The fifth week of the NFL season is officially behind us. The long-awaited Sunday has come and gone in a blink of an eye. After countless hours of only moving from the couch to use the bathroom, we look ahead to week five. With everyone scrambling to the waiver wire, this article will look beyond that.
This is the fifth installment of the weekly series, One Week Ahead. We will use our fantasy football crystal ball to look ahead to future weeks and try to predict players who will emerge with fantasy relevance. We will try to get a leg up on our opponents by picking up potential fantasy assets before they become a major waiver wire pick-up.
Jeremy McNichols – RB Tennessee Titans
Only playing on 23% of the snaps in week five, Jeremy McNichols is still someone I am looking to pick up and stash on my bench. While it will always be Derrick Henry’s backfield, McNichols has still gotten some work within the offense. Recording at least two targets in every game this season, it is clear the Titans trust his pass-catching ability.
In week four, McNichols turned 12 targets into eight catches for 74 yards. During this game, McNichols saw a season-high 40% of the offensive snaps. It was evident he was being utilized in obvious pass-catching downs. Derrick Henry has received some passing work this season as well, however, if McNichols continues in this role, it may grow and produce some fantasy-relevant weeks.
Furthermore, if Henry were to ever miss time, I believe McNichols would get the majority of work in this backfield. No other running back saw a snap in week five. He only has seven rushing attempts on the season, but that is due to Henry averaging 28 carries per week.
We have yet to see it, but the Titans could potentially ease up on the workload for Henry. At 27 years old with a ton of mileage, the Titans could elect to sprinkle in more McNichols to preserve Henry for playoffs and future years. It is no guarantee, but in deep leagues, McNichols makes for a worthy add.
Adam Humphries – WR Washington Football Team
Coming off a solid week, Adam Humphries is someone I may be adding in deep leagues. Drawing five targets and turning that into three receptions for 73 yards, he could see a slight uptick in volume. Fellow wide receiver Curtis Samuel injured his groin and could miss some time. In addition, tight end Logan Thomas is still nursing a hamstring injury.
Playing on 61% of the snaps in week five, and averaging a 64% snap share on the season, Humphries is on the field enough to have an impact. He was second in routes run from the wide receiver position this past week, only behind star receiver Terry McLaurin.
We have seen Humphries flash potential early last season with the Tennessee Titans. If key positional players for Washington continue to be hampered by injuries, Humphries will get a chance to see more work. If I have the room on my bench to make a deep stash, I am picking him up. Â
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