NFL Week 6: Where even your backup’s backup is now in play. And believe it or not, we’re already halfway through the Fantasy Football regular season.
We’ve had a hell of a year for injuries thus far, and Week 5 certainly provided no shortage either. With backups such as Mason Rudolph and Wayne Gallman suffering injuries on Sunday, and studs like Christian McCaffrey starting to take some breathers in-game [for once], there’s another fresh batch of waiver wire hopefuls who have some new life flown into their sails (so to speak).
There are also plenty of players in the Under 55 Percent Owned Club whom we’ve discussed in previous editions of this weekly column, and still every bit as worthy of roster considerations (if not more so by now, depending on their consistency since their mention). With seasons coming to a dire straits for several of us, and glaring needs that’ve lingered long enough, it’s time to hit the waivers and take some chances.
Auden Tate, WR (CIN, 22% Owned)
Not every disaster is without its bright spots. And for the Cincinnati travesty, Auden Tate has emerged through some rough circumstances for the Bengals as a promising athletic asset in the passing game, along with a high upside pickup for those of us in need at the wide receiver position in the fantasy realm.
Hauling in three receptions on six targets for 26 yards and a touchdown in Week 5 against the Cardinals, Tate proved at least while A.J. Green and Joe Ross are out that he can be of benefit to fantasy rosters, albeit being somewhat touchdown dependent of a play. But one must figure the Bengals will often be down in games and Andy Dalton has had no problem showing the sophomore receiver a more than fair volume of attention, totaling 16 targets in the last two weeks of action.
And with A.J. Green’s status in further uncertainty, along with Joe Ross on Injured Reserve, Tate appears to be going nowhere anytime soon. He’s no assured home run on a weekly basis, but if you’re limping up at the receiver spot or could use a flyer at flex, Auden Tate is worth your attention as well.
Gerald Everett, TE (LAR, 8% Owned)
While Jared Goff isn’t known for throwing in high volume to his tight ends, last Thursday night in Seattle was an exception. And hopefully for Gerald Everett, it was just a glimpse at what could ensue throughout much of the remaining season.
Posting a game-high stat line torcher of seven receptions on a massive eleven targets, totaling 136 receiving yards and shining a new light on this offense, especially with deep threat Brandin Cooks potentially sidelined in Week 6 with a concussion abstained during Thursday’s 30-29 loss to the Seahawks.
Everett, much like the previously mentioned Tate, is not by any means a weekly knockout punch sealed in near-certainty. But although the injury to Cooks may not keep him out for this week, Everett is being included in more snaps than years past by nearly double the snap count percentage.
Gerald Everett is worth beyond a flyer at the tight end position and could wind up being the starter for your fantasy team beyond Week 6.
Reggie Bonnafon, RB (CAR, 0% Owned)
Another stud running back going blatantly un-cuffed? Well, more for the rest of us then! In a rare on-field absence of PPR superstar Christian McCaffrey between snaps (yes, breathers do exist for the superhuman as well), backup Carolina running back Reggie Bonnafon busted out a 59-yard dazzler to the end zone and put the Panthers ahead for good, and proved to all that there is someone that exists as an effective Panther in the backfield who isn’t named McCaffrey.
Much like Dontrell Hilliard’s mention [by comparison] in last week’s WTTW article but to a greater extent, Bonnafon should be rostered by every CMC owner if the roster space is available, and should be viewed as significant trade bait by anyone else’s standards, along with a dart throw as a flex play if desperately needed.
I would look to stash Bonnafon as a McCaffrey non-owner, and position a trade to the league’s stockholder of such in hopes that they’ve got anyone else on their team who you can find weekly reliance within. It would be a weekly longshot play to start on your behalf, but clearly not without his share of scoring potential should the opportunity arise (which currently will only be for McCaffrey’s rare rest periods).
Teddy Bridgewater, QB (NO, 8% Owned)
Following three weeks of scrutinizing his ability to throw the long ball for any sort of game volume, naysayers will now be much fewer found in discussions of Teddy Bridgewater.
Notching the W in a shootout against Jameis Winston and the visiting Bucs, Bridgewater slung the rock for 26 completions on 34 attempts, 314 passing yards and FOUR touchdowns (despite one INT), and extinguishing any notion that Bridgewater can hang with NFL teams having to go to the air.
Although Brees is now back throwing the ball following his ulnar collateral ligament surgery from his injury against the Rams in Week 2, Teddy Bridgewater probably at least still has one to two more weeks under center, where he’ll be visiting the Jaguars and Bears in those weeks respectively. The next up of the two being Jacksonville, who currently sits 18th overall in Football Outsiders’ DVOA rankings against the pass as well as 18th overall in total passing yards allowed.
Keke Coutee, WR (HOU, 17% Owned)
Despite not being targeted once back in Week 3, Keke Coutee has been gradually getting worked back into the offense and the numbers are evident in his target and snap shares since Week 2. Granted, he’s no showstopper when it comes to the fantasy numbers, but Coutee is working himself into a fairly consistent role with the Texans on a weekly basis now, and put up 8.70 Fantasy Points in standard half-point PPR formats in Week 5 (3 REC, 4 TAR, 72 REYD).
In an offense that just dropped 53 actual points, guided by a quarterback in Deshaun Watson who threw for a gnarly FIVE touchdowns, I am a firm believer that anything offensively is possible and Coutee is a product of that environment. The upside in a player often exists and thrives on a productive environment, and Coutee is bound to see a big week at some point.
I know his ownership fell off post-draft in most leagues due to the ankle injury he began the season with, but Keke Coutee is beginning to establish himself in a high-octane offense that nobody should be sleeping on pieces of.
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Other Waiver Considerations
In no particular order…