RADIO
We've got six weeks of football behind us and many of us are scrambling to find where all of the points have gone. The 2022 season has been quieter than most, but that doesn't mean you should drastically lower your standards. Saddle up and prepare for a brutal bye-week grouping as the Bills, Eagles, Rams, and Vikings take their break.
Joining our famous waiver wire pickups list, our weekly fantasy football waiver wire columns by position, and our free new Who Should I Pickup? Waiver Wire comparison tool, this column focuses on suggested waiver wire bidding percentages for fantasy football owners in leagues using a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB).
As a caveat, these prices do not by any means indicate how much these free-agent players will go for. Each league values players differently and will continue to do so. These values are here to provide a baseline or priority order to understand roughly how much you should be looking to spend on a particular player. Specific needs are always reasonable cause for a manual override. Here are my median FAAB bid ranges and adds going into Week 7.
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FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks
A quick note and shoutout to Matt DiSorbo for this tweet putting numbers to what we all felt:
Something about football feels off, right? Sluggish?
That's because the first 6 weeks of fantasy scoring are the lowest in THIRTEEN YEARS. Down 22% from last year
We're seeing it in the primetime games. There's a severe shortage of consistently high-powered offenses
— Matt DiSorbo (@datavizuals) October 18, 2022
Don't just stare down at your team in a vacuum and think you're doing something wrong. Compare against the averages and leaguewide trends. We're fighting for all points out here! Okay, back to business.
Daniel Jones (QB, NYG) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
30% rostered
We slammed into the rushing floor with Jones in Week 6, as six carries only yielded six yards but he at least threw for 173 yards and two scores. He hasn’t topped 220 passing yards in any game thus far but we forgive that as NYG works around a deceased WR room.
However, that situation is turning a corner as Wan’Dale Robinson played and found paydirt. Jones has rushed at least six times in every single game in 2022, totaling 236 yards and two TDs on the ground for a healthy ~40-yard average. Jones and the Giants get Jacksonville and Seattle in the next two weeks before their bye.
Jameis Winston (QB, NO) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
26% rostered
Winston has missed three weeks of play with back/rib injuries but Andy Dalton hurt his back in Week 6 and hasn’t dazzled to the point of pushing Winston to the bench. The Saints have a short week ahead, playing Arizona’s porous defense on Thursday. If Winston and Chris Olave return then I’m happy to jam him into the QB slot in deeper formats.
Taylor Heinicke (QB, WAS) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
0% rostered
Heinicke is ready to assume command of Washington following Carson Wentz’s finger fracture suffered in Week 6. You’ll recall Heinicke has shown flashes and posted a 20/15 TD/INT ratio in 2021, supplying a 60-313-1 rushing line as well.
Unfortunately, he draws a home matchup with Green Bay’s sturdy defense. This game may be a grinder between two teams that shove with running backs and lean on defense if possible, but those in 2QB leagues can’t ignore him as a stash.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs
Kenyan Drake (RB, BAL) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
Gus Edwards (RB, BAL) - FAAB Bid: 5-8%
5% & 15% rostered, respectively
Drake looked good in Week 6, rushing for 119 yards and a score on 10 carries in relief of an injured J.K. Dobbins. We’re hearing “knee tightness” for Dobbins, which doesn’t sound long-term, but it could be limited moving forward. Drake is the current hot hand but Edwards may return shortly.
Do you stash one hoping for the hot hand or avoid entirely with the assumption they cannibalize each other? Baltimore runs enough to spread the wealth, but each team must decide given their bench depth.
Kenyan Drake ran into crowded boxes (8+ defenders) on 70% of his carries Sunday, per @NextGenStats.
He finished with 10 carries for 119 yards — 63 more than expected. In a jumbled RB room, Drake put on a show the Ravens can't ignore. (via @ryanmcfadden_) https://t.co/UYvGcy1aBe
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) October 17, 2022
D'Onta Foreman (RB, CAR) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
5% rostered
Foreman sure looks like the Carolina RB to stash if speculating on a Christian McCaffrey trade. Foreman had five carries for 19 yards in Week 6 against Chuba Hubbard’s three touches for seven yards. The Panthers are in serious trouble with no real quarterback ready to lead so we’re just hoping for an 18-touch volume in the future here.
Damien Williams (RB, ATL) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
4% rostered
Atlanta’s Week 6 win saw them exert ball control in a surprising 28-14 victory over San Francisco. Caleb Huntley had 16 carries, Tyler Allgeier saw 15 totes, and Avery Williams plus Keith Smith combined for five touches as well.
