Fantasy Football is Life

Matthew Freedman and Zain Dhanani go game by game through the entire Week 5 slate, all 15 matchups with the Chiefs and Panthers on bye, using spreads, implied totals, injury reports and coverage data to sort out who's actually startable and who you're better off benching.

Four weeks of data is the point where utilization score starts to actually mean something — and it's saying some uncomfortable things about rosters people are happy with.
Dwain McFarland and Alex Cupps go through the Week 4 Utilization Report — snaps, routes, rush share, target share — and turn it into the specific moves to make this week, on waivers and in the trade market.
They start with the upgrades. Tetairoa McMillan looks like he's entering a WR1 season. Kyren Williams is partying like it's 2023. Plus Malik Nabers and Michael Wilson at receiver and RJ Harvey at running back.
Then the downgrades, and a few of them hurt. Omarion Hampton and Bucky Irving are both sliding, Braelon Allen's window looks short-term, and George Pickens and Jaylen Waddle are close calls where the talent is real but the usage isn't cooperating. Then two names they really don't want to say out loud: Parker Washington and Christian Watson.
The back half is the full waiver roundup. Emanuel Wilson, Joe Mixon, Seth McGowan and Will Shipley at running back, with Tyler Goodson, Tyrone Tracy and James Conner as stashes. Jordyn Tyson, Keon Coleman, Antonio Williams and Tre' Harris at receiver, plus Roman Wilson, Cyrus Allen, Jalen Royals, Dont'e Meyers and the Tyreek Hill situation. And Brenton Strange at tight end.
They close in the trade market: buy-low cases on Matthew Golden and Isaiah Likely, and sell-high looks at Kyle Monangai, Deebo Samuel and possibly Quinshon Judkins.
The Utilization Report is brought to you by Tenex.ai. Dwain's Utilization Report and Cupps' free and premium waiver pieces are both live on the site. Use promo code FFIL for 10% off FantasyLife+ Tier 2.
Topics in this video:
2026 fantasy football, week 5 waiver wire, utilization report, utilization score, snap share, route participation, trade targets, Tetairoa McMillan, Kyren Williams, Malik Nabers, Michael Wilson, RJ Harvey, Omarion Hampton, Bucky Irving, Braelon Allen, George Pickens, Jaylen Waddle, Parker Washington, Christian Watson, Emanuel Wilson, Joe Mixon, Seth McGowan, Will Shipley, Tyler Goodson, Tyrone Tracy, James Conner, Jordyn Tyson, Keon Coleman, Antonio Williams, Tre' Harris, Roman Wilson, Tyreek Hill, Brenton Strange, Matthew Golden, Isaiah Likely, Kyle Monangai, Deebo Samuel, Quinshon Judkins
Timecodes:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:07 - Tetairoa McMillan
00:13:19 - Malik Nabers
00:24:49 - Michael Wilson
00:38:15 - Kyren Williams
00:50:23 - RJ Harvey
01:01:28 - Omarion Hampton
01:09:28 - Bucky Irving
01:13:13 - Jets Backfield
01:14:49 - George Pickens
01:18:52 - Jaylen Waddle
01:22:38 - Parker Washington
01:26:17 - Christian Watson
01:30:55 - Emanuel Wilson + Joe Mixon
01:38:58 - Seth McGowan
01:39:59 - Tyler Goodson
01:41:24 - Will Shipley
01:46:48 - Trade Candidates: Tyrone Tracy, James Conner
01:47:47 - Jordyn Tyson
01:48:36 - Keon Coleman
01:55:54 - Antonio Williams
01:59:55 - Tre' Harris
02:00:48 - Roman Wilson
02:01:57 - Trade Candidates: Jerry Jeudy, Calvin Ridley
02:03:11 - Tyreek Hill
02:06:05 - Dont'e Meyers
02:08:23 - Brenton Strange
02:09:35 - Buy Low: Carnell Tate
02:10:07 - Buy Low: Matthew Golden
02:13:01 - Buy Low: Isaiah Likely
02:14:41 - Sell High: Kyle Monangai
02:19:54 - Sell High: Deebo Samuel
02:23:04 - Outro

Week 4 delivered plenty of fantasy football chaos! 🔥 Dwain McFarland and Ian Hartitz break down all the action from Sunday’s NFL slate, including the biggest performances, emerging breakouts, disappointing stars, key injuries, and the developments that could reshape your fantasy teams.

