Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players who can
help your squad and may still be available in your league. I’ll
also provide a brief update on the players I covered the previous
week.
Tua Tagovailoa,
MIA – Unknown fantasy commodities with athletic ability
as good as Tua’s offer plenty of upside, even if the Dolphins are
losing what’s been a pretty reliable producer in Ryan Fitzpatrick.
He’s being snatched up everywhere, so this week might be your only
shot to get in at the ground floor of what could be a wild ride.
Getting chased by Aaron Donald might not be the best matchup to
get started, but the guy could have huge value in the near future.
Derek
Carr, LV – Faced against the tough
Bucs defense, Carr finished with 284-2-1 in the 45-20 loss, adding
19 yards rushing. Things should be easier in Week 8 against the
Browns, and Carr is owned in just 25-35 percent of leagues.
Teddy
Bridgewater, CAR – Teddy completed
23 of 28 passes for 254-2-0 in the Panthers’ 27-24 loss to the
Saints on Sunday, adding 10 rushing yards. He’s got a great Week
8 matchup vs. ATL too.
Jimmy
Garoppolo, SF – Handsome Jimmy stunk
it up on Sunday with 277-0-2, but it should be easier against
the shootout-happy (or sad) Seahawks in Week 8.
Joe Burrow,
CIN – Burrow had a nice little day, throwing for 406-3-1,
adding 34 rushing yards and a TD. While he fumbled three times,
losing one, he’s on such a potent offense – and it’s clicking
heading into a Week 8 date with Tennessee.
Running Backs
Chase
Edmonds, ARI – Edmonds had 58 rushing
yards and caught 7-87-0 in Week 7 against Seattle and could be
looking at an every-down role with Kenyan Drake injured. The week
8 bye shouldn’t stop you from adding Edmonds, who’s looking a
lot like a solid flex play or better.
UPDATE: Drake is expected to miss
several weeks, so Edmonds is the top add for Week 8.
La’Mical
Perine, NYJ – We’ve been clamoring
for more Perine in this column, and he got his chance Sunday,
playing about 70 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and tallying
39 yards and a TD on 11 carries in Week 7 (2-16-0 receiving).
Adam Gase may be a lunatic, but he’s smart to give him more of
a role in this offense. Next week against KC offers a shot for
more touches.
DeeJay
Dallas / Carlos
Hyde, SEA – Chris Carson is injured
again, and Hyde rushed 15 times for 68 yards and a TD in Week
7 against the Cardinals in his stead. Carson left with a foot
injury (MRI scheduled for Monday) but was seen walking around
the sidelines, so he might be okay. But Hyde is really too valuable
when Carson is out to ignore.
UPDATE: A clearer picture of the
Seattle backfield situation should develop in the next couple
days, but there’s a lot going on. Hyde picked up a hamstring
injury on Sunday night, Carson is being called “week-to-week,”
Travis Homer suffered a knee contusion during the game as well,
and rookie DeeJay Dallas may be the only healthy back heading
into Week 8. Hyde still could be worth an add if his hamstring
is good enough to practice this week, but we really need to stay
tuned on the news each day – focusing on Dallas first, since
he’s healthy.
Boston
Scott, PHI – Scott had a modest
46 rushing yards in the Week 7 win over the Giants, adding 3-46-1
receiving. Solid, not amazing, numbers that could continue and
even improve dramatically if Miles Sanders (knee) misses Week
8 against the woeful Cowboys.
Zack Moss,
BUF – Another guy we’ve wanted to see, Moss had seven
carries for 47 yards in Week 7 against the Jets and was involved
in the pass game with 3-25-0 on three targets. We’ve known he
could be more effective than Devin Singletary, but this week could
see a shift in the committee work moving forward.
JaMycal
Hasty, SF – Hasty had another good
outing with nine carries for 56 yards in and 1-16-0 receiving.
Jeff Wilson left the game with what appeared to be a serious ankle
injury and we know Jerick McKinnon doesn’t handle a huge load
and Tevin Coleman is just getting back. Hasty could have a big
week against the Seahawks.
UPDATE: Wilson went on IR and
Coleman isn’t ready yet, so the committee of McKinnon/Hasty
will probably handle a 60-40 type split this week – with
the 49ers WRs and Kyle Juszczyk handling an occasional rush or
two.
Gus Edwards,
BAL – The Ravens were in a bye, and Pittsburgh is up
next. Kind of a tough matchup, but Devin Bush is out for the year
and the Ravens really seem to like giving Edwards carries.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
Brandon
Aiyuk, SF – I’ve written the rookie
up before, but the fact remains that he’s a monster talent with
an ever-expanding role (6-115-0 in Week 7). The numbers will be
spotty, but that will get better and he’s a playmaker in a big spot
against the Seahawks in Week 8. Get him before he’s gone everywhere
(20-30 percent owned).
Nelson
Agholor, LV – The entire Raiders
offense should be clicking next week, and maybe Agholor is worth
an add after hauling in 5-107-1 in the loss to Tampa Bay. Agholor
now has three TDs in three consecutive games for the Raiders,
risky play or not. He’s available nearly everywhere (1-2 percent
owned) and he’s got plenty of upside vs. the Browns.
Sterling
Shepard, NYG – A solid possession
receiver who used to have some enormous games, Shepard (35-40
percent owned) had 6-59-1 in his first game back since Week 2.
He’s got a tough Week 8 matchup (TB) but the next couple (@WAS,
PHI) are much better.
Randall
Cobb, HOU – Cobb caught my eye in
the DFS player pool last week but I failed to pull the trigger,
missing out his 8-95-0 he put up out of the slot. I like Cobb
as a slot receiver alongside Fuller and Cooks on this team. He’s
on a bye but weeks 9 and 10 look solid.
Rashard
Higgins, CLE – Higgins assumed a
larger role once Odell Beckham Jr. left the game and had 6-110-0
in the Browns’ Week 7 win over the Bengals. He’s a streaky player,
but there could be something there with ODB out.
TE Harrison
Bryant, CLE – The rookie caught 4-of-5 targets for
56 yards and two TDs in the Week 7 win over the Bengals, and both
he and David Njoku (2-20-1) are solid red zone targets who will
be involved whenever Austin Hooper is out. He’s TD-dependent but
TDs are good!
Scotty
Miller, TB – The forgotten commodity
among the high-profile Bucs WRs, Miller translated that anonymity
into 6-109-1 in the win over the Raiders – and could do it again
against the Giants in Week 8. The problem is when Antonio Brown
gets into the fray, things could change.
