Week 6 Fantasy Football FAAB Bid Numbers: Tank Bigsby, Jordan Whittington, Tucker Kraft and More
Recommended bidding for some of the most popular players on the waiver wire this week.
How have we already lost five weeks of the season? It was just starting; we were just getting back into football mode. And now it’s more than 25% over. That means no time to waste, as we turn our attention to Week 6 of the NFL season.
Let’s look at some of the popular players on the waiver wire this week and what reasonable FAAB bids might look like. A few things before we start:
- Conservative bids are for guys you’d like to have on your team but wouldn’t be too upset if you missed. They are guys you would consider most weeks.
- High-end bids are for players you really want. These are players you would consider every week and hope to start about half the time.
- Desperation bids are reserved for guys you are expecting to fill a starting role on your fantasy squad.
- All numbers are based on a $100 budget, so adjust accordingly.
Quarterback
No QB is worth putting any real money on in waivers this week. There are plenty of skill players to consider, and it’s worth focusing our time and dollars in that direction.
Running Back
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
This Bigsby thing is becoming real. Travis Etienne reportedly was dealing with a shoulder injury, so Bigsby played more snaps than Etienne for the first time this season on Sunday. Bigsby has far outperformed his veteran teammate on the ground, making it more likely the team will at least split the work.
Bigsby doesn’t do much in the passing game, so Etienne will always get on the field more in that facet. If he can continue getting touches, Bigsby can be almost a weekly flex-level guy. That’s not a huge ceiling, but it’s something; you should bid for him the same way, by not spending a lot but also willing to throw out a few bucks, especially if you’re short at running back.
Conservative Bid: $3-4
High-end Bid: $6-8
Desperation Bid: $11-13
Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
Devin Singletary is fine, but he’s nothing more than a middling back, right? He has averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his career and is down at 3.9 so far this season. He’s not especially adept in the passing game, averaging 15 receiving yards per game in 82 contests.
Singletary is just another back, the style of veteran who was being pushed toward minimum contracts before the Giants gave him $10 million guaranteed (they can get out after this season without much trouble). There’s not a lot of excitement for Singletary as the back of the future.
Tracy is a rookie, the embodiment of hope. In a terribly small sample (30 carries), Tracy is averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He has caught one pass per game, so there’s not a lot there so far, but the team is surely excited after watching Tracy run for 129 yards with Singletary out in Week 5.
There’s a good chance the team looks to get him more involved even when Singletary returns, giving the rookie a little fantasy value. It’s unlikely he performs this well often; Tracy had barely been on the field during the first month. With more opportunities possibly coming, though, we can dream of bigger things for the New York rookie.
Conservative Bid: $2-3
High-end Bid: $4
Desperation Bid: $6
Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins
This is all dependent on De'Von Achane. The Miami dynamo had been ruling the Miami backfield until he suffered a concussion on Sunday. It’s impossible to know how long Achane will be out, but a team with well-documented recent head injuries might go overboard protecting their young back.
Mostert just returned from an injury absence of his own and led the team in carries (19 versus Wright’s 13). Mostert also caught two passes and Wright none. If Achane is out, a similar distribution is most likely.
While Wright ran better in Week 5, Mostert was dominant last season. His return to health means Mostert is in line to take a major workload. When Achane returns, the two older players will again limit Wright’s opportunities.
While it’s easy to see Wright as the new Achane, ready to come out of nowhere to dominate in the Miami run game, Wright’s role doesn’t currently look big enough to spend big on him.
Conservative Bid: $0-1
High-end Bid: $2-3
Desperation Bid: $4-6
Wide Receiver
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
With Joe Flacco throwing most of the passes the past two weeks, Downs combined for 17 receptions on 21 targets, 151 yards, and a touchdown. He’s second on the team in targets, catches, and touchdowns and third in yards despite missing the first two games. Downs has been highly productive while on the field with Flacco.