Dwain McFarland sits down with former NFL offensive coordinator Scott Turner — Commanders OC from 2020 to 2022, Raiders pass game coordinator and OC in 2023 and 2024, and Jets pass game coordinator in 2025 — for the conversation fantasy players never get to have.

They start with the trend nobody can ignore: NFL passing yards per game have fallen from 254 in 2020 to 231 this season, with 2025 the lowest since 2008. Average target depth is down nearly a full yard since 2017 and dropback rates are at their lowest point since 2010. Scott explains what defenses are actually doing with two-high looks and safety rotations, whether this is a real scheme shift or just a Tampa 2 revival, and why inviting offenses to run and sustain long drives has been so effective.

Then the counterpunch. Dwain brings the numbers on the efficiency hacks that still work — pre-snap motion, play action, heavy personnel — and asks the question that matters most: if you were looking for a fantasy edge in playcalling and scheme, what would you be seeing that the analytics community is missing entirely?

Then the one every fantasy manager has yelled at a television. Why won't coaches just play the more efficient player? Jaylen Warren waited years for a full-time role and erupted the week he got it. Dontayvion Wicks had better underlying data than Romeo Doubs in Green Bay and is now producing in Philadelphia. Christian Watson is dominating now that the room cleared out. Josh Downs is running more routes than ever and looking like a different player. Scott gets into what coaches see in practice and meetings that never shows up in a spreadsheet — and why draft position still shapes those decisions differently for coaches than it does for GMs.

They also get into scheme versus talent, whether Puka Nacua becomes Puka Nacua without Sean McVay's vision, what made players like Cam Newton, Josh Gordon and Brock Bowers special from a coach's seat, and what it was like growing up watching his father Norv Turner call plays for two Super Bowl-winning Cowboys teams.

Topics in this video:

NFL scheme, offensive coordinator interview, Scott Turner, why NFL passing is down, two-high safety coverage, pre-snap motion, play action, heavy personnel, scheme vs talent, why coaches don't play the better player, snap share, route participation, fantasy football breakouts, Jaylen Warren, Dontayvion Wicks, Christian Watson, Josh Downs, Puka Nacua, Deebo Samuel, Cam Newton, Josh Gordon, Brock Bowers, Garrett Wilson, Norv Turner, 2026 fantasy football

Zain Dhanani is joined by Dwain McFarland for a special Dwain and Zain edition of the game-by-game breakdown, going through the entire Week 4 slate, all 16 matchups, using spreads, implied totals, injury reports and positional funnel data to sort out who's actually startable and who you're better off benching.
They open with Jaguars-Bengals, the highest total on the Sunday board at 51.5, where Jacksonville has been one of the easiest defenses in the league for opposing receivers. From there it's Patriots-Bills, the Colts and Commanders in London, Cowboys-Texans, Broncos-49ers and Chiefs-Raiders before the rest of the afternoon slate.
Along the way: Tee Higgins in a matchup Cincinnati can attack, Parker Washington bouncing back from a quiet week, DJ Moore drawing Christian Gonzalez, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren against a Washington defense that's been gashed through the air, Stefon Diggs against the league's worst slot coverage, Dalton Schultz with Nico Collins uncertain, Jake Ferguson and whether to chase the touchdowns, Michael Wilson after a 16-target week, Isaiah Likely, Braelon Allen if Breece Hall sits, Tucker Kraft, Jordan Addison with Justin Jefferson uncertain, Darren Waller, and Jaylen Warren on Thursday night.
Plus the sits: Xavier Worthy, Tre Tucker, Matthew Stafford, Mark Andrews, Rome Odunze, Omarion Hampton, Emeka Egbuka with an undrafted rookie starting for Baker Mayfield, the entire Dolphins backfield without De'Von Achane, Kyle Pitts, and Quinshon Judkins behind a broken offensive line.
Then Lions-Panthers on Sunday night, Falcons-Saints on Monday, and Steelers-Browns on Thursday.
If you've got a lineup decision you can't settle, the game is in here.
Topics in this video:
2026 fantasy football, week 4 start sit, week 4 fantasy football, fantasy football lineup help, Week 4 matchup breakdown, NFL week 4 odds, Colts Commanders London, Tee Higgins, Parker Washington, DJ Moore, Rhamondre Stevenson, Daniel Jones, Josh Downs, Tyler Warren, Stefon Diggs, Dalton Schultz, Jake Ferguson, Deebo Samuel, Bo Nix, Xavier Worthy, Tre Tucker, Michael Wilson, Isaiah Likely, Matthew Stafford, DeVonta Smith, Mark Andrews, Carnell Tate, Rome Odunze, Braelon Allen, Omarion Hampton, Tucker Kraft, Emeka Egbuka, Jordan Addison, Ollie Gordon, Jameson Williams, Darren Waller, Kyle Pitts, Jaylen Warren, Quinshon Judkins

