The Washington Commanders will be on their bye in Week 7, so the next time veteran running back Austin Ekeler will take the field will be in Week 8 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. The 31-year-old running back does not have much fantasy upside now that he is on the wrong side of 30, but he is on the waiver-wire radar in deep fantasy football leagues this week after the Commanders placed Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) on Injured Reserve. With Croskey-Merritt out in the Monday night loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Ekeler played only 10% of the offensive snaps for the second straight week and had just one carry for three yards. He added two catches on two targets for four yards. In three games played so far in 2026, Ekeler has only eight rushing attempts for 31 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and four receptions for 30 yards through the air. There could be some more opportunities for Ekeler as long as JCM is out, but Jeremy McNichols just returned from an IR stint and will also battle for touches behind Rachaad White. Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 3 of last year and is no longer the slippery and elusive RB in space that he once was.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's fantasy football value hit rock bottom when he lost out to Kyler Murray in Minnesota earlier this year, but the New York Giants swung a trade for him after Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury, and now he potentially has a chance to start under center for the G-Men in the Week 7 contest against the Houston Texans. The 23-year-old replaced a struggling Jameis Winston on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints and made the game interesting, going 11-for-21 passing for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Giants have not revealed their plan at the QB position yet for this weekend against Houston, but there have been rumors that it will be McCarthy making his first start of 2026. The former 10th overall pick from Michigan missed his entire first year in the NFL due to a knee injury that required surgery, and he fell flat with poor accuracy, decision-making, and injuries in his first year as the starter in Minnesota in 2025. A change of scenery might just be what the doctor ordered for a McCarthy turnaround, and while he may not have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison anymore, he has plenty of weapons in the passing game in New York as well. Fantasy managers in two-QB superflex leagues should be interested in adding McCarthy for depth.

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble caught all four of his targets for the second straight week for 46 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season on Sunday in the 25-14 win over the hosting Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. The 26-year-old played 68% of the offensive snaps, more than both Mitchell Evans and Darren Waller, coming out of the Week 5 bye, and he now has exactly four targets in each of the last three games. The Panthers' offense has looked much better early on this year, but Tremble still is not getting the type of volume that fantasy managers should really be chasing on the waiver wire, outside of deep two-TE leagues. Tremble has never proven to be much of a fantasy-relevant tight end in his five-plus years in the NFL, never going over 27 catches, 249 yards, or three touchdowns in a single season. He has 15 catches on 19 targets through five games in 2026 for 128 yards and two scores. Waller did not have a single reception against the Eagles, but he should still be considered the team's best red-zone weapon at the TE position as long as he is healthy.

New England Patriots rookie third-round tight end Eli Raridon has clear pass-catching potential at the position in just his first year in the league, but Hunter Henry's presence makes him a volatile, touchdown-dependent TE2/3 option every week. The 22-year-old from Notre Dame popped for a five-catch, 57-yard game on Oct. 11 in a blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and he has played nearly 60% of the offensive snaps in each of the last three games. Through his first five NFL games, Raridon has caught nine of his 12 targets for 112 yards and one touchdown, while Henry has 19 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 24 targets in six games. If anything were to happen to Henry, Raridon could immediately have TE1 upside in an ascending offense led by young quarterback Drake Maye. Raridon has torn his ACL twice, but his pure athleticism and pass-catching ability are what make the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder interesting as a keeper stash.