Andy Behrens
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Novelist, floor-slapper, writing at thedeepshot.com and @TheAthletic, 2X @ToutWars winner, original Fantasy Pros accuracy champ, @FSWA president.
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Articles by Andy Behrens
New England’s backfield committee is a fantasy nightmare, plus TNF injuries
The backfield of the New England Patriots was a relatively straightforward tandem in the season’s first month, involving only Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. As recently as Week 4 against Buffalo, those two combined for 30 touches and 116 scrimmage yards, which represented 100% of the team’s running back workload. Fantasy managers have learned to live with backfield tandems, of course, because this in now the way of the world. No big deal. The NFL is full of shared backfields.
Ranking potential WR trade options for the Rams with Davante Adams sidelined
If the Los Angeles Rams remain all-in on the current season as they appeared to be six weeks ago, then they pretty much have to trade for a wide receiver — and they need to do it soon. Davante Adams is expected to miss between six and 10 weeks after suffering a significant hamstring injury on Sunday. Replacement options on the team’s current roster include Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell.
Brian Thomas’ value is in the gutter. Could a trade change his fantasy fortunes?
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans gave us a great game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, loaded with fantasy goodies. The two teams combined for 838 total yards and 65 points. Both quarterbacks cleared 300 passing yards and seven different players finished with at least 40 receiving yards. Under shootout conditions like those, you might naturally assume that Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas would have been involved in some small way. But you’d be wrong.
Life after Jalen Hurts: Five QBs to target for rest-of-season fantasy success
Last Thursday, the Philadelphia Eagles ruled out quarterback Jalen Hurts for the Carolina game in Week 6 due to a superficial blood clot in his calf. On Saturday, Hurts was placed on injured reserve. So yeah, this all escalated quickly. On Sunday, the Eagles lost to the Panthers with backup QB Tanner McKee at the controls of the offense. McKee certainly wasn’t a disaster, but he directed only two scoring drives, completed just 57.8% of his throws and averaged 4.8 yards per attempt.
Can fantasy managers still trust Cam Skattebo? Omar Cooper taking off for Jets?
It feels inadequate to say that New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is in the doghouse. To Skattebo, the doghouse is a faraway dream. He’d love to get there. Skattebo has been relocated to a secure bunker located miles beneath the doghouse, accessible only by members of the Harbaugh family via biometric authentication. On Sunday, in a favorable matchup against a vulnerable New Orleans run defense, Skattebo played six snaps and received zero touches.
Week 6 Fantasy Wrap: Kenneth Walker’s record pace
featured William Purnell-Imagn Images Oct 18, 2026 • 22 minutes ago • Kenneth Walker was fantasy’s RB1 this week, and he’s on pace to rush for 2,261 yards this season, which would break the NFL record by 156 yards. Walker has finished as a top three fantasy back during four of five weeks this season, and he was the RB7 during the other. Kansas City’s offense continues to center around K9, especially with Rashee Rice out (Travis Kelce also suffered an ankle sprain Sunday).
Early fantasy fallout: Stroud feasts in London; Skattebo disappears in New York
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was unreasonably good against Jacksonville, as locked-in as we have seen him since … well, maybe since the Peach Bowl against Georgia in 2022. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Marvin Harrison Jr. was involved in that game, too. Stroud’s ball placement was absurd on Sunday. He finished 24-for-34 for 312 passing yards, three scores and one pick (his first of the year), but the numbers don’t fully tell the story.
Fantasy football Week 6: The injuries, lineup changes and roster moves that could save your Sunday
We have four NFL teams on bye this week — Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami, Minnesota — three of which employ elite fantasy assets. (Sorry, Dolphins. You tried.) Flex decisions have never been uglier. Your skills as a fantasy manager are about to be tested in new and terrible ways. But let’s not panic about a temporary shortage of good players. Everyone is dealing with the same difficulties. We’re here to guide you through a treacherous week. Onward to victory and whatnot.
With Josh Jacobs returning, don’t punt on MarShawn Lloyd just yet
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will be removed from the commissioner’s exempt list effective Monday, October 19 according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. Jacobs will be eligible to practice and play in Week 7. But the NFL is keeping the Jacobs investigation open and is expected to suspend Jacobs, but for how many games hasn’t been decided, according to Schneidman. In fantasy, this is a relatively straightforward situation.
