Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players who can
help your squad and may still be available in your league. I’ll
also provide a brief update on the players I covered the previous
week.
Teddy
Bridgewater, CAR – Week 6 was not
good, but the Bears are a tough opponent and haven’t been kind to
QBs this season. Week 7 offers an opportunity to play Bridgewater
(30-40 percent owned) against his (most recent) old team – the Saints
– who’ve yielded some big games to opposing QBs in 2020. Of course,
New Orleans has dealt with some injuries to its secondary and could
have a few guys back, so temper your expectations.
Jimmy
Garoppolo, SF – Garoppolo (20-25
percent owned) looked a lot sharper on Sunday night (268-3-0 in
the 24-16 win over the Rams) and has a full complement of offensive
weapons back and healthy – excluding the new injury to Raheem
Mostert. I think the 49ers will do a lot of passing in Week 7
facing the Patriots, who are not the team we’ve grown accustomed
to.
Joe Burrow,
CIN –UPDATE: I’d prefer
Herbert this week over Burrow, but the No. 1 pick in the 2020
NFL Draft is owned in about 5 percent fewer leagues than the Chargers’
QB, and the matchup (vs. CLE) is almost as enticing. He’s got
a full complement of weapons at WR and a pair of backs who can
catch passes. He’s a top 12-15 QB this week.
Matthew
Stafford, DET – Stafford completed
19 of 31 passes for 223-1-1 in Week 6 against the Jaguars and
has a great matchup against the Falcons in Week 7.
Ryan
Fitzpatrick, MIA – The magic continued
191-3-2 in Sunday's 24-0 win over the Jets, but a bye week is
next up.
Justin
Herbert, LAC – Herbert and the Chargers
were on a Week 6 bye with the adjusted NFL schedule.
Andy
Dalton, DAL –UPDATE:
Dalton had a rough time on Monday night dealing with the nonstop
pass rush and several miscues by his supporting cast. There’s
a shot he rights the ship in the coming weeks @WAS and @PHI, but
weeks 9 (PIT) and 10 (bye) mean he’ll just be taking up
roster space.
Kyle Allen,
WAS – It would have been nice to get some OT bonus points,
but Riverboat Ron ruined it. Allen completed 31 of 42 passes for
280-2-1 in the loss to the Giants on Sunday and lost a fumble
that was returned for a touchdown. Not a great day.
Running Backs
Boston
Scott, PHI – Scott (10-15 percent
owned) is probably getting the bulk of carries for the Eagles
until Miles Sanders gets back, although early word from the coaches
is the dreaded “running-back-by-committee” term. The play Thursday
against the Giants and Sanders (knee) is likely to be unavailable.
UPDATE: The Sanders injury is
likely a 1-2 week thing, so Scott has some viability this week
and in Week 8 against the Cowboys. He makes sense as a low-end
RB2/solid RB3 or flex play.
Zack Moss,
BUF – I’ll update tomorrow, but right now I’m anticipating
more touches from Moss going forward. He could get an extended
look in Week 7 facing the Jets.
UPDATE: Moss tallied just 10 yards
on five carries Monday, but Sunday should be different if they
jump out to a lead. He’s a sneaky deep-league add and large-field
GPP DFS play.
JaMycal
Hasty, SF – Raheem Mostert (ankle)
had to sit out the entire second half, giving Hasty an opportunity
for some touches. The rookie from Baylor rushed nine times for
37 yards and could get used more in the passing game going forward.
He’s worth adding in leagues with 12 or more teams.
UPDATE: With Mostert on IR, Jerick
McKinnon and Hasty become viable plays in weeks 7-10.
Gus Edwards,
BAL – If Mark Ingram (ankle) can’t go in Week 7, we could
see a lot of J.K. Dobbins and Edwards (0-5 percent owned), who
carried the rock 14 times for 26 yards and a TD during Sunday’s
30-28 win over the Eagles.