Three weeks of data now, and a Week 3 injury wave just rewrote four backfields and a passing game.
Dwain McFarland and Alex Cupps go through the Week 3 Utilization Report — snaps, routes, rush share, target share — and turn it into the specific moves to make this week, on waivers and in the trade market.
They start with the upgrades. Jeremiyah Love hits liftoff, Cam Skattebo's pass-game role is back, and there's movement for Kenyon Sadiq, George Kittle and Josh Downs. Then the injury fallout: De'Von Achane's torn ACL and what it means for Ollie Gordon and Jaylen Wright in Miami, Breece Hall's thigh opening the door for Braelon Allen, the Travis Etienne situation pushing work toward Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller, and Baker Mayfield's thumb reshaping the Buccaneers passing game. Plus a Brian Thomas Jr. tangent and where Jadarian Price stands now.
The back half is the full waiver roundup. Sam Darnold and Marcus Mariota at quarterback. Keaton Mitchell, available in 68% of leagues, plus Tyler Goodson at running back. Malik Washington and KC Concepcion at receiver, with Christian Kirk as the sicko stash. And AJ Barner and Oronde Gadsden at tight end.
They close in the trade market: buy-low cases on Chase Brown and Ashton Jeanty, and sell-high looks at Davante Adams and Bhayshul Tuten.
The Utilization Report is brought to you by Tenex.ai. Dwain's Utilization Report and Cupps' free and premium waiver pieces are both live on the site. Use promo code FFIL for 10% off FantasyLife+ Tier 2.
Topics in this video:
2026 fantasy football, week 4 waiver wire, utilization report, snap share, route participation, trade targets, Jeremiyah Love, Cam Skattebo, Kenyon Sadiq, George Kittle, Josh Downs, De'Von Achane, Ollie Gordon, Jaylen Wright, Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Travis Etienne, Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, Baker Mayfield, Brian Thomas Jr, Jadarian Price, Sam Darnold, Marcus Mariota, Keaton Mitchell, Tyler Goodson, Malik Washington, Christian Kirk, KC Concepcion, AJ Barner, Oronde Gadsden, Chase Brown, Ashton Jeanty, Davante Adams, Bhayshul Tuten
Timecodes:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:35 - Jeremiyah Love
00:08:14 - Cam Skattebo
00:14:19 - Kenyon Sadiq
00:25:23 - George Kittle
00:30:23 - Josh Downs
00:36:25 - Injury Fallout: De'Von Achane
00:53:01 - Injury Fallout: Breece Hall
00:59:25 - Injury Fallout: Travis Etienne
01:07:35 - Injury Fallout: Baker Mayfield
01:15:24 - Brian Thomas Jr.
01:17:00 - Jadarian Price
01:23:11 - Sam Darnold
01:27:25 - Marcus Mariota
01:30:48 - Keaton Mitchell
01:33:41 - Tyler Goodson
01:36:48 - Malik Washington
01:39:57 - SICKO STASH: Christian Kirk
01:40:28 - KC Concepcion
01:42:44 - AJ Barner
01:44:59 - Buy Low: Chase Brown
01:46:28 - Buy Low: Ashton Jeanty
01:54:23 - Sell High: Davante Adams
01:56:02 - Sell High: Bhayshul Tuten
02:00:00 - Outro

What a Sunday! 🔥 Dwain McFarland and Ian Hartitz run through the biggest fantasy football storylines from across the Week 3 slate, from monster performances and unexpected breakouts to brutal injuries, disappointing stars, and everything in between. Get the fantasy fallout from every game before Week 3 is officially in the books.

