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FFL: Preseason | NFL: Week 1

Waivering: Week 6

Tue Oct 12 8:40am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Booker will get some starts


For the second straight week, we were really hit hard by injuries. Several backs went down, making for a busy waiver wire once again. This is the part of fantasy that isn’t too fun. Staying healthy is as important as anything when it comes to your fantasy season. Hopefully, you aren’t getting it too hard about the email. Either way, good luck in navigating the waiver wire in Week 6. Below are some options to consider for your team.

QUARTERBACK

Jameis Winston, Saints. Winston had his second four-touchdown game of the season last week. And he attempted a season-high 30 passes. This might be a trend going forward, giving Winston a few more chances to air it out. This would certainly help his fantasy value. Winston is available in 47 percent of leagues.

Matt Ryan, Falcons. We know the Falcons aren’t the best team out there, but Ryan still keeps producing decent numbers for his fantasy owners. He has 20-plus fantasy points four straight games. He has attempted 35-plus passes in every game. He gets the work on a weekly basis and produces consistent numbers. Surprisingly, Ryan is available in 31 percent of leagues.

RUNNING BACK

Devontae Booker, Giants. Saquon Barkley suffered an ankle injury in Week 5 and is expected to miss two to four weeks of action. This leaves Booker as the likely starter for the Giants. The Giants aren’t very good and the line is a bit of a mess, but any starter in the NFL has fantasy value. Booker could have a few decent games as the starter. He has produced in the past. 

Khalil Herbert, Bears. It was Herbert, not Damien Williams, that led the Bears in rushing last week with David Montgomery out of the lineup. Herbert ran well, rushing 18 times for 75 yards. Williams remains our favorite Bears back for now, but Herbert has some value. The only knock on him is he has yet to catch a pass this year, which hurts his floor. But he should get around double-digit touches per week while Montgomery sits.

Alex Collins, Seahawks. Chris Carson is dealing with a neck injury that could impact him the rest of the way. He might miss more games because of the injury. Collins is the next man up and worth owning in all formats. He has double-digit carries each of his last two games and 9-plus fantasy points each of those games. Collins is available in 39 percent of leagues.

Samaje Perine, Bengals. Perine split the work with Joe Mixon last week and actually outproduced him. Perine ran well, rushing 11 times for 59 yards. He also caught four passes for 24 yards and a touchdown. Perine could be a factor the next few weeks as Mixon gets healthy. Perine is on the COVID list right now, though, so that is something to watch. He might not be available to play this week. Perine has some potential when on the field, though, and is available in 54 percent of leagues.

Darrel Williams, Chiefs. Clyde Edwards-Helaire suffered a knee injury in Week 5 and could miss a lot of time. This leaves Williams as the likely next man up. Williams might split some work with other backs but as long as he starts, he has some value to fantasy teams. He is worth grabbing for fantasy teams, especially if you were a Edwards-Helaire owner.

RECEIVER

Kadarius Toney, Giants. With the Giants banged up at receiver, Toney is getting more chances and taking advantage. He had a career game last week, catching 10 passes for 189 yards. He has 16 receptions his last two games and should continue to rack up the chances going forward, especially with Kenny Golladay now hurting. Toney is available in 75 percent of leagues.

Chris Moore, Texans. Moore played his first game of the season last week and made the most of it, posting a huge game. He had five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. He might have played his way into a much bigger role going forward for the Texans. He could be worth a speculative add in deeper formats. He has always been a big-play threat capable of the big games

Marquez Callaway, Saints. Callaway had a lot of hype going into the season but a slow start got him in fantasy doghouses. He is starting to makeup for his slow start, though. He had his best game of the season last week, catching four passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Callaway has 70-plus yards each of his last two games. He could be a factor going forward, especially if the Saints start throwing the ball a little more. Callaway remains available in 55 percent of leagues.

Tim Patrick, Broncos. It remains a little surprising to see Patrick still available in 37 percent of leagues but that is the case. He has been very productive, getting a chance to start for the Broncos. Patrick has at least 12 fantasy points four of five games. He caught a season-high seven passes last week for 89 yards.

James Washington, Steelers. Washington missed the game last week because of a groin injury. But as soon as he is back with the Steelers, he could play a big role offensively with JuJu Smith-Schuster done for the season. Washington had four receptions for 69 yards on five targets in Week 4, a game that the Steelers were missing receiver Chase Claypool. Washington is capable of the big game in this offense.

