Fantasy Football Week 6 Stock Watch Fallers: Time to Panic on Jalen Hurts, Omarion Hampton, and Colston Loveland?
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Fantasy Football Week 5 Stock Watch Fallers: Time to Panic on Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, and Chris Godwin?
While breakout performances create instant waiver wire hype, quiet games and dwindling usage can quietly sink your season. Knowing when to hold strong and when to cut your losses—or banish a former starter to your bench—is what separates fantasy contenders from pretenders.
Following our look at Week 5 Risers, let's break down five key players whose stock took a hit this week, complete with our verdict on how fantasy managers should handle them moving forward.
Fantasy Football Stock Watch: Week 5 Fallers
RB Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Omarion Hampton’s 2026 season hit another speed bump in Sunday’s 23-17 loss to Denver. The second-year back managed just 22 rushing yards on 8 carries while continuing to share touch volume in a Chargers backfield that is searching for consistency.
Through five weeks, the explosive upside that made Hampton an offseason favorite hasn't translated into fantasy production. Opposing defenses are stacking the box against an inefficient Chargers passing game, leaving Hampton with virtually no room to run before contact. Until the LA offense finds rhythm or hands him a true workhorse share, Hampton cannot be treated as a set-and-forget RB2. He is best viewed as a volatile RB3/Flex play who needs a touchdown to deliver a solid fantasy day.
Panic Level: Medium (Downgrade to a risky Flex)
WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin turned in another quiet outing in Tampa Bay’s 24-16 victory over Dallas, finishing with 4 catches for 38 yards on 6 targets. Five weeks into the 2026 season, Godwin has yet to record a single double-digit PPR point performance, frustrating managers who drafted him as a reliable target magnet.
The issue isn't Godwin’s talent, but rather his changed role and target depth in Tampa Bay's current passing structure with Baker Mayfield out. With target share leaning elsewhere in high-leverage situations and limited red-zone usage, Godwin’s weekly floor has collapsed. You can’t drop a player with his track record, but he can no longer reside in starting lineups until we see a meaningful spike in targets.
Panic Level: High (Bench until proven otherwise)
TE Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
Popular draft season TE1 target Colston Loveland struggled to make an impact during Chicago's 31-7 loss to Green Bay, hauling in just 2 of his 5 targets for 19 yards. It marks the third time in five games that the first-year tight end has been held to two or fewer receptions.
While some managers are calling Loveland a bust, context matters. Operating with backup Tyson Bagent under center while Caleb Williams recovers from a hamstring injury has limited the ceiling for the entire Chicago passing attack. Tight ends notoriously take time to adapt to the NFL, and Loveland is still running a healthy route tree. Don't panic or cut bait just yet; stash him on your bench and wait for Williams to return before making a final verdict.
Panic Level: Low to Medium (Hold on the bench)
QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert suffered another brutal fantasy performance against Denver, completing 14-of-24 passes for 121 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, while adding a lost fumble. He has failed to throw for multiple touchdowns in a single game all season and continues to sit near the bottom of QB1 scoring.
In standard 1-QB leagues, the verdict is clear: Justin Herbert is droppable. The Chargers’ run-heavy game plan, combined with a lack of vertical playmaking, has effectively capped his passing ceiling. Unless you are playing in Superflex formats where starting QBs carry intrinsic value, holding Herbert on a standard 12-team bench is simply wasting a roster spot that could be used on high-upside positional depth.
Panic Level: High (Droppable in 1-QB formats)
QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts delivered another underwhelming performance in Week 5, failing to clear 200 passing yards and committing two costly turnovers. While his rushing usage provides a baseline, his lack of explosive passing numbers and declining passing efficiency have dragged his fantasy output down into streamer territory.
Hurts’ fantasy value has long been insulated by the "tush push" and high-volume rushing touchdowns. However, with Philadelphia's offense struggling to sustain drives inside the red zone and injuries mounting (including to DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Will Shipley), those high-value opportunities have dried up. While his rushing upside keeps him inside the top 12 overall QBs, he can no longer be trusted as an elite, set-and-forget top-5 option. He is now firmly in the low-end QB1 tier where matchups dictate his ceiling.
Panic Level: Medium (Downgrade to low-end QB1)
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Once a top-ranked fantasy gamer on ESPN, Nick Raducanu has been playing fantasy sports for over 25 years. His written fantasy coverage includes stops at Rotoworld, Rotowire, and The New York Times.