Tag: week 6

Fantasy Football waiver wire: 15 running backs to target in Week 7

Isaac Guerendo headlines this week’s list of running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire.

As we wait for tonight’s Monday 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.

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Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from loss to Chargers

Levi Wallace (92.0) stepped up at cornerback after the Broncos lost Pat Surtain to a concussion on Sunday.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 6 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • WR Courtland Sutton: 85.3
  • OT Matt Peart: 81.7
  • G Quinn Meinerz: 81.0
  • QB Bo Nix: 78.7
  • G Ben Powers: 70.4

Sutton had an impressive one-handed touchdown catch and Peart filled in well at right tackle. Wide receiver Devaughn Vele (68.4) was the sixth-highest graded player on offense, followed by left tackle Garett Bolles (66.2) and running back Audric Estime (62.9).

Best Defensive Players 

  • CB Levi Wallace: 92.0
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 87.1
  • OLB Jonathon Cooper: 81.6
  • DB Brandon Jones: 76.2
  • OLB Jonah Elliss: 75.7

Wallace stepped up after the team lost Pat Surtain to a concussion. Meanwhile, the team’s pass rush continues to impress.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • RB Javonte Williams: 38.3
  • TE Adam Trautman: 49.2
  • TE Lucas Krull: 49.6
  • WR Marvin Mims: 55.1
  • C Alex Forsyth: 57.1

Williams lost a fumble and dropped a pass and Estime played well. Perhaps we’ll see more of the rookie going forward. Looking ahead to 2025, tight end will likely be a top position of need for the Broncos.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • OLB Nik Bonitto: 46.0
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 50.1
  • LB Cody Barton: 52.4
  • DB P.J. Locke: 55.5
  • DL Jordan Jackson: 55.8

McMillian struggled after Surtain left the game and Locke has now had consecutive weeks ranking among the worst defenders in Denver. The Broncos will need McMillian and Locke to bounce back on Thursday.

Special Teams 

  • ST Kristian Welch: 84.6
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 84.6
  • R Marvin Mims: 63.1
  • K Wil Lutz: 63.3 (FG) 60.0 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 69.4

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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Packers PFF grades: Best, worst players from win over Cardinals in Week 6

Based on grades from PFF, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 6 over the Cardinals.

The Green Bay Packers got a big performance from Jordan Love and the passing game and a few timely takeaways forced by young players to cruise past the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Right tackle Zach Tom was quietly dominant once again, while rookie safety Evan Williams continues to look like a legitimate playmaker.

Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals:

Top 5 offense

1. RT Zach Tom: 88.1
2. TE Ben Sims: 83.8
3. RB Josh Jacobs: 74.2
4. QB Jordan Love: 72.1
5. RB Emanuel Wilson: 72.0

Tom didn’t give up a pressure over 36 pass-blocking snaps and earned an elite run blocking grade. Sims was also elite as a run blocker, and he caught two passes for 38 yards, including a 28-yarder. Jacobs forced four missed tackles as a runner, had a 10-yard run and caught all three targets for 28 yards. Love was accurate (adjusted completion percentage of almost 76.0) and efficient, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt with four touchdown passes and zero turnover-worthy plays. Wilson forced three missed tackles, had two runs over 10 yards and had a 19-yard catch while once again handling pass pro snaps without issue.

Top 5 defense

1. S Evan Williams: 93.3
2. DL Karl Brooks: 93.0
3. DE Rashan Gary: 81.7
4. LB Edgerrin Cooper: 81.0
5. CB Jaire Alexander: 70.7

Williams forced a fumble, delivered a run stop on Kyler Murray on third down and allowed only one completion into his coverage, creating an elite grade. Brooks forced and recovered a fumble. Gary had three pressures, including a QB hit, and he earned the team’s top run defense grade. Cooper led the team with three stops, and he made six tackles without a miss. Alexander missed a tackle and was credited with giving up the lone touchdown pass, but he still earned an excellent coverage grade.

Bottom 5 offense

1. WR Malik Heath: 45.5
2. TE Tucker Kraft: 49.0
3. OL Jordan Morgan: 49.9
4. OL Elgton Jenkins: 52.1
5. LT Rasheed Walker: 53.0

Heath wasn’t targeted on five routes run, earned a below average grade on 12 run-blocking snaps and had a penalty. Kraft had only 13 receiving yards despite running 29 routes and was only OK as a blocker. Morgan gave up a pressure and was poor in the run game. Jenkins gave up a pressure and committed two penalties. Walker gave up four hurries and had a declined holding penalty.

