Denver Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin averaged 6.4 yards per carry during his collegiate career at Youngstown State, reaching paydirt 32 times in those three seasons. He scored on his first NFL carry (Week 2 vs. Washington) and might well have an extended opportunity after a hip injury forced Javonte Williams to leave Sunday’s game with the Bears early.
Should McLaughlin have your eye when it comes to managing the Week 5 fantasy football waiver wire?
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Should Jaleel McLaughlin Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 5?
We were worried about Williams’ health entering this season, and while the hip is a new ailment, the idea of injuries piling up on a young running back is certainly a concern.
We don’t know the severity of Williams’ injury at this moment, but in the short term, Samaje Perine and McLaughlin certainly get a boost in value. Both deserve to be rostered in all formats, and considering that Perine hasn’t had 100 carries in a season since his rookie campaign, it stands to reason that the rookie could fill the plus side of a committee.
Ruled OUT with hip injury.
Whether it’s labrum or soft tissue involved, given how quickly he was ruled out I’m expecting him to miss a chunk of time.Which means Jaleel McLaughlin will likely wind up being a top waiver claim this week. pic.twitter.com/vbPtMfKfcE
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) October 1, 2023
Do I think McLaughlin is worth a speculative add? I do, but that doesn’t mean you’re starting him. The Broncos get the Jets next week and then travel to Kansas City on short rest in Week 6, neither of which is a great matchup.
In order to feel even remotely conformable in starting McLaughlin at any point in October, Williams not only has to be sidelined, but we have to have proof of concept with McLaughlin being “the guy” in this offense.
We saw Jerome Ford demand a high FAAB bid when Nick Chubb went down, and Matt Breida required very little following the Saquon Barkley injury. McLaughlin ranks between those two extremes, but without a clear role and as a part of a limited offense, he’s far closer to Breida than Ford on that scale.