Before I dive into my first waiver wire article, a little bit of an insight into my fantasy life. I have 37 games currently active across multiple formats and platforms so I do sometimes lose track of what the reality is for most fantasy players, however, this is probably the most useful type of article for any fantasy player so I’d be dumb not to give some advice.
I’m going to try to cover this on a few different levels and hope that even those in deep leagues will be able to find something. All player slider will be owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues and I’m going to get at least 1 RB and 1 WR owned in less than 10% of leagues.
So, let’s get to it.
Week 6 Waiver Fire
Bye Week: Saints, Lions
Waiver Fire is a place for hot tips on who to pick up either for individual matchups as streamers, or more longer-term options. After 5 crazy weeks, the NFL landscape continues to change so who could make your picture a little brighter this week?
Quarterbacks:
Andy Dalton (CIN)
Before week 5 the upcoming schedule for Dalton would have made him a slam dunk of a streaming option. Home vs PIT, @KC, vs TB are all matchups against defences who were struggling, especially against the pass, but this week has changed things a little. Taking the Steelers specifically they ranked 3rd this week against Atlanta but a lot of their work was done defending the ground game and they are still vulnerable in the air. Dalton will be able to call on Green, Boyd Uzomah and Joe Mixon should get a few targets too. John Ross is questionable and he is the primary deep threat option which has been the Steelers Achilles heel this season. If Ross is missing then Dalton loses some of his appeal, but there’s not going to be a lot of better streamers out there.
Winston was confirmed as the starter after Fitzpatrick was pulled from the game against Chicago and will look to regain his control of the offence after missing the opening 3 games through suspension. Last season Winston looked to be disappointing but if you drill deeper he had a very strong finish and set career best stats for completions and accuracy. A lot of players are going to have forgotten his existence and how decent he can be so now is a good time to take advantage. He still has Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin and Cameron Brate as weapons and this week they take on the depleted Atlanta defence. Next week they have the Browns so again, he may be a multiple week streamer.
Sam Darnold (NYJ)
Sam Darnold (NYJ)
Darnold had the best game of his career so far against a (previously) highly rated Broncos defence. He threw for nearly 200 yards, with 3 TDs and 1 INT. He still has a lot to learn but so far he’s trending in the right direction and some of the passes he was pulling off against Denver were picture perfect. This week the Jets play the Colts who are still having issues on defence although if Darius Leonard is fully fit then things do get more complicated. They have conceded more than 20 points in all but 2 games and are giving up on average 20 fantasy points per game to QBs so maybe Darnold will have a chance to cash in.
Running Backs:
Alfred Morris (SF)
With Matt Breida going down the 49ers don’t have a lot of other options. Barring a call to a free agent or an interesting trade they will have to run with Morris with support from Mostert and Juszczyk (or however you spell it). It’s probably 50/50 whether he will be available on your waiver wire but if he is and you need a start worthy RB this may be a rare opportunity to pick on up mid-season.
Mike Davis (SEA)
Running Backs:
Alfred Morris (SF)
With Matt Breida going down the 49ers don’t have a lot of other options. Barring a call to a free agent or an interesting trade they will have to run with Morris with support from Mostert and Juszczyk (or however you spell it). It’s probably 50/50 whether he will be available on your waiver wire but if he is and you need a start worthy RB this may be a rare opportunity to pick on up mid-season.
Mike Davis (SEA)
Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny we’re drafted in most leagues but over the last 3 weeks, they’ve become a 3 headed monster with Mike Davis adding his 2c into the equation. Last week he scored 15.5pts against the Rams, having put up 28.4pts against the Cardinals the week before. If he wasn’t already part of the game plan, he is now. The Seahawks appear to have improved their ground and pound game and the fact they did what they did against a strong Rams defence makes Davis worthy of a pickup and potentially quite a high FAAB bid.
Nyhiem Hines (IND)
Hines had another good game this week against the Patriots and with Jordan Wilkins becoming less effective it appears to be Hines who is the back to own in Indianapolis. He’s had 99 rushing yards and a TD but his use in the passing game is where he has value. He has 29 catches for 164 yards and 2TDs in the 5 games so far. Another player hovering around the 40% ownership level but if he’s out there and you have a bench spot available then I’d suggest grabbing him.
Wendell Smallwood (PHI)
With Jay Ajayi fumbling (and now on IR), Corey Clement recovering and no other options appearing it looks like Smallwood is going to see a decent chunk of the groundwork in Philadelphia. This week he had another 18pt fantasy game to go with his performance against the Colts 2 weeks previously. The major change in circumstance is the fact Ajayi had lost his touch and the trust of his coaches and is now on IR with a torn ACL. All of this means the touches have to go somewhere, Smallwood would look to be the most likely destination.
Brandon Wilds (JAX)
Very much a wildcard options for very deep leagues but there can’t be many leagues, no matter how deep they are, that have him owned. The Jags lost Corey Grant to injury this week and with Fournette still down it's down to TJ Yeldon and... well this is where Wilds should fit in. He’s had 6 rushes for 15 yards so far, 2 of which were last week after Grant went down, but an opportunity has now opened up. Who knows, he may be able to showcase his talents and land a bigger role on the team, especially with Grant out for the season.
