Browns

Waiver Wire Week 5: QB & RB

by Justin Skolrud

Quarterback

Marcus Mariota – Currently owned in 20.3% of ESPN Leagues

Mariota was my breakout player last year and it didn’t pan out. But, right now after a big game with Corey Davis I am beginning to believe again in Marcus Mariota. He is very dangerous with his legs as arguably the fastest QB in the league. He faces Buffalo this week who is not a good team. He then faces Baltimore who I am not excited about and then the Chargers who have surprisingly been giving up yards this season.

Baker Mayfield – Currently owned in 48% of ESPN Leagues

Baker proved this week again that he is a BIG improvement over Tyrod Taylor. Mayfield came in and threw for 295 yards and two TDs. I am not excited about the 4 turnovers but once he gets past Baltimore this week he has a GREAT 5 week stretch against bottom feeder defenses going in to the bye in week 11. Starting in week 5 he faces the Chargers, Buccaneers, Steelers, Chiefs, and Atlanta. Now Mayfield may continue to have turnover issues, as all rookies do, but he is going to move the ball up and down the field for the next few weeks.

Derek Carr – Currently owned in 12.7% of ESPN Leagues

Considering that this is supposed to be the Gruden “Run First” offense the Raiders have been very pass heavy this year. Carr has thrown for 300 yards in three of his first four games and he had faced better defenses than most quarterbacks. He fully healthy Rams in week one, a Denver team that is a solid Defense, Miami who has been a top 5 defense against the pass since the beginning of the 2017 Season, and Cleveland team that was #4 coming into the game against the Quarterback. Carr has much easier opponents for the next few weeks in the Chargers, Seattle, Bye, then the Colts who just gave up 375 yards to Deshaun Watson.

Running Backs

Nick Chubb – Currently owned in 15.7% of ESPN Leagues

Chubb’s efficiency this week was through the roof! No one in NFL History had run for over 100 yards and two TDs on only three carries in a game. Now I am not saying that Chubb has earned his way to more touches, I can’t commit to that just yet because he hasn’t got more than 3 touches in a game before this. But, he is clearly a handcuff to have on your roster with Hyde’s injury riddled past. Hyde only has one complete season under his belt and that was last year.

D’Onta Foreman – Currently owned in 3.7% of ESPN League

Now I was going to save this one for week 5 because he can’t come back from his injury until week 7 but since Lamar Miller didn’t play in the 4th quarter when the Texas were ahead it leads us to believe there is an injury of sorts. Miller has been the clear first and second down back for running the ball and the Texans could have used him to try and ice the game late against the Colts. Last year Foreman outworked Miller last year and was more productive until his season ended because of injury. Oh and he had 65 yds and 2 TDs in that game before he went down. I firmly believe that Lamar Miller is going to be phased back and Foreman comes to the front. Last year Miller averaged 3.7 yards, Foreman averaged 4.2 yards per carry and was more explosive with three runs of 20+ yards and Miller only had one. Miller also played all 16 games.

Nyheim Hines – Currently owned in 15.5% of ESPN Leagues (Trade Bait Alert)

Hines has proven to be serviceable so far this season he was getting 5-12 touched per game until T.Y. Hilton goes out due to an injury this week. Hines was then used more in the passing game and got two touchdowns. I am concerned about his ling term value with Robert Turbin and Marlon Mack coming back and getting more of the running load in this offense. I just don’t know if he will carve out any value after this week against the Patriots with Hilton out and Doyle likely to be out.

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