That last part is a big caveat. Anthony Richardson is a phenomenal athlete, but he’s not the passer that Flacco is, instead hitting a lower percentage of deep shots. Michael Pittman will always be there doing his thing, and Alec Pierce keeps catching those bombs downfield, but Downs might have been the best Colts’ receiver over the last two weeks.
Downs should be on a team in every fantasy league, one of the many players to consider for the WR3/4/flex spot each week. Consistent performances like he’s had recently will get him to a higher level, but we’ll have to see that over a longer stretch, especially with his regular starter Richardson.
Conservative Bid: $3-4
High-end Bid: $6
Desperation Bid: $8-11
Darius Slayton, New York Giants
Slayton took advantage with rookie phenom Malik Nabers out, catching eight of 11 targets for 122 yards and a touchdown. Each of those numbers is close to (or exceeds) his combined stats over the first four games.
Slayton has played more snaps than Wan'Dale Robinson in every game; Robinson has made a bigger impact, though their stats are close (Robinson does lead in receptions 32-18, so he has a big PPR advantage).
There’s just not enough to make Slayton more than a WR4 type. His value will fall off when Nabers returns.
Conservative Bid: $0
High-end Bid: $1
Desperation Bid: $2
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs
Well, someone had to step up with Rashee Rice out. Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 130 yards on Monday night. While Travis Kelce saw more volume (10 targets, nine catches), Smith-Schuster added an explosive element to KC’s passing game.
He’s always been a boom-or-bust player, and Smith-Schuster “boomed” in a big way in this one. That’s valuable, but he will have a lot more zero-catch games (already three this year) than 130-yard games.
Grab him if you’re short and want a high-ceiling guy on your roster; with the Chiefs short on receivers, there might be a more consistent role for the veteran. Don’t expect him to be a weekly contributor, though, and don’t spend much money.
Conservative Bid: $0-1
High-end Bid: $2-3
Desperation Bid: $4
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
Tolbert has clearly outplayed Brandin Cooks, who is now on IR. The clear second receiver on the Cowboys is a valuable role, but CeeDee Lamb is always going to dominate the touches, and tight end Jake Ferguson has stats right in line with Tolbert.
Tolbert is worthy of being on a roster in most leagues to consider against the rest of your receivers. He’s more of a WR3/4/flex type, but that’s a common fantasy player.
With the season getting on, you might be able to spend an extra few dollars here and there if you’ve been conservative so far. Tolbert might be a guy to give an extra look (though I’d prefer to go after one of the running backs or the next guy on the list).
Conservative Bid: $1
High-end Bid: $2-4
Desperation Bid: $6
Jordan Whittington, Los Angeles Rams
Whittington has led the Rams in targets and receptions each of the past two weeks, looking like the new top guy with both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp out with injury. Tutu Atwell looked like the guy right away, but Whittington was getting buzz as far back as Week 2 and has stood out in back-to-back games.
Given the upside we’ve seen with the top receivers in LA, Whittington is a guy who should be owned in every league. Don’t expect him to do a Nacua/Kupp impression each week, but Whittington is a guy to grab.
I said in previous weeks that Stafford’s top receiver might change game to game and still believe that, but I like Whittington best out of the guys currently healthy.
Conservative Bid: $3-4
High-end Bid: $6-8
Desperation Bid: $11-12
Tight End
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
Kraft has been on the field more than twice as often as Luke Musgrave, the first step in Kraft’s emergence as a fantasy tight end. He combined for 10 receptions, 141 yards, and three touchdowns the past two weeks, standing out after catching just two passes per game over the first three weeks.
It’s dangerous to think of Kraft as a weekly fantasy starter because it’s only been a two-week sample; we have a lot more information from last year showing that he is a middling or worse fantasy player. With a young player possibly emerging, though, it’s easy to see this as his breakout to star status.
I’m still looking at him as a streaming option at best and not spending too much money, but I can understand a desperate owner spending a dollar or two with hope that this continues.
