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
for that elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp.
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 that
might be available in 12-team PPR leagues. I’ll also provide
a brief update on the players I covered the previous week.
Week 9 Byes: Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, NY Giants, Pittsburgh,
San Francisco
Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence,
JAC vs. Las Vegas – It’s the best matchup on paper this week in
terms of FF points allowed to QB, and there’s just not much on
the wire to get excited about. T-Law is available in over 40%
of ESPN leagues, so he’s what I’m looking for this week (if Justin
Fields is not available) as a bye week fill-in.
Marcus Mariota, ATL vs. Los Angeles Chargers – I’m
much more interested in T-Law and Fields, but if I desperately
need a live body to start at QB this week, I’m partial to
Mariota, who had his best fantasy performance of 2022 against
the Panthers in Week 8 with 253-3-2 and 6-43-0 rushing. He’s
been serviceable the last four games, even if he doesn’t
throw to Drake London enough!
Daniel Jones, NYG – Jones (176-0-0) was a huge bust on
Sunday in what seemed like a favorable matchup. This team really
needs healthy, experienced WRs.
Justin Fields, CHI – Fields surpassed expectations (151-2-0
passing, 8-60-1 rushing) and logged his best fantasy performance
of the season against Big D and their big D. Kudos to you if you
took the plunge and plugged him in. He’s looking like a
deep-league fantasy starter for the foreseeable future.
Running Backs
Kenyan Drake,
BAL @ New Orleans – Keep an eye on the hamstring injury to Gus
Edwards (more below), because Drake will get a massive workload
if he sits. Drake is versatile and talented, but he’s sometimes
ineffective. This week you might not have a choice.
UPDATE:Khalil
Herbert, CHI vs. Miami – This looks more like “RB
by committee” than we were led to believe at the outset
of the season, and Herbert has looked at times much better than
David Montgomery, who struggled against Dallas and may have lost
the edge in the balance of touches moving forward. Herbert is
still available in over 50% of ESPN leagues.
Caleb Huntley,
ATL vs. Los Angeles Chargers – I can’t stand recommending Atlanta
RBs, but there’s not a lot going on this week in the RB wire except
retreads and players already rostered. Still, Huntley had 16 carries
for 91 yards in Week 8 and he’s fine for RB3/flex in 12-team leagues
in a tough bye week.
UPDATE:Chase
Edmonds, DEN (BYE) – It’s not guaranteed that
Edmonds will immediately resume fantasy relevancy after being
relegated to backup status in Miami, but without a true serviceable
back in Denver (Melvin Gordon and Latavius Murray just don’t
get anybody excited), it’s worth a waiver wire shot unless
you have more immediate needs, especially since the Broncos are
on a bye in Week 9.
Gus Edwards,
BAL – Edwards (11-65-0 rushing) caught a mild hammy in the latter
stages of Week 8 and is day-to-day with the injury. He’s questionable
for Week 9 @ NO in a tough matchup.
D’Onta Foreman
& Chuba Hubbard,
CAR – Foreman stole the show (28-118-3 rushing) in a monster workhorse
performance and Hubbard sat out Week 8 with an injury he suffered
last Sunday vs. TB. Foreman is still out there in a few leagues
but you may have missed the boat on adding him.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
UPDATE:Chase
Claypool, CHI vs. Miami – He’s only available
in about 25-30 percent of leagues, but he could be the best waiver
wire add of the week if available and goes on to live up to the
potential he showed as a rookie. Perhaps the environment in Chicago
will lead to better production for the somewhat acrimonious young
wideout.
Devin Duvernay,
BAL @ New Orleans – With Rashod Bateman out a few weeks and TE
Mark Andrews nursing an injury of his own, Duvernay could be an
essential piece of the Ravens offense moving forward. Last week
he scored on the ground and there’s 20+ point ceiling based on
his versatility, regardless of matchup difficulty.
TE Evan Engram, JAC vs. Las Vegas – Engram (4-55-1) led
the Jags in receptions and yards, highlighted by a 22-yard TD
in the first quarter. Engram is emerging as a consistent fantasy
TE, and now has at least four receptions in four consecutive games
with 50+ receiving yards thrice in that span. I wish I played
him last week in the one league where I own him!
Rondale Moore, ARI vs. Seattle – He’s fast, and he’s
got a solid possession receiver back in the fold in Nuk Hopkins
to help take some of that heat off. Moore’s 7-92-1 receiving
and 2-12-0 rushing in Week 8 are just the beginning of gaudy numbers
for the second-year WR.
Romeo Doubs, GB @ Detroit – The confidence is growing and
the catch on Sunday night should be a glimpse of the goodness
to come from Doubs, who has a favorable matchup this week in Detroit.
Get him while he’s still available.
Darnell Mooney, CHI vs. Miami – With Fields improving each
week and the ceiling for Mooney steadily increasing as well, it’s
a good time to take a shot. Miami gets in shootouts and the Bears
offense has massive upside in this matchup.
Parris Campbell, IND – Campbell came back down to earth
but contributed some yardage (2-43-0 receiving, 1-28-0 rushing)
in Sam Ehlinger’s starting debut.
Darius Slayton, NYG – A mediocre day (5-66-0) but efficient
(just six targets) in Week 8. Slayton remains part of the formula
in New York but the Giants are on a bye.
TE Greg Dulcich, DEN – A solid day for Dulcich (4-87-0)
against Jacksonville in London gives way to a bye week for the
rookie in Week 9. Some of the matchups after that are golden,
though (@TEN, LV, @CAR, @BAL, KC).
