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Antonio D'Arcangelis | Archive | Email |
Staff Writer


Through The Wire - Week 10
11/5/18; Updated: 11/6/18

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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.

Feedback is always welcome, appreciated and encouraged. I’ll get to as many e-mails as I can.




With Beathard showing very little in his last two starts, the 49ers may turn to Nick Mullens in Week 10.


Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, CLE – Mayfield is still just 50-65 percent owned and should be one of the top streaming options this week at home facing the Falcons. It may be your last opportunity to give Mayfield a fantasy start in 2018, as he’s on a Week 11 bye and gets a much tougher schedule when the Browns return for the next five weeks (@CIN, @HOU, CAR, @DEN, CIN). He’s coming off a 295-2-1 game and appears to be comfortable running the Cleveland offense.

Nick Mullens, SF – After turning in one of the best, most unexpected debuts in league history on Thursday night (262-3-0) the 49ers are likely starting the 23-year-old UDFA QB against the Giants in Week 10. While one game isn’t an indication of future stardom, there are much worse options than Mullens, who is at home facing a decimated defensive unit. C.J. Beathard had been trending in the wrong direction before his injury, putting Mullens on the Week 10 streaming radar.

Other QBs to consider: Sam Darnold, Blake Bortles, Marcus Mariota

Updates:

Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB – Fitzmagic was a bit erratic and couldn’t notch a win for the Bucs, but he did keep the game competitive and threw for 243-4-2, adding 23 rushing yards in the loss to Carolina Sunday. He’s a low-end QB1 with plenty of upside and is a fantasy starter in most 10-team leagues. Washington awaits in Week 10.

Dak Prescott, DAL – UPDATE: The Cowboys offense looked sharp in the first half, and after an end-zone INT that took away a scoring opportunity, they turned conservative. Prescott finished with 243-2-1 and a lost fumble. In his weekly radio spot, Jerry Jones confirmed the Cowboys still view Prescott as the quarterback of the future and promised the QB an extension. He may be happy with Dak’s approach, but fantasy owners prefer their QBs a bit more reckless. He’s a QB2 until he learns to forget about turnovers and throw the ball downfield.

Alex Smith, WAS – Smith threw for 306-1-1 and rushed for 22 yards in the loss to Atlanta. He’s best left on fantasy benches but could be considered a desperation fill-in or moderate upside QB2 facing the Bucs in Week 10.

Josh Rosen, ARI – The Cards were on a Week 9 bye but travel to Kansas City in Week 10 to face the Chiefs – a defense that’s struggled to keep points off the board while the offense scores nearly at will. There could be some upside here – and possibly some cheap value in DFS.

Running Backs

Mike Davis, SEA – Davis (about 20-55 percent owned) rushed for 62 yards on 15 carries and hauled in 7-45-0 in a 25-17 loss to the Chargers in Week 9. If Chris Carson (hip) remains limited or is forced to sit, he’ll be flirting with RB2 upside against the Rams in Week 10.

Duke Johnson, CLE – With the coaching staff in turmoil following the long-overdue ouster of Hue Jackson, Johnson had his finest game of the season in Week 9 against the Chiefs. New offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens called Johnson’s number frequently, as Johnson caught 9-78-2. This revelatory performance immediately vaults Duke to low-end RB2 status in PPR leagues, and he’ll likely see a huge target volume in Week 10 facing the Falcons pass defense – a unit that’s given up big points to receiving backs this year.

RB/WR Cordarrelle Patterson, NE – I’m not sure if the sites will change his designation to RB from WR anytime soon or give him dual flexibility, but I’ll include him here as an RB since that’s his new role in the Patriots offense. Once Sony Michel returns this recommendation could be moot, but Michel has struggled to stay healthy and Patterson ahs rushed for 99 yards and a TD on 21 carries in his last two games. He’s owned in just 5-10 percent of fantasy leagues.

UPDATE: Sony Michel is expected to return this week against the Tians, which effectively removes Patterson from fantasy consideration except in the deepest of formats.

Ito Smith, ATL – Smith (30-65 percent owned) bounced back with a nice game on Sunday, rushing for 60 yards and a TD on just 10 carries. Despite little fanfare heading into 2018 (because of the presence of both Devante Freeman and Tevin Coleman) and a limited workload, Smith has been a solid fantasy contributor. He’s scored four TDs in his last five games and get a decent matchup with the Browns in Week 10.

Giovani Bernard, CIN – UPDATE: Bernard (knee) has been out since Week 4 and the Bengals may be looking at using him in more receiving sets if John Ross (groin) is still out this weekend. With A. J. Green expected to miss some time and Joe Mixon shouldering a heavy backfield load, Bernard offers some flexibility if the Bengals want to spread the offense. He practiced Tuesday and should be in action Sunday.

