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.This week, we will start with a veteran passer in a positive matchup and a dual-threat option who is coming off a season-best performance in Week 7. At wide receiver, I see two options with higher floors given their route tree and anticipated usage, plus I have an upside play, too. As usual, the running back spot is pretty lean, but there are some deeper-league targets. And we'll finish with a tight end seeing consistent volume and take a shot at a D/ST in a tough week to find quality matchups.QuarterbacksGeno Smith, New York Jets (25.4% rostered; vs. Raiders)Smith had 23.48 fantasy points last week against Miami (his second-highest total of the season) and he was really efficient with the ball, completing 76.7% of his throws. Smith finished with 287 yards and three touchdowns, plus the emergence of rookie wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. -- two straight games of 100 or more yards receiving -- gives the Jets a rising playmaker. On Sunday, it's a matchup with a Raiders defense ranking in the bottom five against quarterbacks, so let's get Smith in the lineup as a fringe QB1.Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins (9.1% rostered; at Patriots) Willis had a season-best 26.02 points against the Jets in Week 7, and while the passing numbers don't jump here, Willis did throw two touchdown passes in that game, and he brings a dual-threat element to the lineup. Willis has at least 37 yards rushing, eight carries and a touchdown in back-to-back games, and he finished with 74 yards on the ground in Week 5 versus the Bengals. He can be played as a superflex starter this week against the Patriots.Wide receiversRyan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys (19.3% rostered; vs, Cardinals)Flournoy has had double-digit fantasy points in three straight games. He has established himself as Dak Prescott's No. 3 option behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, so he provides a stable floor as a deeper-league target for Sunday's matchup versus the Cardinals.Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders (13.5% rostered; vs. Eagles)With Terry McLaurin (knee) out for the season, there is real opportunity here for Williams. The rookie is a savvy route runner, one who can find and settle in open space. Williams is scoring 7.4 fantasy PPG, but with increased usage, his numbers can rise as a middle-of-the-field option/outlet for Jayden Daniels.Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins (25.2% rostered; at Patriots)Douglas is your boom/bust WR3 this week versus New England. We know Miami is a low-volume throwing offense, but Douglas has the big-play ability to stretch the field. Last Sunday versus the Jets, in his first game since Week 2, Douglas saw only three targets, but he produced two touchdowns (on two receptions), finishing with 70 yards and a season-best 21 fantasy points. Douglas has now scored 14 or more points in two of three games played this season. If you need upside in the lineup this week, Douglas has it.Running backsJonah Coleman, Denver Broncos (41.5% rostered; vs. Chiefs)This Broncos' running back room is really crowded, but Coleman saw a bump in volume during the Week 7 win over the Cardinals. Coleman led the Broncos with 11 touches, compared to J.K. Dobbins' six and RJ Harvey's five, and he finished with 69 total yards. It was Coleman's first game back since Week 2 (ankle), but his overall usage this past Sunday does give him more value -- think deeper-league flex -- for the Week 8 home matchup versus the Chiefs.Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns (10.2% rostered; at Steelers)In his first game action since Week 1 (knee), Sampson scored 10.7 points last Sunday versus the Titans. Sampson rushed for 45 yards on six carries, plus he showed his ability as a receiver, catching three passes for 32 yards. Sampson will remain a change-of-pace No. 2 behind Quinshon Judkins, but he's explosive and elusive with the ball, which creates some upside for deeper-league managers Sunday in Pittsburgh.Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals (11.9% rostered; vs. Titans)It's time to start looking at Perine, no? Starter Chase Brown continues to struggle (3.5 YPC, one touchdown on the season), and he isn't creating explosive plays. While Perine saw only four carries against Baltimore last week, he did score on a goal-line attempt, plus he had 78 total yards and a touchdown (15.8 points) in Week 5 at Miami. With Brown's lack of production, I'd take a shot here and hope for Perine to see more usage against Tennessee on Sunday.Tight endBrenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (45.2% rostered; vs. Colts)We've written about Strange in this space multiple times, and it will continue due to the consistent volume he sees in the Jags' passing game. Strange has at least seven targets in three straight games, and he's scoring 13.2 fantasy PPG during that stretch. Strange has fringe-TE1 value in 10-team leagues this week against a Colts team that is already trading away starting talent. The rebuild is on in Indy.D/STDallas Cowboys (15.7% rostered; vs. Cardinals)The narrative on the Dallas defense hasn't been great this season, but there aren't many quality streaming options in Week 8. Plus, this Cowboys unit has multiple sacks and an interception in back-to-back games. So, I'll take it versus a Cardinals offense ranking in the bottom 10 in both scoring and yards per game.
