Last week featured several encouraging performances from young players we’ve spent all season waiting to step into key roles. This week, I highlight two rookies who could both have value as weekly streaming options going forward, or better, and a tight end who draws a plus matchup against one of the more porous defenses in the league.

Without further delay, let’s have a look at this week’s usage report.

▶ Running Backs

🟢 Jonah Coleman (DEN) vs. Chiefs

After missing four straight weeks with an ankle injury, Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman has found himself in a key role since returning in Week 7. That week, Coleman rushed nine times for 54 scoreless yards against the Cardinals while adding another two receptions for 15 yards. Last week, he followed it up with an 11-41-1 rushing line while adding another four receptions for 63 yards on five targets.

Since Week 7, Coleman has been the fantasy RB12 in expected fantasy points (30.8 EP), and is leading the Broncos’ backfield with a 26 percent opportunity share. His seven targets over that span also lead Denver’s backfield, and with RJ Harvey (knee) on injured reserve, Coleman should have a valuable role as a pass-catcher for at least the next three weeks. His four rush attempts inside his opponent’s five-yard line compared to J.K. Dobbins’ one is also an encouraging sign heading into Week 9 against the Panthers.

Coleman profiles as a fringe RB1/RB2 in a plus matchup against a Panthers run defense that has been among the worst in the league and is fresh off of firing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

🔴 Saquon Barkley (PHI) vs. Commanders

The Eagles have lost six straight games and are about to start their third different quarterback. Saquon Barkley, who is playing through a hamstring and back injury, has seen just 23 opportunities in his last two games since returning in Week 7 against the Cowboys. While he has still managed to finish as a top-24 PPR RB in back-to-back weeks, Barkley’s production is fueled by good fortune in the touchdown department. He’s found the end zone in each of his last two games, but those 12 combined PPR points make up 43.6 percent of his fantasy scoring over that span.

Barkley was listed as a DNP on Wednesday but was limited in Thursday’s practice and will presumably be good to go for Week 9’s game against the Giants. That said, the lack of volume (11.5 opps/gm) over the last two weeks, coupled with Philly’s offensive struggles, makes him hard to trust against a Giants defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points per game (18.0) to opposing RBs in its last five games. Until his volume sees a bit of an uptick, Barkley is starting to profile more like a fringe RB2/RB3.

▶ Wide Receivers

🟢 Antonio Williams (WSH) vs. Eagles

In his first game since Terry McLaurin (knee) suffered his season-ending injury, rookie Antonio Williams saw the expanded role fantasy managers were hoping for in Week 8 against the Eagles.

Williams ran a team-high 29 routes in last week’s win while also leading all Commanders pass-catchers in targets with six. While we’d like to see more targets from Williams going forward, he made the most of his opportunities, securing five passes for 54 yards, with most of those coming on a nice 30-yard play in the fourth quarter.

He mixed in all over the field, lining up on the outside on 18 of his snaps while also seeing 13 snaps in the slot. Receiver Treylon Burks is dealing with a foot injury and has missed the first two practices to start the week. If he were to miss time, Williams could be in line for even more targets against the Rams in a game that could feature a lot of points. Williams is in the WR4/Flex range for fantasy managers who are in need of a potential upside play at the position this week.

🔴 Xavier Worthy (KC) vs. Broncos

After a brief spike in play where Xavier Worthy went for 70-plus yards in back-to-back weeks, the former first-round pick has plummeted back to earth as of late. Over the last two weeks, Worthy has caught just 6-of-12 targets for 24 scoreless yards, and with Rashee Rice back in the mix in Week 8, Patrick Mahomes has little incentive to force things to him right now.

Outside of his two strong outings, Worthy has totaled 25 or fewer receiving yards in his other five games, and he has found the end zone only once. Last week against the Broncos, Worthy managed only 13 yards despite running a team-high 41 routes, which further speaks to the underwhelming play we’ve seen from him this season.

With the Chiefs taking on the Jets in Week 9, there’s little reason to believe Mahomes and company will be pushed to put up points, and even if they are, those points are unlikely to come from Worthy. He’s well off the fantasy radar this week and can be dropped in most leagues where needed.

▶ Tight Ends

🟢 Greg Dulcich (MIA) vs. Patriots

The Dolphins have played significantly better coming off of their bye week. After scoring 28 points in Week 7 against the Jets to pick up their first win of the season, the Dolphins scored 19 points against the Patriots — a total they only hit/exceeded once in Weeks 1-5, and have averaged 314.5 yards per game since Week 7.

Greg Dulcich has totaled 11 targets during this two-game stretch, turning them into nine receptions for 129 scoreless yards while also averaging a solid 25.0 percent targets per route rate — the sixth-highest TPRR among TEs (min. 40 routes) over the last two weeks. Even before the Dolphins’ Week 6 bye, Dulcich saw six targets and has been targeted five or more times in all but one game since Week 3.

This week, Dulcich draws a very generous matchup against a struggling Lions defense that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing TEs (27.3 PPG) in its last five games, putting Dulcich firmly on the streaming radar in a game that could turn into a high-scoring affair.

🔴 Dallas Goedert (PHI) vs. Commanders

We’re heading back to Philly to highlight another risky player who’s about to be tethered to journeyman Joe Milton, who is set to make his first career start in the league. Milton is as known for his rocket arm as he is for his accuracy issues, and while he could surprise with a few big plays, he is just as likely to underwhelm in an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in both yards and scoring, and was struggling even when Jalen Hurts was healthy.

Goedert has caught nine passes for 78 scoreless yards in his last two games and hasn’t found the end zone since Week 1. He gets a Week 9 matchup against a Giants defense that ranks 13th in points allowed to opposing tight ends, and has allowed just two tight ends to go for 10-plus PPR points in their last five games. Goedert hasn’t finished any higher than the PPR TE14 since Week 1, and can likely be left off of starting rosters in what could be a tough game this weekend.