For the most part, I will only be including players who are rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo fantasy football leagues. I’ll make a few exceptions for players slightly over 50 percent who should be far closer to 100 percent. A player’s roster percentage will appear in parentheses next to their name. Denny Carter is mercifully handling the kicker section of this article which will be added Tuesday mornings. Updates from Monday Night Football will be added on Tuesday mornings as well. Be sure to check out the Waiver Wire Q&A Monday at 6PM ET.
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield, Bucs (19%)
There aren’t many great options at quarterback off the wire, but Mayfield is good enough for a one-week start. He ranks 14th in yards per attempt and seventh in completion rate. He’s even better in the advanced metrics. Mayfield is top-10 in both EPA and CPOE. Though not the flashiest addition, Mayfield likely projects for the most points among the readily available quarterbacks on the wire.
Derek Carr, Saints (24%)
Dealing with a sprained AC joint, Carr was sent to the waiver wire in a number of leagues over the past week, but his outing versus the Patriots should give fantasy managers some confidence in his health. He logged the second-highest target depth of his season (10) and his highest completion percent over expected (+7.5 percent).
Carr’s high aDOT and above-average volume make him an easy pick for big plays and usable fantasy numbers. He will project for QB2 numbers versus a beatable Houston defense.
Desmond Ridder, Falcons (5%)
Ridder has at least one score in all but one game this year and has two rushing touchdowns. He ranks 19th in yards per attempt and 20th in adjusted yards per attempt. He is a low-volume, modest-efficiency passer with a bit of rushing juice. He wouldn’t normally be on the streaming radar. However, a date with the Commanders makes him worth a look for fantasy managers truly desperate at the quarterback position. After getting demolished by the Bears, Washington ranks 27th in EPA per dropback allowed.
Gardner Minshew, Colts (1%)
We are still awaiting the MRI results on Anthony Richardson’s shoulder and it’s possible he will miss multiple weeks. Minshew is embarking on a run of tough defensive matchups in the Jaguars, Browns, and Saints over the next three weeks, but should be the only starting quarterback available on the wire in Superflex leagues.
Looking for more fantasy football content? Rotoworld has you covered. Watch Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry weekdays at noon ET LIVE on Peacock and the Rotoworld Football Show on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays wherever you get your podcasts.
Running Back
Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (32%)
Hubbard has been leaving Miles Sanders in the dust in most efficiency metrics all season. He is averaging .38 rush yards over expected per carry with a 40 percent success rate per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Sanders is at -.72 rush yards over expected per attempt with a 23 percent success rate. Over the past two weeks, Hubbard has out-carried Sanders 23-20. Hubbard may not outright usurp Sanders on the depth chart, but he is giving the Panthers’ staff every reason to continue giving him more carries than Sanders.
Jeff Wilson, Dolphins (26%)
Wilson is expected to have his 21-day window to return from injured reserve opened this week. With how well both Raheem Mostert and rookie sensation De’Von Achane are playing, Wilson returning would normally not move the needle much. However, Achane is dealing with a knee injury and is a candidate to land on injured reserve. Even if he doesn’t, it looks like the rising star will be out 2-3 weeks if everything goes well. That news boosts Wilson from a 10 percent FAAB flyer to 30 percent or more depending on how badly you need a running back.
Tyjae Spears, Titans (26%)
Spears has out-snapped Derrick Henry in 3-of-5 weeks this year. He has seen at least four targets in all but one game this year and has run significantly more routes than Henry. He is also besting Henry in the advanced rushing numbers.
Per @NextGenStats:
— Kyle Dvorchak (@kyletweetshere) October 9, 2023
Derrick Henry - .19 RYOE per carry, 45.2% success rate
Tyjae Spears - 2.37 RYOE per carry, 50% success rate
D’Onta Foreman, Bears (7%)
The Bears lost Khalil Herbert to a high-ankle sprain in Week 5. He will be sidelined for multiple weeks and is a candidate to go on injured reserve. Roschon Johnson suffered a concussion in the same game and Travis Homer left with a hamstring injury. The Bears brought in Darrynton Evans off the Dolphins’ practice squad, but Foreman would start and get the bulk of the snaps in Week 6 if Johnson and Homer are unable to go.
Johnson is also available in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues. His status for Week 6 is up in the air, but, once healthy, he will serve as the starter in Herbert’s place. The rookie running back has a strong pass-catching profile, giving him three-down potential over the next few weeks. Johnson is worth 20-30 percent of the FAAB, though his Week 6 status makes placing an exact number on him tricky.
Emari Demercado, Cardinals (1%)
James Conner left the Cardinals’ matchup with the Bengals early in the second quarter and did not return. It was reported on Tuesday that Conner would be sidelined for multiple weeks. In Week 5, UDFA rookie Emari Demercado took his place in the lineup and rushed 10 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. Demercado was Kendre Miller’s backup at TCU. He saw plenty of work on passing downs and put up strong measurables.
Keaontay Ingram is nursing a neck injury and has been absent for the past two weeks. Before we knew Conner would miss multiple weeks, Demercado was listed as a minor FAAB bid. With the Conner news breaking, Demercado is the top waiver wire add and is worth 25-30% of the FAAB depending on your need at running back.
Justice Hill, Ravens (28%)
Hill saw seven carries and four receptions in Week 5 while splitting the backfield with Gus Edwards. He ran for a 14-yard touchdown as well. Hill will play on the bulk of the passing downs while getting the occasional carry. He isn’t worth more than a few FAAB dollars based on his capped ceiling, but there are worse options for spot-starts in Week 6.
