NFL Week 6 Inactives, Game-Time Decisions and Fantasy Waiver Replacements:

Three star absences, a changed starter in Tampa Bay and a Bears quarterback who is still questionable. Here is who steps in.

FantasyDailies | NFL Week 6 | Sunday, October 18, 2026

Sunday morning is when fantasy lineups quietly fall apart. Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and Baker Mayfield are all out, Caleb Williams is questionable and several key skill players have final calls still to come. This guide covers who is out, who steps in and which replacements are worth a look, using the Saturday injury reports. Official inactive lists arrive about 90 minutes before each kickoff: roughly 8:00 a.m. ET for the 9:30 a.m. Texans-Jaguars game at Wembley, and roughly 11:30 a.m. ET for the 1 p.m. games. Watch them on the injuries page and the NFL player news, and keep the start/sit board open.

Note the week: this is Week 6. The Bengals, Lions, Dolphins and Vikings are on bye, and the Jaguars are not.

THE BIGGEST SITUATIONS

Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson out, Tyler Huntley starts. Jackson is out with an ankle injury for a second straight week, and Tyler Huntley starts at Cleveland. Huntley played well in his first start of the season, a 30-23 overtime win over Atlanta last Sunday night: 24 of 32 for 201 yards and two touchdowns (7 yards to Devontez Walker and 18 yards to Derrick Henry), plus 6 carries for 20 yards and the winning 1-yard touchdown run in overtime. Henry also ran 24 times for 102 yards. See it on the Ravens-Falcons box score. Baltimore also has center Cam Jurgens (concussion), tight end Matt Hibner and defensive tackle Broderick Washington out, while receiver Zay Flowers has no designation. Jackson's next possible return is Week 7 against Cincinnati, and nobody has said he will play.

Philadelphia Eagles: Hurts, Barkley and Shipley out. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is out with a blood clot in his calf, described as superficial, and his timeline is unclear. Tanner McKee starts, with Cole Payton the expected backup. Running back Saquon Barkley is out with a hamstring injury, and Will Shipley is on injured reserve with a foot injury, as is Tank Bigsby. The two healthy backs on the roster are Dameon Pierce, who is expected to start, and Carson Steele, who could be mixed in; Jaydon Blue and Ian Wheeler are practice-squad options for depth. Receiver DeVonta Smith has no designation and is expected to play. The volume board shows who is getting the work.

New Orleans Saints: Kamara and Olave questionable. Running back Alvin Kamara (back) and receiver Chris Olave (illness) are both questionable against the Giants. Olave did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and was limited on Friday. If either is inactive, check the final depth chart on the depth charts rather than assuming one backup takes every touch. Receiver Devaughn Vele is the name to watch behind Olave.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Metcalf cleared, Freiermuth questionable. Receiver DK Metcalf was questionable on Friday and was removed from the report Saturday with no designation. Tight end Pat Freiermuth was added Saturday with a calf injury and is questionable. Running back Rico Dowdle (toe) is questionable too. They play at Tampa Bay, and the other side of the field is a quarterback story.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mayfield out. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is out with a thumb injury, and Jalon Daniels is expected to start. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and receiver David Sills are out, cornerback Benjamin Morrison is doubtful and running back Sean Tucker is questionable.

Houston Texans: Harrison Jr. debuts, Montgomery, Dell and Pitre out. Newly acquired receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will make his Texans debut at Wembley. The Texans got him from Arizona this week for draft picks, and coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed he will play, but said he is not expected to play the entire game while Houston eases him in. In four games with the Cardinals he had five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, and he reunites with former Ohio State teammate C.J. Stroud. Expect a capped snap count and role, and check the inactive list to see how many Houston receivers are active around him.

Texans injuries. Running back David Montgomery (groin), receiver Tank Dell (knee) and safety Jalen Pitre (shoulder) are out for the game at Wembley. Dell did not make the trip to London. Running back Woody Marks is expected to take the bulk of the carries. The Texans do not list Nico Collins on the final report, so the limited-practice mentions you may see for him date back to earlier in the month; confirm it on the inactive list before 8:00 a.m. ET.

Chicago Bears: Williams questionable. Quarterback Caleb Williams has missed three games with a hamstring injury, practiced fully on Thursday and Friday and is questionable at Atlanta. Coach Ben Johnson called him on track, and the Bears have not said who would start if he cannot go, with Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum the named options. Running back Kyle Monangai is out. For Atlanta, Michael Penix Jr. is cleared after leaving the Baltimore game with rib discomfort, and the Falcons used Tua Tagovailoa in overtime.

