In this weekly series, I will highlight players that are speculative adds in deeper dynasty leagues, since the majority of players often covered in typical waiver wire columns have long been rostered.
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No matter how deep your league is or how large the rosters, you should always keep a watch list of players you are considering adding, should the opportunity present itself. The group of names below will help you form that list.
All players mentioned will be owned in less than 20 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues. I will note that the data presented is based on all Yahoo leagues, not just those designated as keeper or dynasty.
First, let’s look back at last week Waiver Wired suggestions that gained value, with current Yahoo ownership percentages and percentage change in parentheses.
CJ Anderson, DEN (65%/+62%)
Alfred Blue, HOU (51%/+35%)
John Brown, ARZ (30%/+11%)
Drew Stanton, ARZ (9%/+8%)
Bryce Brown, BUF (23%/+7%)
Isaiah Crowell, CLE (22%/+7%)
Theo Riddick, DET (12%/+6%)
Josh McCown, TB (20%/+6%)
Jarvis Landry, MIA (15%/+4%)
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TB (6%/+4%)
Ryan Mallett, HOU (6%/+3%)
Teddy Bridgewater, MIN (9%/+2%)
Christine Michael, SEA (4%/+1%)
Damien Williams, MIA (2%/+1%)
UPDATE: Last week ended up being a strong opportunity for those teams needing a running back to plug and play as we near the end of the fantasy regular season. CJ Anderson, Alfred Blue and Isaiah Crowell all ended up as Week 11 starters and at two of them could be starting the next few weeks as the fantasy playoffs begin.
While these players are on the rise, some of last week’s suggestions lost value over the past week.
Michael Vick, NYJ (10%/-2%)
Kyle Orton, BUF (13%/-2%)
Donte Moncrief, IND (4%/-1%)
Jace Amaro, NYJ (4%/-1%)
UPDATE: Again, no real surprises here as two of these players were on byes. Donte Moncrief continues to be criminally underused by the Colts, who seem set on forcing Hakeem Nicks into their lineup. Kyle Orton has cooled dramatically after his fast start and has almost no long-term value. If you aren’t using him as your starter down the stretch, and you’re probably not, he can be dropped.
Quarterbacks
1. Drew Stanton, ARZ (9%)
2. Ryan Mallett, HOU (6%)
o Clearly, there are few options on the waiver wire at this point in the season. With Carson Palmer out for the year, the Arizona Cardinals have turned to Drew Stanton and he had a solid first game back. Stanton was QB11 on the week, throwing a pair of touchdowns to Michael Floyd and going over 300 yards for the first time in his career. Stanton is a desperation play for most dynasty owners, but could be a huge pickup for those in two quarterback leagues.
o Another player thrust into action in Week 11 was Ryan Mallett, whom the Texans turned to in place of a struggling Ryan Fitzpatrick. It was the obvious move as they will not be making the playoffs and traded for Mallett this pre-season. It’s time to see what he can do. Despite this being his fourth year in the league, this was Mallett’s first start. In fact, the former Patriot had only attempted four NFL passes entering the Texans matchup with the Browns. Mallett had a solid day, throwing a pair of touchdowns, but did not make a fantasy impact. He’s worth a stash in deep dynasty leagues as he could earn the 2015 starting job with his play the rest of the way.
Running Backs
1. Latavius Murray, OAK (1%)
2. Dan Herron, IND (1%)
3. Christine Michael, SEA (4%)
4. Theo Riddick, DET (12%)
o If you need a running back, hopefully you nabbed one last week, because there are few options left on most waiver wires. The best bet might be second year Raiders back Latavius Murray. While the Raiders have struggled at the running back position, with Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew both showing the fantasy relevant portion of their NFL careers are through, they have been hesitant to give Murray a shot. He actually didn’t get much of a chance in Week 11, he just made plays when he had the opportunity. Murray led the team in rushing on just four attempts and was tied for the team lead in receptions with three. These pedestrian numbers say more about the Raiders’ offense than it does for Murray.
o One of the surprises of the 2014 season, the play of Ahmad Bradshaw for the Colts, took a wrong turn in Week 11. Bradshaw suffered what is being reported as a broken ankle, which would end his 2014 season. We all know about the struggles of Trent Richardson. While I do expect Richardson to see an increase in touches, the team could also get their third string back, Dan Herron, into the act. Herron hasn’t accomplished much at the NFL level, but hasn’t had a real opportunity yet.
o Consider this your weekly reminder to pick up Seahawks running back Christine Michael if he is still sitting on your waiver wire. Michael only carried the ball once in Week 11, but you’re not adding him for the stretch run, but rather the potential he brings for 2015 and beyond. Multiple reports last weekend say the team is ready to move on from starter Marshawn Lynch, meaning the job will be wide open. In a run heavy offense like Seattle’s that upside is too much to pass up.
o Lions’ running back Theo Riddick was a popular sleeper choice for Week 11, but once the Cardinals got off to an early lead, that clearly changed the game plan for the Lions and Riddick. He ended the game with just a pair of carries and three receptions. Riddick has shown flashes this year, especially in the games where the team has been without Reggie Bush, who is expected to play in Week 12. Riddick is another player to stash on a deep roster as we see how the Lions’ backfield ends up in 2015.