Wide Receiver
K.J. Osborn, Vikings (11%)
Justin Jefferson is expected to be placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, sidelining him for at least four games. Osborn, who is top-10 in the NFL in routes run already, looks like the primary candidate to take on Jefferson’s role in the Minnesota offense.
"KJ Osborn’s experience in the offense should help him slide seamlessly into the “X” receiver role, which is typically held by Jefferson." https://t.co/lV1yZS2w6j
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) October 10, 2023
His production will obviously pale in comparison to Jefferson’s, but the Vikings’ are a pass-first offense prone to getting into shootouts because of their poor defense. That alone will vault Osborn into the WR3 range after factoring in his new role.
Josh Downs, Colts (9%)
Gardner Minshew has played more than half of the Colts’ snaps in three games this season. Downs averaged 7.7 targets, six catches, and 63.7 yards in those games. His numbers drop to 2.5 catches for 32 yards in games that see Anthony Richardson take the majority of the snaps. Downs would be worth an add in deeper leagues even if Richardson was still under center. The switch to Downs then juices his fantasy numbers to the point of Downs being the priority add at his position this week.
Curtis Samuel, Commanders (17%)
Samuel has topped 50 receiving yards and 10 PPR points in 3-of-5 games this year. His target share of 15 percent isn’t anything to write home about, but 85 percent of his targets have been deemed catchable by Pro Football Focus. Like most of the waiver wire adds this week, Samuel doesn’t have a ton of upside, but he should provide consistent WR3/4 value in PPR leagues and won’t cost more than five percent of your FAAB.
Rashee Rice, Chiefs (39%)
After two promising weeks of running more routes, Rice’s route participation came crashing back to Earth in Week 5. He ran a route on 23 percent of Patrick Mahomes’ dropbacks despite catching his second touchdown of the year.
Chiefs for 6️⃣! @RiceRashee11 gets his 2nd TD of the year.
— NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2023
📺: #KCvsMIN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/LxW25sxPWA pic.twitter.com/66X95j7dWT
Rice still leads the Chiefs in yards per route run and his efficiency could net him more reps in the long run, but he remains nothing more than a stash for now.
Josh Reynolds, Lions (41%)
Reynolds put up a good fantasy performance versus the Panthers—four catches for 76 yards and a score—but I am skeptical of his ability to repeat that performance even if Amon-Ra St. Brown is sidelined for another week. He ranked fourth among the Detroit receivers in routes. Jameson Williams, Marvin Jones, and Kalif Raymond were all on the field for more passing plays than him. Still, his five targets were good for a 19 percent target share and he backed that with 39 percent of the team’s air yards. Reynolds is ultimately worth no more than five percent of a FAAB budget, but his solid Week 6 may lead some managers to over-bid on him.
Tight End
Luke Musgrave, Packers (24%)
Musgrave plays tonight, so if you can still add him as a bench stash, I’d recommend doing so. Before going down with a concussion early in Week 4, Musgrave was 11th in targets and third in air yards among tight ends. Musgrave is an elite athlete getting downfield looks at a position that is generally lacking in upside outside of touchdowns. He remains the top add at tight end.
Zach Ertz, Cardinals (50%)
As unexciting as it sounds, Ertz is hot on Musgrave’s heels as the No. 2 add at tight end. He is averaging 8.5 PPR points per game and sits at second on his team in targets. He has a 28 percent target share through five weeks. He gets a Rams defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends in Week 6.
Logan Thomas, Commanders (15%)
Throwing out one partial game because of an injury, Thomas is averaging seven targets for 5.3 receptions and 54 yards per game. He is tied for a team-high in red zone targets despite missing one and a half games.
Dalton Schultz, Texans (36%)
Schultz wasn’t an every-down player in Week 5, but he upped his route rate from 55 percent over the previous two weeks to 71 percent versus the Falcons. He converted that role into seven catches for 65 yards and a score. His role is slightly more precarious than the payers above him on this list, but he also plays for a team that is top-10 in completions, yards, and touchdowns through the air.
Kicker (Presented by Denny Carter)
Brandon McManus, Jaguars (24%)
McManus, also known as McGoatus, is in prime position for a multiple field goal outing against a Colts team giving up the third most field goal tries through Week 5.
With at least three field goal attempts in three of his past four games, McManus is something of a must-play fantasy option with the Jaguars sporting a hefty 25.5-point implied total. Jacksonville’s poor red zone offense should continue generating opportunities for McGoatus.
Riley Patterson, Lions (55 percent)
Patterson, a Not In My League special, ran cold in Week 5. Detroit’s offense marched up and down the field at will against the down-bad Panthers and all the Lions’ scoring resulted in six Patterson extra points. So it goes.
Patterson is once again in a good spot this week against Tampa. The Lions enter the game as 3.5-point favorites and should have little problem against a middling Bucs defense. The Lions have run hot in the red zone, scoring a touchdown on 65 percent of their inside-the-20 possessions. Patterson will benefit bigly if/when that cools off.
Blake Grupe, Saints (3%)
Grupe has the advantage of playing for a head coach who longs for field goals and actively avoids scoring touchdowns. If you’ve rostered Grupe this season, you are a Dennis Allen respecter.
Grupe, with multiple field goal tries in every game this season, is a more-than-viable play in Week 6 against the Texans. The Saints are road favorites and should be able to maintain the kind of game script necessary for another usable outing for Grupe. Houston has allowed eight field goal attempts over their past three games.