This week is going to be a busy one on the waiver wire.
Byes begin Week 6, and managers will scramble to find replacements for their Lions, Raiders, Titans and Texans players. With Derek Carr and Jared Goff on bye, some players, likely in two-quarterback leagues, will need a second starter, and the running backs for each team—Jamaal Williams, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry and Dameon Pierce are all top 12 at their position.
Receiver is a bit easier to address on waivers, but top-end talents Davante Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown will also be off this week. Rashaad Penny suffered a season-ending injury, and James Conner is dinged up, so there's free agent running backs to be had who will have expanded roles moving forward. And after what he did on Sunday, we have to talk about the unicorn Taysom Hill and his fantasy viability again.
QUARTERBACKS WAIVER WIRE
Geno Smith (SEA) FAAB up to 10%
Here's a list of fantasy quarterbacks who have scored more points than Smith: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray. It ends there. The Seahawks' signal caller impressed again last week, and this time against a quality defense on the road. Smith sliced up the Saints for 268 passing yards and a season-best three touchdowns. He was QB3 on the week, which follows up a QB2 performance, and Smith leads all players in ESPN's passer rating (113.1). He rarely turns the ball over, has a pair of great receivers to target downfield and has plus matchups against the Cardinals and Chargers coming up. It doesn't hurt that the Seahawks defense allows the second-most points in the NFL—he's cooking, and he has to. At some point, his success becomes a reality, and five games is a big enough sample size for me. Go add Smith, who’s somehow still available in over 50% of leagues.
Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) FAAB up to 4%
Garoppolo had a textbook game against the Panthers, and was also his best of the season. He went 18 for 30 for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Unlike last week, when a large chunk of his yardage and only touchdown came on a highlight catch-and-run play by Deebo Samuel, Garoppolo spread the ball around in Carolina and had a solid outing despite only connecting with Samuel twice. There was nothing awe-inducing about Garoppolo's outing, but you could surely do worse than the QB7 on the week. He can build on this performance with the Falcons and the Chiefs next on the schedule.
Justin Fields (CHI) FAAB up to 4%
Fields set a very low bar for what to expect from him through four weeks, and he cleared it easily against the Vikings. He broke 200 passing yards for the first time this year, and it was also his first game without a turnover. Fields connected with Velus Jones Jr. for a touchdown, his first since Week 1, and added 47 rushing yards on eight carries. Add all that up, and Fields was the QB9 on the week. Respectable—nothing more, nothing less. I understand wanting to see it again before even considering making a claim, much less starting him, but he might be worth a look in a Week 6 home game against the Commanders if you're in a pinch.
Others: Marcus Mariota (ATL), Zach Wilson (NYJ)
RUNNING BACKS WAIVER WIRE
Kenneth Walker (SEA) FAAB up to 40%
Walker is the new RB1 in Seattle. Seahawks starter Rashaad Penny was carted off the field Sunday against the Saints, and it was reported Monday that he would miss the rest of the season with a fractured fibula. This is crushing news for Penny, whose career has been plagued by injuries, and it also presents a massive opportunity for Walker, a second-round pick out of Michigan State. Walker had his best game of the season against New Orleans, though almost all of his yardage came on a 69-yard touchdown romp—he gained 19 yards on his other seven carries and did not see a target come his way. His usage in the previous three contests was relatively limited (he was inactive for the opener), but that will change as he steps into Penny's role, who saw about 12 touches per game. Penny was an RB3 with a propensity for spike weeks; about the same can be expected of Walker, who's available in roughly 50% of leagues.
Eno Benjamin (ARZ) FAAB up to 10%
Benjamin stepped in for the injured James Conner on Sunday and had his best fantasy outing. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said Conner (ribs) is "OK," but his status should be monitored as the week progresses. Even if Conner is good to go against the Seahawks, Benjamin is still worth an add and might even be startable in a contest with a projected total above 50 points. Benjamin has at least six touches in each game this season, and more than 20% of his touches have come in the red zone. He's been a more efficient rusher and receiver than Conner, and he punched in the game-tying touchdown against the Eagles in the fourth quarter Sunday from 11 yards out, his first of the year. Conner scored 18 times in 2021 and has just one score this season. Without that scoring production, Conner has failed to deliver on his third-round ADP, while Benjamin has been the more efficient back.
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Mike Boone (DEN) FAAB up to 5%
Boone was clearly second in line to Melvin Gordon in the Broncos' first game without Javonte Williams. Boone looked decidedly more explosive than the veteran back in an ugly contest against the Colts, though. He took his seven carries for 38 yards compared to Gordon's 54 yards on 15 rushes. Their production in the passing game was nearly identical—Gordon caught three balls for 49 yards, and Boone gained 47 on three receptions. There's always the threat that Gordon can fumble and cede more work to Boone, but right now, he's a depth add with some way to go before starting for Denver or your fantasy squad. Gordon started the game and was in the backfield with Russell Wilson on the final drive.