Bottom 5 defense

1. DE Lukas Van Ness: 30.0
2. DL Kenny Clark: 44.0
3. DE Preston Smith: 44.2
4. LB Quay Walker: 49.2
5. LB Isaiah McDuffie: 51.3

Van Ness didn’t have a pressure over 17 pass-rushing snaps and struggled against the run. Clark had two pressures and a fumble recovery, but he missed two tackles and earned a low run defense grade. Smith had only one hurry and one assisted tackle over 30 snaps. Walker tackled well, but he was credited with giving up a team-high nine completions against his coverage. McDuffie missed three tackles and gave up two completions.

Special teams

Rookie Ty’Ron Hopper had two tackles and an assisted tackle. Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, Zayne Anderson and Bo Melton also had tackles covering kicks and punts. Anderson had a missed tackle and the lone penalty. Daniel Whelan’s lone punt went out of bounds at the 8-yard line. Brayden Narveson missed from 44 yards. Keisean Nixon had a 39-yard punt return setting up a touchdown, and a season-long 37-yard kickoff return.

Quarterback play

Jordan Love: 72.1

Love had a big-time throw (44-yard touchdown to Christian Watson) and zero turnover-worthy plays (interception negated by receiver slipping). He attempted only three passes over 20 yards, choosing instead to attack underneath and in intermediate areas. He was 4-of-5 passing for 81 yards and a score on passes between 10-19 yards in the air. Love completed seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown off play-action. He was under pressure on only 11 of 36 dropbacks (30.6 percent). In addition to four touchdown passes, Love also had 13 completions gaining first downs.

Stat to know

Jordan Love wasn’t blitzed on 22 dropbacks. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 197 yards (9.9 per attempt) and three touchdown passes, and he twice scrambled for first downs. He earned an elite passing grade of 89.6 when not blitzed against the Cardinals’ shaky pass rush.

Bills’ Dion Dawkins on facing Jets: ‘The tensions are extremely high’

Bills’ Dion Dawkins on facing Jets: ‘The tensions are extremely high’

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins isn’t one to shy away from telling the media how he feels, especially when it comes to his thoughts on facing the New York Jets.

Ahead of the Week 6 clash on “Monday Night Football,” Dawkins was honest about the rivalry between the two AFC East teams.

“The tensions are just high,” Dawkins said in a press conference this week. “They talk, we talk. And we’re entertainers. I’m for sure an entertainer. Why not? … I like tension.”

“Who wants to play when everybody’s friends,” he added. “Let’s push ourselves.”

The Bills (3-2) will have to push themselves to get back on track Monday night. Not only is the team coming off back-to-back losses, but they have also lost their last two games at Metlife Stadium against the Jets (2-3)

The team is aware of their shortcomings in recent years against the Jets. They need a win to maintain control of the AFC East. With a loss, New York  would become the division leader.

Even though Dawkins has a history of disliking the Jets, what he does like is the great competition between the two teams.

“Number eleven [Jermaine Johnson] … he’s hurt. Like even though imma talk my stuff, I wish that he was playing,” Dawkins said. “I like great competition. I actually prayed for him the other night. I’m hoping for a speedy recovery so we can get at it when he comes back.”

While Dawkins is tossing the fuel onto the fire that is the Bills-Jets rivalry, this one will be different than in recent memory. Robert Saleh was fired as New York’s head coach and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was named the interim.

A longtime NFL man both as a player and coach, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott is not taking Ulbrich’s appointment lightly.

“A lot of respect for him as a player years ago and then also a lot of respect for him as a coach, what he’s done with that defense,” McDermott said. “We look forward to the challenge.”

There’s a lot on the line for both teams in Week 6. Not only is the division lead up for grabs but both teams are trying to get back on track after setbacks in recent weeks.

The talking from players like Dawkins leading up to the matchup just adds to the game’s intensity.

Listen to the full soundbite from Dawkins here:

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Broncos QB Bo Nix had another ‘Houdini play’ in Week 6

Bo Nix has eyes in the back of his head!

Bo Nix did it again.

In the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Denver Broncos‘ rookie quarterback looked like he was about to be sacked by Bud Dupree, who had beaten left tackle Garett Bolles to reach Nix.

Nix then ducked and escaped Dupree’s grasp, regained his footing and looked downfield for open receivers. With everyone covered, Nix decided to run and he picked up 21 yards on the ground before safely stepping out of bounds.

It was another Harry Houdini play from Nix, who finished the game as Denver’s leading rusher with 61 yards on the ground.

