Waiver wire outlooks for Week 6 of the 2017 fantasy football season. Dennis Clausen determines whether these sleepers are "fake news" or have real value.

We've had a lot of developments heading into Week 6 (wow, already?) that will have an impact on things moving forward. From Zeke finally getting suspended (again) to Frank Gore continuing to get old to Carlos Hyde's hip being equivalent to a 90-year old, we have a lot on our plate.

Need help and can't decide whether the players featured in articles this week are legitimately worth your roster space? Good thing we are here to put things back into perspective and examine whether this week's news regarding the studs of the waiver wire is actually "fake news" or if there is some authenticity to their performances.

Let's get started!

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Fake Fantasy News or Real Deal Value?

Elijah McGuire - RB, New York Jets

Elijah McGuire stared the year as the number three man in the backfield for the New York Jets behind the aging Matt Forte and the inconsistent Bilal Powell. McGuire has been virtually unknown and wasn’t discussed at all leading up to the regular season. In any event, here we are in Week 6 hoping that this guy is legit because let’s face it, some of us are very desperate at this point, more so than I was in high school trying to get a date for the prom. Luckily for me, Allison Trusso asked me and I was good to go with one of the hottest chicks in school. However, comparing things to fantasy football, Elijah McGuire is no Allison Trusso and doesn't look as good in a dress either, at least I don't think.

McGuire was efficient during his time playing with the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, playing four seasons with the program. While with the Ragin’ Cajuns, he accumulated a career total 42 touchdowns off of 4,301 rushing yards on 710 attempts, not too bad. He also demonstrated some James White-esq versatility, catching 130 passes for 10 touchdowns with the team, not too bad either. Nonetheless, we have seen many players who played well in college come and go throughout the years and sometimes their failed production is not from a lack of skill but rather their environment. McGuire may fall in that category.

With the Giants playing garbage football this season, it’s easy for New Yorkers to get behind the Jets and their 3-2 record. However, let’s not forget that those three wins came at the hands of the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns, three teams who don’t exactly have Super Bowl aspirations this year. On top of that, their record should even out after Sunday when the team will meet the New England Patriots. How does this impact McGuire? It does because the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets aren’t as good as everyone thinks they are. His stats haven’t been as impressive as everyone thinks either, rushing the ball 21 times for only 113 yards in Weeks 4 and 5 combined. He also had some receptions and scored a touchdown but nothing that would really stand out to make everyone believe that his is the next Chris Johnson.

Verdict

McGuire may have some value in the short term, especially with Bilal Powell possibly missing the Week 6 matchup with a calf injury, but overall, he should find himself fading out just as anyone else in New York would, especially with some pretty touch defensive matches on the horizon. Let’s not get too crazy about the news this week and classify it for what it is, “Fake news.”

Adrian Peterson - RB, Arizona Cardinals

Well, well, well, look at who is back in the news this week, our old buddy “All Day” Adrian Peterson. In case you haven’t heard (for some reason), Peterson was acquired by the Arizona Cardinals from the New Orleans Saints for next to nothing. Peterson hasn’t done anything since coming to the “Big Easy” this season, rushing the ball only 27 times for 81 yards in four games with the team. He has been a headache nonetheless so far as evident by the infamous shot of him glaring a hole into head coach Sean Payton at the start of the season. We can't use the “pass first New Orleans Offense” excuse either as he had been deteriorating from a productivity standpoint for a few years now.

Rushing for over 2,000 yards in 2012, where he was also named Most Valuable Player, the Adrian Peterson that we once knew vanished after that. Replacing him was a guy who hit his kid with a tree branch and found himself suspended. Replacing him was a guy with a bum knee, leading to him missing most of the 2016 season. Replacing him was a guy who is, quite frankly, washed up and a pain in the ass. The writing was on the wall after watching rookie back Alvin Kamara’s performance in London against the Miami Dolphins. If you were outbid and weren’t lucky enough to acquire AD’s services off of the waiver wires this week, consider yourself lucky, someone actually did you a favor. Let’s not forget that Arizona likes to pass, and pass, and pass. With 71 percent of the team’s plays resulting in passes, that doesn’t leave much room for a washed-up 32 year old. Though he is listed as the starter on the team’s depth chart, Andre Ellington has just been too good to brush off, especially in PPR leagues. Reports also surfaced as of late that there is a chance that David Johnson, who suffered a severe wrist injury, could return sooner than expected.

Verdict:

Peterson will get a touchdown or two, and may have a few productive weeks. However, I’m not buying this news, or should I say “Fake news.”

More Week 6 Lineup Prep