As another week gets pulled from the NFL calendar, it’s vital to stay on top of waiver-wire rankings when injuries take place or top players slump.
It may be even more important to update rankings at flex positions to make sure the right lineups are on the field most weeks.
We’ll start with the flex projections.
Heading into Week 6, wide receiver Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers was at the top of the rankings. The injury suffered by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (torn meniscus) impacts Brown, who has slipped to the No. 5 position and is in danger of slipping even further if backup quarterback Landry Jones is ineffective or if Roethlisberger is out for any serious length of time.
LeSean McCoy of the Buffalo Bills has supplanted Brown at the top of the rankings, followed by Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons, A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals and Allen Robinson of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McCoy has been a powerful force for the Bills, as they have reeled off four straight wins and look like a potential playoff team and legitimate challenger to the New England Patriots in the AFC East.
McCoy is coming off an eye-popping performance against the San Francisco 49ers in which he punished the defense and former head coach Chip Kelly by running for 140 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries.
The Bills travel to Miami to take on the underachieving Dolphins. Miami played its best game of the year in beating the Steelers in Week 6, but there’s no reason to think the Dolphins can string solid games together. Additionally, it appeared the Steelers were looking past the Dolphins (foolishly) because they host the Patriots this week.
The Dolphins rank 26th in yards allowed and are 31st against the run.
McCoy has rushed for 587 yards and six touchdowns to this point, and he has also caught 21 passes (out of 24 targets) as a receiver. While he has just 97 receiving yards and one touchdown to this point, he could easily have a big game as a pass-catcher.
Jones is an explosive, big-play receiver, and he has been near the top of the wide receiver rankings since the start of the year. His numbers are impressive, as he has caught 31 passes for 656 yards and four touchdowns, and the Falcons should be primed for a big effort this week as they return home to face the San Diego Chargers.
The Falcons played a creditable game in Week 6 at Seattle and had a late lead before the Seahawks came back with nine points in the last five minutes to take the lead. A non-pass interference call against Jones helped the Seahawks hang on for the victory.
The Chargers picked up a Thursday night win at home over the Denver Broncos in Week 6, but they have failed to win in their previous three road games. Going across the country against an angry team is not a good situation.
Look for Jones and his teammates to take advantage of the Chargers’ 24th-ranked pass defense.
Green finds himself in a favorable situation as the Bengals prepare for the Battle of Ohio against the winless Cleveland Browns. Cleveland can do a few things right, but playing defense is not one of them. The Browns rank 29th in yards allowed and are 26th against the pass.
That plays right into the hands of the Bengals, who should be set up for a huge performance after falling to two strong teams in the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots in the last two weeks.
Cincinnati knows how to beat substandard teams, and the winless Browns qualify. Green has caught 42 passes for 606 yards, and his ability to go over the top of defenders and make plays allows him to stand out. While he has just two touchdown receptions to this point in the season, he could double that total against the Browns.
The Jaguars have won two games in a row and have a chance to rescue their season after an awful start. If they are going to make it three wins in a row by beating the Oakland Raiders, look for Allen Robinson to have a big game.
The Raiders were beaten badly by the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6, but head coach Jack Del Rio has received kudos this year for his ability to rally his team. That started in Week 1 at New Orleans, when he opted for a two-point conversion at the end of the game rather than settling for overtime by kicking the extra point.
The Raiders won that gamble and are undefeated on the road this season.
However, even though the Raiders are a winning team, they rank 32nd in overall defense and against the pass.
That should mean wide-open spaces for Robinson, who has caught 24 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns. This should be a back-and-forth game with a lot of scoring, and Robinson will be a huge factor for the Jaguars.
Waiver-Wire Projections
Sammie Coates of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jeremy Kerley of the San Francisco 49ers and Cameron Meredith of the Chicago Bears have been three of the most added players over the past week, according to ESPN.com.
Players like Kerley and Meredith have some value because they are unheralded receivers who compete on struggling teams. While that’s not a particularly advantageous scenario, those teams need to find some outlets for their offenses, and Kerley and Meredith have been the beneficiaries so far.
Kerley may continue in that role for the Niners, but Meredith may have a more difficult time sustaining his success. Chicago wideout Alshon Jeffery has caught 29 passes for 487 yards, but he has not gotten into the end zone yet and may be able to turn that around this week as the Bears go to Green Bay to take on the Packers.
It may mean less receptions for Meredith, who is the Bears’ third-leading receiver behind Jeffery and Eddie Royal with 26 catches for 297 yards and a score.
Coates looks like a great fit in Pittsburgh as one of the team’s best complementary receivers behind Brown, but the Roethlisberger injury could hurt his big-play ability this week against the Patriots.
Running back Justin Forsett was recently signed by the Detroit Lions, and he has been added by 14.7 percent of ESPN.com rosters in the last seven days. Forsett has some burst and the ability to break free from arm tackles, and he may be the best pure runner on the Lions.
Quarterback Alex Smith has seen his popularity pick up over the last seven days as well. That’s a good move for players who need help at the quarterback position. Smith will not put explosive numbers on the board, but he is smart and steady and will not turn the ball over.
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