Damien Williams was running with Cordarrelle Patterson in Week 1 before hitting the IR with a rib injury. If available, Williams could easily assume the 1A role on a team that hasn’t shown any hesitancy to establish the run. Tuck Williams away and see how they proceed.
Kyren Williams (RB, LAR) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
8% rostered
Malcolm Brown is 1% rostered if you need 8-10 touches a week in the now, but Williams is the ceiling dart. You know it’s a slow week when two of these guys are IR stashes but that’s the world we live in.
Williams was a fifth-round pick this offseason but suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 1. I’ll remind you that he topped 200 rushing attempts, 1,000 rushing yards, and 13 rushing TDs in both 2020 and 2021 for Notre Dame. With Cam Akers on the outs and Darrell Henderson failing to impress, Williams is a savvy stash.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers
Wan'Dale Robinson (WR, NYG) - FAAB Bid: 6-10%
8% rostered
Robinson made an immediate impact despite playing under 25% of the Giants’ snaps in Week 6. On 15-of-64 snaps, Robinson saw four targets on 11 routes run for three catches, 37 yards, and a touchdown.
Without jamming a ton of numbers into a sentence, we are left with Robinson being schemed towards when on the field and converting those sporadic chances into results. One has to be pleased with this and what it portends for more involved days ahead. You’ll want to scoop him, especially with Kadarius Toney’s unclear timeline and little else around NYG’s pass-catching group.
Tyquan Thornton (WR, NE) - FAAB Bid: 5-8%
1% rostered
With Nelson Agholor out and Kendrick Bourne leaving early with an injury, Thornton was able to feature next to Jakobi Meyers and DeVante Parker as Bailey Zappe threw for 309 yards. Thornton caught 4-of-5 targets for 37 yards and a score through the air, but also chipped in three rushes for 16 yards and another TD.
The versatile usage harkens to Bourne’s 2021 campaign, but Thornton’s high-end speed raises the ceiling. New England is fickle when it comes to consistent usage but the theme of targeting upside in a group without many starters is a constant.
At first, this just looked like lazy defense by the Browns. But Tyquan just accelerates so fast as he turns the corner that everyone else looks like they’re moving in slow motion. #Patriots pic.twitter.com/O4ftq1BJLx
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) October 17, 2022
Alec Pierce (WR, IND) - FAAB Bid: 4-6%
Parris Campbell (WR, IND) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
38% & 2% rostered
Pierce, Campbell, and Michael Pittman Jr. all popped off as Matt Ryan completed 42-of-58 attempts for 389 yards and three TDs. I’m not expecting that in Week 7 at Tennessee but Ryan has eclipsed 350 yards in three of Indy’s six games so far.
Pierce had a quiet day until catching a game-winner for a 3-49-1 line on seven targets. Campbell looked to benefit from Ashton Dulin’s injury, seeing 11 targets for a 7-57-1 receiving line. Pierce has been on the radar but now Campbell has viability after never seeing more than four targets in any of Indy’s first five contests.
Zay Jones (WR, JAC) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
20% rostered
Jones saw more consistent work as Jacksonville’s No. 2 receiver with Marvin Jones Jr. out in Week 6. While Tim Jones and Jamal Agnew split No. 3 duties, Jones caught all five of his targets for 42 yards. It was a quiet day for Jags’ pass-catchers but Jones offers sneaky upside as Agnew also left early with an ankle injury.
Trevor Lawrence and the passing offense have regressed of late but the opportunity for volume is there through Jones. If Agnew and MJJ are cleared for Week 7’s game against the Giants then we’ll need to back off but this is a solid early-week target.
Van Jefferson (WR, LAR) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
5% rostered
I realize Allen Robinson just showed life and Ben Skowronek had a solid game in Week 6, but Jefferson is poised to return in Week 8 and resume his field-stretching role for Matthew Stafford. He posted 802 yards and six TDs on 50 catches last season and should help take the top off of secondaries.
Marquez Callaway (WR, NO) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Tre'Quan Smith (WR, NO) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
2% & 0% rostered, respectively
The Saints were without Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Jarvis Landry in Week 6. This left Callaway to lead the WRs in snaps (55), routes run (33), and targets (7). He only caught three of those looks for 36 yards but he had the most opportunity of the bunch.
On the other side of the efficiency coin, Smith only saw three targets on a similar route/snap tally but caught all three for 43 yards and a touchdown. If Olave returns then lean towards Callaway as an add, though he and Smith could easily split the work. Their ceilings are lifted if Jameis Winston can go but this is not a thrilling add to make.