This is ridiculous by Bo Nix to turn a sure sack into a 21-yard gain
byu/zbeg inDenverBroncos

If that play looks familiar, it’s because Nix had a very similar escaped sack against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3 that the quarterback turned into a 22-yard gain. That play went viral:

Nix helped the Broncos battle back against the Chargers on Sunday, but their fourth-quarter efforts weren’t enough to overcome a 23-point deficit. Following a 23-16 loss, Nix and Denver will now turn attention toward a Thursday Night Football showdown with the New Orleans Saints in Week 7.

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Good, bad and ugly from Packers’ 34-13 win over Cardinals in Week 6

The good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ 34-13 win over Cardinals in Week 6.

The Green Bay Packers flew past the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field, using four straight scores in the first half to build a 24-0 lead and three takeaways in the second half to seal the deal on a 21-point victory.

The 34-13 victory improved the Packers’ record to 4-2 through six games.

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ win over the Cardinals:

The Good

The start: The Packers scored on four straight possessions and forced punts on four straight possessions to build a 24-0 lead in the first half. Complementary football got it done early. The pivotal sequence came in the second quarter when a turnover on a fumbled punt turned into a Christian Watson touchdown when offsetting penalties negated the turnover and gave Keisean Nixon a chance to flip the field.

Depth of playmaking on offense: Ten different players produced at least 10 total yards, and the Packers had four different players with an explosive run of 10 or more yards and four different players with an explosive catch of 18 or more yards. Jordan Love completed 22 passes, and nine different players had a catch. Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs caught touchdown passes. No player had more than 90 total yards, but the Packers still finished with 437 total yards. This offense is deep and diverse, and it’s increasingly hard to defend when everyone is involved.

Three more takeaways: For the fifth time in six games, the Packers produced three takeaways — all coming in the second half as Jeff Hafley’s group made sure there would be no comeback attempt. The Packers rank first in the NFL in takeaways, and they became just the ninth team since 2010 to produce 17 or more takeaways in the first six games of a season. Karl Brooks and Evan Williams both made terrific individual plays to create turnovers on Sunday.

The Bad

Melton slip: An unfortunate play in wet conditions led to an unnecessary turnover. With the passing game rolling late in the first half, Bo Melton slipped down mid-route and turned what would have been an easy completion near midfield into an interception. The Cardinals turned the takeaway into three points, cutting the deficit to 24-10 at the half.

The Ugly

Another Narveson miss: Packers kicker Brayden Narveson missed from 44 yards, marking his fourth game with a miss in six games. Narveson’s field goal percentage of 70.6 ranks dead last among 33 qualified kickers. He’s missed four kicks between 40-49 yards, by far the most among NFL kickers this season, and his five total misses are also the most. Matt LaFleur once again expressed confidence in his rookie kicker, and Narveson did come back from the miss to hit from 41 yards out on the next possession. But when will the patience run out in Green Bay?

5 takeaways from Broncos’ loss to Chargers in Week 6

The Broncos fell to the Chargers in Week 6. Here are five quick takeaways from the loss.

The Denver Broncos dropped to 3-3 on Sunday following a 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at home. Here are five quick takeaways from Sunday’s game.

1. Pat Surtain’s exit was felt on defense: After PS2 left with a concussion, the secondary allowed Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to have his first 200-yard passing game of 2024. Riley Moss held up well all things considered and Levi Wallace was fine, but Ja’Quan McMillian had a crucial penalty late in the game that hurt the team’s comeback effort. Surtain was missed on Sunday and he seems unlikely to play on Thursday.

2. Javonte Williams had a rough game: Williams averaged less than four yards per carry (3.8), lost a fumble and dropped a pass. Meanwhile, rookie Audric Estime returned from injured reserve and led the team’s backfield with 6.5 yards per carry (on a small sample size of two carries). Perhaps we’ll see more of Estime going forward.

3. The offensive line held up OK: Without right tackle Mike McGlinchey (or fill-in right tackle Alex Palczewski) or center Luke Wattenberg, the offensive line still turned in a respectable performance. Bo Nix often had time to throw, but he didn’t always take advantage of it. Nix was sacked twice, but Matt Peart (right tackle) and Alex Forsyth (center) were serviceable fill-in linemen this week.

4. Devaughn Vele picked up where he left off: Vele led the team in targets (eight) and catches (eight) in Week 1 and then went four straight games inactive, initially due to a ribs injury. After Josh Reynolds (hand) was placed on injured reserve, Vele returned to the lineup and he once again led the team in targets (six) and catches (four), tying with Courtland Sutton in both categories. Nix clearly trusts the rookie WR, and he could be featured in the offense going forward.

