With the exception of Miles Sanders’ visit to the MRI machine, Week 6 didn’t treat fantasy football too badly in terms of injuries. Few lightly rostered players really broke out, so we’ll want to dig deep this week to plan FAAB strategies around the bad things that will surely befall us in future weeks.
Four teams have Week 7 byes: the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings.
In this week’s FAAB report, the first player at each position will be a more widely available player to consider in standard 12-team leagues, with deep-league targets to follow. FAAB ranges will cover the following general guidelines:
- 0-1% FAAB: Can't hurt to roster if you have an open bench spot
- 2-10% FAAB: Immediate standalone value unlikely, but upside underrated
- 11-20% FAAB: Situation is great, and the player is trending up
- 21-35% FAAB: Player will be started in majority of leagues
- 36-50%+ FAAB: Serious change in workload that could lead to immediate high-end fantasy value
Roster rates are from Yahoo public leagues.
Quarterback
Washington Football Team QB Kyle Allen (3%)
A shoulder injury knocked Allen out of his first start of the season in Week 5, but the third-year QB returned in Week 6 to post a QB10 finish against a New York Giants defense that averages the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs.
It was by no means an air show, as Allen managed just a 6.6 aDOT on 42 attempts, but a 79.5 adjusted completion percentage on that type of volume is passable — especially in a Week 7 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. They’re giving up 36 points per game through six weeks and scoring 29. This game is more likely to be a shootout than the New England-Denver Field Goal Fest from Sunday, although the 10-point clunker Andy Dalton & Co. put up on Monday night demonstrates the Cowboys' significantly lower offensive floor moving forward without Dak Prescott.
Allen is volatile and only a deep-league consideration, but the expected volume is a better bet than some of the tougher matchups on the under-50% rostered QB slate, like Baker Mayfield at Cincinnati, Daniel Jones at Philly and Drew Lock vs. Kansas City.
Allen’s Week 6 performance earned the seventh-highest expected fantasy point total among QBs heading into Monday night. Maybe he’s just a Lamar Jackson replacement for the week, but he’ll cost very little.
FAAB Recommendation: 1-2%
Running Backs
Philadelphia Eagles RB Boston Scott (14%)
Miles Sanders’ Week 6 performance was a bummer on many levels — he dropped a sure touchdown pass from Carson Wentz and later rumbled down the field for a 74-yard gain that ended with a fumble into the end zone. Not only was Sanders’ long rushing TD scooped up by teammate J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, but the second-year back hurt his knee on the play and headed for an MRI the next day.
The injury reportedly isn’t catastrophic, but the league’s leader in yards per carry will miss Thursday night’s game and potentially more.
Scott took over down the stretch on Sunday, logging 35 total snaps and handling a couple of red-zone carries as the Eagles’ comeback effort fell short against Baltimore. The diminutive third-year back disappointed in a Week 1 spot start this season, garnering only 11 touches and 54 total yards in a losing effort. Still, this is a prime fantasy role and a player in Scott who earned PFF’s sixth-best receiving grade among running backs last season. Corey Clement will be involved, but Scott could see the majority of all three downs here.
Scott was a common handcuff for Sanders drafters as the season approached with Sanders’ health in question, but he’s been dropped all over since the Week 1 dud. The backup RB grab of the week is available in Yahoo leagues across the land and 16% of NFFC Online Championship leagues.
FAAB Recommendation: 25-35%
Baltimore Ravens RB Gus Edwards (3%)
Edwards has been creeping onto the FAAB radar in recent weeks as Baltimore continues to utilize a three-RB committee. With Mark Ingram bowing out of Week 6 with a first-quarter ankle injury, the Ravens’ backfield became a somewhat more palatable two-man job with Edwards the clear early-down and goal-line back.
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