RADIO
Assisting our famous waiver wire pickups list, and our weekly waiver wire columns by position, 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 to understand roughly how much you should be targeting to spend on a particular player. You only have so much FAAB money, spend it as wisely as possible.
We're four weeks deep into the 2019 season and reality is setting in. We're starting to figure out the identity of each team but there are still surprises and new faces popping up on our radars. Without further ado, here are our FAAB auction bidding recommendations for Week 5 below.
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FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston (QB, TB) - FAAB Bid: 10-12%
68% owned
Well, there is the Bruce Arians' offense that everyone was waiting for. These past two weeks have proven themselves fruitful for Winston owners as he has seven touchdowns and nearly 800 yards since Week 3. This trend possibly rolls on as he faces the Saints in New Orleans this coming week and then the Panthers back home before the bye. Winston, as we know, is inconsistent by nature. However, there could be a legitimate turnaround occurring before our eyes. The offense is filled with playmakers at the skill positions, and now, with the emergence of Ronald Jones II, there may finally be a legitimate run game to rely on to ease the load. Winston just might be a must-own even if he does bust every now and then.
Marcus Mariota (QB, TEN) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
11% owned
Mariota's an odd case. He is the only starting QB in the league to not turn the ball over this season, but that is mostly due to his risk-averse nature. Fewer shots downfield are not a good thing for fantasy. That interception or two is fine if your QB is slinging long touchdowns on other drives. Mariota thus far has not really had a terrible fantasy season though. Two stud games and two mediocre games, but not quite bust performances...you will take that, especially in deeper leagues. He has a rough schedule ahead, and should not be considered outside of 12+ teamers.
Gardner Minshew II (QB, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
16% owned
MINSHEW MANIA. This man can do no wrong on or off the field. There is no better story in football than whatever is going on in Jacksonville. The team as a whole is a mess. Jalen Ramsey wants out, Nick Foles is out with his arm in a sling, Telvin Smith took time away from the team, Leonard Fournette and Cam Robinson are arguing on the sideline, but hey, they might have their starting QB of the future! Minshew is singlehandedly keeping this squad in place and although he does not have a high fantasy ceiling, he could be a good fill-in on bye weeks or in positive matchups.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
Jordan Howard (RB, PHI) - FAAB Bid: 15-20%
56% owned
Apparently, Jordan Howard is a thing again and requires our attention. Ultimately, I believe that Miles Sanders will take control of this backfield and command a larger snap share down the line, however, for the time being, it is clear that Howard has staked his claim to a legitimate workload. Howard is the unquestioned goal-line back in a good offense. That, in and of itself, is valuable. If he does touch the ball 15-to-20 times per game going forward, he may creep into high-end RB2 territory. Howard is not a great runner or receiver, but opportunity and situation are everything for a running back. Even if this is a short-term boom in his volume, he must be owned everywhere.
Ronald Jones II (RB, TB) - FAAB Bid: 20-30%
44% owned
Ronald Jones II is a legitimate breakout candidate. His end-of-game stat line against the Rams did not do him justice. There were two long runs negated by a penalty that would have doubled his yardage total. He looked like he was gliding through the defense throughout the game and fully confident in himself. Through four games, he has three flex-worthy performances. He finally played about half of the team's running back snaps and should be in line for more if this continues. Buy, buy, buy.
Jaylen Samuels (RB, PIT) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
29% owned
An interesting development in Pittsburgh is the answer to James Conner or Jaylen Samuels becoming James Conner AND Jaylen Samuels. Monday night, Samuels and Conner played a complementary role on the field together. Samuels took snaps at QB in a wildcat formation and ran the ball effectively alongside Conner. Both were heavily utilized in the passing game as dump-offs for Mason Rudolph. The one caveat should be that Cincinnati is one of the worst defenses at stopping running backs (along with most other positions). Samuels' performance may end up as an outlier on the season, but he should not be overlooked if he is available on your wire. Every Conner owner should pay up to have Samuels on his/her bench if he is not there already.
Ryquell Armstead (RB, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
9% owned
Armstead finally received a decent share of work in Week 4. He did the most he could with it against an unimpressive Broncos Defense that allowed over 200 yards on the ground to Leonard Fournette in the same game. Armstead likely only received work because of the altitude issues in Denver and the fact Fournette got tired after running wild all afternoon. Nevertheless, his performance may have shown the coaching staff enough to trust him in the short-term with a bit of work to spell Fournette. He is still just a handcuff at best, but for any Zero-RB teams out there, he could be a solid end of bench flier given that Fournette is not exactly known for his durability along with the Jaguars' desire to run.
Damien Harris (RB, NE) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
8% owned
Sony Michel does not look good at all. Maybe it is his knee, maybe it is the Patriots' ravaged offensive line, maybe it is the lack of James Develin. Call it what you want, but this current performance will not be cutting it for Bill Belichick all season. Damien Harris is waiting in the wings to take on this role. The Patriots surprisingly took him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and possibly for good reason. Michel does have a bone-on-bone issue in one knee that may limit him from playing a full season. Harris is healthy and unused thus far. If Michel's play carries on, it is possible the Pats see what they have in him in the near future. Harris is merely a stash, but one that could pay major dividends if he takes over this backfield.
