Waiver Fire - Week 7

Bye Week: Steelers, Packers, Seahawks, Raiders.

Before I dive into week 7 it's worth casting back into last weeks article as there are a few things to point out as some players should hold value for a few weeks and others should be forgotten quickly.

Week 6 Review:

QBs:

Dalton (17.2), Winston (30.9), Darnold (18)

Dalton and Darnold were serviceable and as streamer put up good numbers. Dalton should be a good play for a good few weeks so if you have him you shouldn’t need to go back to the wire for a recommended QB. Winston likewise has weekly value and is a great option this week if he wasn’t picked up. Darnold has the Vikings this week and that looks tougher this week than it did previously.

RBs:

Morris (0), Davis (3.6), Hines (5.5), Smallwood (6.1), Wilds (Cut)

I just hope I never have a worse week at predicting RBs than this week. My long-term prospect got cut for Jamaal Charles, my main target fumbled and misfired, Hines was nowhere near as effective as he should have been, Davis was outplayed by Carson and Alfred Morris... don’t even get me started on that.

WRs:

Anderson (6.9), Gabriel (16.9), Coutee (6.3), Kirk (13.7), Moore (13.2)

A number of these have long-term outlooks for fantasy in both redraft and dynasty but I was surprised just how well Kirk and Moore turned out to be. Gabriel is now an every week consideration and really should be owned in all leagues. Coutee will have better weeks but is a valid option now. Robby Anderson May not have shone this week but with Enunwa down his workload is going to have to jump.

TEs:

Brate (8.5), Vannett (DNP), Jags TEs (-0.2/5.6)

Brate was serviceable and got a TD but the others had to be discarded early. Brate is going to be a streaming option for the next few weeks and when I put him up last week it was as a "stream to start" player. If you have the room keep him around, he’s going to be one of the more valuable and probably more consistent tight ends out there.

DSTs:

Bills (16), Seahawks (17), Packers (4)

Knocked two of these out of the park and one was so obvious that the 2018 NFL decided it wouldn’t agree. This week only the Bills are playing and against Andrew Luck, this isn’t a week where they can be played.

So into week 7 and with 4 bye week teams it gets tricker and the waivers become more important and sometimes you can find the odd gem dropped from the previous weeks' bye teams. It might be worth checking for a Matt Stafford or Kenny Golladay but with the Saints and Lions being last weeks bye teams there won’t be a lot to feed on.

Again there are a few names in here who may be more than just single week options so judge their use to you by how your bench is looking and who you would be dropping. Sometimes you can find a great player available but everyone on your roster is just better. Don’t let others feed off your scraps.

QBs:

Before I start here, Dalton and Winston are again my top QB streams if they are available so I’ve had to dig deeper to find some different options if those two are taken.

Blake Bortles (JAX)

After coughing up 6 turnovers in the last two games, Bortles may be dropped quicker than a lot of his passes have been. Don’t be the person who sees the interceptions and ignores the other fantasy stats. Against the Chiefs, he had 5 turnovers but still threw for 430 yards and a TD scoring 22 points. The Jags have the Texans this week and will be looking to return to winning ways after two poor showings. Houston is a middle of the pack passing defence, and they are fifth worst for passing TD’s conceded. They are a good opposition for a Bortles recovery, and it’s a divisional game to boot.

Baker Mayfield (CLE)

This has the big caveat that Mayfield is fit to play and not limited in his abilities due to the sore ankle he picked up against the Chargers. I suspect he will be fine. This week, he faces the Buccaneers who have just fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith. Tampa Bay is currently the worst defence in the NFL. A quick change in coach isn’t going to fix their problems. Their bye week is behind them, and they are going to take time to improve. Mayfield has weapons including rookie Damion Ratley who burst onto the scene last week. I’d play anyone (except maybe Nathan Peterman) against the Bucs right now, and with the other juicy defensive matchups slated to face heavily owned QBs, Mayfield is a solid stream.

RBs:

Ito Smith (ATL)

With Davonta Freeman back on the sidelines and struggling for any kind of health, Ito Smith has had a massive uptick in workload. In some respects, Smith has taken over Freeman’s role to allow Coleman to continue in his own, highly effective role. Smith has scored a TD three weeks running and has 168 total yards on the season. With Atlanta's struggles on the defensive side of the football, the game script may not be favourable, but this week against the Giants and indeed beyond, Smith may be a valuable asset, particularly in Dynasty.

[UPDATE: Freeman has been placed on IR, so this becomes an absolute slam dunk move].

Nick Chubb (CLE)

Again, this is a case of which running back playing Tampa Bay is available. Nick Chubb has had big games, and he’s had nothing games. I’m hoping for a boom this week. Against Oakland in Week 4, he was able to rip off two long TD runs and top 22 fantasy points. This feels like the kind of matchup for big plays, and while Hyde is somewhat predictable, Chubb is something of an unknown. This may be one of those weeks where Cleveland can let him run free. If Mayfield is playing limited, it only further pushes the case for Chubb. If Duke Johnson was dropped in your league, he also is an excellent option for this week, but his ownership is still hovering around 50%.

