Check your waiver wire for these IDP Week 8 pickups.
We’re just about to the halfway point of the season, and all teams are in action this week. That means the waiver wire will should have fruitful candidates to pluck.
Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.
The 2019 first-round pick has been living in other teams’ backfield. Over the last three weeks, he has 6 sacks. Lawrence did have five tackles last week, but that was his high mark on the year. He’ll need to keep reaching the quarterback to have value, but he’s doing exactly that.
The 30-year-old was all over the field in Week 7, and he has been great for two straight weeks now. He had a sack and a pick-six last week and had two sacks in Week 6. He’s worth riding the wave with.
The Bills lost MLB Terrel Bernard last week with an ankle injury that was serious enough to rule him out for the game. Spector stepped in and made six tackles. Bank on Bernard missing more time in what has been an injury-riddled year. Spector is the play.
The Texans have a couple of nicked-up linebackers, and the 31-year-old has balled out the last two weeks. He had eight tackles in Week 6 and nine tackles, an INT, and two PDs in Week 7.
He stepped in for E.J. Speed last week on the edge, and, um … he corralled the opposition for 19 tackles! Speed’s status will obviously dictate his staying power, but you can’t overlook that performance.
The rookie already receives bonus points for sporting the name of a solid glass of bourbon on a campfire-like fall evening. He had 10 tackles in Week 5, four tackles, and a forced fumble in Week 6 with nine tackles in Week 7. He’ll have a runway to continue padding stats.
The third-year, undrafted man led the team with seven tackles in Week 7. He had eight tackles the week before. In Week 4, IPM made six tackles and a sack. He provides a solid option with a low ceiling and high floor.
The former Oregon product has tallied eight tackles for three consecutive weeks. Lenoir has a pass defense in four straight games and picked off his first pass last week. He’s worthy of a pickup.
Here are the top targets on the waiver wire for fantasy football entering Week 8.
Nearing the midway point of the fantasy football season, the waiver wire continues to be one of the most important tools for a manager to access down the stretch.
Oddly enough, there are no teams on a bye in Week 8, so we’ll have the full slate of games to choose from.
We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo, using the 75% rostered mark (at least 25% availability) as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!
We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.
Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.
Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Brock Purdy
212-27
2
Jalen Hurts
114-22
3
Josh Allen
323-1
2
Drake Maye
276-18
2
Russell Wilson
264-3
3
Running Backs
Rush/Rcv
TD
Jahmyr Gibbs
15-116
4-44
2
Saquon Barkley
17-176
2-11
1
Joe Mixon
25-115
2-9
2
Javonte Williams
14-88
3-23
2
Breece Hall
12-38
6-103
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Amon-Ra St. Brown
8-112
1
Brian Thomas Jr.
5-89
1
Justin Jefferson
7-81
1
George Pickens
5-111
1
DK Metcalf
4-99
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
David Njoku
10-76
1
Jonnu Smith
7-96
1
Brock Bowers
10-93
0
Hunter Henry
8-92
0
George Kittle
6-92
0
Placekickers
XP
FG
Austin Siebert
4
4
Daniel Carlson
0
5
Will Lutz
3
4
Will Reichard
2
3
Ka’imi Fairbairn
1
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Denver
6-2
1
Washington
2-2
1
Philadelphia
8-0
0
LA Rams
2-4
1
Seattle
3-3
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Deshaun Watson – Achilles
QB D Thompson-Robinson – Finger
QB Jayden Daniels – Ribs
QB Tyler Huntley – Shoulder
QB Aidan O’Connell – Thumb
WR Demario Douglas – Illness
WR Ja’Lynn Polk – Head
WR Deebo Samuel – Illness
WR DK Metcalf – Knee
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster – Hamstring
Chasing Ambulances
QB Deshaun Watson – Appears to have potentially torn his Achilles and is expected to miss the rest of the season, barring surprising news. Watson went down untouched and his calf had that visible contraction typical of a torn Achilles. Watson was playing largely because his overpaid contract forced him on the field but he was not “a fan favorite.”