Wide Receivers
1. Kenny Stills, NO (13%)
2. Jarvis Landry, MIA (15%)
3. Davante Adams, GB (14%)
4. Kenny Britt, TEN (15%)
5. Cody Latimer, DEN (1%)
6. Marquess Wilson, CHI (0%)
7. Charles Johnson, MIN (0%)
o Unlike the quarterback and running back positions, there are actually multiple waiver options at wide receiver, led by the Saints’ Kenny Stills. Stills has had a nice underrated year, but could see some time in the spotlight with rookie Brandin Cooks out for the next four to six weeks after breaking his thumb in Week 11. Marques Colston has struggled this year, meaning Stills could become to the go to wideout for the remainder of the fantasy season.
o I mentioned Dolphins’ rookie Jarvis Landry last week and he had another great game in the Thursday Night Football national spotlight. Landry hauled in five passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. With the continued struggles from Brian Hartline and all other Miami receivers not named Mike Wallace, Landry is the team’s clear second option going forward.
o I’ve mentioned Green Bay rookie Davante Adams several times here and while he had a fairly quiet Week 11 game, he did find the end zone for his third touchdown of the season. As the season winds down, the speculation will increase regarding the free agency and possible departure of starter Randall Cobb. If Cobb does opt to sign elsewhere, Adams should step right into a starting role in one of the top offenses in football. He’s already a top 20 dynasty wide receiver for me and is still available on many waiver wires. It’s time to rectify that.
o Rams’ receiver Kenny Britt just keeps making plays, about once a month to remind us of his once dominant skill set. He did it again in Week 11, catching a long 63 yard touchdown in the Rams’ upset win over Denver. Britt is tough to rely on week in and week out, but he is the best option on a team that will be throwing often as the season continues.
o In that surprising loss, the Broncos were without Emmanuel Sanders for part of the game after he suffered a concussion on a massive hit. It’s not clear if Sanders will miss any game time in coming weeks, but with the NFL’s strict concussion protocol, it’s very possible. With Wes Welker showing signs of slowing down, this could be the opportunity rookie Cody Latimer has been waiting for. Latimer has not had the chance to join in on the rookie receiver fun being buried on the Broncos’ receiver depth chart. Even if he doesn’t get increased playing time, he is a player I’d be stashing with an eye towards the 2015 season.
o Marquess Wilson made his season debut in Week11, grabbing two receptions for 11 yards. While that statline won’t impress anyone, Wilson has drawn praise from his head coach, Marc Trestman as well as quarterback Jay Cutler. Wilson is widely available in dynasty leagues and should be scooped up quickly.
o Many fantasy players rely heavily on metrics to aid their player evaluations, and one of their favorite players of the past few years in Charles Johnson, the small school receiver with the ideal frame and speed to become a top fantasy producer. It seems like Johnson has bounced around for years, spending time with the Browns before landing with the Vikings earlier this year, but this season marks his first actual NFL game experience and Week 11 was the best game of his career, catching six passes for 87 yards. The Vikings’ offense has not been able to support top fantasy receivers, but with Cordarrelle Patterson struggling and now in the doghouse and Greg Jennings entering free agency at the conclusion of the season, this is the chance Johnson has been waiting for.
Tight Ends
1. Jacob Tamme, DEN (1%)
2. Jermaine Gresham, CIN (4%)
o There are few tight ends who could help you in the fantasy playoffs, but at least a couple could be plugged in as starters in the next week or two. First, Broncos’ veteran Jacob Tamme will earn the start and increased looks should Julius Thomas miss the team’s Week 12 game against the Dolphins. Considering the previously mentioned injury to Sanders and struggles of Welker, Tamme could be Peyton Manning’s safety play.
o Jermaine Gresham played one of his best games in a long while in Week 11, hauling in his first two touchdowns of the season and marking the first time in his career he’s caught two touchdowns in one game. You have to be careful not to chase points by playing Gresham, but with it looking more and more likely that Tyler Eifert won’t return this season, Gresham should continue to play a roll.
Some players on Injured Reserve that could be worth stashing for 2015: Allen Robinson, Tyler Eifert, Stevan Ridley, Dennis Pitta, Brian Quick, Knowshon Moreno, Marvin Jones, Danny Woodhead, Sam Bradford, Tyler Gaffney, Carson Palmer
