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 five 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: Access RotoBaller’s trusted fantasy football rankings for PPR, Standard, Dynasty, Super Flex, and Best Ball formats. Get tiered cheat sheets, expert analysis, and player outlooks to dominate your draft from every angle.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston (QB, TB) - FAAB Bid: 2-5%
19% 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%
37% 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. Baker just helped lead the Browns to their most successful season since 2015 and has increasingly been putting up better fantasy numbers. Expect the occasional turnovers each week, but enjoy the ride with a talented rookie quarterback who has some easier matchups coming up.
Blake Bortles (QB, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
44% owned
Bortles is Bortles at this point. Not the most talented quarterback in the league, not in the least. What he is, however, is a garbage-time aficionado. The Jaguars offense sans Fournette is a cornucopia of talent with a dash of chaos. That chaos is named Blake. No one knows when Bortles will have a good game or not. You enter true fantasy entropy when you add him into your lineup. He can turn the ball over five times as he did on Sunday and still put up better numbers than Mahomes and Cousins thanks to a stat-padding fourth quarter.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
Wendell Smallwood (RB, PHI) - FAAB Bid: 15-25%
6% owned
Jay Ajayi is out for the year and Smallwood should be in line for more work. Smallwood has been fairly successful in limited touches this season. He gets work on passing and running downs so he likely won't get scripted out of games like Ajayi. This backfield is more than likely to remain a committee once Corey Clement and Darren Sproles get healthy, so pay reasonably for Smallwood.
Corey Clement (RB, PHI) - FAAB Bid: 15-25%
24% owned
Clement was seeing most of the carries while Ajayi was out a few weeks ago, but with his recent lingering quadriceps injury, it is fair to assume that he might be limited when he returns. Clement has a bigger build than Smallwood which makes him better fit to carry a heavier load between the tackles. There is no guarantee as to which of the two backs will take over more work. It's possible that the team opts for a trade, but as it stands one or both of Smallwood or Clement could come out as extremely valuable.
Nyheim Hines (RB, IND) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
59% owned
Hines was utilized in a featured back role Thursday against the Patriots. While he wasn't perfect, he put up a solid line by the end of the game (mostly thanks to garbage time). Hines has played over 65 percent of the Colts RB snaps these past three weeks and is usable on every down thanks to his hands and agility in the open field. Robert Turbin's activation mostly ate into Jordan Wilkins snaps so it is fair to assume that Hines will continue to be given the spotlight until he falters or Marlon Mack returns and proves to be effective.
Alfred Morris (RB, SF) - FAAB Bid: 8-12%
42% owned
Matt Breida has been diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain and already had been dealing with various other injuries (knee, shoulder) throughout the year. While there is no guarantee that Breida will be out this coming Monday, it's fair to assume that he won't be carrying his regular workload. Morris is in play as a RB2 for as long as Breida is out. He's worth a few bucks as a short term fill in at starter for needy teams. RB heavy teams could probably look elsewhere.
Mike Davis (RB, SEA) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
19% owned
Oh no. Another Seattle running back. Honestly, no clue if Mike Davis will be relevant by next week. But with the type of volume he's getting along with the success he's had the past two weeks, he's hard to ignore. Seattle RBs are not for the weak of heart but can be effective if utilized properly. Rashaad Penny has seemingly slid behind Davis on the depth chart but could eek his way back if he has a good practice or if Pete Carroll just feels like it. I don't know man, eat at Arby's.
Ronald Jones II (RB, TB) - FAAB Bid: 3-6%
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.
D'Onta Foreman (RB, HOU) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
20% owned
The Texans backfield has been flat out bad. Lamar Miller has two RB2 performances but is injury prone and has been more inefficient than ever this year. Alfred Blue is not good. Foreman is the most talented running back on the roster but is coming off an Achilles injury suffered a year ago. Best case scenario, he comes back fully healthy, takes over all three downs and only gets spelled for rest by Lamar Miller. Worst case, the injury slows him down so much that he is not the same. The most likely case, he probably sees a few touches a game to start, they continue to increase but he ends up in a three-way committee with Miller and Blue.
Nick Chubb (RB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
42% owned
Nick Chubb can't take every carry 60 yards to the house. Unfortunate, I know. However, he can be a great bench stash for those skeptical of Carlos Hyde making it as the starter all year. Thus far, Hyde has scored a handful of touchdowns and been the primary option of the Browns backfield. Chubb has not seen more than 10 percent of the team's running back snaps yet but should if Hyde were to go down or get demoted. With just 3.5 yards per carry, it is possible that Hyde might not be getting the bulk of Cleveland's carries all season. Chubb is worth a few FAAB bucks for Hyde owners and those in need of RB upside.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
Keke Coutee (WR, HOU) - FAAB Bid: 15-20%
4% owned
While Coutee's targets dropped by more than half from Week 4 to Week 5, it was promising to see Watson continue to trust him even towards the end of the game. Coutee hauled in six of those seven targets and has had two very solid games in a row. He is clearly the Texans slot receiver now with Bruce Ellington out and he should be very solid if Will Fuller continues to struggle with his health. He's worth buying in all leagues.
