Waiver Wired: Waiver Wired: Week 7

Welcome to the seventh edition of Waiver Wired for the 2015 season. As is always the case, this column will be your guide to the best players available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues. Some of these players will be plug-and-play options who can help this week while others will be stashes who may become useful in the future.

Each profiled player comes with a recommendation of what size league they should be owned. This does not mean they cannot be owned in shallower leagues, but they are not must-adds in the smaller formats. Also, a watch list will follow every position group. These are players who could be useful in deeper formats, but they are not yet must-own players in shallower leagues. Finally, the deep cuts section highlights running backs and wide receivers who are owned in less than five percent of Yahoo leagues. Now that the explanation is out of the way, let’s move on to the action.

Three steps to fantasy football glory. Buy the Rotoworld Season Pass, stay up to date on all the breaking news at the Rotoworld News Page, and follow @Rotoworld_FB and @RMSummerlin on Twitter. Championship.

The Drop List
QB: Peyton Manning, Teddy Bridgewater
RB: C.J. Anderson, Andre Ellington, C.J. Spiller
WR: Andre Johnson, Torrey Smith, Percy Harvin
TE: Owen Daniels, Kyle Rudolph, Vernon Davis

The biggest names on the drop list both come from Denver. After six weeks, it has become abundantly clear Peyton Manning is not going to develop into a reliable starter this season. He has more multiple interception games than multiple touchdown games to this point, and he has reached double-digit fantasy points just twice. There is no reason to hold him through the bye. Same goes for C.J. Anderson, who appeared to lose the 1A designation to Ronnie Hillman Week 6. Andre Ellington played just nine snaps and is well behind both Chris and David Johnson on the depth chart, Torrey Smith caught a touchdown but not much else against his former team, and Andre Johnson predictably fell back to earth after his homecoming outburst. All can be dropped in shallow leagues.   

Quarterbacks
1. Blake Bortles
2. Brian Hoyer
3. Jay Cutler
4. Josh McCown
5. Derek Carr

Running backs
1. Christine Michael
2. James Starks
3. Knile Davis
4. Theo Riddick
5. Darren McFadden
6. Robert Turbin
7. Ahmad Bradshaw

Wide receivers
1. Brandon LaFell
2. Marvin Jones
3. Stefon Diggs
4. Michael Floyd
5. Dorial Green-Beckham
6. Rishard Matthews
7. Eddie Royal
8. Leonard Hankerson
9. Michael Crabtree

Tight ends
1. Ladarius Green
2. Eric Ebron
3. Austin Seferian-Jenkins

Defense/Special Teams
1. Steelers
2. Falcons
3. Redskins
Looking Ahead: Texans

Kickers
1. Chandler Catanzaro
2. Josh Lambo
3. Kai Forbath
Looking Ahead: Nick Folk

QUARTERBACKS
1. Blake Bortles, Jaguars – Owned in 43 percent of Yahoo leagues
It was not pretty, but it was another week and another 20-point output for Blake Bortles, who now has four games with at least 19 points in his last five. Bortles has already surpassed his touchdown total from a season ago, and he just got back perennial touchdown threat Julius Thomas to the lineup. As long as Thomas (bruised rib) and Allen Robinson (leg contusion) are healthy, Bortles will be worth a look against an underwhelming Bills defense in London.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 10-team leagues.

2. Brian Hoyer, Texans – Owned in 6 percent of Yahoo leagues
The Dolphins were always going to dominate the Titans coming off the bye with a new, energetic coach, but after the short-term high wears off Miami will still have to deal with their underlying problems. The secondary has dealt with some injuries and was not good to begin with, and the pass rush has been inconsistent this season. Brian Hoyer has played basically eight quarters over the last three weeks and has 837 yards and seven touchdowns over that span. More importantly, Hoyer has forced the ball to DeAndre Hopkins when in the lineup. Forcing to Nuk is the best chance the Texans have of moving the offense through the air, and it is also Hoyer’s best chance at fantasy success. He is worth consideration as a streamer this week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.

3. Jay Cutler, Bears – Owned in 35 percent of Yahoo leagues
Outside of Bortles and Hoyer, there are not any good immediate options on the waiver wire. Perhaps if Tyrod Taylor is forced to sit out another week E.J. Manuel could be worth a spot start against the Jaguars, but Taylor appeared to be close last week and will likely suit up this one. Without many great streaming options, stashing a high-upside player like Jay Cutler is not a bad option. Cutler has a bye this week and has a difficult schedule upcoming, but Cutler has played extremely well since returning from injury and has Alshon Jeffery back and healthy. He should put up big numbers in multiple games down the stretch, and he is worth a stash in deep leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 14-team leagues.

4. Josh McCown, Browns – Owned in 17 percent of Yahoo leagues
Josh McCown predictably struggled against the Broncos Week 6, but he did not face-plant as poorly as I imagined he would. He still managed two touchdowns and has now thrown multiple touchdowns four games in a row. The problem is the schedule does not get any easier for McCown with the Rams, Cardinals and Bengals on tap the next three weeks. McCown is not worth using in St. Louis, and he will be difficult to trust against Arizona and Cincinnati. McCown is still a stash and hold in deep leagues, but he is not worth streaming this week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 14-team leagues.

5. Derek Carr, Raiders – Owned in 35 percent of Yahoo leagues
Derek Carr entered the Raiders’ bye with two disappointing performances against the Bears and Broncos, and the schedule does not get any easier with the Chargers and Jets up next. The schedule opens up once Carr makes it through that run, however, and he could have a strong finish to the fantasy year with the Steelers, Vikings, Lions, Titans and Chiefs from Week 9 to Week 13. If he can show something in the next two weeks, he will be worth a start in those easier matchups. Carr is a stash and hold in deeper formats.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 14-team leagues.

Watch List: Matt Cassel will take over the reins of a Cowboys’ offense which should have Dez Bryant back in the next couple weeks. He is worth a look in two-quarterback formats. … Ben Roethlisberger will attempt to play, but Landry Jones showed well replacing Michael Vick last week. … Zach Mettenberger could be in line for a spot start with Marcus Mariota dealing with a sprained MCL. … Ryan Fitzpatrick scores QB2 fantasy points. It is just what he does.  

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.