Dexter Williams (RB, GB) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
0% owned
Dexter Williams was inactive in Week 3, leaving Aaron Jones to carry the backfield work by himself for the most part. This week, if Jamaal Williams misses out due to the head injury he suffered last Thursday, Dexter would be in line for a decent opportunity. With the organization's usage of Jones, it is clear that they prefer a split-backfield with shared touches to not wear down anyone in particular. Even if Jones is the best RB on the team, he might not be fit for a full season for bell-cow work. With his struggles thus far outside of the red-zone, there will be snaps available for Dexter this week to maybe show something. Williams is not worth the add outside of extremely deep leagues, where he could be an ok fill-in for Week 5.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
A.J. Brown (WR, TEN) - FAAB Bid: 10-12%
41% owned
Brown is so talented yet hardly sees any targets. What he is currently doing is incredible. His after-the-catch abilities are remarkable and have yet to be rewarded with the targets he deserves. In the first game of the season, Brown caught three of his four targets and turned them into 100 yards. In this past week's game, he was targeted just three times. He reeled in all three for 94 yards and two scores. Brown is a gigantic wide receiver relative to his height. He is difficult to bring down due to his great balance and feet. He is the best wide receiver on the Titans and will be treated as such in the near future. Buy now while your league mates are skeptical of his workload.
Diontae Johnson (WR, PIT) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
6% owned
Johnson has taken on the WR2 role in Pittsburgh and that is a lucrative spot to be in. JuJu Smith-Schuster will attract most of the attention, leaving Johnson and his talented route-running free in the open field. He was the most targeted Steelers' wideout on Monday and looks to have built some chemistry with QB Mason Rudolph. James Washinton had presumably been the number two guy when Rudolph took over due to their college connection, but that may be a misconception by many of us. Johnson is the guy to own as he is being targeted well (12 since Week 3) and finding the endzone in back-to-back weeks.
Corey Davis (WR, TEN) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
47% owned
Davis is the WR1 by title in Tennessee. He's shown flashes throughout his NFL career but has yet to put it all together. His performance against a weak Falcons' defense this past week is admirable and deserving of a bench spot. He was heavily dropped early on and while that may turn out to be the correct decision, his potential cannot be denied. The Titans' upcoming schedule is not as daunting as it may have seemed early in the year, meaning Davis, along with A.J. Brown, could show even more than they have thus far.
Geronimo Allison (WR, GB) - FAAB Bid: 8-10%
3% owned
With Davante Adams out of commission, Allison should be targeted more. His usage thus far is disheartening, but that could change quickly in a matchup against Dallas which will require all hands on deck. Allison has luckily found the endzone twice this season keeping him fairly relevant and showing that he is still somewhat valuable.
Keesean Johnson (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
2% owned
With Christian Kirk and Damiere Byrd hurt, Johnson should be in line for more work. His targets were crazy in Week 1 (10) but have been mediocre since. The Cardinals throw the ball so much, and some of those targets will be spread Johnson's way. His snaps increased to 57 percent this past week and could hit a season-high in this coming matchup against the Bengals unless Andy Isabella finally breaks through the receiving rotation. Isabella is a potential add-in DEEP leagues where Johnson is not available.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Jimmy Graham (TE, GB) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
20% owned
Jimmy Graham is frustrating to own for sure. He's had two double-digit scoring weeks and two goose eggs. Assuming he is healthy going into Week 5, he should still see plenty of action as he is on the field often. With Davante Adams already out for this coming game against Dallas, there should be more targets available for Graham who saw nine last week.
Noah Fant (TE, DEN) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
20% owned
Noah Fant is talented and deserves to be heavily targeted. He is on the field over 60 percent of the time yet has not been targeted more than four times in a game. Expect that to change as the season goes on. Flacco is notorious for peppering his tight ends, and with the potential ship sinking, Denver may move Emmanuel Sanders to a contender, which opens up targets for Fant and others. Fant finally had a solid fantasy day in Week 4 and should build on it against a Chargers' defense that is not too formidable at the moment.
Chris Herndon IV (TE, NYJ) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
16% owned
Herndon is suspended until Week 6 but is a good pickup regardless. The Jets desperately need pass-catchers and Darnold displayed a solid rapport with Herndon in the second half of last season. For right now, this move is only recommended for anyone in deeper leagues in need of a TE. Otherwise, just hold off until he actually plays a bit.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Defense/Special Teams
Philadelphia Eagles D/ST - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
38% owned
The Jets are not sure if Sam Darnold will return, and even if he does, their offensive line is one of the worst in the league. Consequently, the Eagles' have one of the best defensive lines in the league. The Eagles may have an awful secondary, but that doesn't matter against Luke Falk, especially at home.
Tennessee Titans D/ST - FAAB Bid: 4-5%
18% owned
The Titans' defense is legit. They might not be fully matchup-proof given what they've faced thus far, but they might be facing Matt Barkley at home this week. That is a must-start defense. The week after, they see the Broncos in Colorado. They could be a solid hold until their matchup versus Kansas City in mid-November.