QB Jayden Daniels – Left for the locker room and returned without pads on what was initially considered ribs. But he was smiling and the Commanders were up 34-0 anyway. Early speculation is that Daniels will be fine for this week against the Bears. Marcus Mariota was effective in relief but was also facing the visiting Panthers.
QB Tyler Huntley – Injured his shoulder and did not return to the game. Tim Boyle took his place but Tua Tagovailoa is slated to return for Week 8, so Huntley’s status may not matter.
QB Aidan O’Connell – Thoughtto havebroken the thumb on his throwing hand when he hit a helmet after a throw. Gardner Minshew finished the game and is likely the starter again. A broken thumb on a throwing hand is definitely a multi-week issue and potentially season-ending. With the season already gone bad, the Raiders are unlikely to trade for any notable quarterback.
WR Demario Douglas – The Patriots’ No. 1 wideout caught the first two passes and then never again as he was reported – after the kickoff – to have been sick. He then returned for one play in the second half, which caused any prop bets made on him to stand. This was not unnoticed by the gamblers who questioned his lack of reporting and then insertion into the second half for a single play that locked in his bets instead of cancelling them.
WR DK Metcalf – Had his knee banged while catching a pass and left the game. HC Mike MacDonald said the injury wasn’t as severe as first feared and that “it doesn’t look too bad.” His status for the Bills matchup this weekend will be determined during the week, but it doesn’t sound like it should be an issue.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster – The Chiefs wideout was already questionable to play last week with a hamstring injury but was active. He was later pulled from the game when the hamstring flared up again.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QB Jameis Winston – Should be a hot property in Super Flex leagues where any quarterback has value. Deshaun Watson appears to be gone for the year with a severe knee injury, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson injured his finger. Winston seems to be the last man standing since the Browns dumped the capable Joe Flacco, so there wouldn’t be calls for him while Watson struggled. The Browns just lost their fifth straight, so there is no point in trading for an upgrade.
WR Ricky Pearsall – The 49ers appear likely to miss Brandon Aiyuk for a while, if not the season and Deebo Samuel was suddenly ill and dropped out of the loss to the Chiefs despite being active. Pearsall debuted yesterday when he caught three passes for 21 yards against the Chiefs’ top-ranked secondary. Jauan Jennings was out with a hip injury and never practiced last week. Pearsall needs to help this week when the Cowboys visit.
RB Kendre Miller– He stumbled through his rookie season, mostly injured and then injured his hamstring this summer. Miller finally debuted his week versus the Broncos and ran for 36 yards on six carries, while Alvin Kamara only gained 10 yards on seven rushes. Most of Miller’s work came later in the blowout loss, but he’s a name to remember for Kamara owners and would see more work if Kamara gets his wish about being traded. Jamaal Williams has been wholly ineffective this season.
RB Tank Bigsby – He turned in a career-best in the matcup with the Patriots in London when he ran for 118 yards and two scores on 26 carries. He has no role as a receiver, which is more of the purvey of Travis Etienne anyway. But Bigsby has had two 100-yard performances over the last two weeks, and Etienne faded away even before missing time due to a hamstring injury.
QB Mason Rudolph – The Titans started Rudolph with Will Levis nursing a shoulder injury, though there were whispers that Rudolph would be getting a chance anyway. He threw for 215 yards and one score, but no receivers topped 50 yards. But that was better than all but one game by Levis and it came on the road to Buffalo and their Top-10 pass defense. Rudolph will need to throw this week and should see at least a little more success at the Lions.
WR Amari Cooper – His uniform still had creases in it, but the ex-Brown debuted with four very encouraging catches for 66 yards and one touchdown. Keon Coleman (4-125) also had a career-high, thanks in part to the opposing defense having more to worry about now.
WR Cedric Tillman – First game without Amari Cooper, and the Browns spun through three quarterbacks. But the top receiver became Cedric Tillman (8-81), while Jerry Jeudy (1-18) drew the heaviest coverage. Tillman fielded 12 targets, yet he only had five others in the season before this week.
QB Tua Tagovailoa – He’s expected to return when the Dolphins host the Cardinals. The Dolphins offense has cratered without him, and Tyreek Hill just caught one pass for eight yards on his two targets in the game. Jaylen Waddle was better, with one catch for 11 yards. Hard to recall that Tagovailoa’s last full game saw Hill and Waddle break 100 yards.