Other RBs to consider: Theo Riddick, Rashaad Penny, Kapri Bibbs, Spencer Ware

Updates:

Peyton Barber, TB – Barber rushed 11 times for just 31 yards in the Week 9 game against the Carolina Panthers. He had just two grabs for nine yards on three targets and has struggled to find fantasy relevance with the gunslinging Fitzpatrick at QB. There’s only some minimal flex value here – though weeks 10-12 (WAS, @NYG, SF) could mean increased usage for Tampa RBs.

Wendell Smallwood, PHI – The Eagles were on a bye in Week 9 and face the Cowboys in Week 10 – not a very exciting matchup as Dallas isn’t letting folks run wild on them.

Aaron Jones, GB – Jones finally saw an increased workload and rushed for 76 yards on 14 carries (2-10-0 receiving in four targets) but lost a costly fumble in the second half that turned the tide of the game. He’s still the Packers most explosive backfield option and should fare well against the Dolphins in Week 10.

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

Maurice Harris, WAS – With a few of the Washington primary pass catchers injured, Harris blew up for 10-124-0 on 12 targets from Smith Sunday. He was also minimum salary on DraftKings, which helped get some of the more expensive RBs (Hunt, Kamara, Conner) in lineups. He has certainly earned a higher target volume moving forward and gets the Bucs in Week 10 – so stay tuned to the injury report and news that he might see an increased role if Jamison Crowder and/or RB Chris Thompson is forced to sit again.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB – MVS had another solid day with 3-101-0, and continues to be a deep threat and sneakily productive WR in the GB offense. He’s seen 27 targets over his last four games, has 15-317-2 in that span and is owned in just 20-45 percent of fantasy leagues.

Courtland Sutton, DEN – Sutton (50-85 percent owned) caught just 3-57-0, somewhat disappointing considering the expectations of his expanded role with Demaryius Thomas traded to Houston. We’ll have wait until Week 11 to see him back in action, as the Broncos have a Week 10 bye.

Corey Davis, TEN – UPDATE: Davis (50-75 percent owned) was targeted 10 times by Mariota Monday night, finishing with 6-56-0 in the win over Dallas. He gets a favorable matchup against the Patriots, a team he lit up for 5-63-2 in the playoffs last season. He’s a solid pickup heading into Week 10.

TE Jeff Heuerman, DEN – It was Heuerman, not Sutton, who saw the monster target volume on Sunday finishing with 10-83-1 on 11 targets from Case Keenum. This performance vaults Heuerman (5-10 percent owned) into the low-end TE1 conversation and the second tier of fantasy TEs.

Adam Humphries, TB – Humphries exploded for 8-82-2 in the loss to Carolina and was a key cog in tournament-winning DFS lineups on Sunday. He’s owned in just 5-10 percent of fantasy leagues and has shown great rapport with Fitzpatrick the past two games. He’s a fine WR3 moving forward as defenses double-up on Mike Evans and force more throws his way and to TE O.J. Howard.

Dez Bryant, FA – UPDATE: Bryant is working out for the Saints on Tuesday, and is worth considering as a speculative waiver wire add if it looks like he’ll sign a deal. The Saints are thin at WR with Austin Carr almost non-existent and Cam Meredith showing only flashes of competence this season.

Other WRs/TEs to consider: Anthony Miller, Quincy Enunwa, Josh Doctson, Antonio Callaway

Updates:

Marvin Jones, DET – The Lions offense was tame on Sunday and Jones, expected to see an increased target volume in the absence of Golden Tate, finished with 6-66-0 on eight targets from Matthew Stafford. Despite the modest performance in Week 9, he has huge upside and should be owned in all formats.

Sammy Watkins, KC – Watkins failed to follow up on his big day with Cleveland natives Travis Kelce and Kareem hunt hauling in three TD receptions in their hometown as the Chiefs emerged victorious yet again. Watkins contributed 5-62-0 and has solid upside next week against the Cards secondary.

DeVante Parker, MIA – Parker had just 1-8-0 on two targets against the Jets – as Kenny Stills returned for Miami and also finished with just one catch. It’s going to be tough to rely on thee Miami WRs for consistent production with Brock Osweiler at the helm, though the Packers matchup in Week 10 offers much better fantasy prospects.

Kendrick Bourne, SF – Bourne was relatively quiet (two catches for 6 yards) but one of his catches went for a score on Thursday night. It’ll be interesting to see his usage if Nick Mullens gets any more starts at QB.

TE Jack Doyle, IND – The Colts were on a Week 9 bye but face the Jaguars in Week 10 – which isn’t a terrible matchup for opposing TEs. Stay tuned.

TE Ed Dickson, SEA – Dickson saw just one target and went without a catch in Week 9 – though he could be used more liberally in Week 10 against the juggernaut Rams.