Dynasty Waiver Wire: Week Seven
I just finished watching the Cowboys vs Eagles shellacking, and I am still trying to figure out who the Cowboys are. Are they Super Bowl contenders? Are they division winners? Will they bow out in the first round again?
Some games, they look fantastic, like the Eagles game. The defense was putting pressure on Carson Wentz, the defensive line stuffed the run, and Dak Prescott and company were moving the ball with ease. Then you watch a game when they played a much inferior team in the Jets and got beat.
Your fantasy team may be the exact same way. One week, you start all the right players and look like the smartest GM in the league. Then other days you bench Aaron Rodgers or Chase Edmonds and feel like you don’t even know how to play fantasy football. I’m here to tell you… it’s ok.
But let’s get down to brass tax… you aren’t here to read names that everyone already has rostered; you are here because you are a smart, dare I say clever, fantasy owner looking for a leg up on your friends. So without further ado, let me introduce you to some names worthy of your waiver wire considerations.
Shallow (18-22 man rosters)
Bisi Johnson, WR MIN
Johnson has played well when given the chance this year. He was promoted to WR3 about three weeks ago, and has played a complementary role since then. In Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, Adam Thielen injured his hamstring and the severity is still unknown. If Thielen has to miss anytime, Johnson becomes a full-time starter. He garnered eight targets on Sunday, and turned that into four catches for 40 yards and a TD.
Ryan Tannehill, QB TEN
Tannehill got his first start of the season on Sunday, and if you were like me, you were holding judgment until you saw him play again. I wasn’t running out to pick up a QB who had struggled in Miami, and was Marcus Mariota’s backup. But I came away very impressed with a solid outing. He did turn the ball over twice, but otherwise, looked solid. If you are in need of a QB, Tannehill is worth picking up and even starting in week eight against the Tampa Bay Bucs.
DaeSean Hamilton, WR DEN
The Denver Broncos are an absolute mess right now, and Hamilton hasn’t been much of a bright spot. But he is still young, and if the Broncos can get a competent QB behind center, who doesn’t hold onto the ball and turn it over, all Denver pass-catchers will benefit. Hamilton is mostly a speculative add because of the trade rumors surrounding Emmanuel Sanders. If Sanders ends up getting traded, Hamilton could very well become the starter opposite Courtland Sutton.
Jay Ajayi, RB FA
I feel like every time a running back goes down in the NFL, I hear Ajayi’s name pop up. While I don’t think Ajayi is a fantastic talent, he can definitely help a team out in a bind. He has started to work out for teams, and I would not be surprised if someone signed him over the next couple of weeks.
Zach Pascal, WR IND
Pascal is a name that has appeared in this recurring article a couple of times. He first appeared in the “deep” league section, then he appeared in the “average” league section, and now he is in the “shallow” league section. If you are seeing a trend… he is getting picked up in more and more leagues because he can make plays and Jacoby Brissett likes him. Pascal had a career day on Sunday, catching six passes for 106 yards and two TDs, and Brissett looks like the real deal Holyfield. The connection between Brissett and Pascal is a real thing, so consider this your last chance!
Other “Shallow” roster players to keep an eye on:
- Cole Beasley, WR BUF
- Zay Jones, WR OAK
- Chris Conley, WR JAX
Average (23-27 man rosters)
Ty Johnson, RB DET
Kerryon Johnson was knocked out of Sunday’s game against the Vikings with a right knee injury. It is still unknown how severe it is, but he was not able to return to the game and was sporting a knee brace on the sidelines. Enter Ty Johnson. Johnson is a very capable rookie out of Maryland who the Lions selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Ty Johnson’s workload just got a lot bigger.
JD McKissic, RB DET
The other beneficiary of the Kerryon Johnson injury is JD McKissic. While Ty Johnson will most likely take on a good portion of the carries, McKissic will see the field more and most likely increase in touches as well. McKissic can be used all over the field, and the Lions will look to get the ball in his hands more while trying to fill the void of Kerryon.