OTHER WEEK 6 INJURIES TO KNOW

Statuses are from the Saturday reports and can change when the inactive lists post. The afternoon and evening games, including the Cardinals at the Rams, the Chargers at the Chiefs, the Bills at the Raiders and the Cowboys at the Packers on Sunday night, have later deadlines, so check them again after the early games. The NFL schedule has every kickoff.

WAIVER-WIRE REPLACEMENTS TO CONSIDER

Availability depends on your league, so these are players to look into, not guarantees.

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Ravens. The direct replacement for anyone who relied on Jackson. His legs give him a floor, and he showed what he can do last Sunday. Expect less than Jackson-level production.
• Dameon Pierce, RB, Eagles. Expected to start with Barkley and Shipley out. A speculative add whose workload is still to be confirmed.
• Carson Steele, RB, Eagles. Could be mixed in behind Pierce. A deeper-league option if his role grows.
• Devaughn Vele, WR, Saints. A contingency if Olave is inactive, depending on the final target split.
• Woody Marks, RB, Texans. Expected to take the bulk of the carries with Montgomery out.

Use the trade analyzer and the start/sit board to compare what a roster add costs in a trade, and the transactions page for recent moves.

DFS STRATEGY: HOW TO REACT TO LATE INACTIVES

Cash games and 50/50s. Prioritize players with confirmed roles and predictable workloads. Do not use a questionable player when a comparable confirmed starter is available, do not spend your whole budget on one replacement and favor volume over a backup's name.

Large-field tournaments. Look for inexpensive players whose snaps, routes, carries or red-zone work could rise: Pierce, Marks and Vele fit that description once the inactives confirm it. Consider a quarterback-receiver stack only when the expected passing volume supports it, and remember a cheap backup with heavy ownership and few touches is not a bargain. Check the volume board and the red zone page for the work each player has seen.

Late swap. If your platform allows it, leave flexibility for the afternoon and evening games. A questionable player on a later kickoff can be replaced after the early games start.

Tools. Build on the NFL DFS lineup builder and the NFL DFS edge page, and use the lineup shuffler to rotate options without starting over. The depth charts and the hot page show who is expected to be on the field.

THE FANTASYDAILIES LATE-INACTIVES POOL

This is a research list, not a lineup. It is built on status and role only, and every player needs an official active designation first:

• QB: Tyler Huntley (Ravens). Starting for Jackson, with a rushing floor.
• RB: Dameon Pierce (Eagles). Expected to start with the other backs out.
• RB: Woody Marks (Texans). Expected to lead the carries.
• RB: Derrick Henry (Ravens). Ran 24 times for 102 yards last Sunday and also scored on a reception.
• WR: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Texans). Confirmed to play in his debut, but on a snap limit, so he is a tournament-only look.
• WR: DK Metcalf (Steelers). Cleared and off the report.
• WR: Devaughn Vele (Saints). Only if Olave is inactive.

Check each player on the NFL player news and the injuries page before you lock, and use the NFL player props page for the markets.

THE SUNDAY MORNING CHECKLIST

• Confirm the official inactive list for each game.
• Replace Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts if they hold starting spots.
• Check Philadelphia's backfield: Pierce and Steele.
• Confirm Kamara, Olave, Freiermuth, Warren and Spears.
• Confirm Tampa Bay's starter and Chicago's quarterback.
• Check the NFL weather page for the 1 p.m. games.
• Confirm waiver availability and your platform's salary for any replacement.
• Recheck afternoon and evening games before their lineup locks.
• Do not submit a lineup from an outdated report.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Jackson, Hurts and Barkley are out, Mayfield is out and the Bears quarterback is still a question. Huntley, Pierce, Steele, Marks and Vele are the names to investigate, and each comes with a different level of workload certainty. The best replacement is the player who gets the right opportunity, not the most familiar name. A cheap player with no dependable workload is not a bargain.

For the rest of the week, start from the Week 6 hub, the Week 6 matchups and the NFL hub. Our calls live on the NFL verdicts page, and the Sports Betting Strategy Book lays out the strategy behind all of it.

FantasyDailies: Your Edge Every Day.

Injuries, inactives and game times can change. Verify current information with official NFL sources. Please gamble responsibly.