen Hurts out for four weeks, but less severe than secondary receivers because tight ends are performing well league-wide this year. Remains a viable option but faces some production risk with backup QB Tanner McKee.

Scored late touchdown in Week 6 but will be downgraded as secondary Eagles receiver with Jalen Hurts out for four weeks. Jalen Hertz expects secondary Eagles pass-catchers to see reduced production with backup QB Tanner McKee, though McKee's first start was not terrible. Smith and Saquon Barkley remain primary options, but secondary receivers like Smith face downgrade risk.

15 targets this week; Jalen Hertz notes that while he's never been a huge DK Metcalf guy, the utilization has been fantastic for him all year, even though it hasn't always translated to production. Metcalf won contested situations against Parrish, particularly in the fourth quarter and overtime. Hertz sees him as a viable option given the improved Steelers offense and consistent target volume.

Big performance in the Giants' chaotic game where Jameis Winston was benched for J.J. McCarthy. Jalen Hertz notes that Likely has been awesome this year overall, but he's not expecting those type of performances to repeat next week against Houston.

Threw for 243 yards in approximately 11 minutes of game time in the fourth quarter and overtime after replacing Jameis Winston, including an early interception. Jalen Hertz notes that while McCarthy's performance was impressive, garbage-time stats can be misleading—teams play defense differently when up big. Hertz thinks the Giants should start McCarthy next week at Houston but would be cautious, noting that if McCarthy starts, he might see something like 13 completions on 27 attempts for 119 yards. Houston's defense has been terrible this year despite being expected to be good.

Hurts placed on IR with blood clot; best-case scenario involves superficial clot dissolving over six weeks with ongoing monitoring; worst-case requires blood thinners for 6–12 weeks (typically closer to 12), potentially ending his season since blood thinners are incompatible with football due to head-injury bleeding risk. Eagles have not released detailed timeline, but outlook ranges from four-week absence to season-ending depending on clot depth and treatment protocol.

Blood clot risk is present but not high; Jalen Hertz notes the injury had identifiable causes (cleating and long flight to/from London) rather than unexplained etiology, which lowers recurrence risk. Not anticipated to be career-threatening or career-ending; expected to return Week 1 next year without issue regardless of 2024 outcome.

Benched in the fourth quarter for J.J. McCarthy after a poor performance; Jalen Hertz notes that Jameis has made his career in garbage time, and while McCarthy's fourth-quarter performance was impressive, it's unclear if the Giants should go back to Winston. Hertz thinks they should start McCarthy next week but acknowledges the uncertainty.

Jalen Hertz believes Jalen Warren remains the lead back for Pittsburgh even with Jaylen Dadle's return, citing Warren's usage as a closer in overtime and Rogers' preference for dumping off to him on short routes. Hertz expects Dadle to eat into Warren's workload and potentially vulture goal-line touches, but maintains Warren is still the primary guy. Warren's role was always going to be a split once Dadle returned, not the 90% snap share he had been receiving.

Jonathan Taylor is essentially the only consistent offensive weapon for the Colts; the offense is 'all kind of Jonathan Taylor and nobody else,' making him the focal point despite overall offensive dysfunction.

Josh Downs has disappointed so far this season; with Tyler Warren now out, the middle of the Colts offense clears for him, which should theoretically create an uptick in opportunity; however, Daniel Jones and the overall Colts offense are not performing well, and the offense is essentially Jonathan Taylor and nobody else, limiting Downs' ceiling despite improved opportunity.

Jalen Hertz rates panic higher on Juwan Johnson than Chris Olave, noting that at 30 years old there's not much upside there. Hertz thinks Johnson's hot start with touchdowns might just fade, and there are tight ends on the waiver wire you can add instead. If you're starting Juwan Johnson, you've probably never been married to him.

Jalen Hertz notes Johnson is 30 years old with limited upside; his recent touchdown production appears to be a hot start that will fade rather than a sustainable trend. Hertz rates panic on Johnson lower than on Olave, suggesting Johnson's role is less concerning than his age and declining trajectory.

Keenan Allen is the Colts' main receiver at this point with Alec Pierce on IR and Tyler Warren out; Jalen Hertz would move him up in rankings somewhat, though begrudgingly, given the overall dysfunction of the Colts offense under Daniel Jones.

Three touchdowns over the last two weeks; Jalen Hertz notes that Pitts' usage really improved this week with less Charlie Warner and specifically more snaps on 11 personnel. Last week against Baltimore he had five catches for 42 yards and a score, then five for 16 and two scores this week. Hertz is back in on Pitts now that Penix is the quarterback and the offense is better.

Jalen Hertz notes that Kyler Murray has still been good despite the Rams' poor performance this week, suggesting Murray's individual production remains solid even as the team struggles. This indicates Murray should continue to be a reliable fantasy option moving forward.

