Fantasy Football 2017: Waiver wire targets for Week 6
By Dan Thomas
Executing the waiver wire in fantasy football is what will separate the champions from the chumps. Here are some players you should target in Week 6.
Maybe it’s injuries. Maybe it’s bye weeks. Heck, maybe it’s both. Either way, you need a player or two to plug into your starting lineup this week and your bench is looking awfully weak. No worries because there are players on the waiver wire who will help you win Week 6 and beyond. That’s a guarantee I can make. So what players should you target this week?
Here are my top-five favorite players to target this week on the waiver wire plus some other guys I believe are worth owning.
For these purposes, we will being using ESPN Fantasy Football as a guideline. Any player that is 50 percent owned or less is eligible.
5. Wendell Smallwood, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (48.0 percent owned)
Last week Smallwood missed a game with a knee injury and it’s honestly not looking like he’ll be available for Thursday Night Football this week. Yet, Smallwood is a player worth owning because when he does get healthy, he’ll be a guy who averages double-digit touches every week. Remember, in Weeks 3-4 he averaged 13.5 touches, 79.5 yards and 13.5 fantasy points per week. If you’re an owner who wants to upgrade their running back position but isn’t desperate for one this week, Smallwood is your guy.
4. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts (3.4 percent owned)
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The rookie broke out last week for 93 yards and one touchdown on 10 touches last week and it looks like he’ll be a bigger part of the Colts offense moving forward. Mack brings an element of explosiveness to the Colts offense which 34-year old Frank Gore can’t provide. The problem with Mack is he’ll be stuck in a running back by committee with Gore and Robert Turbin, so there’s little chance he ever becomes a workhorse. Yet, he could carve out a double-digit role if he continues to look as good as he did last week.
3. Wayne Gallman, RB, New York Giants (26.9 percent owned)
For the second-straight week, Gallman put up 13+ PPR fantasy points and showed well with his touches. Orleans Darkwa and Paul Perkins are both dealing with injuries, so Gallman could easily set a career high in touches in Week 6 after he finished with 16 a week ago.
2. Elijah McGuire, RB, New York Jets (14.6 percent owned)
After breaking out for 21+ PPR fantasy points in Week 4, the rookie came down to earth last week by only finishing with five PPR fantasy points. Yet, his stock is trending way up due to his situation. The Jets top two running backs, Matt Forte and Bilal Powell are dealing with injuries and both running backs could be inactive in Week 6. If that scenario happens, McGuire could flirt with 20 touches in a favorable matchup against the Patriots.
1. Jerick McKinnon, RB, Minnesota Vikings (29.3 percent owned)
A lot of people thought Latavius Murray was the guy to own in the Vikings backfield after Dalvin Cook went down but after last night’s game most people are singing a different tune. McKinnon had himself a day on Monday Night Football by finishing with 146 total yards and one touchdown on 22 touches. His 26.6 PPR fantasy points finished for third-most among running backs in Week 5.
Others Receiving Votes
Alex Collins, RB, Baltimore Ravens (33.3 percent owned) – He set a season-high with 12 carries last week and, with Terrance West looking likely to miss time, he should push for double-digit carries until West gets healthy.
Jermaine Kearse, WR, New York Jets (40.6 percent owned) – He’s currently the 23rd-ranked PPR wide receiver and has three touchdowns over his last four games.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, New York Jets (36.1 percent owned) – ASJ caught his first touchdown of 2017 last week and now has four or more receptions in three-straight games.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis Colts (15.9 percent owned) – He’s getting more and more comfortable in the Colts offense and has three rushing touchdowns over his last three games. If you need a quarterback to stream this week (perhaps you’re a Ben Roethlisberger owner), Brissett is a great option against the Titans.
Roger Lewis, WR, New York Giants (0.2 percent owned) – Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall are both out for the year and Lewis caught a touchdown during their absences last week. It’s hard to predict how many targets he’ll see every week, but he’s worth an add based on his situation.
Next: Fantasy Football 2017: 5 Biggest Takeaways from Week 5
Ricardo Louis, WR, Cleveland Browns (0.4 percent owned) – Louis now has back-to-back games with eight or more targets and double-digit fantasy points. The Browns wide receiver corps might be one of the worst in the NFL, but somebody has to catch these passes.
Zach Miller, TE, Chicago Bears (19.0 percent owned) – In Mitch Trubisky’s first ever career start, he targeted Miller a team-high seven times. Maybe this becomes a weekly trend.