Christian Watson (WR, GB) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
Amari Rodgers (WR, GB) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
5% & 0% rostered, respectively
Watson is a nice pivot (pending his health) with Randall Cobb’s multi-week ankle injury. With Watson missing Week 6, it was Amari Rodgers who stepped into the slot role but he caught just one pass on the day. There is some chatter that Watson could be shut down after reaggravating the hamstring injury so I don’t mind a cheap Rodgers dart.
The upside is lower as Aaron Rodgers and company look a bit lost out there, averaging 225 passing yards per game. That’s barely a top-20 offense. The good news is they face a subpar Washington secondary in Week 7, a surefire negative game script in Week 8 against Buffalo, and Detroit’s giving defense in Week 9. Beggars can’t be choosers this deep in the player pool.
Robbie Anderson (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
12% rostered
Anderson was seen jawing with and then told to leave the sideline by Carolina’s coaches during their Week 6 loss. Monday afternoon brought us news that Anderson had been traded to the Cardinals in the wake of Marquise Brown’s injury.
Arizona has disappointed but this is still a clear upgrade over Carolina. The Cards get DeAndre Hopkins back and Rondale Moore has looked good so Anderson is likely a boom-bust deep threat. He’s a decent plug-and-play option if you sport a deep bench but Brown’s injury not being a season-ender means Anderson is almost surely a non-factor come FF playoffs.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends
Hunter Henry (TE, NE) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
36% rostered
Henry paced the Patriots with seven targets in Week 6, playing on 68-of-70 snaps and running a route on 29 plays. The Pats had their five major playmakers run between 25-34 routes and the return of Jonnu Smith didn’t dampen Henry’s pass-catching prospects.
He hauled in four catches for a season-high 61 yards and his first touchdown of 2022, building off of Week 5’s 4-54-0 line. Week 7 could be an ugly, low-scoring affair with a MNF date against Chicago but the recent usage here is worth noting all the same.
Daniel Bellinger (TE, NYG) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
3% rostered
Bellinger is emerging as a viable TE dart with the widespread injury bug decimating Big Blue’s WR corps. He led the team with 26 routes run and five targets, catching all of them for 38 yards and a TD. The rookie has scored in two straight games and faces little competition for looks.
Cade Otton (TE, TB) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
6% rostered
Otton is back in the spotlight with Cameron Brate suffering a neck injury in Week 6. While Brate’s X-rays came back negative, he still left on a backboard and it looked frightful. The Bucs embarrassed themselves in a loss to the B-squad Steelers and should come out angry in Week 7’s date with a reeling Panthers team.
Greg Dulcich (TE, DEN) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
2% rostered
I know Denver’s offense feels like a scourge upon society but Dulcich was a bright spot on Monday night. His NFL debut yielded two catches for 44 yards and a touchdown on a day where only Jerry Jeudy saw more than four targets. Eric Tomlinson and Andrew Beck also posted a catch while Eric Saubert didn’t and Albert Okwuegnunam was a healthy scratch. Get after the only shot at upside within the DEN TE room.
Broncos pass route leaders:
Sutton - 32
Jeudy - 31
Dulcich - 26 🚀🚀🚀
Hamler - 20— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) October 18, 2022
Jake Ferguson (TE, DAL) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
1% rostered
Ferguson helped me win some nice DFS coin on Sunday night with Dalton Schultz out. Ferguson posted a 4-40-1 line on six targets, which looked far crisper than Peyton Hendershot’s 2-22-0 line on five looks. Schultz’s re-injured PCL could yield some opportunities in the coming weeks within a Dak Prescott-led offense, which is worth a look.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams
New York Jets Defense (at DEN) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
3% rostered
Don’t lie to me, you watched the Broncos in Monday night’s embarrassing loss to the Chargers. It was awful and Russell Wilson suffered a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter to boot. Sauce Gardner and the Jets are riding high after pummeling the Packers and the Vegas consensus total has already slipped from a 43.5 open to 41.5 at some books. Let’s ride.
Miami Dolphins Defense (vs PIT) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
17% rostered
Miami should tee off against Mitch Trubisky and the Steelers at home, where the sun can beat down on the visiting sideline and bake some fantasy points for us. The Dolphins have 10 sacks over their past four games, they’re currently favored by seven points, and the game only holds a 44-point total in Vegas.
New York Giants Defense (vs JAX) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
5% rostered
The Giants have 10 sacks over their last three games, which include strong stands against Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson. Kayvon Thibodeaux has provided a spark and Trevor Lawrence has only topped 175 passing yards once in his last three games. His mobility may save him from the rush at times but this is a widely-available target.
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