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 7.
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 six weeks into the year so make sure you are set for the rest of the season 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!
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FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston (QB, TB) - FAAB Bid: 5-15%
59% owned
Jameis Winston heavily rewarded those who started him on Sunday with the QB1 performance of Week 6 in his first start since 2017. Winston threw for 395 yards, rushed for 31 more and offset his two interceptions with four touchdowns. He will be bid heavily in leagues where he is still available and will be worth it long-term with the weapons at hand in Tampa. However, don't forget that this game was played in a dome against a ravaged Atlanta defense that is without Keanu Neal, Deion Jones, Grady Jarrett, and Ricardo Allen. Buy Winston if you need him, but don't overspend given his track record. There will be a few duds going forward.
Baker Mayfield (QB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
42% 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.
Mitch Trubisky (QB, CHI) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
29% owned
Trubisky (fantasy wise) has been stellar the past two weeks and with the weapons currently available to him, there's no reason to believe that he can't keep putting up at solid performances. His biggest limitation is himself but as long as he keeps putting the balls in his playmakers' hands the stats should keep racking up. The offense seems to be clicking as we get closer to the half-way point in the season but he's still probably not worth more than a spot on your bench. If you really believe in him feel free to buy, but don't overspend.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
Corey Clement (RB, PHI) - FAAB Bid: 25-30%
59% owned
Corey Clement is the back to own in the Philadelphia backfield (as long as they don't make a trade). This situation is quite fluid but he is the goal-line back and the better runner. Clement is 20 pounds heavier than Smallwood and was much more productive last week on limited snaps. Once Sproles returns from his hamstring injury, Smallwood's snaps should decrease as they both play that scat-back role. Clement should see a decent increase as he gets healthier and takes over some of Jay Ajayi's role in the offense. The Eagles reportedly aren't shopping for an RB at the moment but could be if the current backfield can't produce going forward. Clement is worth the gamble for a decent chunk of your FAAB.
Marlon Mack (RB, IND) - FAAB Bid: 10-25%
59% owned
Marlon Mack was the Colts' "workhorse" back Sunday against the Jets and he should be owned. Mack had a weird rookie year where he was behind NFL legend Frank Gore on the depth chart but now, with no true number one option in the backfield, he looks to take over. Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines have both faltered giving Mack the opportunity to re-capture the role once presumed to be his going into the season. There certainly are injury concerns with Mack and he probably isn't start-able until we see a bit more game action, but the gamble is worth it for a potential lead back. Buy him at a reasonable cost before the price potentially jumps.
Ito Smith (RB, ATL) - FAAB Bid: 10-25%
9% owned
BANG THE GAVEL. Judge Ito is out here making Tevin Coleman owners dread his goal-line runs. Despite his inefficiency, Smith has now scored in three straight games and looks to continue to get carries in Devonta Freeman's absence. With Freeman on Injured Reserve for at least the next eight weeks, Smith becomes a touchdown-dependent FLEX at best for now. He is more valuable in standard formats but could see more touches as the season goes on. He's a good dynasty grab too as he should take over Tevin Coleman's role next season when Coleman's contract is up.
Raheem Mostert (RB, SF) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
1% owned
Mostert came out of the blue Monday night and ate up all of Alfred Morris' snaps. The journey-man RB had an efficient day on the ground with 12 carries for 87 yards against an exposable defense. Mostert was opted for because Coach Shanahan wanted to opt for a speed approach to keep the pace of his offense up which might spell trouble for Alfred Morris owners going forward. Mostert likely isn't someone you'll confidently start unless Matt Brieda goes down. However, for those desperate at the position, he could be a decent flier.
D'Onta Foreman (RB, HOU) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
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. Foreman is now eligible to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list but will be held out another week since he's not ready. Stash him and hope he's back soon if you need a lottery ticket.
Nick Chubb (RB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
42% owned
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
Marquise Goodwin (WR, SF) - FAAB: 10-15%
41% owned
The 49ers finally unleashed Goodwin and it almost made up for his absence throughout the start of the year. Goodwin exploded Monday night for 126 yards on four catches and two touchdowns. His hamstring injury is hopefully behind him now but there is a significant drop off in his value from pre-season to now due to the various injuries that the 9ers offense has dealt with. Specifically, losing Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G and Goodwin looked to have a special connection last season and his ADP matched expectations of it carrying over to this year. While Monday's performance is endearing, there is no doubt that Goodwin will be boom-or-bust going forward and should be valued as a lower end DeSean Jackson. Buy if you need the upside.