QB Daniel Jones– He was finally benched in the third quarter of the 28-3 loss to the Eagles. He only managed 99 passing yards but Drew Lock was even worse with 3-of-6 for six yards. Malik Nabers returned from his concussion and led the team with only four catches for 41 yards. HC Brian Daboll has already confirmed that Jones will be the starter again this week in Pittsburgh, but they already have the leash ready.
WR Tre Tucker – He only managed three catches for 36 yards, but that was second only to Brock Bowers in the loss to the Rams. Davante Adams is officially gone and Tucker’s eight targets were second-highest for the Raiders.
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders – The Panthers’ rookie led the team with six catches for 61 yards – on six targets. No other Panther receiver had more than two catches or 17 yards.
WR Davante Adams – His debut started well with three catches for 30 yards in the first half but then he had no receptions in the second half. Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions to add to his four in the previous two games. He rarely threw six intereceptions in any career year, let alone over three games. What if the problem is… you know… when the pass is thrown?
QB Russell Wilson – He took over for Justin Fields who was 4-2 but didn’t throw downfield that well. Wilson went against an admittedly injury-depleted secondary but threw for 264 yards and two scores. He also gave George Pickens five catches for 111 yards and his first touchdown on the season. He also added a rushing score to make him the highest-scoring fantasy quarterback of the weekend.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Saquon Barkley (PHI) – In what may be one of the bigger front office miscalcuations of all time was when the Giants told Barkley that he could go find a deal. He did. The Eagles welcomed him and then made him a workhorse AND had a great offensive line. Barkley pasted his old team with 17 runs for 176 yards and caught two passes for 11 yards with one score. It was everything you crave when facing an ex-employer.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
Check your waiver wire for these IDP Week 7 pickups.
Week 6 was intense. We saw one of the best defensive players in the game go down for the season in Aidan Hutchinson. When disaster strikes, we find the solutions.
Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.
There is no replacing Hutchinson, but Houston is in line to do it at left end. He actually had 8 sacks for the Lions in 2022. He’s a bit of a lottery ticket, but definitely give him a look in deeper leagues.
The 2020 second-round pick has been quiet for much of the season, but he roared in Week 6 with four tackles, a forced fumble, and two sacks. He’ll have another great matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, so pick him up at least for a one-week play.
His surname may look like he’s missing a vowel, but he’s certainly not missing tackles. Over the last three weeks since taking over for Alex Singleton, he has four tackles and a sack, nine tackles, and seven tackles with a sack.
It’s time for our yearly tease from Barnes. After a couple of injuries at the position, Barnes erupted for nine tackles in Week 6. He’s a talented linebacker who has a propensity for injury, but he brings small pockets of dominance.
Wilson is a high-floor, low-ceiling option in fantasy. Over the past three weeks, he has six, nine, and six tackles but nothing further. If you’re in a deep league or need a bye-week filler, his tackle potential does the trick.
The elder statesman of the bunch, the 34-year-old McLeod has had two big weeks in a row. He had eight tackles and a PD in Week 5 and eight tackles plus a Pick-6 in Week 6.
Smith serves as the nickel back and has covered the safety spot for injuries in recent weeks. It’s not consistent, but he has potential to go off. He had eight tackles in Week 2 and 11 with a fumble recovery in Week 3. Last week, Smith posted five tackles, a forced fumble, INT, and two PDs.
The former seventh-rounder is making a name for himself on a bad team. His tackle numbers since Week 2: 11, seven, eight, eight, and seven. He doesn’t offer a lot more than that, but that’s enough for a pickup.
Isaac Guerendo headlines this week’s list of running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire.
As we wait for tonight’sMonday Night Football showdown between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets to wrap up Week 6, fantasy football managers are already considering their waiver wire options for next week.
The top option at wide receiver this week is Josh Downs (49%). Zach Ertz (54%) is a quality tight end option, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (27%) will be eligible to return from injured reserve next week.
