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The need for last-minute replacements and waiver wire pickups in fantasy football has never been higher.
Arizona, Washington, Jacksonville and Houston are on bye this week, which already leaves most fantasy football teams shorthanded. Add in the players that are listed as “questionable” for their games this week and fantasy managers are probably as upset as Cam Newton is when his favorite fashion store is closed. If one of your star or starting fantasy players is 50-50 for this week, this column is for you!
Without further ado, here are my pivot plays and post-waiver pickups for Week 8 --- and the questionable superstars who you might need to replace:
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Week 8 Pivot Plays and Post-Waiver Pickups
If Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey (ankle) cannot go again Thursday night, you could go with…
Nyheem Hines (IND, RB) at DET
We are far removed from Week 1 when Hines scored one touchdown running and another receiving at Jacksonville. Since then the guy has had about as much fantasy value as a long snapper. Over his last three games he has not broken the 35-yard barrier in any of the outings. With super rookie Jonathan Taylor dominating the early-down work for Indianapolis, Hines has been relegated to third-down-only status.
I still think Hines is a sneaky desperation play this week, however, because of the defense is going against. Detroit has been among the worst in allowing running backs to rack up fantasy points this year and has the 20th-ranked pass defense in the NFL. There are going to be some Philip Rivers swing passes in Hines’ immediate future. Hines might not earn a carry on Sunday, but he could catch 4-7 passes for 40-60 yards, which would be helpful in a PPR league.
If Cleveland’s Austin Hooper (appendectomy) cannot suit up on Sunday, you could go with…
Gerald Everett (LAR, TE) at MIA
2020 was supposed to be the Year of Tyler Higbee if you listened to most fantasy prognosticators at the season’s start, and rightly so. Higbee finished the 2019 campaign with a fantastic five-game stretch where he racked up 43 catches for 522 yards and two touchdowns. Yet while Higbee has been dealing with inconsistency (one great three-TD game, five games where he did little) and injury (hand problem kept him out of Week 7 game vs. Chicago), Everett has shown he needs to be offered more targets per game.
Everett has 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown over L.A,’s last three games and has made the case that he should have a more prominent role in the Rams passing attack. He is scheduled to run routes against a Miami defense whose middle-of-the-pack rating against the pass is misleading. While the Dolphins Defense has feasted in recent weeks against the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers’ pathetic passing offenses, they were torched by the twosome of Russell Wilson and Josh Allen for almost 800 passing yards combined. Everett could give a fantasy manager in need 40 yards and a TD this weekend.
If New York Jets’ Jamison Crowder (groin) cannot find his way to the field on Sunday, you could go with…
Denzel Mims (NYJ, WR) at KC
Mims made his long-awaited debut last weekend and showed flashes of fantasy capability as he turned a team-high seven targets into four catches for 42 yards. The second-round pick out of Baylor was known in college for being able to box cornerbacks out for 50-50 balls and spring over safeties for jump balls other receivers without the hops couldn’t catch. Mims can turn troublesome passes into big plays, which is great news for an inaccurate quarterback like Sam Darnold.
The Jets have no chance of defeating the Super Bowl champ Chiefs this weekend, and that is good for Mims because there is no doubt that Darnold will be throwing a ton in the second half. If both Crowder and Breshad Perriman (concussion) miss the game, Mims could be targeted 6-10 times and pile up more garbage-time points than LeBron James does during a Lakers blowout. If Mims was not taken during the first round of waiver picks in your league, make sure to snag him before Sunday if you are in a pinch.
If New York Giants’ Devonta Freeman (ankle) cannot find his way to the field on Monday night, you could go with…
Wayne Gallman (NYG, RB) vs. TB
Gallman entered the season as a distant third on the Giants running back depth chart behind franchise runner Saquon Barkley and veteran do-it-all back Dion Lewis. But thanks to Barkley’s season-ending ACL injury, Lewis’ ineffectiveness and Freeman’s recent injury, Gallman is line for plenty of time and touches versus Tom Brady and Tampa Bay this Monday night.
Gallman rushed 10 times for 34 yards and a score while adding five catches for another 20 yards when he filled in for Freeman last Thursday. While Lewis might have extra motivation facing his old quarterback from his Patriots days, Gallman would be the one getting more touches if Freeman cannot go. Just know going in that Gallman will not post Barry Sanders-like numbers. Tampa Bay’s sixth-ranked run defense is still staunch despite the loss of interior lineman Vita Vea and should win the territory war against New York’s below-average offensive line.
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