Julian Hicks, six-season college receiver with 1,708 yards and 23 TDs, signed with the Birmingham Stallions after a 2024 Packers stint that featured a preseason push and a year on the practice squad. At 6-2, 200 with a 9.18 RAS, Hicks brings notable athletic upside to generate NFL tape in the UFL.

The Stallions went 7-3 and reached the playoffs last season; the 2026 start date is TBA. Hicks will need standout UFL performances and special-teams impact to earn another NFL look, but his size and athletic profile keep him in the mix for a return.

Two Buckeyes, two breakout NFL nights. Emeka Egbuka roared in his first Buccaneers appearance against Seattle, piling up 7 receptions for 163 yards and a TD in a 38-35 win. Jaxon Smith-Njigba answered with 8 catches for 132 yards and a TD for the Seahawks, in a game that underscored the Buckeyes’ WR pipeline at the highest level. Marvin Harrison Jr. added a late Cardinals spark with 4 grabs for 98 yards, while former Seahawk Richard Sherman called it an OSU WR showcase. Brian Hartline amplified the moment with a nudge about how the Buckeyes are influencing the league.

The weekend spotlighted the NFL’s continued OSU imprint and offered a blueprint for evaluating rookie receivers who flashed in Week 5. The eye-test suggested both Egbuka and Smith-Njigba can sustain opportunistic roles given workload and design, while Harrison Jr. showed off big-play ability for Arizona. The returns for fantasy managers hinge on target share, matchup leverage, and how defenses game-plan around this veteran-to-young WR bridge in real time.

Dallas rolled out a complete game in MetLife, lifting Dak Prescott and a shorthanded offense to a 37-22 win while Brian Schottenheimer's scripted start unlocked big plays for Hunter Luepke and Jake Ferguson. The defense finally applied sustained pressure on Justin Fields, totaling five sacks and forcing turnovers. Ryan Flournoy exploded for 104 receiving yards in the first half, signaling a potential breakout behind Lamb and Turpin on the mend. The win highlights a blueprint for depth and a changing target tree as Dallas looks to sustain momentum.

Fantasy managers should monitor Flournoy's role, the altered receiver pecking order, and the Cowboys' improved pass rush as early indicators of weekly upside, especially in games with similar injury situations and favorable matchups for Dallas' play design.