Fantasy football is about adapting to change and creating the best possible team through trading, waiver wire pickups, and starting the right guys at the right time. I am a massive proponent of using the waiver wire in a way that gives your team the ability to improve without sacrificing your best players in a big trade. Through the year, after every single week I will be telling you, by position, the players I feel deserve to be picked up on your rosters. The way I judge a player to be on “waivers” is based on the percentage in which they are available across every ESPN league. In order to be considered on the waiver wire, the player must have a 50% or less ownership percentage according to ESPN data. I will be striving to find the most unique values that will offer you an advantage over your opponents who may not even know that player exists. So strap in and get ready for your team to get better.
Running Backs:
Kenneth Walker III (48% owned):
With Rashaad Penny out for the season with a tibia injury, Walker now will step in as the bonafide RB1. Walker was taken with high draft capital this spring (second round pick) and had a 69 yard touchdown immediately after Penny went down with his injury. Walker had an elite combine with 98th percentile speed and made a big impact for a Seattle offense that ranks 5th in points per game through the first five games.
Brian Robinson Jr. (45% owned):
In his return from gunshot wounds, Robinson Jr. had six more rushes than Antonio Gibson in his debut. He only had 22 yards on his nine carries. However, with a touch share such as Robinson Jr. I believe that he has a lot of potential for the rest of the season as the RB1 for this football team. I think that Robinson should be the red zone running back and has a lot of touchdown upside.
Rachaad White (24% owned):
White now has back to back games with 4+ targets in each game. White is establishing a role in the offense as the 1b to Leonard Fournette. White even played a season high of 39% of snaps. He won’t ever be a top tier running back for fantasy with Fournette so heavily involved, but White has good flex ability given his role for catching passes. With matchups coming up against Pittsburgh and Carolina I would expect this Bucs offense to start scoring quite a few points.
Mike Boone (27% owned):
With Javonte Williams out for the season, Boone has assumed the RB2 role in this offense. He had 10 total touches for 85 scrimmage yards with three catches. He seems to be a great flex value play every week and if Gordon continues to fumble the ball I would not be surprised if Boone begins to get even more touches in the coming weeks. Especially given how offensively terrible the Colts-Broncos game was.
Wide Receivers:
Alec Pierce (9% owned):
Pierce now has three consecutive games (his three of his first four career games) with 60+ yards receiving. He has gotten more targets every week with 2 his first game, 5 his second game, 6 his third game, and now 9 this past week against the Broncos. Pierce has elite speed with 4.33 40 yard dash and elite size at 6’4. I love his upside and I think he offers WR2 ability week in and week out despite the offense of the Colts struggling thus far. Once Jonathan Taylor gets going watch out for this offense.
Rondale Moore (20% owned):
With AJ Green back, Moore has once again assumed the slot role and has been targeted quite a bit. He has 13 targets across the last two games with this week getting eight catches for 68 yards. He even had two unsuccessful rushing attempts, but the attempts show that the team is looking for ways to get the ball in his hands. When Dortch previously had this slot role, he was targeted heavily as well so it is clear that Kyler Murray loves his slot receiver. Grab him before he explodes.
Marvin Jones Jr. (30% owned):
Jones Jr. has 5+ targets in every game but one this season and even has 3+ receptions in each of those games as well. He is a good PPR option because he is a favorite target of Trevor Lawrence’s as illustrated by his seven receptions for 104 yards performance this past Sunday. He should be picked up everywhere as he is as reliable a flex player as you can hope to have rostered.
Tight Ends:
Tyler Conklin (50% owned):
This is perhaps the last week that Conklin could qualify for this list but desipte have a 0.0 point performance this week, I think that he is still going to be a big weapon for this Jets offense. The Dolphins game was entirely centered around the run as Breece Hall and Michael Carter combined for 28 rush attempts. I expect that number to fall when the Jets are playing teams with better offenses as the Dolphins were starting third string quarterback Skyler Thompson. I love him and think he deserves a roster spot.
Hayden Hurst (25% owned):
He started the season off strong with eight and seven targets in the first two games respectively, but had a bit of a lull before catching six of seven targets for 53 yards and a touchdown. This Bengals offense has struggled immensely thus far, but I think they will adjust which will allow for more passing opportunities for Burrow and therefore more production from Hurst.
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