Christian Kirk (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 7-10%
9% owned
Christian Kirk and Josh Rosen have a great connection and they should continue to build on it as the season progresses. Kirk has been productive in four of the last five games with just one touchdown an no 100-yard games. He's worth buying in PPR formats but can be ignored in standard leagues for now. There are brighter days ahead for this Cardinals offense with the talented youth in place. Mike McCoy can't be fired soon enough.
Keke Coutee (WR, HOU) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
47% owned
Houston's receivers had a rough game Sunday against Buffalo. Will Fuller V was held to just two catches as he continues to progress from an injured hamstring, DeAndre Hopkins had just 63 yards on five catches and Coutee finished with three catches for 33 yards. This team will be much more productive than they were Sunday and Coutee will benefit from it. He can probably be bought for cheaper than he went last week which is ideal for those with low FAAB left in need of WR help.
Chris Godwin (WR, TB) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
38% owned
Despite typically playing in just half of the Bucs' offensive snaps since Week 2, Godwin has been productive. Yesterday, he ended up with six catches on nine targets for 56 yards and a score. Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston seem to trust him, especially in the red zone. Due to his proficiency in the end-zone, Godwin's value is significantly boosted in standard leagues. Regardless, he's worth a pick up in all formats.
Taylor Gabriel (WR, CHI) - FAAB Bid: 4-8%
18% owned
Gabriel is Matt Nagy's low budget Tyreek Hill. He has been all over the field playing a gadget role alongside Tarik Cohen and has been productive to boot. Gabriel has reeled in every target over the past two weeks which had resulted in two touchdowns and 214 yards. He might cost a bit now, but he could be a fun FLEX fill in during some weeks if this is a sign of a break-out.
Chester Rogers (WR, IND) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
16% owned
Chester Rogers' relevance over the past three weeks is in part due to T.Y. Hilton's absence and also the fact that the Colts' have been playing from behind every week. Rogers now has double-digit targets in three straight games and should continue to be start-able as long as Hilton misses time. Even during his eventual return, Rogers could have earned himself a role as the WR2 in this offense that passes more than any other team.
D.J. Moore (WR, CAR) - FAAB Bid: 1-3%
17% 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 despite fumbling twice and should continue to be integrated into the offense 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.
David Moore (WR, SEA) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
2% owned
Moore now has three touchdowns in the past two games. While it isn't wise to chase TDs, it's a sign of involvement for Moore in Seattle's passing game. He still is not worth buying outside of deeper leagues due to his target share, however, he could be integrated into the offense even more throughout the coming weeks if he can sustain his effectiveness.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Austin Hooper (TE, ATL) - FAAB Bid: 6-8%
67% owned
Back-to-back TE1 games for Hooper should put him on everyone's radar. He has been targeted heavily in the Falcons offense and should continue to do so given that they will be throwing plenty throughout the season. With Atlanta's pass-catchers banged up, he could keep his double-digit target trend going into Week 7. He's the guy you want this week if you're shopping for the position.
C.J. Uzomah (TE, CIN) - FAAB Bid: 4-6%
33% owned
With Tyler Eifert and now Tyler Kroft out for the season, Uzomah steps in as the TE1 on Cincinnati. Dalton is big on throwing to his tight end's way and while Uzomah isn't the MOST talented player, he can get the job done. He's had a few performances throughout the year already and should continue to get his fair share of targets as the season goes on. Buy him if you need him.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Defense/Special Teams
Arizona Cardinals D/ST - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
16% owned
The Cardinals' defense is one of those weird ones that are better in fantasy than in real life. They have gaping holes in their interior line and secondary yet they have put up some consistent points and been pretty solid these past two weeks. This week they get to face Case Keenum at home on a Thursday night. Thursdays are hard to predict because of the short week and lack of game planning so there is some bust probability. But typically betting against Case Keenum is the move. With starting guard Ronald Leary now out for the year, the Broncos are even more exposable. As an added bonus, the Cards get to face the 49ers at home the next week after a 10-day break. They're a solid two-for-one streamer.
Denver Broncos D/ST - FAAB Bid: 0-2%
44% owned
The Denver Broncos' defense just held the undefeated Rams to their lowest scoring total of the season and now get to face a rookie quarterback being coordinated by Mike McCoy. Denver has been mostly disappointing this season but they get a favorable matchup this Thursday in what should be a low-scoring affair. Start them with confidence.
