With the injury to Mike Evans, 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 fantasy football waiver wire this week. And also be sure to check out all of our full fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacements
Injury Outlook
Mike Evans (clavicle) expected to miss most of season
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (clavicle) is expected to miss most of the season.
Fantasy Impact
Evans was ruled out of Monday’s game with a concussion/shoulder injury, but head coach Todd Bowles announced after the game that Evans had suffered a broken collarbone. Per Ian Rapoport, if Evans misses the regular amount of time for this type of injury, Evans could return in early-to-mid December. Evans did not record a reception on four targets prior to the injury. Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka and veteran WR Sterling Shepard will take on a larger role with Evans sidelined and Chris Godwin dealing with a fibula injury that has him “week-to-week.”
– Jesse Garcia
Waiver Wire Replacements to Target: Wide Receivers
Written by Derek Brown
Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE): 32% Rostered
- Next Opponents: CLE, ATL, @TB
- True Value: $5
- Desperate Need: $7
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Kayshon Boutte balled out in Week 6 as the WR4 in fantasy, with a 19.2% target share, 93 receiving yards, two touchdowns and a 16.7% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. While he didn’t equal that performance in Week 7, Boutte still had a nice day, turning his two targets (8.6% target share) into 55 receiving yards and a score. He offers flex appeal again this week, tied to MVP candidate Drake Maye. Cleveland has allowed the third-most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers.
Darnell Mooney (WR – ATL): 29% Rostered
- Next Opponents: MIA, @NE, @IND
- True Value: $3
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Darnell Mooney returned to the Falcons’ lineup Sunday night against the 49ers. While he had only a 13.1% target share, he led the team with 68 receiving yards. In Mooney’s previous two full games played this season, he finished as the WR87 and WR43 in weekly scoring. In Weeks 2-3, he had a 21.3% target share while averaging 32 receiving yards with 1.03 yards per route run and a 26.2% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Mooney offers sneaky Flex appeal this week against a Dolphins’ secondary that has allowed the 10th-most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers.
Troy Franklin (WR – DEN): 21% Rostered
- Next Opponents: DAL, @HOU, LV
- True Value: $3
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Troy Franklin entered Week 7 as the WR48 in fantasy points per game, with two top-36 weekly finishes this season (WR7, WR36). He had a 71.8% route share, a 17% target share, 41.7 receiving yards per game (1.53 yards per route run) and an 18% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Against the Giants, he had a 20% target share, finishing with 19 receiving yards and a score. Franklin offers solid Flex value this week against a horrible Dallas secondary that is allowing the most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers.
Tez Johnson (WR – TB): 17% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @NO, BYE, NE
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: In Week 7, Tez Johnson assumed a full-time role in the Bucs’ offense, commanding an 18% target share and finishing with 58 receiving yards and a score. Baker Mayfield will have to rely upon the talented rookie even more moving forward, with Mike Evans possibly on the shelf for the rest of the regular season and Chris Godwin’s health in the wind. Entering Week 7, Johnson had a solid 17% target per route run rate and 1.87 yards per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. Johnson is a strong flex this week against the Saints, who have allowed the 12th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Marvin Mims Jr. (WR – DEN): 23% Rostered
- Next Opponents: DAL, @HOU, LV
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Marvin Mims Jr. entered Week 7 as the WR67 in fantasy points per game, with one top-20 weekly finish (WR9). Before Week 7, Mims had a 45.4% route share with an 11.7% target share, 24.8 receiving yards per game and a 15.1% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. None of these numbers will make you feel great, but Mims still has Flex value this week in what should be a high-scoring game against the Cowboys. Sunday against the Giants, Mims finished with a 58.9% route share, a 14% target share and 85 receiving yards. Even in a part-time role this week, he could pop off with a nice game. Dallas has allowed the most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers.
Josh Downs (WR – IND): 49% Rostered
- Next Opponents: TEN, @PIT, ATL
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Josh Downs missed Week 7 with a concussion. Hopefully, he’s back for Week 8. Downs has been a part-time player for much of the season, with a 59.1% route share, an 18% target share, 1.85 yards per route run and a 21.1% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. He had been on a hot streak before missing Week 7, with WR34 and WR15 scoring finishes in PPR formats his last two games and four red-zone targets. This week, Downs has a tough matchup against the Titans, who have held slot receivers to the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game, but he could still return low-end Flex value in a Colts offense that’s humming right now.
Malik Washington (WR – MIA): 15% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @ATL, BAL, BUF
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Malik Washington makes the waiver wire list this week after Jaylen Waddle left last week’s game in the fourth quarter with an injury. Washington could operate as Miami’s top receiver this week if Waddle sits out. In Weeks 5-6, after Tyreek Hill was lost for the season, Washington only had a 53.9% route share, a 14.5% target share, 11 receiving yards per game and a 13.3% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Last week, while Washington finished with only 30 receiving yards, he did have a 76.3% route share and 25.8% target share, so there is some volume-fueled Flex appeal this week if Waddle is out. The matchup isn’t great this week, as Atlanta has allowed the sixth-fewest schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season.
Elic Ayomanor (WR – TEN): 28% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @IND, LAC, BYE
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Elic Ayomanor entered Week 7 as the WR58 in fantasy points per game, with six deep targets and three red-zone looks this season. He hasn’t finished with more than 44 receiving yards in a game since Week 2. Ayomanor also hasn’t finished higher than WR56 since Week 3. Before Week 7, he had a 15.8% target share with 32.7 receiving yards per game (1.14 yards per route run) and a 19.4% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. Ayomanor didn’t fill up the box score against the Patriots with his 14.7% target share and 29 receiving yards, but he could turn things around this week against the Colts. The last time Ayomanor faced the Colts, he was the WR27 in fantasy for the week, securing four of his five targets with 38 receiving yards and a score. He could offer similar Flex production this week against an Indy secondary that has allowed the 11th-most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers.
Sterling Shepard (WR – TB): 15% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @NO, BYE, NE
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Entering Week 7, Sterling Shepard had a 13.8% target share, 40.3 receiving yards per game with 1.64 yards per route run, and an 11.5% first-read share. The sturdy veteran had only one game with more than 60 receiving yards and two top-36 weekly wide receiver finishes (WR33, WR32). Against the Lions, he secured all seven of his targets with 25 receiving yards. Even with Mike Evans’ injury, I don’t foresee Shepard evolving into more than a weekly deep league flex play. Still, he does offer some PPR flex appeal, especially this week against the Saints, who have given up the 12th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Wide Receiver Stash Candidates
Luther Burden remains only a part-time player in the Bears’ offense and a stash only. In Week 6, he had a 36.4% route share and a season-high 13.8% target share and 13% first-read share, per Fantasy Points Data. His role didn’t increase against the Saints, with only 19 snaps, two targets and 22 receiving yards. Burden’s talent is undeniable, and with the Bears’ passing attack struggling, Ben Johnson could shake things up soon and make Burden a full-time player over Olamide Zaccheaus. If that happens, Burden would immediately vault into the weekly Flex discussion. Stash him now.
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