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The NFL Trade Deadline is almost here, so many players who wouldn't otherwise have fantasy relevance may jump up in value. I won't list every possible player below but RBs like Marlon Mack, Ronald Jones, Ty'Son Williams, Salvon Ahmed, and Trey Sermon should be monitored closely up until the deadline.
The coming week also returns to a four-team bye, although Detroit and Washington sitting out won't leave too many fantasy fortunes in ruins. Tampa Bay and Seattle are also off this week, so plan accordingly to replace their studs at each position.
In this column, we will identify as many noteworthy waiver wire targets as possible at every position with a brief explanation of each player's current path to fantasy relevance. All rostered percentages are taken from Yahoo and players are listed in descending order, not in order of priority. Only players who are rostered in approximately 40% or fewer leagues are considered.
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Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Mark Ingram II, New Orleans Saints - 37% rostered
ICYMI - Ingram was dealt from the Texans to the Saints, where he spent the first eight years of his career. He certainly gets a boost by going to a competitive team but won't get the same type of volume he did the last time he shared a backfield with Alvin Kamara in 2018. He's mostly an insurance policy for Kamara but has flex appeal in favorable matchups. The Saints may have to lean on their running game more with Jameis Winston's injury appearing to be an ACL tear.
Devonta Freeman, Baltimore Ravens - 22% rostered
The Ravens are coming off a bye so it's possible that Latavius Murray will be ready to go in Week 9. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll earn more touches than Freeman, who has been the more effective back in Baltimore. Murray is averaging 3.6 yards per carry while Freeman is at 5.5 YPC. The Vikings allow the fifth-most yards per carry to running backs so there is an opening for Freeman to be productive even on limited volume. If the Ravens deal one of their veteran RBs or young Ty'Son Williams, that opens up more touches for Freeman the rest of the year too.
Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks - 20% rostered
The Seahawks don't play next week and Penny looked terrible the past two games. I get it. But if Chris Carson does indeed miss the remainder of the season with his neck issue, Penny possesses value as an RB who could be part of a 1-2 split with Alex Collins.
Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles - 19% rostered
If you thought Kyle Shanahan hated your fantasy team, let me introduce you to Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. Rather than playing talented rookie Kenneth Gainwell, he put Boston Scott, who hadn't even taken an offensive snap in five of the team's first six games, as the starter and goal-line back. To his credit, he responded well by gaining 60 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. It was a complete blowout against the Lions, which won't happen every week, but the Eagles have another great matchup on paper for RBs in Week 9. The Chargers are the worst run defense in the league, so Scott suddenly looks like a strong flex candidate.
Phillip Lindsay, Houston Texans - 16% rostered
The Mark Ingram trade was supposed to mean one less fish in the murky pond waters of the Texans backfield. Instead, we saw Rex Burkhead and Scottie Phillips get involved while Lindsay carried just three times for eight yards in a blowout loss to the Rams. Lindsay is still the most talented runner they have and he should see more opportunities going forward. The Dolphins are on deck in Week 9, which is a much more promising matchup.
Ty Johnson, New York Jets - 5% rostered
Do the Jets suddenly have an offense? We'll see what version of Mike White we get next week but it's certainly looking better than before. As long as Tevin Coleman remains sidelined with a bum hammy, Johnson will get a fair amount of touches alongside Michael Carter. Both backs were utilized more as receivers than runners in a shootout with Cincinnati and that could prove to be the winning formula with this offense based on their personnel. Johnson caught five passes for 71 yards and a TD but Carter caught nine for 95 and ran 15 times for 77 yards. Carter has taken over as the RB1 here but Johnson may have standalone value in 14+ team leagues.
Jeremy McNichols, Tennessee Titans - 2% rostered
Waking up to news that Derrick Henry may miss the rest of the season with a foot injury was a sobering experience for many first-place teams. If that proves to be the case, the Titans almost certainly won't roll with McNichols as their starting running back. The team will make a move in the trade market or free agency to add a veteran back and keep McNichols in his current third-down role. He will still see an uptick in touches, especially now that Darrynton Evans is back on IR again. McNichols is worth adding in most PPR leagues.
Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team - 2% rostered
Antonio Gibson keeps grinding through the season despite playing through multiple injuries but his effectiveness continues to wane. Rather than resting him, Washington is opting to lighten his load in-game with fewer touches. Rookie Jaret Patterson outrushed Gibson by carrying 11 times for 46 yards whereas Gibson carried eight times for 34 yards. It might take Gibson sitting out for Patterson to be appealing in fantasy since J.D. McKissic owns the pass-catching role and the offensive line is currently in shambles. Patterson remains a deep stash or insurance policy for Gibson owners.
Ameer Abdullah, Carolina Panthers - 0% rostered
The well-traveled Cornhusker has joined Carolina to fill the role previously meant for Royce Freeman. Abdullah was involved more than expected, rushing eight times for 31 yards and catching three of five targets for 35 yards. If they continue to bring Christian McCaffrey along slowly, we could see a handful of PPR points for Abdullah the next couple of weeks.
Adrian Peterson, Tennessee Titans? - 0% rostered
Yes, that Adrian Peterson. All-Day AP is being worked out by the Titans on Monday, according to reports. He might be the discount replacement for Derrick Henry if things go well. How much juice does the 36-year-old have left in the tank? He averaged 3.9 yards per carry for a bad Lions team last year and averaged 4.3 YPC for Washington the year before. He won't catch many passes and will have a restricted workload, considering his age and the fact he hasn't been playing all year. He does have a fair amount of TD upside though, so standard-league managers and those desperate to fill in for Henry may want to put in a preemptive claim.
Others to consider: Sony Michel, Los Angeles Rams (35% rostered); Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals (24% rostered); Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots (14% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers - 51% rostered
Every once in a while I elect to cheat on the eligibility requirements for this column in order to squeeze in a noteworthy player. Aiyuk has been one of the most frustrating players in fantasy and has been dropped in half of all leagues, so there's a fair chance he is available even in highly competitive leagues as someone rage-dropped him. He didn't have a true breakout game in Week 8 but he saw a season-high seven targets, catching four for 45 yards. The Niners are likely to be in pass-first mode the next couple of weeks as they face the Cardinals and Rams, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him heavily involved in those matchups.
Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears - 42% rostered
Somehow Mooney's margin as the leading receiver in Chicago widened over Allen Robinson further after Week 8. He caught six of nine targets for 64 yards while former fantasy WR1 A-Rob caught three passes for 21 yards. We saw some signs of progress from Justin Fields as a passer although his main value came as a runner and this remains a conservative offense. Mooney is worth holding in 12-team leagues or deeper.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers - 36% rostered
Cobb scored twice on Thursday night because the Packers were without their top three wideouts. Davante Adams and Allen Lazard should be clear to return and Marquez Valdes-Scantling has a strong shot to return as well. Cobb will likely be dropped more than added in fantasy leagues this week. That might be a mistake. The Pack lost tight end Robert Tonyan for the season, which opens up a few more looks for Cobb in the slot. The main appeal is a Week 9 showdown with the Chiefs that should see plenty of passing on both sides.
DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins - 34% rostered
Parker missed the last three games due to injury but came back with a vengeance, catching eight passes for 85 yards to lead the Fins. The deficiencies of the defense have led this to be a pass-heavy offense, contrary to preseason expectations. If he remains on the field for Miami, he and Jaylen Waddle should be the 1A and 1B on the receiving front. That "if" is contingent on Miami holding onto him through the trade deadline, as rumors have him on the block for a franchise that is now looking to rebuild after a 1-7 start.
Jamison Crowder, New York Jets - 19% rostered
Add all the Jets! Well, it's not guaranteed that Crowder will see as many targets as the nine he saw in Week 8, mainly because Corey Davis was absent from this contest. It would also be presumptuous to assume Mike White will throw for 405 yards again. That said, Crowder is always a solid option in PPR leagues and may have found new life if White can build on his impressive debut.
Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams - 12% rostered
Whether or not DeSean Jackson gets his trade demand honored remains to be seen but he is a non-factor in the offense regardless. That has let second-year man Van Jefferson thrive in the WR3 role for one of the top offenses in the game. He is a distant third behind Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods but he has shown the propensity to make big plays downfield, as he did with a 68-yard grab against Houston. His yardage output will be volatile but he has seen at least four targets in six straight games so he's unlikely to put up a goose egg.
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers - 7% rostered
He missed Week 8 due to COVID protocols but could be back for a huge matchup with the Chiefs and their porous secondary. If he is cleared to play, Lazard is a high-end WR4 and streaming candidate.
Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville Jaguars - 2% rostered
Nothing personal, but the fact that Agnew once again led the Jags in targets is inexplicable. He's a great return man and shifty in open space but there's no reason he should be getting more targets than Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault combined. As it stands, he has a PPR floor due to volume.
Nico Collins, Houston Texans - 1% rostered
We didn't get the anticipated return of Tyrod Taylor but Davis Mills managed to put up 310 yards in garbage time. Collins collected 55 yards on four catches, second behind Brandin Cooks. He could run as the WR2 in this offense the rest of the season and has the type of downfield ability that makes him an intriguing stash.
Tajae Sharpe, Atlanta Falcons - 1% rostered
I feel like this should be Russell Gage but he was completely absent in Week 8 while Sharpe led the team in receiving with 58 yards on five receptions. For those who haven't heard, star wideout Calvin Ridley missed another game due to personal reasons and is taking an indefinite leave of absence for mental health reasons.
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) October 31, 2021
We wish all the best to Ridley on a personal level. As far as fantasy football, someone other than TE Kyle Pitts will have to pick up the vacated targets and Sharpe looks to be first in line. His low aDOT and presence in an inconsistent offense limit his appeal but the Falcons do throw the ball at one of the highest rates in the league. Sharpe is only viable in full PPR leagues but is worth an add for desperate Ridley stakeholders.
Others to consider: Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (44% rostered); Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens (30% rostered); Elijah Moore, New York Jets (16% rostered); Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons (15% rostered); Darius Slayton, New York Giants (13% rostered); Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots (8% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings - 25% rostered
Another solid showing for Conklin with 57 yards on five receptions against the Cowboys. A road contest with Baltimore is actually a dream matchup for a tight end. The Ravens allow the most fantasy points to the TE position this season, making Conklin the best fill-in for those who need to replace T.J. Hockenson.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers - 10% rostered
An injured hamstring for Eric Ebron opened up more opportunity for the rookie to be involved in Week 8; he saw the second-most targets on the team (seven) and turned in 44 yards on four catches including a highlight-reel touchdown catch in the back of the end zone. If Ebron is out again, Freiermuth enters the streaming conversation.
Dan Arnold, Jacksonville Jaguars - 4% rostered
Like Agnew (see above), the tight end is way more involved than he should be. Arnold saw a whopping 10 targets, finishing with eight receptions for 68 yards in their latest loss to Seattle. He's gotten 23 targets over the last three games with Jacksonville. If Urban Meyer insists on feeding targets to the TE position rather than WR, Arnold will serve as a low-end TE1 in full PPR leagues.
Marcedes Lewis, Green Bay Packers - 1% rostered
The unfortunate injury to Robert Tonyan likely makes Lewis the primary tight end in Green Bay. He didn't catch his lone target in Week 8 while Josiah Deguara caught two passes but Lewis is a grizzled vet who stays on the field for blocking purposes anyway. He's also been in Green Bay the past four years. Those in standard leagues or desperate at tight end might consider Lewis as a TD-only option since the Chiefs are among the most generous to tight ends, allowing a league-high 11.5 yards per target.
