Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Darnell Mooney, Josh Downs, Josh Reynolds, Rashid Shaheed

The week is nearly wrapped up, and of course there were another round of injuries and surprising performances. As a result, fantasy managers will be on the lookout for wavier wire additions and replacement options for those injured over the weekend or just to bolster their lineup moving forward. Here are a few players to consider adding via the waiver wire this week. And also be sure to check out our full waiver wire article for the week.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

Darnell Mooney (CHI): 23% rostered

• Next Opponents: MIN, LV, @LAC
• True value: $3
• Desperate need: $5
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Don’t look now, haters, but Justin Fields has been surgical over the last two games. That brings Mooney into focus as a possible flex play or bye-week lineup plug-in. Mooney could enjoy a nice three-game run against secondaries that entered Week 5 having allowed the fourth-most, 12th-most and most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers.

Rashid Shaheed (NO): 37% rostered

• Next Opponents: @HOU, JAX, @IND
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Shaheed is New Orleans’s deep threat and zone coverage dominator. Each of his next three opponents are zone-heavy secondaries. Against zone, Shaheed entered Week 5 with a 13.6% target share, a 16.4-yard average depth of target and 2.02 yards per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). The Texans have been tough against receivers, but they just allowed the Falcons to look like a competent passing attack. Indy and Jacksonville have allowed the third-most and 15th-most receiving fantasy points in zone coverage.

Josh Reynolds (DET): 41% rostered

• Next Opponents: @TB, @BAL, LV
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: The Lions deployed a wide receiver committee in Week 5, with Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, Marvin Jones and Jameson Williams mixing and matching in personnel all day. While that isn’t fantastic, Reynolds still saw a 17.8% target share, as he led the team in receiving yards and scored a touchdown. Reynolds had turned in two top-36 wide receiver weeks (WR8, WR30) this season going into Week 5, and I’m sure that when the week has concluded, he’ll have another top-36 finish to add to the scrapbook. With Amon-Ra St. Brown sidelined, Reynolds could continue to lead this passing attack along with TE Sam LaPorta in the coming weeks.

Josh Downs (IND): 9% rostered

• Next Opponents: @JAX, CLE, NO
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Downs crushed in Week 5. He had a 23.0% target share, as he led the Colts with 97 receiving yards. Downs is a plug-and-play flex option this week in all formats. He should have no issues eating up slot corner Jaguars Tre Herndon (78.9% catch rate and 145.0 passer rating, per PFF) this week, regardless of whether he is catching passes from Anthony Richardson or Gardner Minshew.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.