:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41909592/456561194.0.jpg)
With most fantasy football leagues beyond the halfway mark of their season, building your roster through free agency and the waiver wire is essential to maintaining a competitive edge as you start heading toward your fantasy playoffs. As usual, we're here to go over a handful of players that will likely be grabbed off of you waiver wire if you don't claim them. I'm going to throw in a sleeper pick this week as well this week. So, if you'd rather preserve your waiver priority, there are a few names you can look out for in free agency as well.
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Minnesota Vikings
At this point, most shallow leagues probably have McKinnon covered in terms of ownership. However, there are still 61 percent of leagues that currently do not own him. If you're in one of them, grab him immediately. McKinnon was given lead back duties in Week 6, and he didn't disappoint. He played 48 snaps (compared to Matt Asiata's 15 snaps) and totaled 11 carries for 40 yards. He added six catches for 42 yards in the process. He did this against a Detroit Lions defense that has been pretty stingy toward running backs. McKinnon has yet to reach the end zone, but it's only a matter of time. He should be owned in all leagues at this point.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants
If you didn't grab Beckham after his 4-44-1 stat line in his NFL debut, this may be your last week to snatch him up. Victor Cruz is out for the season, which means Beckham will be relied on to fill a big role on the Giants offense. He had a rough outing against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6, but so did the majority of the Giants offense. He has an opportunity to bounce back against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. Beckham is owned in 38 percent of leagues at the moment.
Andre Holmes, WR, Oakland Raiders
It's very rare that I recommend an Oakland Raiders player for fantasy purposes, but it's time to start taking Andre Holmes seriously. Through two games, Holmes has nine catches for 195 yards and three touchdowns. Of course there is reason to be skeptical. It's been a long time since a Raiders receiver has proven to be a consistent option. However, if you're in need at the position, Holmes could be your lottery ticket. He's a WR3 with some alluring upside heading into Week 7. He's owned in just 10 percent of leagues at the moment.
Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns
Crowell seems to be a hot topic after rushing for 77 yards on 11 carries in Week 6. The reality is, Ben Tate is still atop the depth chart at the moment. However, Tate has a tendency to lose time from injuries. Terrance West saw a boost in production thanks to Tate's lack of durability, and it appears as though Crowell has jumped ahead of West as the Browns RB2. Crowell holds more value if you own Tate at this point. If you own West, it's probably worth dropping him for Crowell. Outside of that, Crowell is a risky flex play each week unless Tate goes down again. I wouldn't spend a waiver claim on him in 10-team leagues, but I'd take a look if I'm in a 12 team league with a deep bench.
Tre Mason, RB, St. Louis Rams
This one will be my sleeper suggestion of the week. Mason made his NFL debut on Monday night and appeared to be the more talented running back on the Rams roster. He rushed for 40 yards on just five carries. He also caught a pass for 12 yards. Mason lacks a bit in size, but he proved his decisiveness and speed against the San Francisco 49ers. Mason isn't worth spending a high waiver priority on, but if you're in a deeper league of 12 or more teams, he's worth taking a flier on. Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham may be on top of the depth chart, but the Rams need explosiveness out of their backfield. Mason can offer it if he keeps getting opportunities.
Editor's Note: FanDuel is hosting a $250,000 one-week fantasy football league this weekend. It's $5 to join and the top 9,680 teams win money. League starts Sunday 1 PM ET and ends on Monday night. Here's the link.