Don’t you dare trade these 2 players in fantasy football. If anything, buy high
Jaylen Warren was already having a phenomenal season before he erupted for 188 total yards and two long touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s Week 5 win over Indianapolis. In the aftermath of Sunday’s performance, Warren was the overall RB9 in fantasy. He ranked sixth in the league in rushing yards (410), third in yards from scrimmage (640) and tied for sixth in receptions among all running backs (19). He’s averaging an absurd 7.2 yards per touch.
Starts & Sits Week 6: Rhamondre Stevenson gets a boost
featured Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Oct 16, 2026 • 12 hours ago Quarterback Starts Tyler Shough @ New York Giants Shough is coming off a nightmare game, but it came against a Vikings’ defense allowing the fewest QB fantasy points by a significant margin. Shough has been a huge beneficiary of volume, but the Saints ran just 43 plays last week, which were the third fewest by any team this season.
Eagles’ Week 6 fantasy outlook without Jalen Hurts: Bleak and uninviting
The Philadelphia Eagles have ruled out quarterback Jalen Hurts for the upcoming matchup with the Carolina Panthers due to a superficial blood clot in his calf. It is not yet known how much time Hurts might miss beyond Week 6. This news, of course, is yet another terrible development for a disappointing two-win team that’s now without several key starters on offense.
Malik Nabers has become a slot machine, and his fantasy managers have hit the jackpot
Yeah, OK, maybe the cheat code discovered by the Giants is simply the fact that star receiver Malik Nabers can be targeted 20 times in a game, as happened last Sunday. No rule prevents all pass attempts from going to a single player. It’s tough to have a bad day when you are peppered with opportunities. But it’s the particular way in which New York deployed Nabers last week that was so exciting.
Run, don’t walk, to stash this fantasy sleeper before it’s too late
Hey, go pick up Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane right now, this instant, while he can still be stashed in an IR spot on your fantasy roster. No need to continue reading this post, honestly. The rest is simply background. We know your time is valuable. The important stuff is up above in the very first sentence. Make the add. Lane is a third-round rookie receiver from USC who was an absolute revelation in training camp and preseason. He delivered daily highlights, some of them cartoonish.
How NFL trade deadline sellers could shake up fantasy football
Trade season is already very much underway in the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants got us started back in September when quarterback J.J. McCarthy was dealt for a future fifth-round draft pick. This week, the Arizona Cardinals flipped lightly-targeted receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans. The league’s trade deadline won’t actually hit for another month, but teams are not wasting time when needs become obvious.
Fantasy Football Ranks, Week 6
Four teams are on bye this week and dozens of players are injured, but someone still has to win your fantasy matchup. It might as well be you, champ.
Caleb Williams could return in Week 6, making it a good time to buy low on Bears
Chicago Bears fans woke up on Monday with a desperate need for good news following the previous day’s non-competitive loss at Green Bay. Happily, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was looking out for them. Rapoport reported on “Good Morning Football” that “all signs point to Caleb Williams being back on the field this week for Chicago.” The Bears travel to Atlanta for a Week 6 matchup with a defense that’s allowed only 6.2 yards per attempt to opposing passers, the fifth-lowest rate in the league.
Michael Penix injured late in loss to Ravens, a potential fantasy football disaster
The Baltimore Ravens pulled off an absolute heist on Sunday night, winning a game in which they trailed by 8 points inside the final three minutes. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley was flawless when it mattered most over his team’s final two drives, completing his last 11 pass attempts. It was an improbable win that felt slightly more probable because Atlanta was on the other side.
Justin Jefferson returns, elevating Kyler Murray, the Vikings and fantasy football lineups
The Minnesota Vikings entered the week as this season’s weirdest and least entertaining undefeated team. The quarterback play has been forgettable, the receivers have been hurt and the run game relentlessly league-average. The Vikings were winning mostly because defensive coordinator Brian Flores is a sinister genius and kicker Will Reichard is a robot with a megaleg who refuses to miss. On Sunday, however, Minnesota looked like a serious problem for the rest of the NFL.
