Latavius Murray (RB, MIN) - Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12 and 14-Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 39% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Latavius Murray saw a slight drop in playing time in his third NFL season, but still managed a respectable 788 yards on 195 touches (4.0 yards per carry). Now in Minnesota, his playing time is expected to be further limited, but that doesn’t mean the 27-year-old running back cannot be productive.

The starting job belongs to Dalvin Cook, but Murray should still eat a solid chunk of the team’s carries, especially in the early going. It’s rare for a rookie running back to come in and rack up 20 touches right off the bat, so look for it to be more of a 60-40 split against a less-than-formidable Saints defense in Week 1. Additionally, even in the games in which Murray took a backseat in Oakland’s offense last season, he still saw decent goal line work, totaling 12 touchdowns on the ground across 14 games played.

Owners looking to replace Doug Martin, Jacquizz Rodgers or Jay Ajayi in Week 1 could turn to the waiver wire and scoop up the former Pro Bowler. Regardless, Murray is worth a stash in deeper leagues in case Cook proves ineffective in his rookie campaign.