Others to consider: Evan Engram, New York Giants (32% rostered); Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts (16% rostered)
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins - 35% rostered
On the road in Buffalo against the top defense in the NFL, Tagovailoa struggled to put up the type of numbers he had the previous two weeks. He completed just 21 of 39 passes for 205 yards with no passing TD, although he did run in a score. The script should flip in Week 9 when the Fins take on their trade buddies in Houston. Awkwardness aside, Tagovailoa has a great chance to post a top-12 QB finish.
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears - 22% rostered
Ignore the passing numbers and focus on the fact Fields ran for 103 yards this past week. He won't be a high-volume passer, at least not this year. It doesn't matter if he can do this:
JUSTIN FIELDS ARE YOU SERIOUS?! #DaBears
?: #SFvsCHI on FOX
?: NFL app pic.twitter.com/i8nVWJPukV— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021
Fields is too unreliable to be starting in single-QB leagues but he is developing as a pro passer and is entering QB2 territory for fantasy.
Tyrod Taylor, Houston Texans - 6% rostered
Did Davis Mills buy himself another week as starter after posting another 300-yard game? Probably not, since the team was down 38-0 and did all its scoring in a meaningless fourth quarter. Taylor may not be ready to return in Week 9 but if he does, he has a great matchup with the Dolphins in store. The Texans have a bye in Week 10, so it may be prudent to wait two weeks anyway for another choice matchup with the Titans in Week 11.
Mike White, New York Jets - 1% rostered
What the White? Not only was White making his first career NFL start, it came against a vastly-improved Bengals defense that had allowed the fourth-fewest points and he was without top receiver Corey Davis. Didn't matter. White pulled out the shocking stat line of the week when he threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Jets to victory. This raises a lot of questions about the immediate future for this team, especially when Zach Wilson is deemed ready to return. For now, it's clear White is the starter on Thursday night against Indy and will be the ultimate dice roll for those who choose to add him in Superflex leagues.
Saleh says “anything is possible” regarding White being the #Jets long-term answer at quarterback.
And away we go
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 31, 2021
Colt McCoy, Arizona Cardinals - 1% rostered
It's too early to know Kyler Murray's status for Week 9 but we've heard that his ankle injury may require him to miss 1-3 weeks. That means that veteran Colt McCoy inherits the keys to the Cards' offense. He's started 30 games for three different teams over 11 seasons, so it shouldn't be hard for him to pick up on things. Going on the road to San Francisco isn't an ideal matchup but he has enough weapons to make up for it.
Cam Newton, Free Agent - 1% rostered
Jameis Winston's injury, which appears to be season-ending, has led to speculation that the Saints could sign Newton. Taysom Hill hasn't played since Week 5 and remains in the concussion protocol without a clear timetable to return. Despite his decline as a passer, Newton ran for 12 touchdowns last year and always brings value with his legs.
Others to consider: Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos (30% rostered)
Team Defense (D/ST) - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Baltimore Ravens Defense - 50% rostered
The bye necessitated a drop of Baltimore's DST in many leagues, so this is the perfect time to scoop them up. They can be rolled out for the next three weeks when they face Minnesota, Miami, and Chicago.
Miami Dolphins Defense - 12% rostered
It's not so much that you want the Dolphins defense as you want the defense going against Houston. The Texans' 22 points in Week 8, all of which came in garbage time of a blowout loss, tied their highest output since Week 1. They've finished with a single-digit point total in four of the last six games. If you play in a league where points allowed weigh more than turnovers, Miami is a decent option.
Las Vegas Raiders Defense - 9% rostered
The Raiders were off and we've yet to see the G-Men play in Week 9 so the upcoming matchup isn't based on recency bias. The Giants have a 6-6 TD-INT rate and are among the lowest-scoring teams in the league. Vegas has upped its pass rush, ranking top-10 in sacks. This isn't a shutdown unit but they offer solid streaming value.
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