TIGHT END

David Njoku, Browns. Njoku had a breakout game, getting his most work of the season with the Browns still banged up at receiver. He had seven receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown in Week 5. Njoku is hit or miss but has 75-plus yards two of five games. He has a high ceiling but also could disappear some weeks. This performance might find him on the field a little more consistently going forward, though.

Hunter Henry, Patriots. Henry has touchdowns two straight games and topped 50 yards for the first time all season in Week 5. Henry wad dropped by some owners early in the year because of a slow start. He is picking it up now, though, and could be a little more consistent going forward. Henry is available in 35 percent of leagues.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Jeff Wilson May 6 2:50pm ET
Jeff Wilson

Miami Dolphins running back Jeff Wilson Jr. won't be assured of a roster spot out of training camp this summer as part of a crowded backfield that includes Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and rookie fourth-rounder Jaylen Wright. The Dolphins also have Salvon Ahmed and Chris Brooks in the RB room. Head coach Mike McDaniel has an affinity for Wilson dating back to their time together with the San Francisco 49ers, but the fact remains that Mostert, Achane and Wright will be locks for the roster. The former undrafted free agent out of North Texas failed to take advantage of Achane's injuries in 2023 and only played in 10 games (zero starts) himself, running for just 188 yards and no touchdowns on 41 carries while adding 14 receptions for 85 yards and no touchdowns.

From RotoBaller

Wan'Dale Robinson May 6 2:40pm ET
Wan'Dale Robinson

Most of the beat writers for the New York Giants would be surprised if first-round rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers isn't the team's most targeted player right away in 2024, but Wan'Dale Robinson should give him a good race. A fully healthy Robinson should push for the team lead in targets, but it's obvious that Nabers, the sixth overall pick in this year's NFL draft, has much more fantasy upside, both in the short and long term. The Giants are going to need playmakers like Nabers and Robinson to step now that running back Saquon Barkley is no longer in town. The 23-year-old Robinson, who was a second-rounder in 2022, suffered an ACL tear in his rookie year before catching 60 of 78 targets for 525 yards and a touchdown in 15 games (eight starts) last year. There's potential for a Robinson to take a big step forward in 2024, but it will also depend on quarterback Daniel Jones' (knee) health.

From RotoBaller

MarShawn Lloyd May 6 2:30pm ET
MarShawn Lloyd

It sounds as though the Green Bay Packers have plans to integrate rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd into their offense right away in 2024. "I would like to get him out there as much as possible," offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. The coordinator said that Lloyd doesn't bring the same type of versatility that AJ Dillon does, but the rookie brings a different speed element to their backfield, and the Packers want to get Lloyd into open spaces. The 23-year-old was taken in the third round (88th overall). Josh Jacobs is going to be the Packers' clear-cut backfield leader, but it sounds as though Lloyd is seriously going to challenge Dillon for complementary touches right away, although he'll need to secure the ball better than he did in college to stay on the field. Lloyd might not make much noise in redraft formats in 2024, but he's a fine target for dynasty/keeper managers.

From RotoBaller

Zay Jones May 6 2:20pm ET
Zay Jones

Free-agent wide receiver Zay Jones, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the NFL draft, is visiting with the Tennessee Titans on Monday, according to a source. Jones has an obvious connection to Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz, as the two worked together in Jacksonville in 2023. Jones became expendable for the Jags after they drafted Brian Thomas in the first round this year. The 29-year-old oft-injured receiver played in just nine games for Jacksonville last year due to a knee injury and finished with 34 catches for 321 yards and two touchdowns on 64 targets. If Jones does land in Tennessee with Holz, he'd merely be serving in a complementary depth role behind Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks if he can stay healthy, which would keep his fantasy ceiling and floor pretty low.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow May 6 2:20pm ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) is back on the field during the team's offseason workouts. Burrow is expected to be cleared for full contact at some point this month, and barring any setbacks after having surgery in November to fix a torn ligament in his right wrist, he should be fully recovered in time for training camp in late July. The 27-year-old has developed somewhat of a reputation for being injury-prone early in his career, but when he's healthy, he also has high-end QB1 upside in an offense that remains explosive with receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The former first overall pick in 2020 out of LSU was a Pro Bowler in 2022 in his last full season, when he threw for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 16 starts. Burrow will be a fine QB1 target in fantasy after the top names come off the board.