Today, though, we’re focusing on running back. We’ve put together a quick list of 15 running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 7. If you’re looking for reinforcements at RB, consider these options.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Backs
1. RB Isaac Guerendo (1%): Christian McCaffrey’s status remains murky and fellow running back Jordan Mason has an AC joint sprain. That could leave Guerendo as the next man up for the 49ers and he impressed on Thursday Night Football with 99 yards on 10 carries, including a 76-yard sprint to seal the game.
2. RB Tyler Allgeier (43%): He remains an important handcuff behind Bijan Robinson, and Allgeier has standalone value in Atlanta’s two-back offense. He got 18 carries and scored a touchdown on Sunday.
3. RB Tyrone Tracy (45%): Even if Devin Singletary returns from a groin injury this week, Tracy has played well enough to continue getting carries. Tracy turned 23 touches into 107 yards and a touchdown on Sunday.
4. RB Ty Chandler (34%): Coming out of the Vikings’ bye week, Aaron Jones has an uncertain status due to his hip injury. If Jones misses this week’s game, Chandler will be Minnesota’s top running back.
5. RB Tank Bigsby (44%): Travis Etienne is considered “week-to-week” with a hamstring injury, leaving Bigsby as Jacksonville’s RB1. D’Ernest Johnson (1%) is also worth a look in deep leagues after he got eight touches on Sunday.
6. RB Jaylen Wright (9%): De’Von Achane might be able to return from a concussion this week following Miami’s bye, but Wright should have a role going forward after rushing for 86 yards last week.
7. RB Alexander Mattison (36%): Mattison led Raiders running backs in carries (14), rushing yards (33), targets (five) and catches (five) on Sunday. His efficiency hasn’t been great, but Mattison scored on Sunday and he should remain fantasy-relevant thanks to his volume.
8. RB Sean Tucker (1%): The Bucs had a blowout win over the Saints on Sunday, so Tucker might not get 14 carries on a regular basis, but he’s worth a look after rushing for 136 yards and a touchdown.
9. RB Antonio Gibson (43%): Rhamondre Stevenson remains sidelined with a foot injury and Gibson led New England’s backfield in Week 6 with 13 carries and four targets.
10. RB Braelon Allen (37%): Allen is an important handcuff behind Breece Hall and he has standalone value in a shared backfield.
11. RB Audric Estime (1%): Javonte Williams lost a fumble and dropped a pass on Sunday while Estime led the team’s running backs with a 6.5 yards per carry average. Granted, that was on a very small sample size of two carries, but if Williams continues to struggle, Estime will likely get more work in the coming weeks.
12. RB Kimani Vidal (2%): The rookie rushed twice for 14 yards and hauled in two receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Consider Vidal in deep leagues.
13. RB Trey Benson (20%): Benson doesn’t have much standalone value, but he’s an important handcuff behind James Conner, who has never played a full season.
14. RB Blake Corum (18%): Corum is another running back worth stashing behind Kyren Williams.
15. RB D’Onta Foreman (4%): Jerome Ford is dealing with a hamstring injury, which could lead to a bigger workload for Foreman.
Bonus: Nick Chubb (79%) and Jonathon Brooks (60%) are already rostered in most leagues, but double check just to make sure they’re not still available in your league.
Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.
Here are the top targets, stashes and streamers on the waiver wire for fantasy football in Week 7.
Roughly a third of the way through the season, the waiver wire will be a vital tool for managers as the approach the midway point of the 2024 campaign.
We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo, using the 75% rostered mark (at least 25% availability) as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!
We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.
Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.
Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Baker Mayfield
325-29
4
Caleb Williams
226-56
4
Jordan Love
258-13
4
Drake Maye
243-38
3
Jared Goff
315-5
3
Running Backs
Rush/Rec.
TD
Sean Tucker
14-136
3-56
2
Joe Mixon
13-102
2-30
2
Bijan Robinson
1-95
3-10
2
Derrick Henry
24-132
2
TyroneTracy Jr.
