The fantasy football season is short, and you always need to be looking ahead. I am here to help you identify 8 Group of Five (G5) Waiver Additions. Doing this article later in the week helps ensure their Fantrax rostership has not crept across my threshold. I am looking for individuals who are 30% owned or less. Now let’s dive into it!
G5 Waiver Additions
Quarterbacks
JC French – Georgia Southern
Fantrax Rostership: 23%
Total Fantasy Points: 58.4
Fantasy Points Per Game: 29.2
JC French has averaged 43 pass attempts per game as the Eagles have averaged 32.5 points per game. He is completing 25 of those passes a game, which is good for 4th in the G5. Those completions translate to the 6th most passing yards per game in the G5, 282.5 yards. He is in the top half of all G5 quarterbacks in rushing attempts (not counting sacks), with 7.
Let’s do the math here. We have a team scoring a lot. That team’s quarterback is passing the pigskin at a high rate. Those attempts have led to the yards. He also adds a few points on the ground each week. And he is only 23% owned? JC French is an excellent impactful G5 Waiver Addition!
Mikey Keene, Fresno State
Fantrax Rostership: 24%
Total Fantasy Points: 32.8
Fantasy Points Per Game: 16.4
I brought up Mikey Keene in my article last week. His rostership has not changed, and I still believe he needs to be on more teams! In Week 2 against Sacramento State, he threw for 358 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. That was good for 24.42 points. I get it, interceptions are a part of the game. However, if you take those two away, he is sitting at 28.42 points for Week 2. Keene threw it 35 times last week, and I believe we continue to see him throw it around the yard. Let’s not make me write about him next week. Keene would be a great G5 Waiver Addition to your team.
Quarterback To Watch
Brett Gabbert – Miami of Ohio
Fantrax Rostership: 8%
Total Fantasy Points: 3
Fantasy Points Per Game: 3
Luke, why are you recommending me to keep an eye on a quarterback who has 3 total points? Week 1 the Redhawks played the Northwestern Wildcats. G5 schools typically struggle against Power 4 teams. So don’t let the 3 points fool you! Week 2 they had their bye. Obviously he will not score many points on his bye! They have Cincinnati and Notre Dame in the coming weeks. However, last season he threw for 237 yards and 3 touchdowns against Cincinnati in a win! Brett Gabbert has 40 games at quarterback under his belt. He ranks 3rd in program history with 8,120 yards passing. Throw Gabbert on your watch list. Trust me, you may want to add Gabbert come MACtion time!
Running Backs
Good start from the Scheu 😎@_bra3don_ #1AAT x #WeFly x #Team100 pic.twitter.com/6o4ybXLyeH
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) September 11, 2024
Braedon Sloan – Ball State
Fantrax Rostership: 26%
Total Fantasy Points: 32.9
Fantasy Points Per Game: 32.9
Braedon Sloan transferred to Ball State after spring practices. Sloan is a 5’11” 185 lbs running back from Eastern Kentucky, and he was very productive. Sloan led the conference in all-purpose yards with 1,636. Ball State had a bye in Week 1, so what did he do in his first game action last week? He had 21 rushing attempts for 103 yards and a touchdown. But wait there’s more! He caught 6 of 7 targets for 46 yards and another touchdown! It is only 1 game, but he ranks 1st in the G5 in total touches per game and 6th in total yards per game. Sloan has all the potential to be a league-winning type waiver addition. Grab Sloan while you still can!
Jevon Jackson, University of Texas El Paso (UTEP)
Fantrax Rostership: 24%
Total Fantasy Points: 23.4
Fantasy Points Per Game: 11.7
I wrote about Jevon Jackson last week. Here we are again! His rostership has not moved from last week! I totally get it. In my article last week, I said, “I am going to follow my gut here and recommend picking up Jevon Jackson before his cost is too high!” What kind of selling point is Trust Me?!? Well, how did he fare in Week 2 against a team not named Nebraska? He had 20 rushing attempts for 80 yards and caught all 4 of his targets for 22 yards. As I mentioned last week, Jackson had 78.5% of the running back rushes for the 2023 Austin Peay team. Thus far, Jackson has handled 30 of the 32 running back rushing attempts.
Wide Receivers
🏈 @DentonMazda Play of the Week@MeanGreenFB's @Dtsheffield3 had a day on Saturday with 3 TDs, 74 Yards…. ᗪㄒ = ㄒᗪ 😤#GMG🟢🦅 pic.twitter.com/DQbGpmEhP2
— Mean Green Sports (@MeanGreenSports) September 10, 2024
DT Sheffield – North Texas
Fantrax Rostership: 30%
Total Fantasy Points: 43.8
Fantasy Points Per Game: 21.9
Through 2 weeks, DT Sheffield is averaging 10.5 targets per game. That ranks 7th in the G5. He also ranks 27th in receiving yards per game in the G5 with 74 yards. While touchdowns are not a sticky stat, he is tied for the lead in the G5 for receiving touchdowns with 3. North Texas is averaging 43.5 points per game right now. They are throwing the ball 43 times per game. North Texas is scoring, and Sheffield has the volume. Don’t miss this STUD G5 Waiver Addition.
Dalen Cobb – Georgia Southern
Fantrax Rostership: 21%
Total Fantasy Points: 39.6
Fantasy Points Per Game: 19.8
Dalen Cobb is quietly averaging 5.5 receptions and 68 yards per game. As mentioned above, DT Sheffield has the most receiving touchdowns in the G5. Well, do you know who is 1 touchdown behind him? You guessed it. Dalen Cobb. When the G5 Hive interviewed the GATATalkPodcast for their Worker Bee Series, Cody Anderson mentioned Dalen Cobb as his Offensive Breakout Player in 2024.
Clay Helton offenses like to feature the slot wide receiver. Historically they average ~16-17 points per game. Currently, he is averaging 19.8 points per game. What are your leaguemates doing?!? If you want to flex on your league, pick up Cobb and stick him right in your lineup for Week 3!
Wide Receiver To Watch
Omari Hayes – FAU
Fantrax Rostership: 11%
Total Fantasy Points: 27.3
Fantasy Points Per Game: 13.7
This is a 100% process play. Tom Herman’s system loves to target the slot wide receiver. Historically, ~50% of the wide receiver targets go to the slot. In 2023, the Owls threw 388 times and slot wide receiver, Lajohntay Wester, had 152 of those targets. With Wester transferring to Colorado, Omari Hayes has taken over the slot role. The Owls are currently on a pace to throw it 372 times. My only red flag right now is the scoring. The Owls are scoring 8.5 points per game, which is 131st of 134 FBS teams. If you want to wait a few more weeks, I get it. At a minimum, have Omari Hayes on your radar!
Those are my 8 impactful G5 Waiver Additions! Can you believe it? Your league-mates whiffed another week on these guys. I am here to dive into the G5 landscape and find these impact-makers for you. If your league utilizes a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB), I bet you can get away with a small bid for any of these individuals. If you are looking for other additions, be sure to check out John Laub’s article, College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 2 Gemstones.