From RotoBaller

Rashaad Penny May 6 2:10pm ET
Rashaad Penny

Free-agent running back Rashaad Penny plans to sign an undisclosed deal with the Carolina Panthers, according to a source. The former first-round pick will reunite with head coach Dave Canales from their time together with the Seattle Seahawks. Penny will likely officially sign after the team's rookie minicamp, which wraps up on May 12. The 28-year-old from San Diego State was the 27th overall pick in 2018. Penny spent the first five years of his career in Seattle, displaying home run-hitting ability on the ground but struggling to stay healthy, appearing in just 42 games (11 starts). He played in just three games with the Eagles in 2023 and had only 11 carries for 33 yards. Penny will be joining another crowded backfield in Carolina that already consists of Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and rookie Jonathon Brooks, so he's not going to be on the fantasy radar.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Guyton May 6 2:10pm ET
Jalen Guyton

The Las Vegas Raiders signed former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Jalen Guyton to an undisclosed deal on Monday. New Raiders general manager Tom Telesco also signed Guyton a few times when he was running the Chargers' front office. Guyton opened his last year with the Bolts in 2023 on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which caused him to miss the first eight games. When the 26-year-old returned, he had just 10 catches (21 targets) for 89 yards and a touchdown in eight games, even with Mike Williams (knee) missing most of the year with a season-ending injury. The former undrafted free agent out of North Texas can serve as a deep threat, but he's mostly served as receiving depth in his career and will continue to do so in Vegas behind Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker and Michael Gallup.

From RotoBaller

Isaiah Davis May 6 12:16pm ET
Isaiah Davis

Dynasty | The New York Jets drafted running back Isaiah Davis in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Dynasty Analysis: Davis has an uphill climb to a roster spot with the New York Jets after being taken in the fifth round. The Jets already have Breece Hall as their starter and also took Braelon Allen to shore up their backfield. Still, he has a chance and could surprise as a late-round small school prospect. While he may need to beat out Allen to earn a spot on the team, Davis should still be kept on watch lists for the time being.

Zay Jones May 6 12:13pm ET
Zay Jones

Free-agent WR Zay Jones (Jaguars) is visiting the Tennessee Titans, according to sources Monday, May 6.

From TheHuddle

Rashaad Penny May 6 12:13pm ET
Rashaad Penny

Free-agent RB Rashaad Penny (Eagles) plans to sign with the Carolina Panthers following rookie minicamp, according to sources Monday, May 6. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

Fantasy Spin: Penny has always had intrigue since he became a first-round pick in 2018. With Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks already there, Penny isn't anything more than a desperation flier at the end of the roster.

From TheHuddle

Marquez Valdes-Scantling May 5 9:20pm ET
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Free-agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is scheduled to visit the Chargers on Monday. The 29-year-old had six trips to the end zone in 2020 while still a member of the Green Bay Packers. Since then, he hasn't come close to that mark. He finished the 2023-24 campaign with Kansas City by posting career-lows in catches (21), receiving yards (315), and touchdowns (one). Valdes-Scantling's most notable contribution last season came in the postseason, with the 2018 No. 174 overall pick pulling in a 16-yard touchdown throw from Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs 25-22 overtime win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. Nonetheless, MVS will likely find work this season. But it will be difficult to tell how things will look from a fantasy standpoint until he inks a deal, although he could get looks from Justin Herbert if he signs with Los Angeles, considering the team no longer has Keenan Allen or Mike Williams on the roster.

From RotoBaller

Marquez Valdes-Scantling May 5 8:03pm ET
Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Free-agent WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Chiefs) is scheduled to visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday, May 6, per source.

From TheHuddle

Duke Johnson May 5 4:33pm ET
Duke Johnson

Free-agent RB Duke Johnson (Bills) announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday, April 5.

