Fantasy Football Daily Notes: Darren Waller exits MNF early, Josh Jacobs thriving
Read ESPN's fantasy football Daily Notes every weekday to stay caught up on the news you need to know and get a head start on the fantasy football content coming today and tomorrow to ESPN.com and the ESPN Fantasy App.
The news: Raiders TE Darren Waller exited Monday night's game against the Chiefs with a hamstring injury.
What it means in fantasy: Waller was forced to leave Monday night's game against Kansas City after just six plays because of a hamstring injury sustained early in the game. He left the field and returned to the sideline in street clothes to start the second half. Waller has accumulated only 16 receptions, 175 total yards and a touchdown in four starts and in the last two games, he's totaled only 10.6 fantasy points. Waller's injury isn't believed to be significant and he will most likely return to the lineup in Week 7 after the Raiders' bye.
The news: Raiders RB Josh Jacobs accumulated 193 total yards on 25 touches against the Chiefs on Monday night.
What it means in fantasy: Jacobs ran for a career-high 154 rushing yards against Kansas City as the Raiders' main source of offense. He has scored 30 or more fantasy points in consecutive games. Jacobs was the RB18 in our draft trends this summer. The Raiders are on a bye next week, but in Week 7 against the Texans he can be viewed as an RB1.
The news: Dolphins QBs Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater remain in concussion protocol.
What it means in fantasy: Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel offered updates about Tagovailoa and Bridgewater at the start of his Monday news conference. Tagovailoa is not ready for "football stuff" while Bridgewater remains in the protocol. Bridgewater seems like an early candidate to clear protocol, while Tagovailoa might be held out another week. If you need to plan for a quarterback streamer then you should prioritize Geno Smith or Carson Wentz.
The news: Bengals WR Tee Higgins is considered day-to-day with his ankle injury.
What it means in fantasy: Head coach Zac Taylor confirmed Higgins has an ankle sprain at the Monday press conference. He had been limited in practice and tried to play Sunday but was on the field for only 10 snaps and was not targeted. We'll keep an eye on his practice participation this week.
The news: Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported Panthers QB Baker Mayfield is dealing with a high ankle sprain.
What it means in fantasy: Following Sunday's loss to the 49ers, Mayfield wore a walking boot on his left foot. He hobbled to the sideline late in the first half but continued playing. P.J. Walker is most likely to start against the Rams in Week 6. He's not on the fantasy radar in most leagues considering the dismal Panthers offense.
Going deeper: The Panthers rank last in the league with 271.4 total yards per game and 24th with 18.6 points per game.
The news: Commanders WR Jahan Dotson was a non-participant in Monday's practice.
What it means in fantasy: Dotson continues to deal with a hamstring injury, and it looks like he'll miss more time. With a short week to prepare for Thursday's game, it seems unlikely he will be available. Dyami Brown made the most of Dotson's absence, catching two passes for 105 yards, both touchdowns. If Dotson is ruled out, he will be able to build on his breakout performance on Thursday night.
Going deeper: Dotson and Cooper Kupp are tied for second in the league with four receiving touchdowns. Dotson has played one fewer game than Kupp or league leader Stefon Diggs, who has five. With his quick feet and superb route-running, Dotson creates separation in the red zone and also excels at making contested catches.
The news: Ravens WR Rashod Bateman "might be back this week" according to head coach John Harbaugh.
What it means in fantasy: Bateman is dealing with a foot injury and missed Week 5's Sunday night game against the Bengals. Devin Duvernay filled the void as the Ravens' top wide receiver, catching five of seven targets for 54 yards, adding 24 rushing yards on three attempts. The chances of Bateman returning this week are good, but practice reports should be monitored closely.
The news: The Buccaneers are playing the "long game" with WR Julio Jones, according to general manager Jason Licht and coach Todd Bowles.
What it means in fantasy: Jones, who suffered a partially torn PCL earlier this season, has been struggling to return to action. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage are all healthy, so the Buccaneers have no reason to rush Jones back into the lineup. In two games this year, Jones has caught four passes for 76 yards. His one-year, $6 million deal includes receptions, yards, and team performance incentives but Jones is not on the fantasy radar in most leagues.
The news: Bills head coach Sean McDermott said WR Isaiah McKenzie remains in the concussion protocol.
What it means in fantasy: McKenzie failed to clear concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's game against the Steelers, so he now targets Week 6. With Jamison Crowder (ankle) on IR, McKenzie will play a significant role in the Bills' offense. For the upcoming bye weeks, McKenzie is a great player to stash.
Going deeper: McKenzie accumulated 15 targets over Weeks 3-4 and has found the end zone in three of his four games this season.
The news: The Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule after a 1-4 start.
What it means in fantasy: Defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach Steve Wilks was named interim coach. Given that the Panthers have only four draft picks next year, teams that view themselves as contenders are sure to reach out to trade for several pieces. While it's within the realm of possibility that Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore could be traded in coming weeks, fantasy managers should hold on to them for now as their fantasy value is potentially at its lowest.
Need a fantasy league redo?Sign up for a team or start a new leagueto draft before the start of Week 5 (with Thursday Night Football) and start fresh with a 0-0 record and a 13-week schedule.
Today on ESPN.com/Fantasy and in the ESPN Fantasy App
Week 6 fantasy football rankings at every position (PPR and NPPR)
Matt Bowen's streaming pickups: deeper picks for deeper leagues and emergency needs
Eric Karabell's flex and superflex rankings for Week 6
NFL Nation's Fantasy Fallout: Beat reporters answer our most pressing fantasy questions
Eric Karabell's trade index and rest-of-season rankings for Week 6 and beyond
Fantasy Focus podcast:Field Yates, Stephania Bell and Daniel Dopp recap a historic MNF, give key injury updates, talk what we have learned after 5 weeks and what players' stock is on the rise. Plus, Eric Moody joins to tell us who to target on the waiver wire. Listen | Watch
Wednesday:
Mike Clay's Shadow Report: wide receiver vs defensive back matchups analysis
Seth Walder's Next Gen Stats Advantage: Mismatches to exploit
DFS Cheat sheets for DraftKings and FanDuel
Rankings for Individual Defensive Player leagues
Fantasy Focus podcast now at 10 a.m. ET
In case you missed it:
Eric Moody's waiver wire pickups identify the top players to claim for your team
Fantasy Focus podcast: Daniel Dopp, Mike Clay and Liz Loza recap everything you need to know from Week 5 of the NFL season including what players will need to be in your lineup going forward. Plus, Liz Loza and Eric Moody give an audio exclusive reaction to a close SNF game including some poor fantasy performances. Listen | Watch
