EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAt various points during the fantasy football season, injuries, bye weeks and breaking news can cause you to need reinforcements for your fantasy lineup. Every Friday throughout the 2026 NFL season, Matt Bowen will offer some late-week pickup options at each of the primary fantasy positions to help fill those holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.Because of that, this column will focus mostly on players rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.With four teams on a bye this week, we'll start with a pair of quarterbacks, one with a positive Sunday matchup and another who gives managers a higher level of upside due to his play style. I also have three receivers to look at and multiple tight ends. Now, it's really lean at the running back spot in deeper leagues, so I have just one pick this week (and the ceiling is low). As always, we'll finish with a D/ST to stream, and this unit has a Week 6 tilt versus an offense posting league-low numbers.QuarterbacksKirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders (45.2% rostered; vs. Bills)Cousins had a season-low 13.72 points in the Week 5 blowout loss to New England Patriots, but he gets a much more positive matchup at home this Sunday versus a Buffalo Bills defense ranking in the bottom five versus quarterbacks. Cousins has 20 or more points in three of five games played, and he has thrown multiple touchdown passes in four. He fits as a fringe QB1 in 12-team leagues or as a high-end QB2 in superflex formats.Jameis Winston, New York Giants (17.7% rostered; vs. Saints)Winston offers managers some upside due to his aggressive (and sometimes reckless) throwing mentality. Winston scored a season-high 25.74 points versus the Washington Commanders in Week 5, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns, plus he added 27 yards rushing. Winston has scored 18 or more points in back-to-back games, and he gets a Week 6 matchup against a New Orleans Saints defense ranking in the middle of the pack versus quarterbacks. Yes, Winston can turn the ball over (two interceptions in Week 4), but he also is more than willing to take shots down the field.Wide receiversKeenan Allen, Indianapolis Colts (38.4% rostered; vs. Titans)Allen stays in this space for the second straight week because of the consistent volume he is getting in the Colts' passing game. Allen has seen nine targets in back-to-back games, catching 11 of 18, and he scored a touchdown in Week 4 versus the Houston Texans. He stays in deeper-league lineups for this Sunday's matchup with a Tennessee Titans defense that ranks in the bottom half of the league versus wide receivers.Germie Bernard, Pittsburgh Steelers (39.8% rostered; at Buccaneers)With both Michael Pittman Jr. (IR) and Roman Wilson (finger) out for the Week 6 game in Tampa Bay, managers can play Bernard. In the Week 5 win over the Colts, Bernard scored a season-best 14.4 points, catching six of a team-high nine targets for 80 yards. Sure, Bernard worked the underneath areas of the field, but he also brought in two receptions of 20-plus yards, on a deep in-breaker and on a catch-and-run target. With the amount of pressure the Buccaneers bring on defense (40.4% blitz rate), Bernard should see targets as the outlet for Aaron Rodgers. Bernard has deeper-league WR3 value this week.Tre Tucker, Raiders (37.6% rostered; vs. Bills)Tucker is my deep-league flier this week in a matchup versus Buffalo. Tucker has at least four receptions in each of his last four games, and we know he has the vertical ability to separate at the third level of the field. Plus, this Bills defense has given up 22 receptions of 20 or more yards this season, the second most in the league. Worth a shot here if you need some big-play upside in the lineup.Tight endBrenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (39.6% rostered; vs. Texans)I don't love the matchup versus a Houston defense ranked in the top five versus tight ends, but I also can't ignore the recent surge in production/volume for Strange in this Jaguars offense. Strange has at least 13 points in back-to-back games, with seven receptions on eight targets in both. Strange will see the ball versus the Texans' zone coverages as the outlet for quarterback Trevor Lawrence, plus he will be deployed on seams and over routes. He's a fringe TE1 for me this week.Pat Freiermuth, Steelers (48.2% rostered; at Buccaneers)Managers can play the scoring upside with Freiermuth in the matchup with Tampa Bay. He had 21.5 points in the Week 5 win over the Colts, and he has caught at least one touchdown pass in three of five games. Freiermuth has emerged as a top red zone option for Rodgers this season, seeing five targets inside the 20-yard line.Running backsKendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (27.3% rostered; at Giants)Miller is one of the best Week 6 options available in deeper formats, simply because he gets carries. He saw a team-high 10 carries in Week 5 versus the Minnesota Vikings, and he scored a touchdown. Miller is expected to share the backfield duties again with Alvin Kamara and CJ Donaldson, so he should be viewed as only a low-ceiling option versus the Giants.D/STIndianapolis Colts (16.7% rostered; vs. Titans)I see the Colts as a matchup play with the Titans traveling to Indianapolis in Week 6. The Tennessee offense is at the bottom of the league in points per game (11.6) and yards per game (246.4), and the tape tells us that quarterback Cam Ward is still struggling with his throwing mechanics. Yes, the Colts are not taking the ball away at a high rate (two forced turnovers this season), but this unit has two or more sacks in four of five games.