Frank Gore (MIA)

If I’m honest, this is something of a reaction to the Dolphins game against Chicago, but the fumble at the goal line by Kenyan Drake and constant pounding of the rock by Gore give a clear indication that the Dolphins running game is going to use Gore heavily. Gore is barely owned. He eclipsed 100 yards rushing against a Bears defence which had been unstoppable against the run thus far in 2018. Drake should take over eventually, but it doesn’t look like that will be anytime soon. If you need someone reasonably reliable to plug in at RB2, Gore is becoming a more stomachable option.

WRs:

Jermaine Kearse (NYJ)

Quincy Enunwa looks set to miss 3-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain. Now the load has to shift. Enunwa was averaging 8.4 targets per game. Those targets have to go somewhere. While Enunwa remains sidelined, Robby Anderson, Pryor, who is also banged up, and Kearse all get a bump. Kearse had 9 catches for 94 yards against the Colts last week after Enunwa went down, and while Pryor has had two TDs in as many weeks, a groin injury and the resurgence of the former Seahawk makes me feel Kearse is the guy to own.

Marquise Goodwin (SF)

This is a bit of a sneaky one, but in a lot of leagues, people have been dropping Goodwin (me included) thinking he was never really going to recover from his injuries and the loss of Jimmy Garoppolo. The Packers game suggested otherwise, and now there may be a scramble to pick him back up. Beathard proved he can adequately support Goodwin, Kittle & Co. in the right matchup.

Chester Rodgers (IND)

He's a little bit of a deeper play, but for this week, should Hilton remain missing or limited, Rodgers is a great option. Against the Jets, he had four catches for 55 yards and a TD. Rodgers is averaging 16 points per game the last three weeks. Ryan Grant is nursing an ankle injury but will likely play. With Hilton's status uncertain and Ebron unable to carry the whole load, Rodgers will see a nice workload from Andrew Luck who is on track to break the record for passing attempts in a season. It’s a good job that shoulder is fixed, isn’t it!

TEs:

OJ Howard (TB)

After being dropped in many leagues due to his injury and the Bucs recent bye week, Howard is back and found the end zone against Atlanta last week. His counterpart at TE for the Bucs, Cameron Brate also made it to paydirt. Winston can support both players, and strangely I see both as playable. Howard started the season hot, averaging 13 fantasy point per game before going down in week 4. After a dominant return, he may kick on. It’ll be interesting to see how the TE roles split in Tampa Bay going forward.

CJ Uzomah (CIN)

Uzomah was slightly underwhelming last week when a lot of people tipped him to excel against the Steelers. That disappointment may cause a lot of people to drop him or leave him on the wire. I disagree with that assessment. He’s going to see a lot of work. Uzomah is an excellent matchup-based play. This week the Bengals play the Chiefs who are ranked 29th against TEs. If you’re struggling for an option, Uzomah isn’t a bad idea.

Hayden Hurst (BAL)

This may be more relevant to dynasty leagues, but Hayden Hurst has returned from injury and is creating a buzz in Baltimore. He had only one catch for 7 yards on his return as he was eased back in, but his role should increase, and in time he can ascend to TE1 status for the Ravens. Baltimore currently looks lost in terms of pass-catching tight ends. If your league is deep and there’s very little out there, Hurst is a better percentage gamble than a lot of the options.

DSTs:

Colts (IND)

For streaming defence, it's important to ask the question, “Who is playing the Bills?” This week that question flags up the Colts as the team to play. If they can get pieces like Margus Hunt and Darius Leonard fit and firing, there is going to be room for a big day. With Josh Allen questionable and Nathan Peterman or Derek Anderson potentially waiting in the wings, you have to think the Colts can be a top 5 DST this week.

[UPDATE: Seam McDermott is not expecting Josh Allen to play, and said the rookie QB could miss a few weeks.]

Chargers (LAC)

The Chargers still really miss Joey Bosa and everyone else on their trainer's tables. That said, they are a good defence and are surprisingly available considering the lack of elite defences this year. This week they play the Titans who were shutout by the Ravens last week and are looking a little sluggish and out of ideas on offence. I don't see the Chargers pitching another shutout against this struggling Titans offensive attack, but an underperforming defence hungry to prove its worth in a favourable matchup can be a recipe for success when streaming DST.  

Lions (DET)

This is maybe a bit outside the box, but the Lions, fresh off the bye week, will have the energy and practice time working in their favour against Miami. The Dolphins lost Ryan Tannehill last week and still managed to beat the Bears with Brock Osweiler at the helm. Now, this may seem odd since the number one defence was just done over by the Dolphins, but I’m going with the old adage that lightning won’t strike twice and the regression towards the mean will be substantial. Regardless of whether Tannehill returns or we see Osweiler again, I the Lions started to get things together pre-bye and now having had time to work on a few things. They should be ready to rip into the Dolphins.