5. Bo Nix did his best Tim Tebow impression: Nix (and the entire offense) was invisible for the first half and even the third quarter. After scoring zero points through 45 minutes, Nix led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, but the comeback bid fell short after a failed onside kick attempt. Nix ended the day 19-of-33 passing for 216 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also led the team with 61 rushing yards. If the Broncos are going to get back above .500, they’ll need Nix to start playing like it’s the fourth quarter from the first snap.

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Sean Payton takes blame for Broncos’ loss to Chargers: It starts with me

“All of this starts with me,” Sean Payton said of the Broncos’ struggles on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos lost to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, dropping to 3-3 following a 23-16 defeat at home.

After the game, coach Sean Payton accepted blame for the performance.

“Obviously it was a disappointing loss,” Payton said. “We did all the things that you cannot do in a game like that. We knew what type of game it was going to be. We turned it over twice in the first half. That led to points. Then you start looking at the time of possession when you do that. They ran the ball better than we did.

“We mustered up some offense late in the game. All of this starts with me. We have to be better offensively. We have to protect the ball better. That is what I saw. We will go from there. We have a short week. Once we are finished tonight, we will be done talking about this game.”

The Broncos were trailing 20-0 at halftime and 23-0 entering the fourth quarter. Denver then scored 16 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes, but it was too little too late.

“Let’s be honest, it picked up when we started going up tempo and you are behind,” Payton said of the late surge from the offense. “You are getting a different coverage look. We played with some tempo. Early in the first half, we had a false start. We played with tempo early in the second quarter and fumbled the football. Those were all up tempo plays, but I think towards the fourth quarter we were able to make some plays down the field. The game was in a different position at that point. We fought to get back in it.”

The good news for Denver is that the team has a short turnaround before facing the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, so players will get an opportunity to quickly put Sunday’s game behind them.

“I just finished telling them, and I would have told them the same thing had we won, we have to quickly put this one to bed,” Payton said. “We cannot forget it, but we have to learn from it. It is a short week. We have to get on to the next game.”

Thursday’s game against the Saints will be available to stream on Prime.

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Pittsburgh ignored their Wilsons in the Week 6 victory

The Steelers have once again ignored their talented Wilsons. The team could benefit from having Russell and Roman Wilson on the field.

It was theorized a few weeks ago that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loyalty to specific players was holding Russell and Roman Wilson back from succeeding. Last week, George Pickens stated that his lack of snaps in Week 5 was a decision made by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Smith used WR Van Jefferson more often in that game, but where does this leave room for rookie WR Roman Wilson? He finally got his chance to debut in Week 6, yet was only used on five offensive snaps, while receivers Pickens, Jefferson, Austin, and Miller combined for over 126. 

Russell Wilson’s potential being wasted is something fans of the ‘Steel City’ have become accustomed to in recent weeks. QB Justin Fields didn’t outright beat Wilson for the position and hasn’t directly won Pittsburgh a game with his passing, yet Wilson remains the QB2. Fans have mixed reactions to Fields’ performance in Week 6, even though it was statistically his worst game of the season. Hopefully, Pittsburgh will utilize their pair of Wilsons more often moving forward.  

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9 players did not play in Broncos’ game vs. Chargers

Nine Broncos players did not play on Sunday while Audric Estime and Devaughn Vele returned and Eyioma Uwazurike made his 2024 debut.

Nine members of the 53-man roster did not play in the Denver Broncos‘ 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson*, running back Blake Watson, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, safety JL Skinner, defensive back Keidron Smith, offensive tackle Alex Palczewski (ankle) and tight end Greg Dulcich were inactive in Week 6.

Everyone except Palczewski was a healthy scratch. Despite being inactive, Wilson still dressed as the team’s emergency third-string quarterback on Sunday.

Bo Nix played every snap on offense, so primary backup Jarrett Stidham also did not play, and backup offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton was not called into action. That gave the Broncos nine total players who did not see the field against the Chargers.

Broncos who did not play in Week 6

  1. QB Zach Wilson (emergency third QB)
  2. RB Blake Watson
  3. CB Kris Abrams-Draine
  4. DB JL Skinner
  5. DB Keidron Smith
  6. OT Alex Palczewski (ankle)
  7. TE Greg Dulcich
  8. QB Jarrett Stidham (active)
  9. OL Calvin Throckmorton (active)

Audric Estime returned at running back after being activated from injured reserve, defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike was active for the first time this season and Devaughn Vele was back in the lineup after missing the last four games. Up next is a Thursday Night Football showdown with the New Orleans Saints in Week 7.

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