From TheHuddle

Duke Johnson May 5 2:00pm ET
Duke Johnson

Running back Duke Johnson announced his retirement from professional football on Sunday. Johnson was originally taken in the third round (77th overall) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2015 NFL draft out of Miami. He spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Browns before spending two years with the Houston Texans. Johnson played for the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and the Buffalo Bills in the final year of his career in 2022. The 30-year-old wraps up his career having recorded 2,265 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 532 carries, adding 311 catches on 405 targets for 2,870 yards and an additional 12 touchdowns in 97 games (21 starts) covering eight seasons. Johnson had a career-high 410 rushing yards on 83 attempts in his first year in Houston in 2019.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott May 5 1:50pm ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas police will not pursue sexual-assault charges against Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, with a police spokesperson saying that detectives determined there was insufficient evidence an offense was committed. The case stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred in 2017 in which a woman said Prescott assaulted her in the back of an SUV in a strip club parking lot. In March, Prescott filed a suit seeking monetary relief in excess of $1 million after receiving a letter in January from attorneys on behalf of the woman that they would "forego pursuing criminal charges, along with disclosing this information to the public, in exchange for compensating her for the mental anguish she has suffered." It's unclear if the NFL is doing their separate investigation, but either way, it doesn't appear likely that Prescott will be in danger of facing a suspension from the league.

From RotoBaller

Denico Autry May 5 1:30pm ET
Denico Autry

Pass-rusher J.J. Watt isn't ruling out a return to professional football if the Houston Texans need him, but this if the final year that he'll say that. Watt retired after the 2022 season. "I told DeMeco [Ryans] last year: 'Don't call unless you absolutely need it, but, if you ever do call, I'll be there.' And he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it. This is the last year I'll tell him that, because I'm not going to keep training [the way] I've been training," Watt said. The 35-year-old and Ryans played in Houston together in 2011, which was Watt's first NFL season and Ryans' last with the Texans. It's unlikely the Texans need Watt after signing Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry this offseason to pair with impressive second-year pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. Watt is currently an analyst for CBS Sports.

From RotoBaller

Carson Steele May 5 1:20pm ET
Carson Steele

The Kansas City Chiefs recently signed undrafted free-agent running back Emani Bailey, defensive back Miles Battle, linebacker Swayze Bozeman, wide receiver Phillip Brooks, wide receiver Reggie Brown, tight end Baylor Cupp, offensive lineman Ethan Driskell, linebacker Curtis Jacobs, defensive lineman Fabien Lovett Sr., offensive lineman Griffin McDowell, offensive lineman McKade Mettauer, defensive back Derrick Miller, punter Ryan Rehkow, defensive back Christian Roland-Wallace, running back Carson Steele, offensive lineman Nick Torres and linebacker Luquay Washington on Saturday. All of these players will be fighting an uphill battle to make the Chiefs' final roster out of training camp this summer, but they could stick around on the team's practice squad if they impress the coaching staff.

From RotoBaller

Dorian Thompson-Robinson May 5 1:10pm ET
Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (hip) is set to have a follow-up MRI exam on his hip on Monday, and if all goes as planned, he's hoping to be back out on the field during the team's minicamp next weekend. The 24-year-old signal-caller suffered a subluxation of his hip on Christmas Eve last season and missed the rest of the year, which prompted the Browns to add veteran QB Joe Flacco. Thompson-Robinson has made good progress this offseason and is close to being cleared to throw during the team's offseason workouts. The Browns aren't going to rush him, though, and when healthy, he's going to be buried on the QB depth chart in Cleveland behind Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley.

From RotoBaller

Rasheen Ali May 5 1:10pm ET
Rasheen Ali

Baltimore Ravens rookie running back Rasheen Ali (biceps), who ruptured his biceps tendon at the Senior Bowl in late January, is taking part in some of the team's rookie minicamp after the Ravens took him in the fifth round of this year's NFL draft. Head coach John Harbaugh said he expects Ali to be fully ready for training camp at the end of July. If he's healthy and doesn't suffer a setback this summer, the 23-year-old will be competing for a spot on the team's regular-season roster as RB depth. As things stand now, the Ravens RB room consists of Derrick Henry, Keaton Mitchell, Justice Hill, Owen Wright, Ali and fellow rookie Chris Collier.

From RotoBaller

J.J. Watt May 5 9:03am ET
J.J. Watt

Retired DE J.J. Watt recently told Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans that he would be willing to unretire and suit up for the team in 2024 if Ryans 'absolutely needs it.' Watt has continued to stay in playing shape since retiring at the end of the 2022 season but plans to scale back his training regimen in future years.

From TheHuddle