Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.
Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.
Here’s my best bets off the waiver wire for Week 6:
ADD
WR Kadarius Toney, Giants (ESPN: 12%; Yahoo: 18%): The G-Men have been decimated by injuries and it’s unsure when Kenny Golladay (knee), Sterling Shepard (hamstring) or Darius Slayton (hamstring) will be healthy again. Toney has made the most of his opportunities and has earned more reps even when everyone returns to the field. The dynamic first-rounder has 267 yards on 16 receptions (22 targets) the last two games. Toney did appear to tweak his ankle against Dallas, but it doesn’t appear to be significant.
RB Devontae Booker, Giants (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 8%): Booker will be the starter for the foreseeable future after Saquon Barkley injured his ankle. This isn’t really about upside, it’s about volume. The veteran produced 58 total yards and two total touchdowns on 19 touches against Dallas.
QB Carson Wentz, Colts (ESPN: 6; Yahoo: 14%): Wentz has played significantly better the last two games — 630 yards and four touchdowns against zero interceptions — and would be a solid replacement if you recently lost Russell Wilson, assuming Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones are not available.
TE Hunter Henry, Patriots (ESPN: 36%; Yahoo: 47%): Henry dominated targets, routes run and snaps over Jonnu Smith against Houston. He also led New England with eight targets and caught a touchdown for the second straight week.
RB Darrel Williams, Chiefs (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 18%): Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss at least a few weeks with a MCL sprain. Williams will likely split receiving work with Jerick McKinnon, but he’ll deserve flex consideration until Edwards-Helaire returns. Kansas City’s next three games: at Washington, at Tennessee and the Giants at Arrowhead.
BONUS: WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 24%): Lamar Jackson is currently on pace to throw for 5,165 yards. This is by necessity with a roster riddled with past-their-prime running backs after sustaining several injuries in the preseason. Bateman will likely be activated this week against the Chargers. The rookie is arguably the most talented wide receiver on this team.
BONUS: TE Ricky Seals-Jones, Football Team (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 2%): Only Terry McLaurin had more targets than Seals-Jones in Washington’s first game without Logan Thomas. He faces a Kansas City defense this week that has allowed at least 116 yards to tight ends in three of five games.
BONUS: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 3%): Detroit’s passing offense leaves a lot to be desired, but St. Brown is trending in the right direction. The talented rookie has at least six receptions and eight targets in two straight games and deserves to be stashed in most PPR formats.
BONUS: RB Alex Collins, Seahawks (ESPN: 42%; Yahoo: 37%): Chris Carson (neck) might return this week against Pittsburgh, but Collins was clearly the primary back in his absence. Those who invested in Carson should do the same with Collins. He deserves to be stashed in deeper leagues just in case Carson’s injury history rears its ugly head again.
BONUS: WR Hunter Renfrow, Raiders (ESPN: 55%; Yahoo: 45%): Renfrow is currently WR21 in PPR. He’s outperforming DeAndre Hopkins (WR24), CeeDee Lamb (WR28) and Robert Woods (WR41). He has at least five receptions in every game this season.
BONUS: WR Tim Patrick, Broncos (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 31%): Patrick needs to be rostered in more leagues, especially with bye weeks upon us. He has done nothing but produce. Patrick has at least five receptions, 89 yards or a touchdown in 11 of his last 18 games.
BONUS: TE Dan Arnold, Jaguars (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 4%): Arnold led Jacksonville in receptions (six), yards (64) and targets (eight) against Tennessee. It was just his second game with the team after they traded for him. There’s long-term upside here.
BONUS: TE Evan Engram, Giants (ESPN: 31%; Yahoo: 31%): Engram could see increased volume with New York so thin at pass catcher. This will make him a streaming option for those weak at the tight end position.
BONUS: D/ST Bills (ESPN: 94%; Yahoo: 90%): Pounce if you’re fortunate enough to be in a league where this defense was dropped last week. I did.
BONUS: D/ST Colts (ESPN: 44%; Yahoo: 48%): Indy’s defense looked solid until Lamar Jackson took his glasses off, stepped into a phone booth (do these exist anymore?) and transformed into a Kryptonian. Despite how well he played against New England, Davis Mills doesn’t have a cape like Jackson.
DROP
RB Trey Sermon, 49ers: Sermon has 15 yards on two attempts in the two games where Elijah Mitchell was healthy.
TE Jonnu Smith, Patriots: This appears to be less of a split with Hunter Henry with Smith not surpassing 28 yards in four straight games.
WR Robby Anderson, Panthers: Anderson has only caught 41.4 percent of his 29 targets this season. He has 122 yards on 11 receptions the last four games, and two of those games were without Christian McCaffrey.
RB Chuba Hubbard, Panthers: You’re only keeping Hubbard when McCaffrey returns if you roster the top overall talent in fantasy.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers: Smith-Schuster will miss the rest of this season after he has surgery on his dislocated shoulder later this week.
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