Rashaad Penny is out for the season after suffering a fractured fibula in Sunday’s Week 5 loss at New Orleans. The NFL Network reports he will undergo surgery and faces a four-month recovery.
This is awful news for Penny, the Seahawks and any Fantasy managers who were counting on him this season. But his absence creates an opening for rookie Kenneth Walker III, who will step into the lead role in Seattle’s backfield.
After Penny left the game against the Saints, Walker ripped off a 69-yard touchdown run. He finished the loss with eight carries for 88 yards and a touchdown for 14 PPR points, which is easily his best outing of the season. He also played a season-high 58 percent of the snaps.
Penny had been dominating the workload for the Seahawks this season, playing 69 percent of the snaps in three of five games. He had three outings with at least 14 total touches. But keep in mind that Penny only had one game with more than eight PPR points, which was Week 4 at the Lions (27 PPR points), who have arguably the worst defense in the NFL. He also had just four catches on five targets for the season.
But Penny felt like he was just getting going. And now Walker will get the chance to prove himself. He was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft out of Michigan State for a reason. He was expected to be a playmaker for the Seahawks — and an insurance policy for the oft-injured Penny. Now, that policy will be cashed in.
Walker is rostered in 68 percent of leagues on CBS Sports, which puts him slightly over the threshold of players we usually discuss. But for any leagues where he is available, he should be the No. 1 player added. And you should plan to spend a hefty amount of your remaining FAB — all of it is a possibility depending on your running back situation — for what could be a league-winning running back.
The Seahawks will use DeeJay Dallas, newly-acquired Tony Jones and eventually Travis Homer (ribs) when he comes off injured reserve to spell Walker, who might not have a significant role in the passing game. But if Walker takes advantage of this opportunity, he could be a star.
It stinks to watch Penny suffer another injury and no longer be able to play in 2022. But Walker gets a chance to prove himself now, and he could be a difference maker for Fantasy managers for the rest of the year, starting in Week 6 against Arizona.
Editor’s note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
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Week 6 Waivers
- On a bye: Derek Carr, Ryan Tannehill, Jared Goff and Davis Mills.
- Injuries: Dak Prescott (thumb), Tua Tagovailoa (concussion), Jameis Winston (back), Mac Jones (ankle), Russell Wilson (shoulder), Carson Wentz (shoulder), Teddy Bridgewater (concussion) and Baker Mayfield (ankle).
- Drop candidates: Jared Goff (87 percent rostered), Tua Tagovailoa (84 percent) and Ryan Tannehill (51 percent). Goff isn’t worth rostering in one-quarterback leagues with the Lions on a bye in Week 6. He has two games with at least 34 Fantasy points and three games with 18 Fantasy points or less. … Tagovailoa was still in the concussion protocol Monday and could be out again in Week 6 against Minnesota. He could have an extended absence, which makes him someone to drop in one-quarterback leagues. … Tannehill, like Goff, should not be rostered in one-quarterback leagues with the Titans on a bye. He has two games with at least 20 Fantasy points and three games with 17 points or less.
Week 5 Waiver Priority List
WAIVER WIRE
Running Backs
- On a bye: D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, Dameon Pierce, Rex Burkhead, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry.
- Injuries: Jonathan Taylor (ankle), D’Andre Swift (shoulder), James Conner (ribs), Damien Harris (hamstring), Rashaad Penny (ankle), Cordarrelle Patterson (knee), Nyheim Hines (concussion), Elijah Mitchell (knee), Darrel Williams (knee), Justice Hill (hamstring), Gus Edwards (knee), Damien Williams (ribs), Tyrion Davis-Price (ankle) and Boston Scott (ribs).
- Check to see if available: Brian Robinson Jr. (82 percent rostered), Alexander Mattison (81 percent), Raheem Mostert (80 percent), Michael Carter (73 percent) Rachaad White (71 percent) and Kenneth Walker III (68 percent). Robinson made his NFL debut in Week 5 against Tennessee and led Washington in carries with nine. He only had 22 yards and no catches, but more production should come as he gets back to 100 percent. Consider him a flex in Week 6 at Chicago. … Mattison might be more than just a handcuff after he had 12 total touches (three catches) in tandem with Dalvin Cook in Week 5 against Chicago. He only managed 40 total yards, and his main Fantasy value would be if Cook ever got hurt. Mattison should be rostered as a lottery ticket in all leagues. … Mostert has emerged as the No. 1 running back in Miami, and he’s worth starting as at least a flex in all leagues. He has at least 79 total yards in three of his past four games, and he just scored 18 PPR points in Week 5 at the Jets. He should have the chance for another quality outing in Week 6 against Minnesota. … Even with Breece Hall starting to break out, Carter isn’t going away. He has at least 11 total touches in every game this year, and he just scored two touchdowns in Week 5 against Miami. He can be a flex option in deeper leagues and a potential lottery ticket if Hall ever got hurt. … White remains a lottery ticket for Leonard Fournette, and White has eight total touches in each of his past two games, with eight catches on nine targets over that span. He could be a flex option in deeper PPR leagues. … See above for info on Walker.