Lad McConkey is a buy-low candidate despite injury concerns; he has a concussion (expected to sideline him ~1 week, with the Chargers' bye coming up, so he should return Week 8), plus prior rib and foot injuries that will have time to heal during the bye. Scott notes the Chargers' poor team performance means garbage-time volume for McConkey, making him a smart add if your bench is deep enough and your WR room is already solid.

Jalen Hertz does not want roster exposure to Makai Lemon as secondary Eagles receiver with Jalen Hurts out for four weeks and backup QB Tanner McKee starting. Recommends downgrading or dropping in most league formats, with waiver wire alternatives preferred unless in very deep leagues with no wire options.

Jalen Hertz expresses concern about Matthew Stafford's mobility and overall performance, noting that Stafford is not moving well and looked terrible in the Rams' recent loss. While Hertz expects performance to improve beyond this week, he acknowledges the concerning trend and suggests caution regarding Stafford's fantasy outlook.

11 snaps in Week 6 after getting word 30 minutes before kickoff that he would be way more involved at the expense of Cam Saunders, following Saunders' fumble on a game-winning drive last week. Jalen Hertz understands the punishment aspect but notes this is at the detriment of the team's performance.

Seven targets, six receptions, 103 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from IR; Jalen Hertz was always on the Omar Cooper side over Adonai Mitchell and had dropped Cooper after Mitchell went nuclear early, but Mitchell's broken finger injury and subsequent surgery led Hertz to drop Mitchell instead. With Garrett Wilson and Brees Hall still to return, there are many moving pieces, but Hertz is buying on Cooper in deeper leagues. He notes that rookies typically improve in the second half of the year, though the Jets' slow-playing offense creates volatility.

Jalen Hertz notes that this was Puka Nakua's first full game played this season, suggesting he may have been dealing with injury or limited usage. Despite the Rams' poor offensive performance, Nakua's full participation indicates he is healthy and should be monitored for increased production going forward.

Romeo Dobbs left with a shoulder injury after scoring a touchdown; the injury appears to be an AC joint sprain from falling hard on the tip of his shoulder; AC joint sprains are often played through, with about a quarter of wide receivers playing even the following week, usually with an injection.

Dobbs left Week 6 game early with a shoulder injury.

Jalen Hertz does not recommend picking up Roshon Johnson for most leagues, noting that Comon should be back next week. However, Hertz acknowledges Johnson had nice usage in his recent game and suggests he might be worth a waiver claim in very deep leagues as a handcuff in case of injury to the primary backs (Irving Pollard or Ramondre Stevenson).

Saquon suffered a soft tissue injury with re-injury risk being the real concern; Jalen Hertz suggests Eagles management should consider slow-playing him to minimize re-injury risk and avoid tanking his trade value if re-aggravated in-season; data slightly favored the following week for return, but re-injury risk remains elevated.

Barkley has missed the last couple of weeks, including Week 6, due to ongoing injury.

Moderate-severity injury suffered early in Week 5; data favors return either Week 7 or Week 8, with Week 8 slightly more likely. Similar injury profile to Caleb Williams. Re-injury risk is the primary concern; Jalen Hertz suggests Eagles management should consider slow-playing his return to minimize re-injury risk and protect trade value if re-aggravation occurs in-season. Running backs typically show usage ramp-up over ~2 weeks post-return rather than immediate efficiency dip.

Backup QB started Week 6 against team coming off bye with extra prep time for Eagles. Performance was not terrible in first start, but Jalen Hertz notes Eagles' issues extend beyond quarterback play to offensive line and play-calling. McKee's debut does not guarantee secondary receiver production recovery.

Jalen Hertz expects Tanner McKee to start most games for the Eagles unless he plays terribly, given his familiarity with the offense. Hertz notes that McKee has been with the team for a long time and knows the system, making him the likely starter if Jalen Hurts misses significant time due to blood clots (estimated 6-12 week timeline, closer to 12 weeks).

Nine offensive snaps in the London game but they were meaningful snaps; Jalen Hertz notes that Hunter is primarily a defensive player (62 defensive snaps) and is the best wide receiver on the Jaguars including Parker Washington, but the team needs him more in the secondary. Hertz says with nine snaps, it guarantees close to nothing in terms of fantasy production. He recommends adding him only in really deep leagues if you want to monitor if his offensive snaps tick up, but in normal leagues, let somebody else use their FAB on him. Hertz's plan is to put in a zero dollar claim and try to trade him.

Tyler Warren tweaked his groin in practice on Friday and did not play; he had a groin injury in the preseason, making this a re-aggravation; re-aggravations of groin strains average about three weeks out, so this is most likely a multi-week injury; re-aggravations tend to be more severe than the original injury and carry high re-aggravation risk going forward, so he would likely miss at least another week.

Warren tweaked his groin during Friday practice and missed Week 6 as a result.

Will Shipley is on IR; part of a depleted Eagles running back room with Saquon dealing with soft tissue injury and re-injury risk concerns.