Dynasty Waiver Wire: Week 11
I am a big fan of Bill Murray, and one of my favorite films he starred in was Groundhog Day. One morning, Phil (Murray’s character) wakes up and is living the exact same day as yesterday, and this continues every single morning he wakes up. It seems as though no matter what he does, he wakes up on the same day, over and over again. He tries different tactics each day to break the repetitive cycle. He gets in a police chase, jumps off a building, answered all the questions to Jeopardy, and even drops a plugged-in toaster into the bathtub he is sitting in. Phil just wanted the day to end.
You may feel like Phil, but instead of it being February 3, it is weekly fantasy, and you cannot figure out how to break the cycle. No matter what you try, it doesn’t seem to work. You try streaming a defense who ends up giving you negative points or you play the “upside” wide receiver who scores you three points… nothing works.
It was not until Phil realized that he had to be truly happy and kind toward others before the calendar would finally move to February 4. That may be the case for you as well, and you may need to realize that life could get a whole lot worse, but stay positive and keep fighting!
So whether you are a “work in progress” like I stated above, or a multiple-year champ, the waiver wire is one of the best ways to cultivate talent for your squad while not breaking the bank to do so. Staying on top of the latest news and being the first to pull the trigger will play a vital role in building and/or restructuring your squad. It can be a time commitment to stay involved and on top of the latest transactions, but it will pay off in the long run.
Shallow (18-22 man rosters)
Ryan Griffin, TE NYJ
Prior to week 11, Griffin had one really good game and a couple of solid/serviceable games. Many owners were searching for answers at the tight end position with Evan Engram and Jimmy Graham on byes, and George Kittle still nursing an injury. If you were lucky enough to turn to Griffin, you were rewarded with a career day in which he caught all five targets for 109 yards and a TD. Consider Griffin a serviceable option moving forward.
Tyler Eifert, TE CIN
At a very thin position, Eifert is a clear speculative add. Ryan Finley hasn’t looked great, and the team may end up switching back to Andy Dalton before the year’s end. Dalton and Eifert have good chemistry, and Eifert possesses all the skills you look for in a playmaking TE. With Finley still under center, Eifert will be limited in his production… but here’s to hoping the red rifle returns.
Raheem Mostert, RB SF
Tevin Coleman and the San Francisco 49ers couldn’t get anything going on the ground against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. With Matt Breida out, Raheem Mostert received the backup duties. His efficiency wasn’t great, but neither was any part of the ground game. He received eight touches to Coleman’s 15, and should continue to see a decent amount of work until Matt “Injury report” Breida is back at full strength.
James Washington, WR PIT
Washington had a rookie year to forget. But has shown flashes of potential in year two. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson were both knocked out of the game with concussions, and James Conner was knocked out with the same shoulder injury. James Washington could be the number one option in the passing game for weeks to come. Granted this is Mason Rudolph under center and the offense has looked sluggish at times, but he still carries weight moving forward.
Other “Shallow” roster players to keep an eye on:
- Allen Lazard, WR GB
- Ross Dwelley, TE SF
- Qadree Ollison, RB ATL
Average (23-27 man rosters)
Jeff Driskel, QB DET
The Lions don’t stand much of a chance with Matthew Stafford sitting out. But Driskel has been a pleasant surprise. In week 11, he posted an impressive 15-26 for 209 yards and two TDs, while also adding eight rushes for 51 yards and a TD. If you are in need of a QB replacement, you could do worse than to add Driskel, especially with the Washington Redskins upcoming matchup.
Tim Patrick, WR DEN
The forgotten man… Tim Patrick. I wrote last year about a team I dragged to the championship game while trying to navigate injury after injury. I had seven core players out of my lineup at the time, and my championship game roster looked like a game of “Pick the player’s name that you have actually heard of before” (ya… that’s a real game). Needless to say… Patrick made my final flex spot in that championship game. Spoiler alert, I lost… not a surprise. Patrick will always have a special place in my heart.
But I digress… Courtland Sutton is a stud, although the Broncos are still trying to find that number two WR opposite Sutton since dealing Emmanuel Sanders away. I think it can be Patrick. He should start to see an uptick in usage moving forward.
Trey Edmunds, RB PIT
Just when we thought Edmunds had very little value moving forward… James Conner re-aggravated his shoulder injury. His timetable is still uncertain for a return, and it is still uncertain as to how badly he re aggravated the injury. I like Jaylen Samuels as a player, but he has not shown the ability to handle “three-down work”, he struggles at times with running between the tackles. Edmunds and Samuels will alternate work if Conner has to miss a game. Edmunds would move into a flex play option.
Benjamin Watson, TE NE
The Patriots have gotten little production out of the tight end position all year long, but Watson posted his best game to date this year and was second in receiving behind only Julian Edelman. Watson could carve out a more defined role moving forward with little competition to worry about. If you are desperate at the position, Watson makes a decent high floor option.
Other “Average” roster players to keep an eye on:
- Kendrick Bourne, WR SF
- Bilal Powell, RB NYJ
- Ted Ginn, WR NO
Deep (28+ man rosters)
Bo Scarbrough, RB DET
I follow dynasty fantasy football really close, and the Detroit Lions even closer, and even I was shocked to see Scarbrough receive that type of workload on Sunday. The Lions signed him to the practice squad only ten days ago. He was promoted to the active squad yesterday. Ty Johnson was cleared to play, and I presumed that he and JD McKissic would split the workload, or close to it. But it was Scarbrough that dominated the carries and goal line work. Scarbrough is a valuable add at this point in the season.
Jonathan Williams, RB IND
Marlon Mack broke his hand on Sunday and will be out for the foreseeable future. Williams filled in for Mack and racked up over 100 yards on the ground on only 13 carries. Jordan Wilkins may miss additional time, so consider Williams a top waiver wire priority and a possible flex play until further notice.
Kyle Juszczyk, RB/FB/TE/Everything but the kitchen sink SF
It is tough for me to sit here and recommend that you pick up a guy that is not an RB, FB, or really even a TE. Kyle Juszczyk (did I spell that right? Who knows…) is someone who simply does everything asked of him. He was asked to catch seven balls in his second week back (first week back of playing the majority of the snaps), and he did exactly that while gaining 63 yards in the process. He has a great rapport with Jimmy Garoppolo and can catch the ball out of the backfield like a well-seasoned running back. In deep leagues, you are simply looking for anyone who can make an impact, and Kyle “I win at Scrabble” Juszczyk can do that.
Marcus Johnson, WR IND
You may not know who Marcus Johnson is. I mean, I’m not even sure the Colts knew who he was until a couple of weeks ago. But when TY Hilton, Parris Campbell, and Devin Funchess are all out, you rely on receivers you weren’t counting on. Johnson took full advantage of his opportunity. He caught all four of his targets for 38 yards and scored a TD as well. The Colts are on a short turnaround with a Thursday night showdown against the Texans. Johnson could have another expanded role in that contest.
Other “Deep” roster players to keep an eye on:
- Jakeem Grant, WR MIA
- Jeff Wilson, RB SF
- Deon Cain, WR PIT
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