Waiver Wire Week 6: Top Pickups and Drops

It was one of those weeks in the NFL.

Some things happened that simply could not be predicted. For example, the New York Jets are usually on the wrong end of eye-catching statistical numbers, but this time their long-ordinary ground game put on a spectacular showing. Isaiah Crowell rushed for 219 yards on 15 attempts, and his 14.6 yards per carry set an NFL record for any running back with 15 or more carries.

Bilal Powell added 99 yards for good measure, and the Jets rushed for 323 yards in total. Crowell and Powell are owned by 77 and 56 percent of fantasy owners, respectively, but how many fantasy GMs had him in the lineup?

Neither one is a typical waiver-wire pickup since they are owned by more than 50 percent of fantasy owners, but in leagues where they are unclaimed, fantasy owners should jump on them.

In this piece, we offer an early look at players to pick up off the waiver wire and a few players to drop. We consider players who are owned by less than 50 percent of Yahoo Fantasy Leagues.

Our recommendations are based on a 12-team, standard-scoring league.

Waiver-wire pickups

Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns (37 percent)

Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (15 percent)

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (36 percent)

Running backs

Alfred Blue, Houston Texans (14 percent)

Mike Davis, Seattle Seahawks (19 percent)

LeGarrette Blount, Detroit Lions (12 percent)

Wide receivers

Robby Anderson, New York Jets (34 percent)

Mohamed Sanu, Atlanta Falcons (32 percent)

KeKe Coutee, Houston Texans (33 percent)

Tight ends

Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers (25 percent) 

C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals (26 percent)

QB Baker Mayfield

I'll admit to feeling the Browns had erred in making Mayfield the No. 1 draft pick last spring. However, Mayfield is starting to make the most of his opportunities, as he is averaging 318.5 passing yards in his first two starts, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

More than his numbers, he led the Browns on a potential game-winning drive  against the Baltimore Ravens late in the fourth quarter (missed the field goal attempt), and then helped them get the win in the extra session. As long as Mayfield doesn't suffer a nosedive, the schedule looks like a smorgasbord of vulnerable opponents. The Browns have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers coming up, and Mayfield could put big numbers on the board.

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

RB Mike Davis

The Seahawks are playing hard every week, and they pushed the undefeated Los Angeles Rams to the limit in Week 5. If Seattle is going to have a productive year, it's almost certain to be the result of solid play on offense.

This team used to be dominant on defense, but that is no longer the case. Russell Wilson is obviously the centerpiece, but Mike Davis is going to be a factor. The 5'9", 217-pound running back ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4 against Arizona, and he had 68 rushing yards and another touchdown in the close loss to the Rams.

Davis knows how to keep opponents from getting a good shot at him and doesn't go down easily, and he can hurt opponents with his second effort.

WR Robby Anderson

While Crowell was the star for the Jets, Robby Anderson is a potential big-play threat. 

He has caught 11 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns so far, including a 76-yard touchdown against the Broncos. Anderson has game-changing speed, and now that Sam Darnold has connected with him on one big play, he is likely to come back to him quite a bit from this point forward.

Earlier in the year, Darnold was looking for the powerful Quincy Enunwa as his first option, but now he is reading the field better and finding additional receivers who can make big plays.

Look for Anderson to become a key offensive factor for Darnold and the Jets for the foreseeable future.

TE Jesse James

Based on his 20.7 yards per catch, Jesse James is worthy of consideration. The fact that he has caught 12 of 13 targets is another check mark in his favor. 

James has caught six passes of 20 yards or more, but he has just one TD. That figure is likely to change because of how difficult James is to cover for 60 minutes.

Fantasy drops

QB Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Wentz is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league, but he is still feeling his way and the Eagles are not scoring the way they did a year ago. The 2017 season was magical, and it appears it's not going to repeat itself.

Too many other quarterbacks are producing at a better level this year. Dropping Wentz or trading him is recommended at this time.

RB Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals

Bernard is no longer the featured performer in the Cincinnati backfield, as he sprained his MCL this weekend and Joe Mixon has asserted himself after returning from a knee injury. Mixon is coming off a game in which he had 22 carries for 93 yards against the Miami Dolphins. He also caught three passes and got into the end zone on one of those receptions.

While Bernard has speed and ability, it seems Mixon is the better fantasy option for the Bengals moving forward. Mixon's previous knee problem does not appear to be an issue at this point.

Bernard has been dropped by 5,351 Yahoo fantasy owners and picked up by just 121.

WR Chris Hogan, New England Patriots

Hogan is a fine route runner who leaves it all on the field every week, but the Patriots now have better receiving options to consider.

In addition to tight end Rob Gronkowski—who has not hit his best form to this point in the season—the Patriots have Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman. Gordon has spectacular athletic ability when he is in the lineup, and Edelman is Tom Brady's best receiver.

That makes Hogan an afterthought and just another guy most of the time. Unless you can trade him in your league, it is time to part company with Hogan. He was dropped by 1,816 in Yahoo fantasy leagues.

TE Ricky Seals-Jones, Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals rank dead last in yards gained per game and 31st in passing yards per game, and it is not likely to get much better very quickly with rookie quarterback Josh Rosen learning on the job. It will take him the better part of the season to get comfortable, and it may not be until December or the 2019 season that the Cardinals start to play better football.

That makes Seals-Jones a liability on your fantasy team. Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald are likely to be Rosen's top targets, so we recommend that Seals-Jones is put on waivers and released. 

Seals-Jones has been dropped by 4,099 Yahoo fantasy owners and claimed by just 117.