Jonathan Taylor Injury: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Replacement Pickups (Week 5)

With the injury to Jonathan Taylor, fantasy football managers are left with a void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your waiver wire this week.

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• Fantasy Football Heat Index
• Fantasy Football Week 7 Takeaways: Surprises & Disappointments

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Jonathan Taylor Injury Outlook

The Colts fear Jonathan Taylor suffered a high ankle sprain in the Colts Week 4 loss against the Titans. (Source: Zak Keefer on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Taylor left the game late and did not return. Colts coach Frank Reich said the team will know more on Taylor’s status on Monday, but they have a quick turnaround against the Broncos on Thursday so it might be tough for Taylor to take the field. We will know more information on Monday.

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target

Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL): 16% rostered

• Next opponents: @TB, SF, @CIN
• True value: $8
• Desperate need: $16
• Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: The touches from the Atlanta backfield were as bountiful as they were evenly distributed in Week 4. The rookie from BYU logged 11 touches for over 100 yards from scrimmage. Cordarrelle Patterson has not been completely healthy, and the other active RB is Caleb Huntley, who also logged 10 carries and scored a touchdown. Patterson is still the starter when healthy, but Allgeier is in line to see his share of the committee grow with continued strong play.

Raheem Mostert (RB – MIA): 50% rostered

• Next opponents: @NYJ, MIN, PIT
• True value: $7
• Desperate need: $12
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Although the Dolphins offense has been explosive this season, it has mostly been a product of their passing attack. With Tua Tagovailoa likely to miss some time, it might benefit Mike McDaniels’ team to get down and dirty with the run game like his longtime cohort Kyle Shanahan. Mostert was the lead back in Weeks 2 and 4, but ceded to Chase Edmonds in Weeks 1 and 3. If the alternate-RB strategy is just coincidence, Mostert is a plug-and-play addition with decent upside in Week 5 versus the Jets. He also has the type of speed to occasionally pop off for performances in RB2 territory.

Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PHI): 32% rostered

• Next opponents: @ARI, DAL, BYE
• True value: $6
• Desperate need: $12
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: There isn’t much more to say at this point about Gainwell, who has graced every waiver column in 2022. Miles Sanders has been a pleasant surprise this season and has earned a larger volume of touches in the high-flying Eagles attack. Gainwell is still a very talented player, but he needs to score touchdowns to justify a fantasy roster spot if his receiving role doesn’t expand from its current status.

Ken Walker (RB – SEA): 43% rostered

• Next opponents: @NO, ARI, @LAC
• True value: $6
• Desperate need: $11
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Week 4 was the Rashaad Penny show. Unfortunately, the Seahawks cannot play the Lions every week. Even though the rookie from Michigan State took the back seat to Penny again, he more than doubled his season total in rushing attempts with eight. Walker stands as the best handcuff available with less than 50% rostership. He is a home run hitter who is one Penny malady away from taking over this backfield.

Stash Candidates: Jerick McKinnon, Jaylen Warren, Eno Benjamin, Craig Reynolds, Mike Boone, Deon Jackson, D’Onta Foreman

Analysis: The constant churn of a fantasy bench is pivotal to a manager’s success. Most of the movement should center around the RB position. The main reason the rotation is constantly changing comes from injury attrition.

Jerick McKinnon has not parlayed his strong snap share into consistent fantasy performance, but Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s touchdown production has to be unsustainable, right? Jaylen Warren is the direct handcuff to Najee Harris and is getting some decent rotational work to keep the lead back fresh. The same goes for Eno Benjamin and D’Onta Foreman, who have not really produced much in their limited work thus far.

The injury to Javonte Williams appears to be significant, which puts Mike Boone in position to platoon with Melvin Gordon going forward. Jonathan Taylor is also dealing with an ankle injury, pushing Deon Jackson into stash territory for a couple weeks next to Nyheim Hines. Craig Reynolds took a very small role spelling Jamaal Williams for a mere three touches in D’Andre Swift‘s absence.