For those of you hulking for Chris Hogan, I see you. I’m just not joining in, brother. I know Tom Brady being back means the whole bunch gets an uptick in value, but 3/51/0 just doesn’t do it for me…that’s what Hogan did on Sunday minus his 63 yard reception. That wasn’t for a score. On only 5 targets. I’d prefer volume for my flex or bench options, and won’t spend my FAAB on someone with such a low ceiling, in my opinion. There are too many weapons to rely on him from week to week, and once Dion Lewis returns the availability of targets decreases even further.
Normally I begin this little ditty each week on the positive side of a highlight, but I guarantee you that one of the most added players this week will be Hogan. And rather than give a burn notice, or even break my FAAB bank, on a player with a WR3 ceiling only half the time, I’ll take some of the names below.
Here are the top targets to, well, target as your work the wire for Week 6!
Note: The threshold for appearing as one of the targets is <25% ownership on either Yahoo or ESPN as of Monday. 
= BURN NOTICE…it’s worth burning your waiver for the player.
- Brian Hoyer, QB – CHI (ESPN 16.6%, Yahoo 18%) – I’m always hesitant highlighting a QB simply because the depth is so great. Sure, you could pick up Hoyer, but at the cost of dropping Kirk Cousins? Is that really an upgrade? Haha, now before I talk myself out of this highlight, Hoyer’s last three games as the starter in Chi-Town have been highly impressive…more than anything Cousins has done this year. Topping 300 yards for the third straight game on Sunday, Hoyer also pushed his TD total to 6 with another 2-TD performance. He’s flashed signs of a high-impact fantasy option before, but this may be his best opportunity to sustain it. I don’t know that Jay Cutler gets his job back for the Bears, meaning the Hoyer-Jeffrey-Meredith (more on the last in a bit) hookups could be something that helps you on bye weeks. Or every week if you have Kirk Cousins…
- Bobby Rainey, RB – NYG (ESPN 4.0%, Yahoo 5%) – We’ve known from his days in Tampa that Rainey can play, as he was a top pickup a few years back when Doug Martin went down the first time. Landing in New York, and the current landscape of their backfield, means Rainey has a shot at consistent value the rest of the year. Filling in the ‘Shane Vereen role,’ Rainey had a solid Sunday night against the Packers: 5/22/0 rushing and 6/52/0 receiving. It’s the latter that matters here. That’s good enough for 13 points in PPR formats, and when looking for a a flier to fill in at the FLEX, he’s a great option. And optimistically, this may be his floor. If he pushes those carries to 10, and still receives 5+ targets each game, this is the next version of Vereen/Sproles in an offense that loves to throw it around.
- Cameron Artis-Payne, RB – CAR (ESPN 28.1%, Yahoo 25%) – This will be the final time to snag CAP, but after his 18/85/2 performance Monday night against the Bucs he’s worth the stash. I’m not giving him the fire, because when Jonathan Stewart returns it’s his job again, which is different than, say, the Bears situation where Jordan Howard should maintain the job. Stewart’s never been a bastion of health, though, so the possibilities of Artis-Payne doing this again are there. In dynasty formats I like stashing him, and in redraft leagues he’s worth a flier. It will be interesting to see how this offense balances next week when Cam Newton is back, too.
- Cameron Meredith, WR – CHI (ESPN 1.6%, Yahoo 3%) – Now for the names I’d rather have than Chris Hogan…Haha, that’s not a tier title or anything, but I’d spend my money on Meredith over Hogan (and less of it, most likely, too). With Kevin White on the shelf, the #2 option in Brian Hoyer’s offensive juggernaut is seemingly Meredith’s to lose. And if he keeps up his 9/130/1 results from Sunday, or anything close, it’s a job he won’t lose. The second-year college QB from Illinois State has great size (6’3″, 207) and should receive second attention from the secondary lining up opposite Alshon Jeffrey. Oh, and if a Jeffrey injury occurs, which we’re all waiting for, you may have just picked up a WR2 upside player for close to nothing. His Sunday makes it impossible to steal him from under the radar anymore, but he’s my top WR addition this week. No burn notice, though. Gotta see a little more production to prove he’s reliable enough for that. More of the 12 target variety will certainly help.
- Jeremy Kerley, WR – SF (ESPN 8.2%, Yahoo 9%) – When talking about consistent floors, Kerley is the best option. In an offense without a QB, Kerley followed up a 6/88/1 in Week 4 with a 8/102/1 showing on Thursday night in Week 5. Playing from the slot is the best spot in Chip Kelly’s offense, and that’s right where Kerley will stay. Too small to dominate outside, Kerley’s shifty enough to wreak havoc across the middle. He’s Julian Edelman-lite, and with an improvement from the QB (ahem…Colin Kaepernick) Kerley could reach WR3 status. And if you think that’s crazy, after Week 5 he’s the 26th ranked WR in .5PPR leagues. Not a crazy ceiling, but a decent floor here makes him a safe bench option.
- Adam Thielen, WR – MIN (ESPN 0.7%, Yahoo 2%) – The FAAB determines this call. Would I rather have Chris Hogan with Tom Brady at QB or Adam Thielen with Sam Bradford? Easy. Neither. Haha, just playin’. The answer is Hogan, but at what cost. You can find similar value for next to nothing if you target Thielen. And his 7/127/1 line on 8 targets is more impressive than the New England option, anyways. Thielen’s game came as a result of Stefon Diggs injury, which highly limits his upside. With Diggs Kyle Rudolph cemented as the top threats, I don’t know that there is enough volume through the air in the Vikings offense for Thielen to replicate 8 targets every week, but he’s proven that with them he can provide great results. With one more week of this his ownership will soar, so now is the time to get him for dirt.
Now…DROP THOSE COMMENTS! And good luck in Week 6!
This whole lack of a  the past two weeks is killing me.
Y’all know I love a good gif or emoji.
I guess it’s just the cowboy Millennial in me. 
Eat your heart out, Tim McGraw.