Danny Amendola, WR DET
Keeping in the trend of Detroit Lions, Danny Amendola had a very solid game, catching eight passes on 11 targets for 105 yards. Talent hasn’t been the problem for Amendola. Consistency and injuries have plagued him over the years. He is fully capable of posting weeks like this and making an impact for the Lions. He could be heavily involved again next week against the terrible secondary of the Giants.
Jake Kumerow, WR GB
The Green Bay Packers were looking for live bodies during the week. With Davante Adams out, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Alison both questionable, it was looking like Allen Lazard and Kumerow were going to see a heavy workload. Valdes-Scantling and Alison ended up playing, but that didn’t stop Kumerow from making an impact.
After last week, Allen Lazard was a very popular pickup, and Kumerow went under the radar. Now after week seven, Kumerow is the one who found the end zone. While Kumerow will still be the WR3/4 depending on health, if Rogers is slinging it around like he was against the Raiders, expect Kumerow to get some more usage.
Kendrick Bourne, WR SF
Bourne played well in terrible conditions for the now 6-0 San Francisco 49ers. While stats were almost irrelevant in the 49ers and Redskins game due to the sloppy conditions, Bourne led the niners in receiving. Your guess is as good as mine who the “number one” WR for the Niners is. Dante Pettis? Marquise Goodwin? Deebo Samuel? Bourne? Each and every week is different, and I don’t believe the niners actually have a true #1 receiver.
If Kyle Shanahan likes Bourne, he will get him involved, and Shanahan has had high praise for Kendrick “Don’t call me Jason” Bourne in the past.
Other “Average” roster players to keep an eye on:
- Benjamin Watson, TE NE
- Cody Latimer, WR NYG
- Tavon Austin, WR DAL
Deep (28+ man rosters)
Alex Erickson, WR CIN
I never thought I would recommend picking up Alex Erickson off of waivers, but here we are. Weird things happen when a team goes 0-7. When Andy Dalton wasn’t throwing the ball to the other team or the popcorn guy in row three, he was throwing it to Erickson. He received a whopping 14 targets from Dalton, and turned those into eight catches for 137 yards. He may never repeat this performance again, but the cupboards are pretty bare in Cincinnati, so you never know.
Matt Moore, QB KC
The entire NFL and fantasy football world took a collective gasp when Patrick Mahomes was seen lying on the ground in considerable pain. We learned later that he dislocated his kneecap (sounds fun), and will miss at least three weeks, if not more. Matt Moore filled in well for taking exactly zero snaps the weeks before. Moore is no stranger to playing time, and when he had to step into a starting role in Miami and Carolina, he played solid. Having Andy Reid as a play caller is a huge benefit for Moore, and you could do worse for QB options moving forward.
Brian Hill, RB ATL
Atlanta is the biggest surprise to me this season. At the beginning of the season, I posted my wins and loss projections, and it looks like the largest variance in my projections will be the lowly Falcons. I did not see how terrible the team would be. The defense can’t even stand up against a stiff breeze and the offense is all out of sorts. They are really struggling to find consistency in the run game, and Brian Hill saw his first playing time in week seven. With Ito Smith getting ruled out of the game, and Devonta Freeman getting ejected, hill was thrust into playing time. If either of them have to miss time moving forward, Hill becomes a valuable piece.
Keelan Doss, WR OAK
In week five, before the Raiders bye week, Keelan Doss played in 55% of the snaps. That percentage increased on Sunday, and he looked like a good receiver when his number was called. He garnered five targets and caught three of them for 54 yards. With Tyrell Williams out, the contributions from the wide receivers has been minimal. Williams will be coming back, and Zay Jones is getting caught up on the playbook, so we have yet to see where Doss will pencil into the depth chart, but the rookie has showcased some promise.
Jacob Hollister, TE SEA
On a small scale, I was curious to see how the tight end position would unfold in Seattle after “Uncle” Will Dissly was knocked out for the season. Through one week, it looks like Jacob Hollister will be the tight end to own. He received six targets from Russell Wilson, and was on the field for the majority of the game. While I wouldn’t want to start Hollister or Luke Willson, at least you know Hollister will be given some chances in the passing game.
Other “Deep” roster players to keep an eye on:
- Foster Moreau, TE OAK
- Josh Hill, TE NO
- Matt Schaub, QB ATL
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