Week 3 Wide Receiver (WR) Pickups: Deeper Waiver Options

September 19, 2014

Brian Hehir looks at some 2014 NFL Wide Receivers (WR) who might be solid waiver wire pickups for your deeper fantasy football leagues late in the week.

Deeper fantasy football leagues leave you grasping for straws when it comes to the wide receiver position, especially late in each week when waiver wire claims have run and you may have missed your guy.

Also once injuries start setting in, and injury statuses get updated multiple times each week, it can make things even more difficult.  That’s why I am here: to keep you updated on some of the less heralded pass catchers to help keep your team’s collective head above water.

I can’t promise that all of these players are going to be on your waiver wire, but I can suggest that you consider them if they are. It is important to note that these players are exponentially more valuable as the number of teams in your league rises. Some of these players shouldn’t even be sniffed in standard 10 team leagues.

Late Week Wide Receiver (WR) Waiver Wire Pickups

Brian Quick - St. Louis Rams

29% Owned in Fleaflicker

I’ll keep my love-gasm for Brian Quick going to begin with. Again, this is a guy who was drafted with the first pick of the second round in 2011, mostly because he went to an FCS school instead of a big name school. You think Quick, who is 6’4” with a 4.55 40 time, is dropping out of the first round if he sported an Auburn Tiger on his collegiate jersey? I don’t.

If the biggest complaint about him after the draft was his inexperience, then I’d imagine the two seasons in which he grabbed only 11 and 18 balls respectively did a great job in opening the eyes of the St. Louis receiver (especially considering he already has 14 catches through two games this season). He also has shown an abilty to find the endzone in years past by scoring two TDs in both of his first two years so there’s no reason to believe that he’s going to be kept from scoring in his third year.

And those who are concerned over the quarterback situation for the Rams, don’t be. For one, the Rams passing attack has looked pretty decent so far, and Shaun Hill isn’t afraid to chuck the ball; many of those passes are bound to come Quick’s direction, and if it’s Austin Davis who ends up quarterbacking this team then there's not many reasons to believe that he can’t do his job in a proficient manner for the rest of the season.

Should you pick Quick up in your eight team league? Probably not. You can find something better elsewhere. But when we’re talking about twelve to sixteen team leagues then yeah, grab him if he hasn’t already been scooped up. He could have some potential play as a dynasty player if he continues to improve in the rest of the season. Plus, he’s a Brian, which should be enough of a reason in itself.

Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant -  Carolina Panthers

15% and 4% Owned in Fleaflicker

Admit it. You were down on Mr. Cameron Newton at the beginning of the season because you had to watch as all of his favorite targets left for new teams and you didn’t think anyone was going to be around to catch the balls that Cam was going to throw. And then the dude goes and breaks a core part of his body. You thought the ship that was the Carolina Panthers offense was sunk.

But you didn’t realize that Greg Olson was still there and that Kelvin Benjamin was going to become one of the breakout stars of the early season. And, maybe you forgot the warrior-ness and skill level of Cam Newton. And maybe you didn’t realize the stabilizing effect of bringing in two thirty something year old professionals on a team’s offensive identity.

Through two games, it’s clear that Cotchery is going to continue to do what he has done for his entire career: provide his quarterback with a sure handed safety blanket who can convert those third and longs. No, he won’t give you superstar numbers. But in very deep leagues, where you are scrambling for anything for that second flex spot, Cotchery could be your meal ticket, flirting with ten points on a regular basis and more when he secures a TD.

Avant on the other hand should be on everybody’s radar during the next couple weeks. What was evident during the Detroit game was that Newton and Avant had some nice chemistry, with Cam finding the former Eagle when plays were breaking down on a regular basis.

It’s important not to allow the first game with Derek Anderson at the helm (where Avant only had a single catch) cloud our vision of the potential of this pass catcher. He could possibly become a favorite target of one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I don’t think I have to tell you that this should translate well to fantasy points, but for now Avant is more of a wait and see player.