Wide Receivers:
Robby Anderson (NYJ)
Everyone was quick to drop Robby Anderson after 4 games after a stuttering start. I was one of these people who thought he was struggling to get the chemistry with Darnold and that he’d have a rough season. I was wrong; they were just waiting for the Broncos before unleashing him. He did only have 3 catches on 5 targets but they went for 123 yards and 2 TDs. He is a part of this team and while I still expect him to share targets with Enunwa, it may be a case the Anderson is the TD dependent big boom player and Enunwa will be the possession (hard to bust) guy.
Keke Coutee (HOU)
Coutee burst into the scene in week 4 against the Colts with a 21.7pt fantasy game and Thai week he backed it up with a 6 reception, 51yd, 1TD day against the Cowboys. He’s made quite an impact since breaking into the team and now gives Deshaun Watson that third passing weapon he has been craving. With Fuller and Hopkins often covered or banged up another outlet will be a welcome boost for the Texans and Coutee might just find himself open a fair bit. It’s certainly a case of so far, so good for the rookie and if you’re in a dynasty league and he’s on waivers I suggest you get him quick.
Taylor Gabriel (CHI)
The Bears were on a bye last week and Taylor Gabriel may have been overlooked or forgotten about, but as I mentioned in a previous article, he needs to be owned. He may not be Tyreek Hill but he looks to have a similar role in this Nagy offence. He leads the team in receptions at 22 and receiving TDs with 2 as well as being 2nd in receiving yards with 193 and 2nd in targets (29). He has 56points across 4 games and as someone who went mostly undrafted, that is production you cannot ignore. If he’s on your wire, make sure he isn’t by the end of Wednesday.
Christian Kirk (ARI)
It’s hard to believe that Kirk has outproduced and outperformed Larry Fitzgerald so far this season but that’s what he’s down so far. 19 catches, 234 yards and 1 TD compared to 17 for 176yds and no TDs for Fitz. Kirks first TD this week would suggest the team plan for him to be used in the redzone as well as in possession and it seems he has great value for this season and not just in dynasty.
David Moore (SEA)
We return to the Seahawks to talk about a very low owned wide receiver who won’t be low owned for long. Mid-week there was talk that Lockett and Marshall would be seeing fewer targets to allow this rookie to get a bit more into the game. They weren’t lying and even with Doug Baldwin in the team (but seemingly unused) Moore managed 3 catches for 38 yards but more importantly, 2 touchdowns. Only Lockett and Vannett had more receiving yards and unless Baldwin returns to his old Stud status Moore is going to be seeing a lot more of the call going forwards.
Tight Ends:
Cameron Brate (TB)
Nyhiem Hines (IND)
Hines had another good game this week against the Patriots and with Jordan Wilkins becoming less effective it appears to be Hines who is the back to own in Indianapolis. He’s had 99 rushing yards and a TD but his use in the passing game is where he has value. He has 29 catches for 164 yards and 2TDs in the 5 games so far. Another player hovering around the 40% ownership level but if he’s out there and you have a bench spot available then I’d suggest grabbing him.
Wendell Smallwood (PHI)
With Jay Ajayi fumbling (and now on IR), Corey Clement recovering and no other options appearing it looks like Smallwood is going to see a decent chunk of the groundwork in Philadelphia. This week he had another 18pt fantasy game to go with his performance against the Colts 2 weeks previously. The major change in circumstance is the fact Ajayi had lost his touch and the trust of his coaches and is now on IR with a torn ACL. All of this means the touches have to go somewhere, Smallwood would look to be the most likely destination.
Brandon Wilds (JAX)
Very much a wildcard options for very deep leagues but there can’t be many leagues, no matter how deep they are, that have him owned. The Jags lost Corey Grant to injury this week and with Fournette still down it's down to TJ Yeldon and... well this is where Wilds should fit in. He’s had 6 rushes for 15 yards so far, 2 of which were last week after Grant went down, but an opportunity has now opened up. Who knows, he may be able to showcase his talents and land a bigger role on the team, especially with Grant out for the season.
Wide Receivers:
Robby Anderson (NYJ)
Everyone was quick to drop Robby Anderson after 4 games after a stuttering start. I was one of these people who thought he was struggling to get the chemistry with Darnold and that he’d have a rough season. I was wrong; they were just waiting for the Broncos before unleashing him. He did only have 3 catches on 5 targets but they went for 123 yards and 2 TDs. He is a part of this team and while I still expect him to share targets with Enunwa, it may be a case the Anderson is the TD dependent big boom player and Enunwa will be the possession (hard to bust) guy.
