It’s football time once again, and once again we are looking for players who might be riding your bench most weeks who I think you can slide into your flex spot this week for a solid start. These players are all ranked outside the Top-24 in the Fantasy Footballers Rankings, but that doesn’t mean they won’t finish there. Think of it like a “Starts of the Week” list, but stinkier. Most of these players come with either a low floor or a limited ceiling, but if they’re in this list it’s because I think they can help you win your week.

Last week Jakobi Meyers, DeAndre Hopkins and Rachaad White made the list, and if you started them you were pleased. Less so if you started Chris Olave or Keon Coleman, but Olave exited the game very early and Coleman dropped a touchdown. Let’s hope we can keep the momentum going this week with these picks.

Warren has had back-to-back productive outings since posting a stinker in his first game back from injury Week 6. Since then he’s averaged 13.5 opportunities and 59 total yards per game. These aren’t earth-shattering numbers, but they do suggest a solid floor for Warren in a Steelers offense that’s been moving the ball effectively. They’ve gone over 400 yards of total offense in both games since handing the quarterback duties over to Russell Wilson, and they’ve had fairly large leads in both games which has allowed them to lean on starter Najee Harris in the run game. They return from their bye this week to face a Commanders’ defense that’s been middle of the pack against both the run and the pass. The line currently sits at Washington -2.5 with a respectable 45.5 point O/U. I expect this game to be tight throughout, which might present more pass-catching opportunities for Jaylen Warren. With a solid floor and a little bit of pass-catching upside, I think Warren is a good flex option this week.

On the other side of this matchup you’ve got Austin Ekeler, who fills a very similar role as Warren. The resemblance is striking between the oft-compared players, with both backs being shorter in stature and wearing the number 30. Ekeler, like Warren, has been effective lately, with 12.5 opportunities and 70.5 yards per game over his last two. I like him for the same reasons I like Warren this week, even if starter Brian Robinson Jr. is active. Flex Ekeler if you have him. 

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks for Williams, who was suspended two games for a violation of the NFL’s PED policy, but he’s been cleared to return to the Lions’ active roster as of Wednesday this week. In case you forgot – Williams has four Top-24 finishes in six games played this year. Interestingly, the two games in which he did not finish in the Top-24, he finished outside the Top-100. He’s definitely got some boom or bust to him as the deep threat in this Detroit Lions offense, but it’s one of the elite offenses in the NFL right now, and this is a game you want pieces of. It’s a 49.0 point O/U against a Houston defense that’s been allowing plenty of points to opposing wide receivers. Slide Williams right back into your lineup in his return from suspension this week.  

Legette is becoming a fun player for fantasy as a redzone threat in Carolina’s offense with one of the funnier signature touchdown celebrations of 2024. He’s new gotten a redzone target in five of his last six games, using his 6’3” 227 pound frame to turn four of those targets into touchdowns. Legette represents a fairly low floor in your lineup as a touchdown dependent player, but his arrow is pointing up as a talented rookie with first round draft capital, so he could be sitting on a breakout game in the near future. Fire him up in your flex this week if you’re looking for some upside.

Cooper is listed as questionable this week with a wrist injury, so make sure you’re following the injury reports up to game time if you’re rolling with him this week. I do like his matchup this week against a porous Colt’s secondary, especially if his teammate Keon Coleman misses the game with a wrist injury of his own. Coleman didn’t practice at all on Wednesday, and currently looks unlikely to suit up which would open up plenty of looks for Cooper, who has now had over three weeks of practice time to get integrated into this Bills’ offense. The Bills clearly had plans for Cooper when they sent a 3rd-round pick to Cleveland for him, and I think this might be the week we see them come together. Flex him if you’ve got him.