We are just about a third of the way through the 2022 NFL season and Jakobi Meyers is still somehow available on far too many waiver wires. I wrote about him three weeks ago, but I guess I wasn’t convincing enough!
Let’s see if I can change that. After a WR1 performance in Week 5, how much of a priority is Jakobi Meyers for fantasy football managers to add off the waiver wire ahead of Week 6?
Stop Disrespecting Jakobi Meyers!
For the past three seasons, Meyers has been the undisputed WR1 on the Patriots. Yet, fantasy managers don’t seem interested in him. To an extent, I get it. The Patriots are a low-volume passing attack. Ever since Tom Brady left, they haven’t exactly had a quarterback that makes you want to draft or pick up his pass catchers.
Meyers is not a home run. But sometimes, you need to just accept that hitting a double is good enough. Meyers has proven to be a consistent and reliable WR3 in fantasy.
And Meyers commands targets because he is good at football. He entered Week 5 having seen the eighth-highest target share in the NFL. Yes, he did miss Weeks 3 and 4. However, in the three games he’s played, he’s seen six, 13, and eight targets. Meyers’ target share on the season is now over 30%.
MORE: Early Fantasy Football Start/Sit Week 6
Meyers continues to lead all Patriots receivers in snaps, routes run, and targets. DeVante Parker may be the guy with the draft pedigree, but he only matters when Meyers is out. He didn’t see a single target last week. Meyers saw eight, catching seven for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Entering this season, we knew Mac Jones had no issues treating Meyers like his clear WR1. After Jones went down, it was fair to question how Brian Hoyer and Bailey Zappe would distribute their targets.
Meyers just had the second-best fantasy performance of his career with Zappe, a third-string rookie quarterback, under center. It’s fair to say Meyers can produce regardless of who is throwing him passes.
The Patriots Remain a Run-first Offense
Despite not being an overly prolific offense, the Patriots have been able to run the ball this season. They entered Week 5 ranking fourth in neutral game script pass rate and eighth overall.
Looking at their remaining schedule, I only see a couple of games with the potential for them to get blown out and have to abandon the run. That admittedly lowers Meyers’ ceiling a bit. I just don’t think it matters all that much. He still needs to be on fantasy rosters.
Meyers has been producing despite a low-volume passing offense. If the Patriots ever find themselves in a situation where they have to throw 40 times in a game, Meyers’ managers should consider that a bonus.
How Aggressively Should Fantasy Managers Target Jakobi Meyers From the Week 6 Waiver Wire?
Touchdowns are king in fantasy football. Had Meyers merely posted a 100-yard effort, fantasy managers may continue to overlook him. But since he scored, just about everyone will take notice.
I expect Meyers to be much more highly sought-after now than he was three weeks ago when I last featured him in a waiver wire column.
Meyers is the top wide receiver pickup for Week 6. I would not prioritize him ahead of Rachaad White, as he has league-winning upside if Leonard Fournette were to get hurt. It’s about even with Mike Boone depending on your fantasy team’s needs.
As much as I like Meyers, if Kenneth Walker III is out there in your league, he is worth all the FAAB (or waiver priority). If you know you won’t be able to get both Walker and Meyers, get Walker. If you need a wide receiver, though, Meyers is your guy.
Fantasy managers should consider a strong bid on Meyers. I would recommend anything from 10-20%. While I still believe in Meyers as a long-term asset, I can’t recommend more than that because FAAB is best spent on players that can really swing your season. Meyers is a weekly WR3, but he’s not winning your league for you.