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Fake News or Real Deal? Week 5 Waiver Outlooks

Week 4 featured some good games and performances, as well as some not so good games and performances (**cough, London, cough**). However, as we head into our first full slate of games in the month of October, we continue to search the waiver wire news for the next "Law Firm" Benjarvus Green-Ellis or Reuben Droughns. This isn't always an easy choice to make as these columns in the past have sometimes been notoriously filled with an abundant amount of "fake news" just to get you to click on the story (this isn't the case here, I promise).

Need help and can't decide whether the players featured in articles this week are legitimately worth your roster space? Good thing we are here to put things back into perspective and examine whether this week's news regarding the studs of the waiver wire is actually "fake news" or if there is some authenticity to their performances.

Let's get started!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Fake Fantasy News or Real Deal Value?

Deshaun Watson - QB, Houston Texans

Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is the latest name being thrown out there in waiver wire columns this week. Watson was drafted by Houston in the first round, 12th overall in the draft this past offseason. He had a fantastic career during his three seasons as a Clemson Tiger, winning numerous awards throughout his tenure with the program. Watson ended his career with 10,168 yards on 814-for-1,207 passing and 90 touchdowns. His mobility also allowed him to compile a staggering 1,934 rushing yards that were complimented by 26 touchdowns on the ground. Watson got off to an ok start in the league, throwing only one touchdown over Weeks 1 and 2 against Jacksonville and Cincinnati. However, many people, especially those on the fantasy side of things, began to take notice of him during Week 3 against the New England Patriots. Watson threw two touchdowns and 301 yards in the contest and narrowly led to the team to a victory over the reigning Super Bowl Champions. However, though he didn’t get the “W” and threw two picks, he automatically showed up on the fantasy radar. Watson followed up the effective performance against the Pats with four touchdowns and 283 passing yards against the Tennessee Titans. As a result, he is now more desirable to fantasy players than the cast of “Magic Mike” is middle-aged women. But I digress.

The real question remains, are the waiver news and columns regarding Watson actually legit, or is is another example of fantasy yellow journalism? Or better yet, is this another classic example of “fake news” in 2017. Though Watson should have silenced any doubters after his effective performance against New England, he didn't and for some reason he still can be found as a free agent in a good chunk of leagues throughout the fantasy realm. Is there a reason for this or are people too oblivious to appreciate what is unfolding? The last remaining undefeated team, the Chiefs, are next up for the rookie. Kansas City is no joke, having acquired victories this season over playoff caliber teams such as the Patriots and Redskins, would a win on Sunday over Andy Reid's squad be enough to catapult him out of the waiver wire pools and onto fantasy teams? Watson undoubtedly has his hands full but the play he has exhibited so far should be enough to finally get him the respect that he deserves. He is playing well beyond his youthful age of 22 years old and is getting better each week as the season progresses. The odds are in his favor as the Chiefs haven't been as hot defensively as there preceded reputation. This season, they have given up 93 rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks, which makes him a healthy option on Sunday.

Verdict

Things are looking good for the rookie. The news regarding Watson is far from fake, especially if he has a solid performance on Sunday against the unbeaten Chiefs. He is definitely the real deal and as a result, we can chalk this up as "not fake news."

 

Alvin Kamara - RB, New Orleans Saints

Last Sunday, we witnessed another overseas matchup in London as the Miami Dolphins “hosted” the New Orleans Saints. The game, which was a monstrosity from the start with 14 flags in the first half alone, will go down as one of the worst games in recent memory. However, if you look past the constant penalties and the exhausting pace of play, we witnessed the fantasy emergence of rookie running back Alvin Kamara. Kamara, who was selected in the third round with the 67th overall pick in the 2017 draft out of the University of Tennessee, put on a splendid performance. Kamara rushed the ball only five times, accruing only 25 yards. However, what he did on the receiving end is what turned him into this weeks’ fantasy wet dream. Kamara had 10 receptions, good for 71 yards and a touchdown in the win. With a performance like that, those involved in the fantasy world scrambled to the waiver wire faster than I run to the dessert table at Thanksgiving. But is Kamara actually the real deal? Or Fake News?

The plan going into the season, or at least what everyone though, was for running back Mark Ingram to see a good chunk of the snaps from the backfield with veteran back Adrian Peterson also getting in his fair share. However, that hasn’t worked out exactly as planned, at least half of it hasn’t. With Ingram getting at least 14 rushing attempts in Weeks 3 and 4, Peterson is slowly starting to fade away. We all have seen the evil eye that he gave to head coach Sean Payton during the Week 1 matchup against Peterson’s former team, the Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps, that was an omen of things to come. With the team getting ready to face the Lions on Sunday, I believe it is safe to say that the London game was Kamara’s official fantasy coming out party. With the Lions having issues stopping passes from the backfield, we can expect Kamara to have another efficient game on Sunday.

Verdict

Expect Mark Ingram to continue to running the ball with Kamara getting his fair share of receptions. Also expect Adrian Peterson to remain irrelevant and unhappy on the sidelines. In any event, it would be a safe bet to say that the Kamara is the real deal and that Kamara being fantasy relevant is "not fake news."

 

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