17-50
6-57
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Chris Godwin
11-125
2
A.J. Brown
6-116
1
Terry McLaurin
6-53
2
Zay Flowers
9-132
0
Gabriel Davis
5-45
2
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Cole Kmet
5-70
2
George Kittle
5-58
2
Evan Engram
10-102
0
Trey McBride
8-96
0
Brock Bowers
9-71
0
Placekickers
XP
FG
Jake Bates
5
4
Chris Boswell
2
4
Austin Seibert
2
3
Justin Tucker
3
3
Brandon Aubrey
0
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Lions
4-5
0
Buccaneers
5-3
1
Saints
1-3
1
Texans
4-4
0
Browns
1-0
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
RB Travis Etienne – Hamstring
RB Jerome Ford – Hamstring
RB Jamesd Conner – Ankle
WR Chris Olave – Concussion
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. – Concussion
WR Dontayvion Wicks – Shoulder
WR Quentin Johnston – Ankle
WR Elijah Moore – Rib
TE Dallas Goedert – Hamstring
Chasing Ambulances
RB Travis Etienne – The Jags’ primary back was already in decline this year and entered the game having just healed a shoulder injury. He strained his hamstring and was unable to return. Etienne had disappointed and appears to have health issues that may be related to being overused last year. Tank Bigsby has already emerged as a solid option and would handle the backfield with D’Earnest Johnson if Etienne misses the Patriots matchup this week.
RB Jerome Ford – Left the game with a hamstring strain and did not return. D’Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong stepped up to replace Ford. The severity of Ford’s hamstring will be determined with an MRI on Monday. Nick Chubb should be back this week, so the backfield will already be different.
WR Chris Olave – Suffered a concussion on his first catch of the day and was held out. While it did not appear to be severe, his availability for the matchup with the Broncos this week is in question. Spencer Rattler wasn’t bad, throwing for 243 yards and scoring in his debut, but none of the wideouts did anything to step up and replace Olave.
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. – Left in the first half after taking a hard hit to his head and was ruled out with a concussion. He was helped off the field and ruled out for the game. He’ll be evaluated during the week but may miss the matchup with the visiting Chargers this week. None of the other wideouts stepped up in his absence.
TE Dallas Goedert – Injured his hamstring in the first quarter and immediately went to the locker room. An MRI will determine the severity of the injury, but he may miss the trip to the Giants this week, judging solely by the apparent seriousness.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
TE Evan Engram – Had been out since Week 1 and was questionable entering the game, but he easily led the Jags in their loss to the Bears when he caught ten passes for 102 yards. That was double the receptions of any other Jaguars receiver.
TE Mark Andrews – Like Kyle Pitts in Week 5, the Ravens’ tight end was safely tucked onto fantasy benches after two games without a catch and only 120 yards on the season. Versus the Commanders, Andrews caught three passes for 66 yards and the lone passing score by Baltimore. Isaiah Likely only caught two passes for 27 yards. That will probably reverse if you dare to start Andrews this week in Tampa Bay.
RB Trey Benson – James Conner seemed to be hampered by his ankle, though it was not reported. Conner also lost a fumble in the second half. He was limited to only 24 yards on seven rushes. Benson led the offense with 26 yards on five rushes, while Emari Demercado gained 25 yards on four carries and added five catches for 39 yards. Conner has often been injuredin the past, so watch practices this week to see if Conner is at all limited. Demercado is the third-down back, while Benson is the rookie who was a sleeper this summer and who could be the primary back in 2025.
WR Christian Watson – He is the NFL’s version of that flower that blooms just one day a year. Week 6 was when he led the Packers with three catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. He was questionable coming into the game because of an ankle injury suffered two weeks ago. There’s no arguing about his potential, but also no arguing that his durability remains his biggest opponent.
QB Drake Maye – The Patriots rookie debuted and while they lost badly to the Texans, Maye’s first career game impressed. He passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions. He also added five runs for 38 yards. That easily outpaced anything that Jacoby Brissett had done this year, when he never had more than one score or 168 passing yards in any game. Let the Drake Maye era begin.
WR Demario Douglas – Further impressing, Drake Maye not only turned in solid passing stats in his first start, but his top two receivers were the two starting wideouts, not a nearby tight end or a dumpoff-catching running back. Demario Demarcus led the team with six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Kayshon Boutte was next with three receptions for 59 yards and a score.
RB Bucky Irving – He was already gaining on Rachaad White and took the start this week with White out. He gained 81 yards on 14 carries and scored once in the win at the Saints. Irving also added two catches for 24 yards and this was against the defense that had ranked No. 4 versus running backs.
