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Michael Florio's deeper-league waiver wire pickups and fantasy football sleepers for Week 6. His top free agent options for 14-team fantasy leagues or deeper.
Week 5 was at least the second week this season where injuries were the big story in the fantasy football community. There were a number of big name players that suffered injuries, meaning there is a lot of talent on the waiver wire, even in those deeper leagues. This is a week to be aggressive trying to get these new starters off the wire.
There is also a lesson to be learned though, both for deep leagues and those regular leagues too that deep-league players laugh at. Almost every week the top waiver-wire targets are running backs on a team where the starter was injured. It's a guessing game as you never know which starter may miss time, but stashing some of those backup RBs that are an injury away from a big workload is valuable.
You are better suited holding onto one of these running backs than you are that fifth or sixth receiver or that second QB. Sure, it won’t look appealing at times to see your bench put up low points and you have fewer starting options, but if one hits, you will have another starting option on your team without having to use a top waiver claim or a lot of FAAB to acquire. For example, I had been stashing Darrel Williams in a number of leagues, with and without CEH on my roster. Now I have a new potential RB2 on my roster. This is a strategy I am trying to employ more and you should too.
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Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire Targets
Geno Smith looked great in relief of Russell Wilson on Thursday Night Football. He threw for 131 yards and a touchdown, while rushing three times for 23 yards. He nearly lead a comeback and may have been successful had Tyler Lockett not fallen on a pass that led to an interception. Russell Wilson has his eyes set on a Week 10 return, meaning that Smith will start for the next few weeks. He has good playmakers around him and can add some points with his legs. He is better suited in two-QB or deep leagues, but if you play in either and need a QB, Smith is right for you.
Devontae Booker may be rostered in deep leagues, or at the least he would be if more fantasy players rostered backup RBs. Saquon Barkley stepped on a defender's foot and rolled his ankle. He is expected to be out in Week 6 and maybe even longer. Booker played 89 percent of snaps in Week 5, with 16 carries and four targets. That volume is huge, especially in deeper leagues. He turned it into 58 yards and a touchdown, showing he will get goal-line carries as well. Booker is someone you can pick up and start immediately.
Jerick McKinnon will be more utilized after Clyde Edwards-Helaire suffered a sprain MCL. CEH is expected to miss multiple weeks and Darrel Williams is the new lead back, who should be the number one claim if he is still out there. But if not, McKinnon is the next best option. He played 32 percent of the snaps in Week 5 with one carry and two targets. It's not the most volume, but the Chiefs were in pure catch-up mode. McKinnon has the potential to be a flex option in deeper leagues, as long as the Chiefs don’t trade for Marlon Mack.
Rhamondre Stevenson played 34 percent of the snaps with 11 carries after Damien Harris left not once, but twice with a chest injury. He has a shot to suit up this week but if not Stevenson is in play this week as the Patriots lead ball carrier against the Cowboys. Stevenson is a massive back who showed his goal-line prowess along with his surprising speed in the preseason. He is worth picking up and holding onto while Harris is banged up.
Carlos Hyde was part of the story in Week 5 because he had the biggest touch of the game for the Jaguars. He got a 4th-and-goal carry from the one yard line in the fourth as the Jags attempted to make it a one-score deficit. He was stuffed, but the opportunity is significant. He had two touches inside the 10, the first touches that did not go to James Robinson this season. He was also out there on passing plays near the goal line. It could be a blip, but he could be carving out a new role for himself that’ll have value. Either way, he is one injury away from seeing 20 touches a week. He should be stashed.
David Johnson was targeted six times, catching five for 46 yards. He will not see a ton of groundwork, but he has the passing job on lock in the Texans backfield. He should see enough targets each week as the pass-catching back on a team that will trail often. He is worthy of rostering in deeper leagues.
Ty Johnson played 39 percent of the snaps and had four carries and three targets. He finished with 34 yards and a touchdown. The volume is not enough to start him, but he is clearly the number two back here and if Michael Carter was to miss time, the bulk of volume would go to Johnson.
Amon-Ra St. Brown was featured in this article last week but if he was not picked up, he definitely should be now. He has seen eight targets in each of the last two weeks, topping 13 fantasy points in each of those games. In both games he either led or tied for the team lead in targets. Coming into the year I thought St. Brown, who is a big slot receiver, could play the Cooper Kupp role for Jared Goff in this offense and it's starting to come to fruition. He has a reliable floor as of late and we have not yet seen his ceiling.
Preston Williams was targeted five times, catching three of them for 60 yards. He was a benefactor of Will Fuller being on the IR and DeVante Parker missing the game due to an injury. But, if Parker sits again this week in London, potentially with Tua Tagovailoa back, Williams will be in play.
Hunter Henry led the Patriots across the board in receiving stats, finishing with eight targets, six catches, 75 yards and a touchdown on 62 percent of snaps. He had a 29 percent target share - the highest he has in any game this season. His fantasy points have increased in every game and he’s been over 13 fantasy points in two straight. Tight end has been a wasteland but with Henry seeing usage like this, he is worth trusting, especially in deeper formats.
Dan Arnold saw eight targets in Week 5, tied for the team lead. He caught six of them for a team-high 64 yards. The Jags traded for Arnold prior to Week 4 and they used the extended time off they had to familiarize Arnold with the playbook. He played 74 percent of the snaps and is clearly the Jags top tight end option. In deeper formats you look for a tight end with any sort of consistent volume and Arnold appears to be earning that in Jacksonville.
Ricky Seals-Jones played 99 percent of the snaps and saw eight targets, catching five of them for 41 yards in Logan Thomas’ absence. That sort of volume cannot be ignored for any tight end, but especially if we are talking about deep leagues. He will be in play as long as Thomas is on the IR. Grab him if he is still on your waiver wire.
David Njoku was targeted a team-high seven times catching all of them for 149 yards and a touchdown. Austin Hooper did not see a single target and I checked - he did play! Njoku played 66 percent of the snaps and looked like a weapon for the Browns. It will be hard for them to just ignore this performance, so more consistent work should be headed Njoku’s way. Consistency is the only thing missing from Njoku, who has flashed his upside before. He is an upside shot worth taking.
Donald Parham was targeted 53 percent of the snaps and while he only saw two targets he caught them both for 29 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a two-point conversion. Parham is a big-bodied, athletic tight end that is clearly viewed as a red zone weapon for the Chargers. His upside is capped by Jared Cook, but if Parham continues to play well he could see more usage. If anything was to happen to Cook his value would shoot up. He is worth taking a flier on in deep leagues.
Make sure to follow Michael on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio
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