RADIO
In fantasy football leagues that use FAAB (free agent acquisition budget), it can be hard to know how much money to spend on key players at QB, RB, WR, or TE. Kev Mahserejian gives fantasy owners his recommendations on how to spend FAAB for Week 5.
As an addendum to our famous waiver wire pickups list, and our weekly waiver wire columns by position, in this column we also present 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 auction values are here to provide a baseline to understand roughly how much you should be targeting to spend on a particular player. If you want to go wild and blow a chunk of your budget on a guy you believe in, by all means, carry on. However, these players are not a dime a dozen. Guys get injured and other guys replace them and their production all the time, every year. You only have so much FAAB money, so spend it as wisely as possible.
We're four weeks into the year so make sure you are set for the long haul with some FAAB in your pocket. Don't be disappointed if you don't get one of these guys because someone spent significantly more, because it's likely that they overpaid. As the year winds down and the playoff race gets tighter, that's when you're going to want this fake money the most. With that being said, below are our FAAB auction bidding recommendations for Week 5. Good luck, and happy bidding!
Editor's Note: Find sleeper picks, undervalued ADPs, and draft targets to help you dominate your fantasy football drafts. Try our free who to draft tool for personalized recommendations.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Marcus Mariota (QB, TEN) - FAAB Bid: 4-6%
33% owned
Marcus Mariota might not have all of the feeling back in his throwing arm, but we should have some confidence in his game moving forward. Tennessee's franchise quarterback looked very good Sunday against a stout Philadelphia defense. With three total touchdowns and nearly 400 yards through the air and ground (albeit in an overtime game) it is going to be difficult to ignore Mariota. His next matchup comes in Buffalo against a so-so defense. with an overall decent schedule, he should be nabbed now because when he's good, he's great. The only thing hampering him has been health.
Jameis Winston (QB, TB) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
11% owned
Jameis Winston is once again the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After serving a three-game suspension to start the year, Winston will seek to redeem himself with his teammates and play like a worthwhile first overall pick. Fantasy-wise, Ryan Fitzpatrick showed out in his first three starts of this season. Credit to Fitzpatrick for playing his heart out those first few games, however, the receiving corps Tampa Bay has put together is no joke. Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Chris Godwin, and O.J. Howard are all extremely talented and helped carry this offense so far. Howard is out for the next two-to-four weeks, but when he returns he should be back to his productive self. The offensive line is also improved so Winston will have much more time in the pocket than he did last year. With the state of the Buccaneers' defense, this offense is going to have to throw a ton which will bolster Winston's stat-line at the end of the day. Add him if you need an upside bench QB.
Baker Mayfield (QB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
3% owned
Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback Cleveland has had in decades and this offense was just a piece away from clicking. The protection is good, the receivers are pretty solid, the backfield is deep and talented, and Baker is polished enough to get the ball to where it needs to go. Despite turning the ball over four times Sunday, Mayfield still managed to have a decently productive fantasy day in what turned into a high-scoring outing in Oakland. The Browns run-game helped propel the offense for the most part and as long as that continues, Mayfield should have open throwing lanes. He's not safe to start just yet but could be solid in the second half.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
T.J. Yeldon (RB, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 20-45%
50% owned
The Jaguars have announced that running back Leonard Fournette has re-strained his hamstring and will be missing an indefinite amount of time. Yeldon is the back to own despite being just kinda mediocre as a running back. The offensive line is above average and with better receivers, defenses have to respect the passing game even with Bortles' limitations. Yeldon will be productive as long as Fournette is out. He doesn't exactly have the highest upside but should be a decent fill-in RB2 with a high floor thanks to volume. With three touchdowns on the year, it's clear that the Jags trust him in the red-zone so grab him if you need him (especially Fournette owners).
Nyheim Hines (RB, IND) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
15% owned
Hines had a stellar outing Sunday against the Texans. He put up over 20 points in PPR and shined as Andrew Luck's go-to receiver while T.Y. Hilton was sidelined. Hilton is expected to miss Thursday's game against New England which puts Hines in play in PPR formats. The Colts are expected to be playing from behind once again so this could be a solid FLEX option for week 5 and going forward if he can show out. There are still concerns about Hines' role in the offense with Robert Turbin back from suspension and Marlon Mack looming, but for now, he is in play given his recent volume and output.
Javorius Allen (RB, BAL) - FAAB Bid: 6-8%
62% owned
Alex Collins won't stop fumbling the ball. Although Allen is significantly less talented than Collins as a runner, he is the back that coach Harbaugh and that coaching staff trust more. Allen blocks, catches, and protects the ball better than Collins so he sees his fair chunk of play time. The Ravens upcoming schedule isn't too favorable for running backs, but as long as Allen continues to get touches, he should be someone worth an add.
Marlon Mack (RB, IND) - FAAB Bid: 2-6%
29% owned
Mack has not played since Week 2 but deserves consideration as an end-of-bench flier. The Colts do not have a trustworthy running back who can fill multiple roles with Mack out so the playtime is still available once he gets healthy. Hamstring injuries do nag so we shouldn't expect him to be fully integrated into his next game played, but by the end of the season, he could be worth the add if healthy.
