Good morning.

Call me a broken record, but once again injuries are the talk of fantasy football. This week we lost four big names… Travis Etienne and Dallas Goedert with hammies and Marvin Harrison Jr. and Chris Olave with concussions.

But as has been the case all year, we gotta keep truckin’ on. And the one bright side of injuries means there are plenty more intriguing waiver wire options. So let’s dive in…

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WAIVER WIRE 🧐

Running Back

Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. has earned a role in New York’s offense, even after Devin Singletary returns. In two games a full-time starter, Tracy has 237 total yards and one TD while showcasing some serious burst and receiving chops. While Singletary is expected to return this week, Tracy's vaulted himself into high-end handcuff territory with some FLEX appeal.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker stole the show from Bucky Irving, finishing as the RB1 with 34.2 fantasy points. Tucker had six carries that went for 10+ yards, while averaging 3.2 yards after contact per rush and hitting 15+ MPH six times (per DLF’s Bruce Matson). Once Rachaad White returns, we could be in for the dreaded “three-headed monster” backfield — but all three are worth a spot on fantasy rosters.

49ers RB Isaac Guerendo stepped in and ran for 99 yards on 10 carries after Jordan Mason went down with a shoulder injury. The rookie showed his 4.33 speed on a 76-yard run that clinched the win for the Niners, as he slid at the one yard line. However, Mason’s injury doesn’t seem too serious — and CMC is due back soon — so don’t sell the farm for Guerendo just yet.

Chargers RB Kimani Vidal “made his NFL debut in Week 6 after the Chargers placed Gus Edwards on IR for an ankle injury, and he scored a TD on one of his six touches. The Chargers are going to ride Dobbins while Edwards is out through Week 9, but the rookie back is one injury away from a massive role in this run-heavy attack.” — Per the staff at Fantasy Points

• Vikings RB Ty Chandler would get the start if Aaron Jones (hip) can’t play.

• Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier is still one of the most valuable handcuffs to roster, with FLEX appeal of his own (18/105/1 last week).

• Bills RB Ray Davis, Rams RB Blake Corum, Cardinals RB Trey Benson, Packers RB Emanuel Wilson, and Ravens RB Justice Hill are other high-upside handcuffs that should be rostered in the majority of leagues

Wide Receiver

Colts WR Josh Downs continues to shine with Joe Flacco under center. Over the past three weeks, he’s tied for the most catches (24) and 4th-most targets (30) of any player in the NFL, per NFL.com’s Dan Parr. The concern, of course, is that he could slump when Anthony Richardson comes back, but the talent is obvious here.

Panthers WR Xavier Legette has averaged 7.0 targets, 4.5 receptions and 44.5 receiving yards in his last two games, while securing TDs in each contest as well. Legette should stay hot next week against a Washington secondary that has allowed the 12th-most PPR points per target and the 9th-highest passer rating on targets to perimeter WRs (per Fantasy Points Data).

Patriots WR DeMario Douglas was the Patriots’ leader in targets (9), receptions (6) and receiving yards (92) in Drake Maye’s first start. He’s recorded 11+ fantasy points in three of the past four games, and could continue to produce if Maye progresses.

• Packers WRs Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson should already be on rosters, but if they were dropped in shallow leagues, scoop them up. Jayden Reed tweaked his ankle and Dontayvion Wicks is week-to-week with a shoulder injury.

• Cardinals WR Michael Wilson is the de facto WR1 in Arizona while Marvin Harrison Jr.’s in the concussion protocol.

• Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster was on a bye last week, but don’t forget he erupted for 130 yards two weeks ago and could be the team’s WR1 with Rashee Rice out for the year.

QB & TE

Patriots QB Drake Maye became the first QB since at least 1950 to throw three or more TD passes and lead his team in rushing in his first career NFL start, per NFL Research. His high draft status and dual-threat nature makes him an intriguing add this week — especially since he’s about to face the Jags, who’ve given up an average of 27.4 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs over the last four weeks.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford is a great streamer this week, as he faces a Las Vegas defense that has given up the 8th-most fantasy points to QBs this year and is slightly below league-average in EPA per play allowed, per NBCSports’ Kyle Dvorchak. He may also get Cooper Kupp back.👀

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers looked good last night with new OC Todd Downey calling the shots, finishing with 296 passing yards and two TDs. Mike Williams is working his way back, and A-Rod still has Garrett Wilson and his BFF Allen Lazard to throw to, so we could see some flashes from time to time.

• Broncos QB Bo Nix has scored 21+ fantasy points in back-to-back weeks. He’s a solid QB2.

Commanders TE Zach Ertz has at least 8.8 PPR points in half his games this season, but has yet to score a TD (he’s due👀). The scoreless streak could come to an end Sunday when he takes on a Carolina pass defense that has allowed the 10th-most receiving yards and 5th-most fantasy points per game to TEs, per FantasyPros’ Pat Fitzmaurice.

