Is Jaleel McLaughlin A Good Fantasy Football Pickup For Week 6? 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 17 touches for 117 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns over the first four weeks.

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What Did Jaleel McLaughlin Accomplish In Week 5?

The former Youngstown State star saw an increased workload Sunday against the New York Jets, with Williams unable to play because of a quad injury. He had nine rushing attempts for 68 yards, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt. Furthermore, the rookie caught three of four targets for 21 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in the loss.

McLaughlin shined despite splitting snaps with Perine. According to Fantasy Points Data, the undrafted rookie running back had a 22.2% explosive run rate against the Jets. He also had a 0.33 missed tackle forced per rushing attempt in Week 5. More importantly, McLaughlin averaged over seven yards after contact per rushing attempt in the game.

Is Jaleel McLaughlin A Good Fantasy Football Pickup For Week 6?

Denver has a quick turnaround this week, facing the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. The Broncos listed Williams as a limited participant on Monday’s estimated practice report.

McLaughlin will have another game with an increased workload if Williams can't play in Week 6 against the AFC West division rivals. However, the Chiefs have held running backs to only 13.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game this season, one of the lowest averages in the NFL.

While the undrafted rookie has been an explosive and impressive running back this year, fantasy players should temper their expectations against a talented Kansas City defense.

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