Ronald Jones II (RB, TB) - FAAB: 2-4%
24% owned
Ronald Jones II was finally activated for a game this past week and he was pretty whatever. Jones flashed some skill on tape by keeping balance after contact between the tackles and gaining a few extra yards but just didn't break out for any big runs like we had seen him do plenty in college. Part of the blame here is on the Buccaneers offensive line which pass-blocks much better than it run-blocks and the other fault is on the matchup. The Bears' defense has been one of the best in the league thus far and has just swallowed up opposing offenses. Jones II should have more opportunities going forward given Peyton Barber's struggles and now would be the cheapest time to buy if those opportunities equate to success in the near future.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
Keke Coutee (WR, HOU) - FAAB Bid: 8-15%
4% owned
Keke Coutee was finally activated for the first time this past Sunday and was a revelation. Bruce Ellington landing on the injured reserve last week lead to an open roster spot for Coutee. He stepped in and torched the Colts defense for 11 catches on 15 targets for 109 yards. Indianapolis was down a few defensive backs, Will Fuller V left hurt, and the primary coverage focus was on DeAndre Hopkins so Coutee got the benefit of an extremely plus matchup. Regardless, with Fuller’s health remaining a concern, it’s completely possible for Coutee to remain fantasy relevant as a potential WR2 in a pass-heavy Texans’ offense. With this sort of target share in just his first game, he’s hard to ignore.
Chris Godwin (WR, TB) - FAAB Bid: 5-15%
47% owned
Godwin busted on Sunday but that was against a very talented defense in a game that Tampa couldn't have played worse in. It's undeniable that he has been solid throughout the year. With Winston back under the helm, there should continue to be a heavy dosage of passes continuing to come his way. The Bucs' offense should roll once Winston gets going and Godwin will be a beneficiary of the positive game scripts that come forth.
Dede Westbrook (WR, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 4-10%
17% owned
With Leonard Fournette out for the next few games, the Jaguars are going to have to lean on their passing game more. Westbrook has been heavily involved in the offense thus far and should continue to see a decent chunk of targets his way each game. So far he has had two good games and two mediocre, but the 13 targets this past week are promising. He is a threat in the intermediate field who deserves a little more attention.
Taylor Gabriel (WR, CHI) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
6% owned
What went unnoticed over the first three weeks of the season was Gabriel's increasing target share. From Week 1 to 3, Gabriel's targets went from 5 to 7 to 10. No one paid attention because he hadn't produced more than 34 yards in any of those games, but even as a gadget player he is valuable in PPR formats. Gabriel ate in Week 4 with his seven targets. He caught every single one for 104 yards and two scores. He is not necessarily someone worth shelling out for due to his role, but in PPR he is working and should be owned in most leagues for the right price.
Taywan Taylor (WR, TEN) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
12% owned
With Rishard Matthews out of the picture, Taywan's role has increased significantly. His snap percentage had already been climbing over the past few weeks, but this past Sunday confirmed his involvement. It's clear that he is carving out a significant role in the offense as their primary slot receiver. He is worth owning even in shallower PPR leagues at a slight chunk of your budget. He could come in handy as a good FLEX option in certain weeks.
Christian Kirk (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 3-6%
12% owned
Josh Rosen looked every bit as legitimate as advertised Sunday against the Seahawks. He laced plenty of passes with touch and accuracy that some veterans couldn't pull off which is a huge upgrade over Sam Bradford's early season stink. Kirk was Rosen's favorite target in the preseason, and despite the lackluster game Sunday, he should be owned in all deeper PPR formats (12+) and some shallower. Kirk has seen at least five targets in the past three games and that should increase as the season goes on. Take a shot on him for a few fake bucks.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Vance McDonald (TE, PIT) FAAB Bid: 5-10%
44% owned
He's worth owning just based off of his stiff arm on Chris Conte alone. Otherwise, if we look at his snap count, it has increased each week since activation while Jesse James' has declined. McDonald is the primary receiving tight end in the Steelers offense. That alone is worth owning given Ben Roethlisberger's history with the position. Along with the role, McDonald has caught almost everything that's come his way this season which is huge given his "stone hands" reputation. However, do not be shocked if Jesse James vultures him in games occasionally because it just be like that sometimes.
Cameron Brate (TE, TB) FAAB Bid: 5-8%
24% owned
Jameis Winston is back and O.J. Howard is down. This is enough to justify buying Cameron Brate if he's available in your league. Brate was Winston's favorite tight end target in 2017 and he should continue to see plenty of work as long as Howard is out and maybe even when he returns. Brate's rapport with Winston is undeniable as the fourth-year quarterback seems to trust the big-bodied tight end. The Bucs' are on BYE this week so the price may not be too high on Brate, but he is worth owning for that Week 6 matchup in Atlanta. Might even be a must-start.
Ricky Seals-Jones (TE, ARI) FAAB Bid: 2-5%
22% owned
In the same light as Christian Kirk, Ricky Seals-Jones should benefit from Josh Rosen's presence. RSJ is basically a gigantic receiver and should continue to command downfield targets from Rosen as he develops and gains confidence in the NFL's pace. Jones hasn't done much so far but has decent potential. There should be a concern with him losing snaps to Jermaine Gresham since the latter's activation, however, he should still see plenty of passing down work. Not worth spending too much on right now even with his solid Week 5 matchup against San Francisco.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Defense/Special Teams
Tennessee Titans D/ST - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
17% owned
They play the Bills this week. Aside from this, they have been extremely solid throughout the year with multiple double-digit performances and no busts yet. Harold Landry is very good and has given this defense the perfect complementary pass rusher opposite Brian Orakpo.
Carolina Panthers D/ST - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
41% owned
Eli Manning is worth streaming against every week. The Giants have so much talent on offense, but as long as Eli is under center, you should be confident in your D/ST. The Panthers have added Eric Reid but would probably be fine without him next week given that they are playing at home after a BYE.