Bucs TE Cade Otton scored his first TD of the season on Sunday and is averaging 6.75 targets and 9.45 fantasy points per game in his last four contests, per Dan Parr.

Patriots TE Hunter Henry is top-10 in route rate and target share among TEs, per Kyle Dvorchak, and could see a nice bump in production with Drake Maye at the helm.

• Another reminder that Vikings T.J. Hockenson will be returning soon, so check your waiver wire if your league doesn’t have IR spots.

D/ST

The Buffalo Bills take on the Tennessee Titans, who have given up over 11 points per game to opposing defenses, the highest mark in the league, thanks to 16 sacks allowed and 10 turnovers, per Roto Street Journal’s Sean Keegs.

The Cincinnati Bengals are your weekly “start whoever’s facing Cleveland” pickup. The Browns haven’t scored 20 points or amassed 300 yards of offense in any of their six games. They’ve produced fewer than 250 yards of offense in five of those games, and QB Deshaun Watson has been sacked a league-high 31 times — putting him on an 88-sack pace (per FantasyPros).

The New Orleans Saints defense has been solid, scoring nine fantasy points per game with seven turnovers during the team’s four-game losing streak. This week they get Denver, who don’t elicit a ton of fear offensively.

POLL 📊

DEEP DIVES 🤿

Bub Means Business

Stash these players on your bench before they blow up. Last week, the perfect pickups were Sean Tucker, Isaac Guerendo, and Kimani Vidal.

Saints WR Bub Means (0%) could be the WR1 in New Orleans with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed dealing with injuries. The 5th-round pick showed a strong rapport with fellow rookie Spencer Rattler, hauling in 5 passes for 45 yards and one TD. The Saints will take on Denver this Thursday night, but the Broncos will be without stud corner Pat Surtain II (concussion), making Means a worthy streamer in deep leagues.

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman (5.9%) has been one of the best WRs in the league on a per route basis, but it hasn’t shown up in box scores. Among 65 qualifying receivers, Bateman ranks 7th in separation and 14th in route win rate (per Fantasy Points Data). He’s in the flex conversation this week against a Bucs secondary that has allowed the 9th-most receiving yards per game to perimeter WRs.

Jags RB D’Ernest Johnson (0.2%) could have a solid role as the team’s passing down back for the next couple of weeks while Travis Etienne nurses his hamstring injury. Johnson played 56% of snaps on Sunday with the team trailing much of the game — a situation that should be pretty common this year for the Jags.

Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra (0.1%) could be a one-week streamer for those that are desperate (if Dallas Goedert’s hamstring injury holds him out). Once Goedert went down, Calcaterra was the Eagles’ full-time TE, playing 91% of the snaps with a 16% target share. He was efficient with his four targets, producing 67 receiving yards (2.79 yards per route run). This week the Eagles take on the Giants, who rank 15th in receiving yards per game and 17th in yards per reception allowed to TEs, per Pat Fitzmaurice.

Broncos RB Audric Estime (0.9%) was active for the first time since his Week 1 hamstring injury, and could find a role in Denver’s ambiguous backfield. Two of his four carries this year have gone for 10+ yards, and HC Sean Payton said he wants to see more of him.

QUICK SLANTS 👀

📖 Read Fabs Five from SI’s Michael Fabiano, where he dives into the five biggest storylines following Week 6, like Baker Mayfield and Sean Tucker’s performances.

📖 Read Tera Roberts of Yahoo’s Fantasy Football Pulse Check where she examines the fantasy impact of rookie QBs around the league and their WRs.

📖 Read Austin Gayle of the Ringer’s However Bad You Think Deshaun Watson Has Been, He’s Actually Been Worse, where he ranks 12 stats that show how historically bad the Browns QB is.

#1: “Through Weeks 1-6 this season, Watson has generated minus-66.2 EPA on dropbacks, beating JaMarcus Russell’s minus-62.8 EPA on dropbacks in Weeks 1-6 in 2009 for the record low this millennium.” LOL

🎙️ Listen to The Fantasy Life Show’s Week 6 Fantasy Football Overreactions. Ian Hartitz is joined by Paul Charchian to break down the nine biggest storylines in fantasy football.

📺 Watch Detroit’s INSANE flea-flicker to their OFFENSIVE LINEMAN:

TWEET OF THE DAY

Before we go, send your well wishes to Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered one of the most gruesome leg injuries I’ve ever seen (don’t watch the video if you’re squeamish).

Fortunately, his surgery was a success. Now Lions fans can go back to enjoying their trouncing of the Cowboys.

Good luck on the waiver wire this week. See you Thursday.

- Marcus