2014 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 6

Three of the top-10 scorers among fantasy running backs through Week 5 have appeared on this waiver-wire list at one point this season.

That means those players were available in more than half of all Yahoo! leagues at some point this season. In order for a player to appear on our weekly waiver-wire list, their ownership on Yahoo! fantasy football leagues cannot exceed 50 percent.

All of the top-five scorers at the position were drafted relatively early — DeMarco Murray (101.40 points), Marshawn Lynch (79.20), Le’Veon Bell (74.80), Arian Foster (66.30) and Matt Forte (65.80).

Within the next group of five, however, Ahmad Bradshaw (62.10, sixth), Justin Forsett (59.50, eighth) and Matt Asiata (56.20, 10th) were all waiver-wire pickups. Those three backs have all scored more fantasy points through Week 5 than Eddie Lacy (50.20, RB17), Jamaal Charles (41.80, RB26) and LeSean McCoy (38.20, RB30).

While those three backs won’t be listed below since their ownership now exceeds 50 percent, there are several running backs listed below that could be in many Week 6 starting lineups.

With that said, here are some players to consider adding to your fantasy roster(s) (Yahoo! ownership in parenthesis):

QB – Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins (49 percent)

Cousins bounced back from his five-turnover game in Week 5 with a top-eight performance despite the tough matchup against the Seahawks. Cousins now has three top-eight performances in his past four games, one of which includes a relief performance for RG3. This week, Cousins will face the Cardinals, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks although that is a little skewed by Peyton Manning‘s 479-yard, four-TD game on Sunday.

QB – Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals (30 percent)

In the one game he played this season, Palmer finished with 21.06 fantasy points, which allowed him to finish fifth in Week 1 fantasy quarterback scoring. While it’s not a lock that Palmer plays his second game of the season in Week 6, it appears that there have been some positive breakthroughs with his nerve issues. If he does return to field on Sunday, Palmer has a favorable four-game schedule versus Washington, Oakland, Philadelphia and Dallas.

QB – Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (11 percent)

Not only is Locker dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand, but the Titans are considering going with rookie Zach Mettenberger according to ESPN reports. If Locker is cleared to play and indeed is the Titans starting quarterback in Week 6, however, he has a great matchup against the Jaguars and could be a viable plug-and-play option for Drew Brees owners or anyone he needs a one-week replacement. The Jaguars have allowed 21.86 fantasy points per game, third-most in NFL, to opposing quarterbacks.

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RB – Andre Williams, New York Giants (25 percent)

With Rashad Jennings sustaining an MCL sprain on Sunday, it’s likely that he will miss the next couple of games, which sets Williams up for a couple of nice matchups against the Eagles and Cowboys before their bye. In relief, Williams has 35 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns plus two catches for 18 yards over the past two weeks combined. In those games, he finished as the RB11 and RB13 for the week.

RB – Branden Oliver, San Diego Chargers (16 percent)

Despite the difficult matchup against the Jets, Oliver racked up 182 yards of scrimmage and a pair of touchdowns on 23 touches (including four receptions) and finished as the top-scoring running back in Week 5. With Danny Woodhead out for the year, Ryan Mathews (knee) expected to miss a couple more games and Donald Brown (concussion) leaving Sunday’s game, Oliver, who has drawn comparisons to ex-Chargers RB Darren Sproles, should have a featured role in an incredibly favorable Week 6 matchup. The Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs.

RB – Ronnie Hillman, Denver Broncos (10 percent)

Montee Ball had a slow start before the bye with a tough schedule immediately following it. A groin injury, however, looks to keep him out for at least a couple of weeks, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. With Ball sidelined, Hillman should be the biggest beneficiary and he gained 65 yards on 14 second-half carries in Week 5. Unfortunately for Hillman and the team’s other backs, the Broncos have a tough two-game schedule coming up against the Jets and 49ers, both of whom rank among the sixth-stingiest defenses to fantasy running backs.

RB – Antone Smith, Atlanta Falcons (nine percent)

Smith has yet to get more than four touches in a game and he has only 17 through five game, but he’s averaging a ridiculous 11.0 YPC and 26.0 Y/R with a touchdown on 23.5 percent of his touches. Smith had only five carries last year, but he averaged 29.0 YPC in 2013. With a touchdown in four of five games this year, Smith has finished as an RB2 (top-24) running back or better in those four games and a top-12 back in each of the past two weeks. As productive as he’s been, a larger workload could/should be in his future. Even with the light workload, however, he’s the RB19 through five weeks.

