RADIO
RotoBallers,
Welcome back. As always this column will aim to highlight Week 7 waiver wire adds for quarterbacks, players that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire.
In recent years, the concept of streaming has become a popular one within fantasy football circles. Particularly with quarterbacks and defense/special teams, the idea of swapping players out every week based on attractive matchups has led numerous owners to victory (or to the basement, if such owners didn’t stream correctly). It’s not a bad idea – why invest a high draft pick on a player you may not want to use every week when you can use the upcoming week’s tilts to your advantage and play the projections?
Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 7 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS
Strategy for Streaming Quarterbacks
The problem, as mentioned above, is that if you’re going to go this route then you need to stream right - or you’re going to find yourself in a lot of trouble. Fortunately, the purpose of this weekly article will help you do exactly that with the quarterback position. Every week, we’ll take a look at six streaming QB options: three for one-quarterback leagues, and three for two-quarterback leagues. The focus will be on streaming for the upcoming week, but if that particular player has a positive outlook beyond that point it will be noted for your benefit.
Options for one-quarterback leagues could be just about anyone – if a decent QB really has that tasty of a matchup, then who are we to not take advantage of that? Of course, the obvious names aren’t “streamers” – your Newtons, Rodgers, and Wilsons of the world are plugged into the starting QB spot for their owners week in and week out. Other than the head honchos at the position though, anyone is eligible. Two-quarterback leagues, however, work a little differently. In these leagues, most of, if not all quarterbacks are already owned. Thus, to be a streamer option in a two-quarterback league, the QB needs to be close to the bottom of the barrel. For example, you aren’t streaming Eli Manning in a two-quarterback league because under that setting, Eli should be starting every week anyway.
RotoBallers, stream away to your heart’s desire. If you have any questions or comments feel free to send me an email ([email protected]), tweet (@Andrew_Bua), or reach out on Reddit (/u/CitiStrikeouts).
One-QB Leagues - Week 7 Waiver Wire Streamers
Marcus Mariota, TEN (75% owned)
If you took our advice on Marcus Mariota for Week 6, then you must be a very happy person as Mariota threw for 284 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 64 on the ground against Cleveland for 34.76 fantasy points in standard QB scoring leagues. It marked the second straight week Mariota has put up a big total – he dominated Miami for 36.52 points in Week 5. Next up? The Indianapolis Colts.
There are few fantasy quarterbacks hotter than Mariota right now, and there are few fantasy defenses worse than the Colts’ unit. This would seem like a recipe for success even for a fantasy novice. Indianapolis’ defense currently ranks 28th in passing yards allowed with an average of 301 per-game. With a defense so atrocious, the Colts rank sixth in fantasy points per-week allowed to QB’s with a figure of 19.67. Furthermore, Mariota will be the first true dual threat quarterback the Colts have faced this season. They haven’t been any good against the run either (ranking third in running back points allowed per-game), and so Mariota’s skillset should serve to confuse them even more. Fire him up safely as a QB1 in Week 7.
Alex Smith, KC (54% owned)
Another quarterback who makes the QB1 streamer list for the second week in a row, but hey, the schedule is the schedule. The definition of solid-but-unspectacular, Alex Smith continues to take advantage of a cupcake schedule to become more fantasy-relevant on a weekly basis than he has been in years. Next up for Smith? A date with the Saints in Kansas City.
Smith is coming off another reliable outing where he completed 86.36% of his passes against the pathetic Raiders defense. The Saints, meanwhile, have surrendered less than 319 yards to an opposing quarterback only one time this season and rank tenth with an average of 18.36 QB points allowed per-week. Another factor working in Smith’s favor is that he’s playing at home, where he’s averaged 300 yards-per-game to go along with three touchdowns and only one interception. It’s hard to fathom Alex Smith continues to top QB1 streamer lists, but the man deserves it.
Joe Flacco, BAL (51% owned)
Another guy who is under-owned yet continues to produce on one of the NFL’s softer schedules is Joe Flacco. The problem is, Flacco has been producing in some areas but not others. He’s thrown for at least 298 yards in half of his starts this season, yet only has five touchdown passes to show for it. His touchdown numbers should positively regress at some point, and that point could be in Week 7 when the Ravens take on the Jets and their swiss cheese defense.
