Week 6 of the 2017 regular season is just about coming to a close with the Monday Night game remaining. Most fantasy football leagues will run their waiver wires late Tuesday or early Wednesday, but we are here to help you get a jump on the best options to consider.
We will be ranking the top five players likely to be available in your league at each of the four major positions. Some weeks there might not be five good options available, but we’ll scour for the best we can find. Additionally, throughout the week, we will update each of these articles as ownership percentages change and news arrives. The following ownership percentages come via CBS Sportsline entering Week 6.
Samaje Perine, Washington (54 percent ownership)
As long as Rob Kelley is out of action, Perine has an increasing role in this offense. Perine had nine carries on Sunday (to Chris Thompson’s 16) and was targeted three times, turning one into a critical touchdown. It would be great if Perine could wrestle away all the early-down work, but as long as he’s the 1-A to Thompson’s No. 1, he has a chance to put up double-digit numbers each week.
D’Onta Foreman, Houston Texans (49)
Foreman only trailed starter Lamar Miller 15-12 in carries this week, and Foreman converted one of them into a 39-yard gain that just missed going to the house. He might be the top handcuff in fantasy right now, as he would likely be in line for 20 carries a week if Miller ever went down. One of these weeks, even as the back-up, Foreman is going to put up a monster game. It’s coming.
Matt Forte, New York Jets (48)
Welcome back, Mr. Forte. Like Adrian Peterson, Forte was largely given up for dead in fantasy circles, as Sunday’s game was supposed to be the coming out party for Elijah McGuire. Instead, Forte went retro and caught all eight passes sent his way for 59 yards while splitting carries with McGuire. It suggests that as Forte works back into full-game shape, he is still going to be the man in the run game, or at least until Bilal Powell turns this into a three-headed RBBC. But for now, Forte still has something left in the tank.
Alex Collins, Baltimore Ravens (48)
Collins led the Ravens in carries this week, 15-10 over Javorius Allen, and he turned them into 74 yards. Best of all, he didn’t fumble. Sure, it would be great if Collins could get into the end zone, but with Terrance West out, Collins is clearly in the mix, if not taking the lead job outright.
Chris Ivory, Jacksonville Jaguars (6)
If you own Leonard Fournette and you haven’t handcuffed him yet, consider this week to be your warning. The sight of Fournette on the ground in agony after a non-contact leg injury should be reminder enough that handcuffs for such high-volume backs will always have value. Ivory might be valuable in PPR leagues even with Fournette on the field, as he was targeted 10 times against the Rams, catching nine for 74 yards and a score.