Others: Rachaad White (TB), Joshua Kelley (LAC), Jaylen Warren (PIT)
WIDE RECEIVERS WAIVER WIRE
Khalil Shakir (BUF) FAAB up to 5%
With Isaiah McKenzie out and Jamison Crowder on injured reserve, the Bills fifth-round rookie got the start, and he certainly made his case for a full-time starting role. Shakir was in on 70% of snaps and caught three of five targets for 75 yards and a score. McKenzie (concussion) is working his way back for Week 6, and Dawson Knox (foot/injury) may also be back in the fold for the upcoming marquee matchup with the Chiefs, both of whom would stand in the way of Shakir seeing similar usage. The rookie will continue to improve as the season goes on, and in a Josh Allen-led offense, plenty of targets will go around. You'll want to see it again before you bank on Shakir, but he's a solid stash with plenty of upside.
Alec Pierce (IND) FAAB up to 7%
Pierce is clearly establishing chemistry with quarterback Matt Ryan. The fifth-round rookie out of Cincinnati went without a catch in his first career game, but he has been Ryan's go-to option the last two weeks. On Thursday against the Broncos, Pierce hauled eight of nine targets for 81 yards—all team-highs. He caught four of six targets the week prior for another 80 yards, and he's quietly closing in on Michael Pittman Jr. for the team's receiving leader despite missing a game. Unfortunately, Parris Campbell, who plays 80% of snaps to Pierce's 43%, stands in the way of Pierce becoming even more reliable week-to-week. Still, Indianapolis has quietly been one of the pass-heaviest teams in the league, and Pierce is one of the biggest beneficiaries of this offensive shift.
Devin Duvernay (BAL) FAAB up to 5%
Duvernay's involvement against the Bengals was interesting. With Rashod Bateman out, he saw a season-high seven targets, which wasn't a total surprise. He converted those looks from Lamar Jackson into five catches for 54 yards, all season-highs. But Baltimore also got its All-Pro returner involved on the ground by feeding him three carries, with which he gained 24 yards. Duvernay is the WR24 through five weeks, scoring nine or more PPR points in every game this season. Consistency matters, and he hasn't been overly reliant on touchdowns, either. Bateman's return, which coach John Harbaugh said could be imminent, puts a cap on Duvernay's involvement going forward, but 10 opportunities and usage in the run game should not be ignored.
Josh Reynolds (DET) FAAB up to 6%
The Lions' offense came crashing back to Earth in a shutout loss to the Patriots. Reynolds didn't, though. He put together his third game in a row with six or more catches, eight or more targets and 80 or more yards. After his six catches for 92 yards against New England, Reynolds leads Detroit in receiving yards, has the 18th-most (335) in the NFL, and from Weeks 3-5, he's the WR9 in PPR. Reynolds and quarterback Jared Goff go all the way back to their days with the Rams, so it should be no surprise they have a connection. Amon-Ra St. Brown is still the top option, and T.J. Hockenson will have his blowup weeks, but it's nonsensical that Reynolds is available in three-quarters of leagues considering his consistent, high-level production. Remember that Detroit is on bye this week, so don't bank on Reynolds if you need a receiver immediately.
Others: Rondale Moore (ARZ), Marvin Jones (JAX), Darius Slayton (NYG)
TIGHT ENDS WAIVER WIRE
Taysom Hill (NO) up to 3%
Hill scored the fourth-most points of any player at any position in Week 5. He outscored Travis Kelce, who caught a career-high four touchdowns on Monday night, thanks to a remarkable do-it-all performance where he, too, found the end zone four times. In a back-and-forth game against the Seahawks, Hill rushed nine times for 112 yards and three scores, including a 60-yard sprint. He also completed his first and only pass attempt of the season for 22 yards, which went for a touchdown, too. Hill finished with 34.08 fantasy points, which catapulted him to the TE7 on the season. Jameis Winston's return will put a cap on Hill's usage on offense, and he's already in on just 21% of plays. The “tight end” has just one catch this season, but he's also scored in three of four games he's played which is more than you can hope for from a tight end not named Kelce or Mark Andrews. Hill is available in a majority of leagues.
Evan Engram (JAX) FAAB $0 bid
Engram put together his best game as a Jaguar in the team's worst game of the season. Jacksonville was held out of the end zone in a loss, and its top offensive weapons were limited, but Trevor Lawrence targeted Engram a season-high 10 times. He came down with six catches for 69 yards, both season-highs, giving the few managers who started him a respectable outing. Engram is in on 73% of snaps and ranks fourth on the team in targets this year. As Lawrence is forced to air the ball out more often—he attempted a season-high 47 passes on Sunday—Engram stands to gain.
Others: Hayden Hurst (CIN), Cade Otton (TB), Daniel Bellinger (NYG)