Week 5 Fantasy Wrap: Drake Maye’s Resurgence
featured David Butler II-Imagn Images Oct 11, 2026 • 14 minutes ago • Drake Maye was fantasy’s QB31 over the first three games, but he’s been the QB1 in back-to-back weeks despite missing AJ Brown. Maye posted the second-highest fantasy score by a quarterback this season Sunday while delivering beautiful deep balls we grew accustomed to last year. Maye’s slow start is but a distant memory now. • TreVeyon Henderson left with an ankle injury, while Rhamondre Stevenson fought through his ailments.
Early fantasy fallout, Week 5: Jayden Daniels returns, runs wild against Giants
Every NFL game that ends in a tie is, for some reason or other, the dumbest, craziest game you have ever seen. The Washington Commanders and New York Giants just delivered such a game — a 27-27 tie that felt like a loss for each side. Fantasy-wise, it was a delight. Washington QB Jayden Daniels reestablished himself as his team’s best and most explosive rushing threat, running for 103 yards, with a pair of long scores, on just nine carries.
Three rules for fantasy football trading season, plus drop these two big-name QBs
Let’s hope you dodged the Bucky Irving fantasy wrecking ball Thursday night. But even if Bucky got you, don’t panic. Concede nothing. It’s gonna take more than 31.5 points to win this week’s matchup. On this team, we fight for every inch. We have our second European game this week, an ongoing nightmare for the West Coast fantasy managers. The Eagles and Jaguars are meeting tomorrow in London, which, for NFL purposes, is basically Jacksonville East.
Report: Marvin Harrison Jr. to be traded, will be inactive against Detroit
What a brutal twist for fantasy managers who remained committed to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. You’d surely been eying the upcoming matchup with Detroit’s league-worst pass defense, hoping Harrison might take a small step toward reclaiming his diminished fantasy value. Instead, according to a Saturday report from ESPN’s Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter, Harrison will be inactive against the Lions while details of a trade are finalized.
Even in Titans’ fantasy wasteland, Carnell Tate emerges as a must-have player
Tennessee Titans rookie receiver Carnell Tate caught nine passes for 145 yards on a dozen targets last week against Baltimore, establishing new single-game highs across the board. He also fumbled twice in the first half, one of which was recovered by the Ravens, a decisive hinge point in Tennessee’s loss. So we won’t pretend Tate had a flawless afternoon. Still, he was responsible for 145 of quarterback Cam Ward’s 222 passing yards. It was an undeniable breakout performance, fumbles notwithstanding.
Starts & Sits Week 5: Dalton Kincaid in Primetime
featured USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Oct 9, 2026 • 14 hours ago Quarterback Starts Jared Goff @ Arizona Cardinals Goff hasn’t been home dependent over the last two years, and he gets a fast-paced matchup indoors this week. The Lions own a league-high 30.5-point team total, and the Cardinals have allowed the fifth most fantasy points to quarterbacks despite facing Justin Herbert, Drew Lock and Jameis Winston. Jacoby Brissett vs.
Bears QB Caleb Williams looking ‘spry,’ but still not practicing
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has not officially practiced since suffering a grade 2 hamstring strain (and becoming a meme) against the Vikings back in Week 2. Williams has not been completely inactive, however: This is one of the first unambiguously positive updates on Williams since the injury occurred.
Justin Jefferson returns to practice, hopeful to face Saints on Sunday
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday, a welcome development for an offense that’s been uncommonly reliant on its kicker to handle all the scoring. Jefferson was sidelined by an ankle injury in last week’s 15-10 win over Miami.
Tee Higgins practices with Bengals Wednesday, fantasy managers exhale
Few of us were expecting good news on Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers on Wednesday, but it arrived nonetheless. Tee Higgins was able to practice in a limited capacity after sustaining an adductor injury on Sunday. Any level of practice availability on a Wednesday is typically a great sign for a player. Ja’Marr Chase is still navigating the concussion protocol and could not participate in the first session of the week.
Fantasy football intel: Could the Patriots’ RB picture get murkier?
The New England Patriots reportedly brought in free agent running back Jamaal Williams for a workout earlier this week, which is either nothing at all — just kicking the tires on a respected and well-liked veteran — or it suggests RB Rhamondre Stevenson’s late-game limping on Sunday was indicative of an actual problem. Williams is 31 and hasn’t appeared in a game since 2024, but also isn’t retired.