Chris Godwin (WR, TB) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
38% owned
There are some causes for concern with Godwin. Most glaringly his snap rate which has stood at about 50 percent the past three games. Along with that, there may be chemistry issues where Winston may not favor him as much as Fitzpatrick did, especially in the red zone. Godwin is still too talented to leave on the wire. He's in an offense that is going to have to throw a ton and could totally be an effective WR3 throughout the rest of the season. He's probably more valuable in standard leagues given his ability to score and low target share.
Taylor Gabriel (WR, CHI) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
18% 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 and it's clear that he is carving out a significant role in the offense as their primary slot receiver. He is worth owning PPR leagues at a slight chunk of your budget. He could come in handy as a good FLEX option later down the line if Mariota continues to trust him.
Christian Kirk (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
9% owned
Kirk and Rosen have a great connection and they should continue to build on it as the season progresses. His targets have declined the past three games from eight to five to four but after scoring his first touchdown on a deep shot, Kirk is worth a speculative add, particularly in PPR leagues.
Chester Rogers (WR, IND) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
8% owned
22 targets and 16 receptions over the past two games is hard to ignore. Rogers has seemingly stepped up as Luck's go-to wideout with T.Y. Hilton out due to injury. Rogers isn't a special talent. He had a bad drop or two in last Thursday's game against New England, but with his seniority in Indi and rapport with Luck, it seems like he will continue to see incredible target volume if Hilton remains out.
D.J. Moore (WR, CAR) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
19% owned
Carolina's first-round pick has seen his involvement in the offense incrementally increase over the course of the season thus far. He received a season-high in targets on Sunday and should continue to be integrated as the year goes on. He really is not worth too much FAAB right now but could be a great upside stash given his route-running ability and speed in the open field.
Curtis Samuel (WR, CAR) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
0% owned
Samuel was finally healthy enough to play on Sunday and he ended up with a touchdown on one of his two receptions. Samuel showed flashes last year before breaking his ankle so, health permitting, it's fair to assume that he will have a decent role in the offense this year. He will likely be used on jet sweeps and get a couple of carries here and there so involvement could come through the air and ground.
David Moore (WR, SEA) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
0% owned
Moore's snap count has increased in every game leading up to Sunday and he jumped out the gate with two touchdowns on just three catches. The Seattle offense is in a state of flux with Jaron Brown and Brandon Marshall fazed out and the running back revolving door. While Moore will be hard to trust without more of a sample size to work with, he should see plenty of field going forward with how the snap trend has gone. Probably not worth bothering for now outside of deeper leagues.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Cameron Brate (TE, TB) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
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.
Geoff Swaim (TE, DAL) - FAAB Bid: 3-6%
9% owned
Swaim's target share has decreased over the past three games, but the fact that he plays nearly every offensive snap is hard to ignore. The Cowboys poor receiving core has given Swaim some value since he has become one of the more reliable pass catchers on that roster. Swaim's hauled in 14 of 19 targets this year and provides some value in the Cowboys TE friendly scheme that dearly misses Jason Witten. Give Swaim a shot if you're desperate at the position but don't spend much.
Austin Hooper (TE, ATL) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
57% owned
Hooper had a TE1 day on Sunday as the Falcons took advantage of a weak Pittsburgh linebacking core. The Falcons were playing catch up for most of this game so they were forced to throw. Given the attention that Jones, Ridley, Sanu and the backfield command, Hooper had plenty of opportunities to get open which Matt Ryan took advantage of. He probably isn't going to be this good every week or even most weeks, but with the current state of TE and the coming byes, he is a decent filler.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Defense/Special Teams
Dallas Cowboys D/ST - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
16% owned
The Cowboys just held the powerful Houston Texans offense to just 19 points in an overtime loss this past Sunday. It is looking like this defense is much improved with better play in the secondary, Randy Gregory active and rookie first rounder Leighton Vander Esch getting more snaps. Sean Lee and David Irving missed the game but could be playing next week. If so, this defense is a fine streamer against a Jacksonville team that will be missing Leonard Fournette and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins.
Seattle Seahawks D/ST - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
17% owned
The Seahawks defense was exposed against the Rams, but that's because the Rams are the Rams. Seattle gets to face the Raiders next week and if Kelechi Osemele misses another game, it could be quite favorable. Playing in the Black Hole is never ideal, but the Raiders offense has been so hit or miss that Seattle can take advantage of it. unfortunately, here aren't too many better streaming options on the wire this week.