RB Sean Tucker – The undrafted running back from Syracuse signed with the Buccaneers in 2023, and his two seasons totaled just 17 carries for 30 yards before Week 6 when he ran for a team-high 136 yards on 14 carries with one score, and caught three passes for 56 yards in the 51-27 beatdown of the Saints. Tucker only carried once to seven for Bucky Irving by halftime and just once in the third quarter. The majority of his rushes came in the fourth quarter after the Buccaneers were already up 37-27 and they were controlling the clock. Tucker’s rushing score happened with only two minutes to play when the Bucs had already led 44-27.. He made the most of the opportunity, but this wasn’t a case of him leapfrogging Bucky Irving on the depth chart.
QB Spencer Rattler – The Saints rookie took his first NFL start and threw for 243 yards and one score. He was at an immediate disadvantage from losing Chris Olave to start the game. Derek Carr’s job is still very safe.
TE Grant Calcaterra – Stepped in when Dallas Goedert was injured and ended second on the team with four catches for 67 yards in the win over the Browns. He could be a cheap Daily Fantasy option next week at the Giants if Goedert remains out.
RB Kimani Vidal – The Chargers rookie was on injured reserve but came off the list this week and debuted in the in over the Broncos. His first touch was a 38-yard touchdown catch. He only gained 11 yards on four carries, while J.K. Dobbins handled 25 rushes for 96 yards. But his first active game was encouraging and Gus Edwards was placed onto injured reserve, so the rookie gets a lock on the No. 2 job.
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders – The Panthers’ rookie was one of the offseason upgrade of offensive weapons, and he had a quiet start to his career. The ex-Longhorn had never topped 16 yards in any game over the first five weeks but then was the No. 2 receiver for the Panthers in their loss to the Falcons when he caught five passes for 49 yards. That falls short of fantasy relevancy, but at least he’s finally getting more looks and totaled seven targets in the game.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
Chris Godwin (TB) – The eighth-year Buccaneer has long been the No. 2 wideout that usually ends up just cresting 1,000 yards per year with three or four touchdowns. Not this year. He’s enjoying a big year and ended Week 6 as the highest scoring fantasy player when he caught 11 passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. The Bucs hope that every opponent doubles Mike Evans and thinks all they need to do.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
Check your waiver wire for these IDP Week 6 pickups.
Five weeks down, and one round of byes are in the rearview. Keep an eye out for the competition in a roster crunch and dropping players you wouldn’t normally see on waivers.
Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.
The 29-year-old busted out with nine tackles and a sack in Week 5 after a relatively quiet first four weeks. Hubbard is always on the fringe of being worthy of a pickup. He’ll get 60 tackles and six sacks every season. He has one sack to-date, which suggests the best should be yet to come.
Greenard is on a bye this week, and he hasn’t particularly had a good season despite a three-sack week in Week 3. The other four weeks have been pretty so-so. That means he could be dumped to waivers this week, and he should be claimed immediately. His schedule is very favorable after the bye with DET, LAR, IND, JAC, TEN, CHI and ARI on the docket the next few weeks.
Britt has been solid with 30 tackles through five games. He hasn’t done anything beyond that, but if he can repeat nine-tackle games like he had in Week 5, he’s easily a flex candidate most weeks.
After a frigid start to the season, and a hamstring issue, Baker had a monstrous Week 5. He logged 14 tackles a forced fumble and a sack against the New York Giants. Baker was consistently a 100-tackle guy in Miami, and he appears to be back in that kind of window.
The third-round rookie made a statement in Week 5. Entering last week, he had three tackles on the season as a reserve. Wallace delivered 15 in Week 5 after being thrust into the lineup with Shaq Thompson (Achilles) done for the year. Pick him up and ride the wave!
Wait, we’re opening the DB section with a corner? Yes! Dean has nine-plus tackles in three of the last four weeks. He also added four pass defenses in the process. He’s stacking numbers and taking names.
His name reminds you of Lou Gehrig, and he reeks of consistency. Over the last four weeks: six tackles; six tackles; five tackles, and eight tackles, plus an INT and a pass defense. The numbers won’t knock you over, but Moehrig is a stable high-floor, low-ceiling option.