Keke Coutee (HOU)
Coutee burst into the scene in week 4 against the Colts with a 21.7pt fantasy game and Thai week he backed it up with a 6 reception, 51yd, 1TD day against the Cowboys. He’s made quite an impact since breaking into the team and now gives Deshaun Watson that third passing weapon he has been craving. With Fuller and Hopkins often covered or banged up another outlet will be a welcome boost for the Texans and Coutee might just find himself open a fair bit. It’s certainly a case of so far, so good for the rookie and if you’re in a dynasty league and he’s on waivers I suggest you get him quick.
Taylor Gabriel (CHI)
The Bears were on a bye last week and Taylor Gabriel may have been overlooked or forgotten about, but as I mentioned in a previous article, he needs to be owned. He may not be Tyreek Hill but he looks to have a similar role in this Nagy offence. He leads the team in receptions at 22 and receiving TDs with 2 as well as being 2nd in receiving yards with 193 and 2nd in targets (29). He has 56points across 4 games and as someone who went mostly undrafted, that is production you cannot ignore. If he’s on your wire, make sure he isn’t by the end of Wednesday.
Christian Kirk (ARI)
It’s hard to believe that Kirk has outproduced and outperformed Larry Fitzgerald so far this season but that’s what he’s down so far. 19 catches, 234 yards and 1 TD compared to 17 for 176yds and no TDs for Fitz. Kirks first TD this week would suggest the team plan for him to be used in the redzone as well as in possession and it seems he has great value for this season and not just in dynasty.
David Moore (SEA)
We return to the Seahawks to talk about a very low owned wide receiver who won’t be low owned for long. Mid-week there was talk that Lockett and Marshall would be seeing fewer targets to allow this rookie to get a bit more into the game. They weren’t lying and even with Doug Baldwin in the team (but seemingly unused) Moore managed 3 catches for 38 yards but more importantly, 2 touchdowns. Only Lockett and Vannett had more receiving yards and unless Baldwin returns to his old Stud status Moore is going to be seeing a lot more of the call going forwards.
Tight Ends:
Cameron Brate (TB)
Similar to Winston, people may sleep on Brate and I’m not sure you can afford to do so for long. Winston and Brate had great chemistry last season and with OJ Howard still missing through injury the pathway is there for Brate to excel. The Week 5 Hype Train Station article will explain the Brate situation further but with 2 nice matchups coming up and his friend now back starting he will be picked up a lot.
Nick Vannett (SEA)
Will Dissly was a revelation in Seattle. Sadly, it was short lived and a season-ending injury in week 4 left the Seahawks back at square one. Having lost Jimmy Graham the expectation was for Nick Vannett to carry the load and now with Dissly gone, it should fall on him. His first week with no competition yielded 7.3 fantasy points and his share really should increase further. The Seahawks are in London to play the Raiders this week and it’s the kind of game where you can just see a little utilised tight end making a big splash.
James O'Shaughnessy/Niles Paul (JAC)
Again, this is a very, very deep option but it could be a worthy call if TE’s are in short supply in your league. Austin Seferian-Jenkins was placed on IR with a core muscle injury and so the Jags will need a different tight end to step up. They have a lot of receiving options already so neither of these will be a stunning play with lots of opportunities, but if you have a deep league or need 2 TE’s they should at least have production on a weekly basis. O'Shaughnessy currently has 6 catches for 72 yards while Paul has 10 catches for 98 yards. Paul was more utilised in the KC game where ASJ was a not utilised so may be the better choice, but O'Shaughnessy may have the better TD upside.
Again, this is a very, very deep option but it could be a worthy call if TE’s are in short supply in your league. Austin Seferian-Jenkins was placed on IR with a core muscle injury and so the Jags will need a different tight end to step up. They have a lot of receiving options already so neither of these will be a stunning play with lots of opportunities, but if you have a deep league or need 2 TE’s they should at least have production on a weekly basis. O'Shaughnessy currently has 6 catches for 72 yards while Paul has 10 catches for 98 yards. Paul was more utilised in the KC game where ASJ was a not utilised so may be the better choice, but O'Shaughnessy may have the better TD upside.
DSTs:
Seahawks
The Seahawks may have lost the Legion of Boom but they have had a mini-revival so far this season and this week they play an Oakland team who like to leak points. The Raiders are in the top 10 for points given away to DST. Struggling teams going to London can be outplayed by defences and this week looks like a solid week in which to play the Seahawks.
Packers
Despite twice leaking 31 points the Packers are still showing as a top 10 defence, mostly due to their big day against Buffalo. This week they play a woeful 49ers offence which is stuck for ideas and with Matt Breida potentially missing for this matchup things only look brighter for the Packers. If you take the Bills game as a model of them playing a week offence then anyone playing them should be looking at double-digit points.
Bills
Now, this really is a stretch but hear me out on this. The Bills haven’t been the worst this year. In fact, they are in the top 20 and have 9 turnovers on the year. This week they play the Texans and Deshaun Watson, who has thrown an interception in each game so far and with the team also fumbling twice they have turnovers in them. After 13 points against the Titans, the Bills are an under the radar play which may not be sexy; but may be effective.
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