Remember the days when the Jets defense was one to avoid at all costs due to Revis Island? The times, they have a changed. Gang Green’s defense has been susceptible to huge passing plays all season long and with Flacco’s big arm, it’s easy to envision Mike Wallace catching monster passes all day. The Jets are allowing 303 yards through the air per-game, ranking 31st in the NFL. To add more misery to their numbers, in Weeks 2 through 5 they allowed three out of the four quarterbacks they faced to put up at least 23.86 fantasy points. It may be weird to say, but Darrelle Revis and the Jets have become a defense to target every single week for fantasy purposes.
Two-QB Leagues - Week 7 Waiver Wire Streamers
Brian Hoyer, CHI (32% owned)
If you’re going to talk about surprises at the quarterback position in 2016, Brian Hoyer has to be near the top of the list. Hoyer has not only successfully taken over since Jay Cutler went down, but he’s played well enough to the point Bears fans are clamoring for him to hold the job even upon Cutler’s return to health. There’s a pretty good chance those cries won’t get any quieter after Week 7, either.
The Bears will rekindle their rivalry with the Packers this Thursday night in what could turn into a high-scoring game despite the usual lack of offense we see on short weeks. Against the Jaguars in Week 6, Hoyer made it four start games in which he threw for at least 300 yards (in four starts total, in case you weren’t counting). He didn’t throw for any scores against Jacksonville, which capped his point total at a paltry 11.08. Regardless, you get the idea – Hoyer is playing really, really well. Consequently, the Packers have simply not been able to stop the pass despite being first in the league at stopping the run. Surrendering an average of 275 passing yards-per-game, the Packers rank 24th in that department. Even if the Packers jump ahead in this one, Hoyer and the Bears will be throwing a lot in an attempt to come behind. Either way you go, this is suiting up for Hoyer to be a perfect QB2 streamer (as if he hasn’t earned more than that the last few weeks).
Colin Kaepernick, SF (18% owned)
Colin Kaepernick may have a permanent place in headlines this season, but he did finally get to play in a real game on Sunday in Buffalo. The results weren’t pretty (13-for-29, 187 yards and one touchdown), but playing against the ravaging Bills’ defense in Buffalo would be tough for any player – nevertheless one making their first start of the season. Things get a bit easier for Kaepernick when the 49ers play host to the Buccaneers in Week 7.
Without much sample size for Kaep' in 2016, this one is a tougher projection than most. However, the chances that he isn’t even worth playing as a streamer in QB2 leagues are slim. Tampa Bay has not been good against the pass, allowing 264 yards per-game and nine touchdowns. They’ve also allowed at least 278 yards in three out of five games, including 278 yards to Derek Anderson in Week 5. Similarly, much like Mariota’s situation a few paragraphs up, Kaepernick is the first true duel threat quarterback the Bucs are seeing this year and so that could prove to be an issue for them. It remains to be seen what Kaepernick will be able to produce this season, but he is highly likely to produce as a QB2 in Week 7.
Case Keenum, LA (9% owned)
This one is really reaching for the bottom of the barrel, but you could probably do worse than Case Keenum as a streamer in two-quarterbacks leagues for Week 7. Only owned in 8% of leagues, he is near-guaranteed to be there for the taking this week. Don’t look now, but Keenum has thrown for 266 yards in each of the last three weeks. Against the Giants this week, there’s a decent chance he makes it four in a row.
The Giants haven’t been terrible against the pass, but they haven’t been great either. They rank 20th in the league with an average of 261.6 yards-per-game, including 307 at home to Joe Flacco in Week 6. While the Giants are just bad enough to stream against, Keenum becomes a more attractive option with him seemingly much more comfortable in recent weeks. On the road in Detroit in Week 6, Keenum completed 84.37% of his passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Betting on Keenum this week may be unorthodox, but for a QB2, he’s looking much better as of late and is staring at a decent matchup. Grab him for pennies on the dollar this week, and reap the rewards on Sunday.
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