Last-minute pickups: Bucs duo of Tez Johnson, Cade Otton among top Week 8 options

At 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 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen will offer up some late-week pickup options to help fill those holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.

Because of that, this column will focus mostly on players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.

With six teams on a bye this week, the options are pretty slim, but there are enough quality players available to drop into deep-league lineups. We'll start at quarterback, with two longtime veterans coming off big-time games. I'm also eyeing a couple tight ends who are providing double-digit fantasy production, and we'll hit on multiple running backs and wide receivers, too. As always, I'll give you a defense to stream this week, and this one can pressure the quarterback.

Quarterbacks

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals (26.3% rostered; vs. Jets)

Flacco has attempted at least 45 passes in each of his two starts, with 18 or more fantasy points in both. While a negative game script did play a role, we know this is a heavy passing offense in Cincy. Plus, Flacco plays with an aggressive throwing mentality, and he has upper-level pass catchers in Ja'Marr Chase (23 targets in Week 7) and Tee Higgins. Sure, Flacco tends to get loose with the ball at times, the decision-making can decline, too. But with a Sunday matchup against a winless Jets team, you are betting on Flacco to stay hot in Week 8.

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers (34.1% rostered; vs. Packers)

From a player's perspective, matching up against your former team does matter. And it goes up a notch if that team moved on from you. Just something to think about here as Rodgers gets the Packers on Sunday night. But let's not forget that Rodgers was driving the ball -- with velocity and location -- in the Week 7 game against the Bengals. Rodgers finished with four touchdown passes in that one, posting a total of 22.56 points. He now has multiple touchdown throws in three of his past four games and I think he's trending up based on the tape. He fits here as a deeper-league option for Week 8.

Tight ends

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (23.5% rostered; vs. 49ers)

Schultz was limited in practice earlier this week (back/shoulder), so let's monitor the reports. However, with the injury situation in the Texans' wide receiver room, Schultz is a smart pickup for Sunday's matchup with the 49ers -- if he can go. In the Monday night loss to the Seahawks, with Nico Collins (concussion) exiting early and Christian Kirk (hamstring) down for the game, Schultz had season-highs in receptions (nine), targets (10), receiving yards (98) and points (18.8). That gave Schultz back-to-back games with double-digit points, plus he has at least five receptions in four straight. Schultz has the seam-stretching ability to work the 49ers' zone coverages, and we know he can find open turf underneath as a target for C.J. Stroud.

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (39.6% rostered; at Saints)

I'm surprised Otton's roster percentage isn't higher after three straight games with 10 or more points. And just like the Texans, there are multiple injuries at the wide receiver spot in Tampa. Otton caught seven of nine targets for 65 yards (13.3 points) in the Monday night loss to Detroit, and he has at least four receptions and 50 yards in his past three games. He's a reliable target for quarterback Baker Mayfield, with a solid matchup against a Saints defense that ranks in the middle of the road against opposing tight ends.

Running backs

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears (31.5% rostered; at Ravens)

Monangai has the traits to complement the running style of D'Andre Swift in Chicago, and his usage is climbing. In the Week 7 win over the Saints, Monangai had season highs in touches (15), total yards (94) and points (17.4), plus he scored his first touchdown as a pro. He is an angry runner, with the contact balance and foot quickness to operate in tight quarters between the tackles. And the Bears -- since coming out of the bye in Week 6 -- are running the football with much more efficiency. The rookie from Rutgers has some upside this Sunday versus a Ravens defense that has allowed 29.1 PPG to opposing running backs, the second most in the league.

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (32.8% rostered; at Colts)

In deeper formats, managers can take a look at Spears in this week's meeting with the Colts due to his receiving numbers. He has caught at least three passes in back-to-back games, with four targets in each, and he can operate underneath as an outlet for quarterback Cam Ward. Yes, I'd like to see Spears get more carries (five in each of his past two games), but you can plan for 8-10 touches in the lineup. And with six teams on a bye this week, you might have to take a flier on him.

Wide receivers

Tez Johnson (30.8% rostered) and Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16.4% rostered; at Saints)

Mike Evans (collarbone) is likely done for the season and Chris Godwin Jr. (fibula) is doubtful for Sunday's game. So, we have two options for potential replacements in Tampa, depending on what you need. Johnson gives managers a higher ceiling. He has big-play juice, plus he is slippery after the catch. Johnson caught four of nine targets for 58 yards and a touchdown (15.8 points) in the Week 7 matchup with Detroit, his second straight game with a scoring grab. Shepard, meanwhile, has a higher floor. He netted only 25 yards receiving against Detroit, but he caught all seven of his targets, and he has two games with double-digit points this season. Me? I always take the higher-ceiling option (Johnson), but Shepard has PPR value this Sunday, too.

Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (31.9% rostered; vs. Bills)

Legette had career highs in last week's victory over the Jets, catching nine of 11 targets for 92 yards and a touchdown (24.2 points). And while backup quarterback Andy Dalton will start this week for an injured Bryce Young (ankle), Legette still has upside as the Panthers' No. 2 versus a zone-heavy Bills defense. Scheme open the windows and script the shot plays for Dalton.

Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans (2.2% rostered; at Colts)

With Calvin Ridley dealing with a hamstring injury, wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (22.3% rostered) can also be picked up this week due to the positive matchup against the Colts. But I'll go with Dike first because of the big-play ability he brings to the field. He is a burner, with 4.34 speed, and we saw that on his 38-yard touchdown catch last week against the Patriots. He can run away from coverage on deep overs and crossers. Dike caught all four of his targets for 70 yards, finishing with a career-best 16.9 points. Take the upside here with Dike -- if Ridley is out.

D/ST

Buffalo Bills (41.9% rostered; at Panthers)

The Bills' defense hasn't taken the ball away at a high rate this season (eight total turnovers forced). I'd like to see a higher number there. But this unit has a pressure rate of 38.9% (second highest in the league), and they have at least two sacks in five of six games played. With the amount of teams on a bye this week, taking a defense that faces a backup quarterback (Dalton) is better than expected.