I’m sure there’s smarter people out there that understands the NFL and its scheduling practices, but I really don’t get how we can just have two teams on bye last week, the Chargers and the Chiefs, and then have SIX on bye this week! How hard it it just to do four and then four repeated?
But also, at least we weren’t hit with many serious injuries in Week 8, though Ja’Marr Chase going down mid-week and then almost losing Cooper Kupp at the end of that Rams blowout…game changing wide receivers may be on a premium for the next few weeks. I mean, is Michael Thomas ever going to be healthy? And is it time to cut loose Cortland Sutton for a better option?
So, let’s dig through the waiver wire again to see if there’s any gems left.
Only players owned in less than 50% of Yahoo! leagues make the list.
QBs
Justin Fields – 42% owned
I’ve been hesitant to put Fields on this list for a while. He was even drafted in a few leagues I’m in, so it felt like when people started dropping him that the word ‘bust’ might start to become associated with him.
Yet like Danny Dimes but with fewer seasons, Fields looks like he’s figuring it out. Figuring it out on a bad Bears team, mind you, that seems like it wants to do everything to keep itself from winning.
Regardless, I’m not sure what it is, but I’ve felt an excitement building about Fields that has me wanting to look into trading for him in a few of my dynasty leagues.
And he’s out-pointed Rodgers and Brady the last 3 weeks…
Marcus Mariota — 26% owned
Mariota’s been on this list a few times now, and this week he gets to play the Chargers at home in what should be more of a shootout than expected.
That, and there’s been a Kyle Pitts sighting the last two weeks, and the running game hasn’t suffered too badly with the loss of Patterson for this stretch.
That’s all to say that Mariota has a competent offense that he knows how to run. He may not be flashy, but he’s been fantasy better than Rodgers and Brady 2 of the last 3 weeks…
RBs
Chuba Hubbard — 43% owned
Even though it appears that D’Onta Foreman has the lead job in hand with the Panthers, there’s nothing to say what a healthy Hubbard might add to the team that is playing to win even after giving away Robbie Anderson and CMC and looking to P.J. Walker to lead them…for all intents and purposes, they should be 2-0 following those moves.
Hubbard should at least get a split going forward as long as he’s healthy, and that could be more points than some starting RBs have seen.
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Kenyon Drake — 32% owned
This is probably more a short rental than anything else, but if Gus Edwards is out for Week 9, then Drake is going to get a lot of love up there in Baltimore. Even if Edwards does go, he’ll probably be limited.
In the long run, who knows what’s going on with the Ravens running game, but in the short, Drake might be the answer.
Rachaad White — 30% owned
This could be an interesting move going forward as the Bucs look to be flailing, losing their last three in a row and five of six. I don’t know what’s wrong with Fournette, but the gas seems to be out of the tank again like it was at the end of his time in Jacksonville, and Brady hype madness can only do so much.
For now, White looks like the more explosive guy, and therefore could be the go to guy as the season goes along.
If nothing else, worth a bench stash if you’ve got the space.
WRs
Garrett Wilson — 48% owned
I can’t believe I’m recommending a Jet again, but so be it. Right now the Jets have little to no run game…we’ll see what happens once James Robinson suits up…and Corey Davis is hurt and Elijah Moore’s ego is bruised, so the only guy really catching passes out there for Zach Wilson is the other Wilson.
If he’s there, he’s probably worth a pick-up. And in a receiver strapped week, he’s even worth a start.
Mecole Hardman — 36% owned
It’s been hard to say who the go-to guy on the Chiefs is if it isn’t Kelce, but more and more lately it seems that Andy Reid wants to get Hardman involved in the offense, even running the ball for 2 TDs last week.
Is that going to continue? Probably not. Hardman probably saw his best week of the season last week, but he’s weeks leading in were double digit scoring still. That’s better than a lot of these receivers have been giving us lately. And depending on Juju’s health this week, he might be the guy for Patty against the Titans.
Marquise Goodwin — 20% owned
There’s not much left with everyone on bye, but hey, Goodwin has shown that he’s still in the league the last few weeks. While it’s not going to be the fantasy bonanza that some expected, if you need a wideout for this week because you’re in a deep league and all the byes, then Goodwin might be a sneaky play.
TEs
Tyler Conklin — 12% owned
I’m really rather shocked that in our TE needy fantasy universe, that Conklin is only 12% owned. He’s only had one goose egg, which is more than we can say for Kyle Pitts, and otherwise been pretty reliable. Like nearly Top 5 in standard scoring so far.
Seriously, how is he only 12% owned?
Evan Engram — 43% owned
Here’s another guy I’m surprised is still this available on the Waiver Wire in the year of broken tight ends. Engram right now is right on the cusp being being a Top 10 guy, and he’s out-pointed the guy he’s playing across this week in Darren Waller, and also so far has out-pointed TK favorite Dalton Shultz.
And apparently he’s going to be T. Law’s favorite weapon for at least the remainder of the season.
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