RB – Benny Cunningham, St. Louis Rams (5 percent)

Although Zac Stacy (calf) left Sunday’s game with an injury, early reports are that Stacy will be able to play on Sunday vs. the 49ers. Cunningham will obviously have more value if Stacy can’t play this week, but he has double-digit touches in back-to-back games and is averaging nine touches per game this season.

RB – C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos (two percent)

Anderson was a healthy inactive on Sunday, but he should be active with Ball out and will be in the mix for touches. And while Hillman is expected to lead the team’s backs in touches, Anderson (5.0 YPC) has been more productive than Hillman (3.9 YPC) on a per-carry basis.

WR – Justin Hunter, Tennessee Titans (46 percent)

Hunter has yet to haul in more than three receptions in a game, but he had his best game of the season (3/99/1) thanks to a 75-yard touchdown. Hunter led the wide receivers in snaps played (68 out of 70) in Week 5. Hunter and the Titans receivers have a great matchup this week against the Jaguars, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.

WR – James Jones, Oakland Raiders (41 percent)

While Jones had one great game (9/112/1 on 14 targets, WR7) in Week 2, he has finished as a top-32 performer in three of four games. On pace for 84/1,088/8, Jones should have several WR3-type games as the No. 1 receiver on a team expected to trail often.

WR – Marvin Jones, Cincinnati Bengals (21 percent)

With offseason foot surgery, it was expected for Jones to make his season debut after the bye against the Patriots, but he ended up suffering an ankle injury that kept him inactive for Week 5. Jones had a breakout season (51/712/10) last year and I expect him to be the second-most productive wideout on the team after A.J. Green for the rest of the way.

WR – Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (13 percent)

On a season-high 11 targets, Robinson had five catches for 51 yards on Sunday. In his past four games, Robinson has at least five catches or 75 yards. The opportunities should continue to be there for the second-round rookie out of Penn State even when Cecil Shorts and Marqise Lee are healthy.

WR – Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants (11 percent)

A hamstring injury sidelined OBJ for much of the offseason workouts, preseason and first quarter of the regular season, but he had a solid outing and scored a touchdown in his NFL debut in Week 5. Beckham had four catches on five targets for 44 yards and a score and the team’s receivers have a couple of favorable matchups over the next couple of weeks. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing receivers than the Eagles, this week’s opponent.

WR – Kenny Britt, St. Louis Rams (six percent)

Before the season began, I expected a bounce-back season from Britt and although he was nearly invisible in his first two games, he’s had back-to-back solid performances. Britt has eight catches for 137 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets in his past two games combined.

WR – Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (five percent)

Adams had only one catch on four targets on Sunday, but he did catch his first touchdown of his career. Even when Jarrett Boykin was active, Adams has now played 35-plus snaps in four consecutive games. As the season progresses, I’d expect the chemistry between Aaron Rodgers and Adams to improve.

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TE – Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins (50 percent)

Since sustaining a hamstring injury in the season opener, Reed has yet to play another snap this season. That said, he returned to some limited practices this past week and could make his return in Week 6. Fortunately for Reed owners, he would get a matchup against the Cardinals, who allowed the most fantasy points to opposing TEs last year and the sixth-most so far this year. Of course, durability will remain the primary concern for Reed owners, but he has the talent to be a weekly TE1 when healthy.

TE – Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts (46 percent)

Through five weeks, Allen has scored the 10th-most fantasy points among tight ends even though he has averaging just three catches per game. Allen has scored a touchdown in four of five games and has finished as a top-seven fantasy tight end in each of those games.

TE – Tim Wright, New England Patriots (nine percent)

When the Patriots gave up All-Pro guard Logan Mankins for Wright, I figured he would be more involved in the offense than he had been through the first quarter of the season. Wright had as many targets (five) in Week 5 as he had before Week 5 and he posted a 5/85/1 line to finish as this week’s TE5. While I wouldn’t expect 5/85/1 on a weekly basis, I would expect more involvement in the offense from Wright going forward.

More fantasy football resources:

• Week 6 Fantasy Football Rankings (to post Tues. night)
• Rest-of-Season (ROS) Fantasy Football Rankings
• Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule

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