Deeper Sleepers Heading Into Week 6

October 9, 2018

Frankie Soler takes an look at some deep sleepers heading into Week 6 of the fantasy football season with players owned in 15% or fewer of fantasy leagues that should be available on the waiver wire.

The wildness that is the 2018 NFL season continued in Week 5, gifting us some curious real-life outcomes to go along with the usual fantasy absurdity. We've got the curious case of the Buffalo Bills, the Browns already won their second game, the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles on the ropes, and Amari Cooper has been Amari Cooper-ing all year. It appears that guy should only be started in even numbered weeks. But you're here for waiver wire talk so let's mosey on over to that.

The names on this week's list are deeper than usual. With it being Week 6, there is a very good chance your league's waiver wire pool is drawing thin. There will come a point this year where there is flat out no one worth adding, but we're not there yet. All we have to do right now is dig a little deeper and hope someone hits before it's too late.

Remember, the rule of thumb here is that players cannot be owned in more than 15% of Yahoo fantasy leagues. While I did go further down the line in terms of ownership percentage, there are a few extra names this week. Hope after all?

Deeper Sleepers For Week 4

Ito Smith - RB, ATL (3% Owned)

This is now Ito Smith's third week in a row on this list and ideally it is the last time he needs to be mentioned. That's not to say he should be owned in every league, but we need to see this backfield commit to one healthy starter before declaring Smith irrelevant. Despite both Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman getting more touches, it was Smith who scored Atlanta's only rushing touchdown of the day. Granted, Smith only saw four touches total, but this backfield is still a work in progress. The same logic from the last two weeks applies here; the Falcons like to use multiple backs, and even at No.3 on the depth chart, Ito Smith does have some value in deeper leagues.

Jalen Richard - RB, OAK (5% Owned)

Jalen Richard is the perfect example of the way NFL offenses operate these days. Richard had just one rushing attempt yet he hauled in six receptions for 53 yards. It was his third double digit showing in PPR formats and he's now RB32 on the year. Yes, I know, being 32nd is not exactly stellar, but a deep league is a deep league. That could very well be flex worthy in leagues with 14 teams or more. My only concern with Richard's recent outing is that it might have easily been a product of game flow. The Raiders were down 11 points by halftime so the passing game became more involved. That would explain Marshawn Lynch seeing just nine rushing attempts. Still, Richard's ownership needs to be higher going forward. I should also add that while I'm not the biggest fan of using a roster spot on a handcuff, this is a situation where Lynch owners should make room for his backup.

Josh Adams - RB, PHI (0% Owned)

The most jarring news to come out of the Week 5 slate was that of Jay Ajayi tearing his ACL. The shock value wasn't from the injury itself but rather the fact that the news broke out of nowhere on Monday. Ajayi must have finished Sunday's game with a torn ligament in his knee which makes him far tougher than I'll ever be. Now the question becomes who replaces him in the backfield? The obvious names are Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood, two rushers who have been productive for the Eagles in the past. With Darren Sproles still sidelined, however, there is room for a third back to enter the fray. Rookie Josh Adams has flirted with the practice squad all year but should be activated if for no other reason than to add depth to the Philly roster. Adams is worth a deep dart through, especially if you consider that Clement hasn't been healthy either. Clement and Smallwood remain the preferred options in shallower leagues, but this situation is far from sorted out. Adams is a sneaky add for owners in deeper formats.

Donte Moncrief - WR, JAX (13% Owned)

What a world we live in where Donte Moncrief leads an NFL team in targets in 2018. Yet here we are, Donte Moncrief now leads the Jacksonville Jaguars in targets with 36. It's a slight edge with Keelan Cole at 34 and Dede Westbrook at 33, but even if you were to average it out to 35 a piece, Moncrief would warrant your attention. He's coming off of a game where he caught six passes for 76 yards, but that's not his only productive game as of late. Go back to Week 4 and you'll notice a 109 yard game with a touchdown to boot. Moncrief is having a solid year in Jacksonville and may very well be their top wideout. With Leonard Fournette still sidelined, the Jaguars have turned to a more pass-happy attack, a development that should continue for at least a few more weeks. If you also consider the injuries to Corey Grant and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Moncrief is trending up more than ever.

Equanimeous St. Brown - WR, GB (0% Owned)

Between Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St. Brown, the Green Bay Packers lead the league in fantastical names for wide receivers. Valdes-Scantling might have received the bulk of the attention this week, but St. Brown quietly had a nice game as well. St. Brown finished with three receptions for 89 yards on five targets. If both Allison and Randall Cobb remain sidelined heading into Week 6, St. Brown would continue to get more looks in the offense. This is a very injury dependent situation so you'll have to monitor it closely. This is the most speculative of adds albeit one that could be beneficial if the Packers injury woes continue.

Albert Wilson - WR, MIA (10% Owned)

In a word, the Dolphins offense is...odd. Frank Gore is outrushing Kenyan Drake yet Drake actually leads the team in targets with 25. Second on the list is Kenny Stills with 24, followed by Albert Wilson at 23. Wilson's recent stat line of five receptions for 43 yards isn't great but again, the targets are there. He's had six looks two weeks in a row and did show big playmaking ability back in Week 3 after a 74 yard play. He's the least exciting receiver add this week, but hey, this might be the best you can do right now.

Josh Hill - TE, NO (0% Owned)

Yes, I am adding a tight end heading into a bye week. The reasoning here is that with tight end as bad as it has ever been, Josh Hill deserves a look, even on a bye. Hill now has five receptions in two straight games, including a score on Monday night against Washington. He's outplaying fellow TE Benjamin Watson and the Saints can obviously put up numbers in bunches. Don't kid yourself, unless you have a top-five option, literally all you're hoping for at TE is a score. The bye week may be somewhat of a turn-off, but I actually kind of like it as a strategy. You'll be without the likes of Jimmy Graham, Jared Cook, and Vance McDonald thanks to byes in Week 7. Can't hurt to get ahead of the game and snag Hill in a deeper league.

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