Man, that 32-29 loss to the 49ers still stings. A three-point difference, right here in the Emerald City, against *them*? Brutal. While our Hawks regroup, the NFL keeps on rolling, and for those of us trying to keep our fantasy teams alive, it means diving deep into the waiver wire. Good news, there’s a workhorse running back about to emerge, and you absolutely need to know about him.
This Is Your Workhorse Waiver Target, Seriously
Outside of the gut-punch of that Niner game, the biggest news for your fantasy squad is probably **Woody Marks** over on the Texans. I’m talking “Not in My League” type of talent, but somehow, he’s only rostered in 53 percent of Yahoo leagues. That’s a crime. David Montgomery went down with a groin injury in Week 5 and is expected to miss time. What happened next? Marks handled it all, giving up just one snap and zero touches to Dare Ogunbowale. It looks like he’s gonna be a pure workhorse with Montgomery out, and if you’ve got any FAAB left, this is where you gotta spend it.
It’s a pretty thin week for running backs otherwise, but keep an eye on **Dameon Pierce** from the Eagles. He started Week 5 as Will Shipley’s backup, but Shipley exited with a foot injury and didn’t return. If both Shipley and Saquon Barkley are out for Week 6, Pierce would be next in line to carry the load. Carson Steele didn’t play a single snap in Week 5 despite being active, which tells you the Eagles trust Pierce with the bulk of the touches. Even head coach Nick Sirianni called Pierce an “NFL starting-caliber running back,” saying he “welcomes his opportunity.” The bad news? The Eagles’ offense has been terrible this year, and Pierce isn’t exactly the kind of player who can completely overcome a bad situation.
Quarterbacks Slinging It When It Matters
While we’re all still digesting that close game with San Fran, let’s talk about some quarterbacks who are actually putting up points. **Kirk Cousins** of the Raiders is out there, quietly being the highest-scoring QB rostered in fewer than half of Yahoo leagues. Yeah, he cooled off a bit in Week 5 against the Patriots, but he’s still got three games with over 20 points. The Raiders have a 52.5-point team total against the Bills this week, and even though Buffalo will likely own most of those points, it’s still a great matchup for Cousins. The Bills rank 27th in EPA per dropback allowed, so there’s opportunity there.
Then there’s **Jameis Winston** for the Giants. After a dreadful first start, he’s shaken it off with two really solid performances. We’re talking 576 yards, six touchdowns, and only two interceptions (both from two weeks ago) in his last two outings. He’s the QB7 in EPA per play over that stretch and he’s back to his normal, gun-slinging style, boasting the fourth-highest aDOT in the NFL over the past two weeks. Don’t sleep on that.
And what about **Aaron Rodgers** with the Steelers? He’s the No. 2 scoring quarterback with less than 50 percent Yahoo rostership. He’s coming off three straight games with three touchdown passes, and he’s one of only four QBs with more than 30 pass attempts in all five games this year. The Steelers are fourth in the league in pass rate over expected, and Rodgers is eighth in total attempts. That’s enough volume to keep him firmly in the QB2 mix when they face the Bucs this week.
Young Talent Emerging and Target Hogs
Over with the Commanders, rookie **Germie Bernard** played 85 percent of snaps in Week 5 and saw eight targets. With Dotson leaving Week 5 due to a hamstring injury and Samuel also out with a hamstring issue, Bernard could be *the* guy in that passing game.
At tight end, **Tyler Conklin** on the Jets is a strong pickup, rostered in under 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. He’s second in target share (23.4%), second in air yard share (26.7%), and second in routes run (89%) over the past two weeks. He’s also tied for third in deep targets with two. That’s some serious involvement. Similarly, **Cade Otton** for the Bucs, also rostered under 50 percent, is third in target share (20.5%), third in air yard share (22.2%), and third in routes run (83%), also with two deep targets. These guys are getting fed.
That Hawks loss to the Niners was a gut punch, no doubt about it. Our boys fought hard, but sometimes it just doesn’t break your way. We need to regroup, and look forward to the next game to get back on track. For your fantasy teams, though, these waiver wire pickups are critical for keeping your season alive. Get after ’em!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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