Fantasy Football Ranks, Week 5
featured Tork Mason - Green Bay Press Gazette Oct 6, 2026 • 10:56 am We sincerely wish we could offer better names in the Week 5 rankings, but, unfortunately, injuries and broken offenses have made a mess of the player pool. It's rough out there, friends. Let's just try to patch together a lineup that can maybe score 110 points and knock off Ickey Shuffle so we can get this thing back on track at 2-3. Lotta nasty names in the ranks below. Please use responsibly, only with adult supervision.
Latest fantasy football news: Omarion Hampton, confirmed committee member
“Bad news, fantasy owners. Good news is I see all three of those (running backs) producing at a very high level. Bad news is I can’t tell you which games those are.” On Sunday at Seattle, Chargers running backs Keaton Mitchell, Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal shared the backfield responsibilities about as evenly as three players can. Mitchell played 26 snaps while the other two backs each played 25. Hampton scored on a goal-line carry, and Vidal found the end-zone as a receiver.
Have injuries made a mess of your fantasy football team? Now comes the fun
Some of you are probably thinking the current injury situation is much worse than anything we have previously experienced — orders of magnitude worse. Almost unimaginably bad. Beyond mere randomness. A cursed year in the NFL. Surely an individual fantasy manager is helpless against whatever dark forces control this season.
Week 4 Fantasy Wrap: CeeDee Lamb Explodes
featured Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Oct 4, 2026 • 21 minutes ago • CeeDee Lamb erupted for career-highs in targets (21) and catches (17) during the second biggest WR fantasy performance (41.3 PPR points) of the season. There were reports out of Dallas suggesting George Pickens was overtaking Lamb as Dallas’ WR1 during camp, but nothing could be further from the truth to open 2026.
Early fantasy fallout, Week 4: Saquon Barkley leaves; bad news brewing for Bengals WRs?
Another week, another first-round fantasy talent lost to injury. Saquon Barkley exited with a hamstring issue in the first quarter of Sunday’s matchup with the Rams and was eventually ruled out. Understudies Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley replaced Barkley, although neither made serious fantasy noise. Bigsby led the way with 14 carries for 55 yards. He’ll of course be a waiver priority this week, but we can’t view him as a one-for-one replacement for Barkley. Shipley is going to be more than a nuisance.
Fantasy football Week 4 inactives: Jayden Daniels, Rachaad White, Terry McLaurin all out
This story was updated at 8:09 a.m. ET Saturday to reflect Terry McLaurin’s status change. We get the first of the European games this week, when the Washington Commanders host the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Naturally, the injury situation is pretty bleak. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels is still recovering from a dislocation of his non-throwing elbow and was ruled out earlier in the week. Running back Rachaad White will also miss the game with a shoulder issue.
Fantasy football Week 4: The injuries, lineup changes and roster moves that could save your Sunday
So much for your Sunday routine. We get the first of the European games this week, with the Commanders hosting the Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Honestly, it feels a bit too on the nose for Tottenham to be hosting a pair of underwhelming two-loss teams, but I’m sure the arrangements were made long ago. Sunday’s action will kickoff at 9:30 a.m. ET. Please arrive early, so as to avoid a repeat of the Jaylen Warren-Kenneth Gainwell fantasy fiasco from last season.
Fantasy football Week 4 inactives: Jayden Daniels, Rachaad White out, Terry McLaurin unlikely
We get the first of the European games this week, when the Washington Commanders host the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Naturally, the injury situation is pretty bleak. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels is still recovering from a dislocation of his non-throwing elbow and was ruled out earlier in the week. Running back Rachaad White will also miss the game with a shoulder issue.
Philadelphia’s ‘new’ offense yields same old sad fantasy results
Three games into Sean Mannion’s tenure as offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, the team’s offense remains far less than the sum of its parts. Scandalously less, in fact. Despite having faced three defenses of questionable quality, the Eagles currently rank in the bottom-third of the league in both yardage and scoring — not unlike last year under exiled former OC Kevin Patullo.
Starts & Sits Week 4: Braelon Allen gets the call
featured Brad Penner-Imagn Images Oct 1, 2026 • 8:33 pm Quarterback Starts Tyler Shough vs. Atlanta Falcons Shough ranks first in pass attempts and fifth in designed run rate, making him the QB1 in expected fantasy points.
