As the NFL season progresses, fantasy football managers should be scouting the waiver wire for injured players who could provide significant value later in the season.
With injuries mounting across the league, several high-upside players sit on waivers in many leagues. Here are eight players worth considering as long-term stashes, depending on your roster construction and available IR spots.
For a full report on all players on IR, check out the IR Injury Report. This article differs in that it focuses on players who might be dropped and whether you should stash them.
Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Estimated Return: Week 13
Omarion Hampton is on IR with a sprained ankle. He tried to return to the game after injuring it, which suggested the injury wasn’t too serious. As it turned out, it was. Hampton is now out until at least Week 10.
Initially we quickly got a report that Hampton is expected to be ready to return when first eligible. However, afterwards, we got a second report that indicated Hampton is not going to be ready right away.
Given that the Los Angeles Chargers have a Week 12 bye, if Hampton is not back Week 10, it doesn’t make sense for him to return in Week 11. That seems increasingly likely as it was reported that Hampton was spotted still wearing a walking boot after the Chargers’ Thursday night victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Expect him to sit out through the team’s Week 12 bye and return in Week 13.
While Hampton is out, the Chargers are going to ride with Kimani Vidal as their main back. With Vidal performing well, it now seems less likely they will be incentivized to trade for another back, even with Hassan Haskins injured as well. Regardless, Hampton will reclaim the feature back role upon his return.
If your team is in a good position and a heavy favorite to make the playoffs, it is not a bad idea to see if you can poach Hampton from his manager for 50 cents on the dollar.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Estimated Return: Week 13+
Brandon Aiyuk remains on the PUP list recovering from torn ACL and MCL injuries suffered in Week 7 of last season. Before the season, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned Week 6 as a potential return date for the veteran receiver.
Late last week, we got a report that the San Francisco 49ers might open Aiyuk’s three-week window to return ahead of Week 9. That clearly did not happen. At this point, it’s going to be a weekly question as to when it happens.
We can say with absolute certainty that Aiyuk is not going to play the first week he returns to practice. That means if Aiyuk is designated to return in Week 10, the earliest he might play is Week 11, but more likely Week 12 or 13. Each successive week pushes the timeline back.
The apparent upside is that Aiyuk has been a high-end WR2 before, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023. While Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings are solid players, neither possesses true WR1 capabilities.
If Aiyuk can return to 75% of his pre-injury form by Week 13-14, he could be a difference maker during the fantasy playoffs when healthy players become increasingly scarce. But that prospect is becoming increasingly dim.
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Estimated Return: Weeks 9-10
Brock Purdy’s turf toe issue is not going away. He has already missed six games and is not yet ready to play. There is some hope he will be ready for Week 9, but that is far from a guarantee.
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It’s entirely possible Purdy was dropped in some leagues due to the frustrations of his start to the season. Purdy played in Week 1, missed the next two weeks, played in Week 4, and then went back on the shelf.
He’s only started two games, but in those games, Purdy was productive, posting 18.8 and 19.6 fantasy points. He’s not losing his job to Mac Jones, and when Purdy returns, he will go right back to posting QB1 numbers. Take advantage of a frustrated manager who might have let him go.
Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
Estimated Return: 2026
Joe Mixon remains on the NFI list with a mysterious foot/ankle injury he sustained during offseason workouts away from the team facility. While he’s eligible to return at any point, the lack of progress updates and concerning comments from coaches and the general manager suggest he is not close to a return.
If he does return healthy, Mixon would immediately reclaim his workhorse role, given the lack of quality alternatives in the Houston Texans’ backfield.
Mixon represents the most speculative of these stashes. The most likely scenario this season is that he doesn’t play at all, making him only worthwhile for managers with abundant roster flexibility.
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Estimated Return: Weeks 10-11
Trey Benson got to experience one week as the Arizona Cardinals’ lead back before going down with an injury of his own. Benson suffered a meniscus injury that landed him on IR, guaranteeing at least a four-game absence. The more realistic expectation is around six games.
Since the injury occurred in Week 4, Benson would likely return around Week 10 or 11. It is quite a ways away for a running back who was already only starting because the guy in front of him got hurt.
With that said, it won’t matter how effective Michael Carter and Bam Knight are; Benson will get his job back as soon as he returns. We still don’t know exactly what the upside is, but if Carter can be an RB2, so can Benson. He is absolutely worth stashing if you can afford to do so.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers
Estimated Return: Weeks 11-12
Jayden Reed underwent surgery earlier this season to repair his broken collarbone, which he suffered against Washington in Week 2. Given that he was forced on the shelf for roughly two months, he had his Jones fracture fixed as well. The timeline for return potentially brings him back in November.
While Reed has shown explosive potential with three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, he’s not an every-week fantasy starter caliber player, making him a speculative stash at best.
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The Packers are pretty deep at receiver with Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Matthew Golden. Fantasy managers should not burn a valuable roster spot on Reed unless they have an open IR spot for the extended wait.