The second-year man has been productive all season, but he took a big step forward in Week 5. His tackle counts were as follows: nine, five, six, five, and broke out with 11 tackles in Week 5. He has the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots up the next two weeks.
These 12 running backs should be waiver wire targets in your fantasy football league this week.
As we wait for tonight’s Monday Night Football showdown between the Chiefs and Saints to wrap up Week 5, fantasy football managers are already considering their waiver wire options for next week.
The top option at wide receiver this week is Josh Downs (35%). Zach Ertz (49%) is a quality tight end option, and quarterback Kirk Cousins (46%) is coming off a huge game on Thursday Night Football last week.
Today, though, we’re focusing on running back. We’ve put together a quick list of 12 running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 6. If you’re looking for reinforcements at RB, consider these options.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Backs
1. RB Tank Bigsby (10%): Bigsby got more carries (13) than Travis Etienne (six) and he rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns while Etienne ended the day with just 17 rushing yards. Etienne remains an option in PPR formats after hauling in six catches, but Bigsby played one more snap in Week 5 and he could emerge as the team’s new RB1.
2. RB Tyrone Tracy (19%): Devin Singletary missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury and Tracy stepped up, rushing 18 times for 129 yards. That kind of production should signal more opportunities going forward.
3. RB Braelon Allen (42%): Allen (and the entire Jets offense) struggled on Sunday, but he’s still taking away touches from Breece Hall. Allen is an important handcuff with standalone flex value when New York has better matchups.
4. RB Tyler Allgeier (43%): Another important handcuff with standalone value, Allgeier got nine touches this week, eating into the workload of Bijan Robinson (15 touches).
5. RB Ty Chandler (35%): Aaron Jones left Sunday’s game with a hip injury and Chandler took over RB1 duties after that. The Vikings have a bye this week, but if Jones misses any games, Chandler will be an important pickup.
6. RB Roschon Johnson (12%): D’Andre Swift (21 carries, two targets) remains Chicago’s top running back, but Johnson got 10 carries this week and he scored twice on the ground. He’s worth flex consideration.
7. RB Jaylen Wright (8%): De’Von Achane suffered a concussion on Sunday, which led to 13 carries for 86 yards for Wright. Raheem Mostert (63%) seems to be the RB1 when Achane is unavailable (he got 19 carries this week), but Wright could remain fantasy relevant if Achane misses any games. Miami has a bye this week.
8. RB Trey Sermon (50%): Jonathan Taylor missed this week’s game with an ankle injury and Sermon got the nod in his place. Sermon rushed 10 times for 38 yards and a touchdown while adding six catches for 25 yards. If Taylor misses any more games, Sermon is a serviceable fill-in at RB.
9. RB Alexander Mattison (41%): Zamir White missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury, but even if he hadn’t, coach Antonio Pierce had previously hinted that the Raiders planned to make changes at running back. Mattison led the team with 15 carries in Week 5 and he also drew three targets.
10. RB Ameer Abdullah (1%): Mattison was the Raiders’ starter on Sunday, but Abdullah arguably looked like the team’s best running back. The veteran turned five carries into 42 yards and a touchdown and he also caught all three of his targets. Abdullah is worth a look in deeper leagues.
11. RB Audric Estime (1%): Estime is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and the Broncos have left a spot open for him on the 53-man roster. Estime could quickly earn a role in Denver’s backfield.
12. RB Keaton Mitchell (4%): Mitchell (ACL) was eligible to return last week, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he’s yet ready to return to practice. Mitchell might still be worth stashing on your IR spot if it’s open.
Bonus: Nick Chubb (79%), Kareem Hunt (72%), Jonathon Brooks (63%) and Bucky Irving (58%) are already rostered in most leagues, but double check just to make sure they’re not still available in your league.
Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.
Here are the top waiver-wire targets in fantasy football for Week 6.
With five weeks into the books, the fantasy football season is in full swing, which means managing the waiver wire will become more crucial with every passing game.
We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo, using the 75% rostered mark (at least 25% availability) as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!
We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.
Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.
Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.