#FantasyFootball #FantasyFootball2026 #NFL #Week3 #FantasyFootballAdvice #FantasyFootballNews #NFLFantasyFootball #FantasyFootballLive

Week 3 is finally here, and Alex Cupps and Zain Dhanani has you covered with the latest NFL injury news and the fantasy football impact across every team. 🏈

Matthew Freedman and Zain Dhanani go game by game through the entire Week 3 slate, all 16 matchups, using spreads, implied totals, injury reports, and last year's positional funnel data to sort out who's actually startable and who you're better off benching.They open in Rio de Janeiro with Ravens-Cowboys, the highest total on the board at 52.5, where Dallas's defense was No. 1 last season in fantasy boost allowed to both quarterbacks and wide receivers. From there it's Chargers-Bills, Cardinals-49ers, and Jets-Lions before the afternoon slate, with Chiefs-Dolphins, Patriots-Jaguars, Raiders-Saints, and a Bengals-Steelers game that's suddenly a very different conversation.Along the way: Zay Flowers' hamstring and what it means for Rashod Bateman, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy in a game Kansas City is favored by 11.5, Quinshon Judkins against Carolina, Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin in Tampa, Malik Nabers in a 39.5-total game against Tennessee, Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson in Brazil, plus Bhayshul Tuten, Oronde Gadsden, Woody Marks, and the Green Bay backfield.If you've got a lineup decision you can't settle, the game is in here.

Two weeks of data now, and the picture is getting clearer for some players and much worse for others.Dwain McFarland and Alex Cupps go through the Week 2 Utilization Report — snaps, routes, rush share, target share — and turn it into the specific moves to make this week, on waivers and in the trade market.They start with the upgrades. Parker Washington moves into low-end WR1 territory, and the Panthers' passing game finally gives Jalen Coker a path into WR3 range. Then the backfields that changed shape through injury and role shifts: Aaron Jones, Chuba Hubbard, Jaylen Warren and TreVeyon Henderson.Then the downgrades, starting in Chicago. Colston Loveland slides to a low-end TE1 and Luther Burden drops to a high-end WR4 in a Bears offense that hasn't delivered. Plus where Rashee Rice stands now.The back half is the full waiver roundup. Bryce Young at quarterback. Jonah Coleman, Kaleb Johnson, Tank Bigsby and Emanuel Wilson at running back. Adonai Mitchell, Denzel Boston and Tre Tucker at receiver. And Dalton Schultz and Oronde Gadsden at tight end.They close in the trade market: a buy-high case for Bucky Irving, a buy-low window on Tucker Kraft, and why this might be the moment to sell Stefon Diggs.The Utilization Report is brought to you by Tenex.ai. Dwain's Utilization Report and Cupps' free and premium waiver pieces are both live on the site. Use promo code FFIL for 10% off FantasyLife+ Tier 2.Topics in this video:2026 fantasy football, week 3 waiver wire, utilization report, snap share, route participation, trade targets, Parker Washington, Jalen Coker, Aaron Jones, Chuba Hubbard, Jaylen Warren, TreVeyon Henderson, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Rashee Rice, Bryce Young, Jonah Coleman, Kaleb Johnson, Tank Bigsby, Emanuel Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Denzel Boston, Tre Tucker, Dalton Schultz, Oronde Gadsden, Bucky Irving, Tucker Kraft, Stefon DiggsTimecodes:0:09 - Intro2:07 - Parker Washington9:12 - Jalen Coker14:40 - Aaron Jones19:57 - Chuba Hubbard24:04 - Jaylen Warren29:11 - Treveyon Henderson38:57 - THE BEARS50:24 - Rashee Rice59:37 - Bryce Young1:07:54 - Jonah Coleman1:13:09 - Kaleb Johnson1:22:13 - Tank Bigsby1:23:24 - Emmanuel Wilson1:26:12 - AD Mitchell1:31:27 - Denzel Boston1:37:05 - Tre Tucker1:38:27 - Dalton Schultz1:41:18 - Oronde Gadsden1:48:55 - Bucky Irving1:52:24 - Tucker Kraft1:55:21 - Stefon Diggs