Is Jaleel McLaughlin A Good Fantasy Football Pickup For Week 5? Waiver Wire Outlook

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin was an undrafted free agent from the 2023 NFL Draft. McLaughlin had a productive college career, totaling 535 rushing attempts for 3,418 yards and 30 touchdowns at Youngstown State. He also had 44 receptions for 500 receiving yards and two touchdowns in college.

With Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine on the roster, the undrafted free agent rookie was an afterthought all offseason. Yet, McLaughlin played his way onto the 53-man roster. However, the rookie had limited upside, with Williams ready to play in Week 1 after suffering a severe knee injury last season.

While he started the year as the No. 3 running back on the depth chart, McLaughlin has played well in limited snaps. The rookie had six rushing attempts for 20 yards and a rushing touchdown over the first three weeks.

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What Did Jaleel McLaughlin Accomplish In Week 4?

The former Youngstown State star saw an increased workload Sunday against the Chicago Bears. He had seven rushing attempts for 72 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per attempt. Furthermore, the rookie caught all three targets for 32 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in the Broncos’ first win this year.

McLaughlin shined in limited snaps. The undrafted free agent rookie forced six missed tackles on his seven rushing attempts against Chicago. He also averaged eight yards after contact per rushing attempt and had three attempts total double-digit yards.

Is Jaleel McLaughlin A Good Fantasy Football Pickup For Week 5?

The rookie running back saw an uptick in work after Williams left the game with a hip injury. He played fewer snaps than Perine. However, McLaughlin had more rushing attempts than the veteran. More importantly, the rookie was outstanding with his rushing attempts.

Thankfully, Williams reportedly suffered a minor hip injury and could play against the New York Jets this week. However, McLaughlin is still an excellent waiver wire pickup. If the Broncos give Williams a week to rest, the rookie should have a productive fantasy performance.

New York has surrendered 111 rushing yards and 20.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to running backs this season. More importantly, they had no answers for Isiah Pacheco in Week 4, giving up 115 rushing yards and 23.3 fantasy points to the former Rutgers star.

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