Myles
Gaskin, MIA – Nice! Gaskin had 18
carries for 91 yards and caught all four of his targets for 35
receiving yards in Sunday’s 24-0 win over the Jets. He’s the clear
lead back in Miami and is on a bye in Week 7.
D’Andre
Swift, DET – Our RB call of the
week, for sure. Swift was owned in just 1.1 percent of DFS lineups
(but a lot more in mine!) and had a monster day: 116 yards and
two TDs on 14 carries and 3-7-0 receiving. Adrian Peterson had
15 touches but shouldn’t be getting the workload that Swift obviously
deserves moving forward. The Lions face the Falcons in Week 7.
Devonta
Freeman, NYG – Freeman seized the
opportunity and rushed 18 times for 61 yards, though he didn’t
look great in the passing game (one reception for -4 yards) on
Sunday.
Justin
Jackson, LAC – The Chargers were
on a bye in Week 6.
Cam Akers,
LAR – One of these days, we’ll actually get to see him
log some touches.
Alexander
Mattison, MIN – The Vikings really
know how to ruin a good waiver wire pick. Mattison – in what might
be his only lead role opportunity this season – finished with
just 26 rushing yards on 10 carries, hauling in one of two targets
for 4 receiving yards during Sunday’s 40-23 loss to Atlanta.
Devontae
Booker, LV – The Raiders were on
a Week 6 bye. Booker remains the handcuff of choice for Josh Jacobs.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
TE Trey Burton,
IND – The Colts offense had looked paltry behind Philip
Rivers, but Burton (5-10 percent owned) caught four of the five
targets Rivers sent him for 58 yards and a TD, adding a one-yard
TD rush during Sunday’s 31-27 win over the Bengals.
Travis
Fulgham, PHI – Fulgham, who I left
off the list last week, finished with another solid stat line:
6-75-1 on 10 targets. He’s still owned in fewer than 50 percent
of ESPN leagues so he might be available in yours.
James
Washington, PIT – I almost used
Washington (10-15 percent owned) as a WR pivot in DFS because
of his toughness and contrast to the other big-play WRs in PIT,
but I’m really regretting having zero shares after he went for
4-68-1 against the Browns.
Tim Patrick,
DEN – He had 4-101-0 on Sunday and should be productive
as a WR3 moving forward with Lock under center. He’s a talented
young receiver who pairs well with Jerry Jeudy in Denver.
TE Anthony
Firkser, TEN – After Jonnu Smith left with an ankle
injury, Firkser had a monster day with 8-113-1 on nine targets
in the OT win over the Texans. If Smith misses time, Firkser could
be a solid add.
UPDATE: The ankle injury to Smith
is apparently minor, but we should stay tuned just in case he’s
inactive/limited.
Chase
Claypool, PIT – Despite all the
hype, Claypool did well, hauling in all four of his targets for
74 yards in Week 6 against the Browns. He also rushed twice for
7 yards and a TD. The waiver window is likely closed.
Darius
Slayton, NYG – Slayton had 2-41-1
before injuring his foot on the TD catch and is listed as limited
on Monday’s injury report. Stay tuned.
Brandin
Cooks, HOU – Cooks caught 9-68-1
in Sunday’s 42-36 overtime loss to Tennessee and looks like he’s
finally fitting in the Houston offense.
Henry
Ruggs III, LV – Ruggs used the bye
week to get fully healthy ahead of a Week 7 home matchup against
the Buccaneers – where they’ll be forced to find ways to utilize
his speed.
Tee Higgins,
CLE – Our WR call of the week, Higgins looks like a WR1,
hauling in six of eight targets for 125 yards in the loss to the
Colts. He’s got nearly unlimited upside.
Christian
Kirk, ARI –UPDATE:
Kirk (owned in about 50 percent of leagues) exploded for 86 yards
and two TDs on just two catches (three targets) Monday night against
the Cowboys. He’s could have an even busier Week 7 in a
shootout with the Seahawks.
Marquez
Valdes-Scantling, GB – Valdes-Scantling
was targeted five times by an erratic Aaron Rodgers, catching
3-32-0 in the loss to the Bucs.
