The 2022 fantasy football has forced fantasy managers to dig deep into the bottom part of rosters in order to stay ahead of the injury curve. We’ve seen several unexpected breakouts in recent weeks. The waiver wire has brought some gems but also some duds.
We’re paying close attention to the top names on the waiver wire all season long. With the New York Giants having continued injury issues at receiver, Darius Slayton has fantasy value. We’ll dive into Slayton’s Week 7 waiver wire value as they face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Should You Add Darius Slayton From the Waiver Wire for Week 7?
Available in almost every Yahoo and ESPN league, Slayton is a familiar name that was all but forgotten after his disappointing 2021 season. The Giants buried Slayton on their depth chart entering 2022, but injuries to Kenny Golladay and Sterling Shepard — and the strange situation with Kadarius Toney — has left this team bone dry at the position. Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Richie James are the best of the rest still standing.
Slayton has been a solid role player since joining the Giants in 2019 as a fifth-round pick. He’s speedy and can run most of the route tree with efficiency. He doesn’t have a wide catch radius, but Slayton can benefit from Brian Daboll’s friendly offense and Daniel Jones’ occasional big-play prowess.
With only eight catches and 108 yards on 12 targets in the last three games, it’s safe to say he’s not going to be a lineup-maker anytime soon. In Week 5, Slayton had his best game since November 2020, catching six passes for 79 yards. His snap share also rose last week against Baltimore despite catching just one pass for 18 yards.
This is the life of a Giants receiver, as they’re stuck in a run-heavy offense trying to mitigate how often their quarterback has to drop back and make a decision or execute a throw. Jones isn’t completely inept, but Daboll doesn’t want those bone-headed moments to surface. Unfortunately, that has zapped production for talented pass catchers.
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Slayton’s fantasy value for Week 7 against an average Jaguars secondary is tempting. Jacksonville has allowed an average of 12 receptions, 154 yards, and over one touchdown per game to receivers. It’s a unit that is stellar against the run and keeping opponents out of the end zone, but they’re only average in terms of fantasy points allowed to the position.
There is a potential opportunity for Slayton to score and have a solid week of production, as Saquon Barkley will be against the third-ranked rush defense in the NFL. The Colts put up 389 total passing yards last week, marking the third time the Jaguars allowed over 285 passing yards this season. While Jones may not top that number, he’s in a position to be efficient.
Slayton isn’t an ideal start candidate for any fantasy manager, but he has more appeal to him because of the clarity of his offense’s need for playmaking and a favorable matchup. There aren’t many potential WR3s available on the waiver wire, yet Slayton could lead the Giants in targets this week. I think he’s a nice flier who can maximize whatever opportunities he gets.