- Drop candidates: Antonio Gibson (96 percent rostered), Chase Edmonds (91 percent) and Latavius Murray (34 percent). Gibson has seen his snap count drop each week from 64 percent in Week 1 to 32 percent in Week 5, which coincided with Robinson making his NFL debut. Unless the Commanders use Gibson to supplant J.D. McKissic as the pass-catching running back in Washington, which seems unlikely, it will be hard to trust Gibson when everyone is healthy. He also combined for just 14 PPR points the past two weeks. … Edmonds will likely need a Mostert injury to be Fantasy relevant after what happened in Week 5 at the Jets. Mostert played 69 percent of the snaps and mustered 122 scrimmage yards and a touchdown while Edmonds played a season-low 15 percent of the snaps and rushed once for 1 yard and failed to catch either of his two targets. He also was benched for Myles Gaskin late in the game. … We’ll see what role Murray has for the Broncos in Week 6 now that he should be fully prepared for playing time, but it appears like he’ll be third on the depth chart at best behind Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone. If that’s the case, it’s not worth stashing Murray in most leagues.
Week 5 Waiver Priority List
WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
- On a bye: Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Robert Woods, Brandin Cook and Nico Collins
- Injuries: Tyreek Hill (foot), Tee Higgins (ankle), Michael Thomas (toe), Keenan Allen (hamstring), Chris Olave (concussion), Drake London (knee), Rashod Bateman (foot), Jahan Dotson (hamstring), Julio Jones (undisclosed), Jarvis Landry (ankle), Isaiah McKenzie (concussion), Treylon Burks (toe), Kadarius Toney (hamstring), Christian Watson (hamstring), D.J. Chark (ankle), Kenny Golladay (knee), Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) and Nelson Agholor (hamstring).
- Check to see if available: George Pickens (80 percent rostered), Michael Gallup (74 percent) and Tyler Boyd (70 percent). In six quarters with Kenny Pickett at quarterback, Pickens has 10 catches for 154 yards. He has now scored 30 PPR points in his past two games and should be rostered in 100 percent of leagues. … Gallup has modest production in two games back from last year’s torn ACL with a combined six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. I’m excited to see what he can do with a healthy Dak Prescott (thumb), and I would try to roster Gallup in all leagues if possible. … Boyd could be headed for a larger role if Tee Higgins (ankle) misses any time. And even if Higgins is healthy, Boyd can still be productive, having scored at least 13 PPR points in two games this year.
- Drop candidates: Allen Robinson (76 percent rostered), Elijah Moore (75 percent), Hunter Renfrow (74 percent), Jarvis Landry (60 percent) and Julio Jones (58 percent). Robinson had another down game in Week 5 against Dallas with three catches for 12 yards on five targets. He might improve in Week 6 against Carolina at home, but there’s no reason to trust him given how this season has gone. He only has one game with more than four PPR points. … Moore has failed to score a touchdown this season and has scored nine PPR points or less in each outing. In Week 5 against Miami he had one catch for 11 yards on four targets. It will be tough to trust him if Corey Davis and Garrett Wilson are healthy. … Renfrow returned from his two-game absence with a concussion in Week 5 at Kansas City and had four catches for 25 yards on four targets. He’s now played the majority of three games and has failed to score a touchdown or top 10 PPR points. Heading into a bye in Week 6, there’s little reason to stash Renfrow, especially in non-PPR leagues. … Landry missed Week 5 with an ankle injury, and we’re not sure if he’ll be ready to go in Week 6 against the Bengals. With Michael Thomas (foot) expected to return in Week 6, and hopefully Chris Olave (concussion) is healthy, it’s doubtful Landry will have a big role when everyone is 100 percent. He scored 18 PPR points in Week 1 at Atlanta but since then has combined for only 14 PPR points. … Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Monday that the team is “playing the long game” with Jones because of his knee with the hope that he’s good to go late in the season. That says it all. He’s not worth rostering if he can’t play.
Week 5 Waiver Priority List
- On a bye: Darren Waller, T.J. Hockenson and Austin Hooper.
- Injuries of note: Darren Waller (hamstring), Kyle Pitts (hamstring), Pat Freiermuth (concussion), Dalton Schultz (knee), Dawson Knox (foot), Logan Thomas (calf) and Cameron Brate (concussion).
- Check to see if available: David Njoku (83 percent rostered). After a slow start in the first two weeks of the season, Njoku has been on fire in his past three outings. He has at least five catches for 73 yards in each game over that span, and he has two games with at least 14 PPR points. He will hopefully stay hot in Week 6 against New England, and Njoku is worth using as a No. 1 tight end in all leagues.
- Drop candidates: Tyler Conklin (69 percent rostered), Dawson Knox (66 percent) and Mike Gesicki (49 percent). The quarterback change from Joe Flacco to Zach Wilson has crushed Conklin’s Fantasy value, and it might be time to move on to a different tight end. Conklin has six targets in two games with Wilson for a combined eight PPR points after scoring at least 10 PPR points in each of the first three games with Flacco. … Knox missed Week 5 against Pittsburgh with a foot injury and scored eight PPR points or less in each of the first four games. We don’t know if he’ll play in Week 6 at Kansas City, and Buffalo has a bye in Week 7. There’s little reason to stash Knox while he’s hurt. … Gesicki has one game with more than four PPR points this season and only two games with more than one catch. It’s doubtful he’s going to become Fantasy relevant any time soon.
- Patriots (39 percent rostered) at CLE
- Colts (38 percent rostered) vs. JAC
- Commanders (14 percent rostered) at CHI
- Graham Gano (38 percent rostered) vs. BAL
- Chase McLaughlin (14 percent rostered) vs. JAC
- Mason Crosby (33 percent rostered) vs. NYJ