Assessing Week 4 fantasy football potential for Jalon Daniels, Bucs WRs. It’s bleak
The first member of the 2026 rookie quarterback class to start an NFL game will be Tampa Bay’s Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent signee out of Kansas. Just as we all expected. Daniels entered the Buccaneers’ Sunday loss to Minnesota inside the final minute, after Baker Mayfield dislocated his thumb. The results were pretty much what you’d expect from any rookie passer fed to a Brian Flores defense in desperation time: 0-for-3, one interception.
Fantasy Football Ranks, Week 4
And no, it won't get easier. The byes begin next week, at which point you will be flexing some truly horrifying names. The weekly ranks are never gonna look this good again.
Latest fantasy football news: McCarthy traded to Giants; Achane out for season
We can assume Winston will continue to start in the weeks ahead, but we should probably also assume McCarthy will eventually get an opportunity. He’s been a mostly terrible (yet situationally entertaining) player to watch to this point in his career. That previous sentence accurately describes both Winston and McCarthy. It had been assumed the Giants would make a move for another QB after losing Jaxson Dart for the season, so the McCarthy addition is not actually a huge surprise.
The injury update you were dreading arrived on Monday morning. Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, an injury that will obviously end his season. The timing is such that Achane has a realistic chance to recover by opening week in 2027. Ollie Gordon handled 20 touches in Achane’s absence against Kansas City, gaining 55 scrimmage yards and scoring a short touchdown.
Kenyon Sadiq forces his way into our fantasy football waiver plans
Breakout performances can take different forms. Some are more subtle than others. Occasionally, a breakout is loud and unmistakable, punctuated by cartoonish playmaking. New York Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq forced his way into our waiver plans this week with a monster performance against Detroit. Sadiq hauled in seven of his eight targets for 105 yards and one of the day’s most ridiculous touchdowns.
Week 3 Fantasy Wrap: Brock Purdy’s Hot Start
Sep 27, 2026 • 23 minutes ago • Brock Purdy’s white-hot start to the season continued, as he tossed four touchdowns and finished as fantasy’s QB1 despite dealing with more San Francisco injuries (Mike Evans and Trent Williams both left Sunday’s game). Purdy’s weapons are running thin, but he’s getting a ridiculous 9.5 YPA and behind only Josh Allen among fantasy quarterbacks over the first three weeks.
Early fantasy fallout: De’Von Achane. Breece Hall. Name someone, they’re probably injured
Each Sunday, the fantasy crew at The Athletic is active in the NFL live blog, delivering advice and observations. Here are the top developments that drew my attention during the early slate of games… De’Von Achane’s knee injury is the dominant fantasy story from the early games, no question. Miami’s star running back was in clear discomfort after an 11-yard run in the first-quarter.
Fantasy football actives and inactives, Week 3: Nico Collins out again; Puka Nacua iffy
If you think today is messy, just wait. Rosters will get so much uglier in two weeks when the byes begin. We’re gonna have just as many injuries to deal with, plus we’ll need to manage around the absence of entire NFL teams. So enjoy the abundance while you can, friends. How can you not love this game? One of the biggest injury situations remains unclear as we start Sunday, with Rams WR Puka Nacua’s status still up in the air after he missed Monday’s game against the Giants.
Fantasy football Week 3 intel: Injuries, last-minute roster moves and matchups to embrace
If you find yourself buried under a pile of Bijan Robinson fantasy points, don’t worry. We’re gonna dig you out. Honestly, this isn’t nearly as rough as last week, when Josh Allen had already dropped 40-plus on us Thursday. That was a genuine problem. This Bijan situation is merely a nuisance. We fight on. This article is from The Athletic’s NFL newsletter. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox. It’s free to subscribe.
Latest fantasy football news: Jayden Daniels’ sunnier, but still foggy, outlook
Editor’s note: This post was updated Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels isn’t cooked for 2026 and could be back within four weeks. Washington GM Adam Peters said during a Friday radio appearance that Daniels will not have surgery and won’t go on IR. The question for fantasy managers then is, now what?
Just give Brock Purdy his flowers already, in fantasy football or otherwise
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is once again the focus of a vigorous online debate about where his talent ends and Kyle Shanahan’s system begins. Purdy has a career record of 32-15 as a starter (5-3 in the postseason), and he’s averaged 8.6 yards per pass attempt, one of the highest rates in NFL history. He’s coming off a near-perfect game against Miami in which he went 20-for-22 with 287 passing yards and two touchdowns while also rushing three times for 30 yards and one score.
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