RADIO
Steve Rebeiro speculates on players who can be added a week early, in case they emerge in Week 8. His waiver wire stashes and bench fliers to pickup in advance.
It's Wednesday morning. You dropped a player last night expecting to make some moves on the waiver wire, only to wake up and find out you weren't able to get anyone you put a claim in for. What now?
If you've got an open roster spot, its always a good idea to plan ahead for the future. There are plenty of players in the NFL ripe for a breakout game that will fly up the waiver wire in the following week. This column is here to help you anticipate who that's going to be, and stay a week ahead of your competition.
I'll be giving you a couple players who may be worth grabbing before their stock rises. Here are some players that will help you beat the waiver wire ahead of Week 10, in case they emerge this week.
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Waiver Wire Stashes and Fliers for Week 10
Jimmy Garoppolo (QB, SF) - 12% owned
The 49ers biggest moment this season came eight weeks in the season and it wasn't even a play on the field: they traded a second round pick to New England and were the first team to successfully pry backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo away from Bill Belichick. Garoppolo may be joining a failing offense, but he's also joining Kyle Shannahan, an offensive mastermind who wouldn't have management find him a quarterback if he didn't intend to use him. Expect Garoppolo to make his debut in Week 10. He has potential streaming upside if he can revive this offense.
Paxton Lynch (QB, DEN) - 0% owned
With how bad Trevor Siemian has been, its only a matter of time before Paxton Lynch gets a start this year. The second year player is still recovering from an injury and isn't even a candidate to start in Week 9, so grabbing him would only be viable in deeper leagues, particularly two quarterback ones. Lynch should take over the job at some point before the season ends.
Kenyan Drake (RB, MIA) - 34% owned
Damien Williams (RB, MIA) - 21% owned
If either of these guys weren't picked up on the wire, especially Drake, they need to be picked up ASAP. The Dolphins sent Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia this week and aren't bringing in anyone to replace him, meaning Drake and Williams will shoulder the load in the Miami backfield. Most experts believe Drake will be the early down back and Williams will take over on passing downs. Both of these guys are great lottery tickets since we can't predict with certainty which one will get the bulk of the work or if they will end up being a committee. Either way, one of these guys should become a FLEX play at worst, and I think Drake has RB2 upside.
Dede Westbrook (WR, JAX) - 12% owned
After going down with an injury right before the season started, 2016 Heisman Finalist Dede Westbrook is on track to make his debut this Sunday. The Jacksonville passing game could use him. While Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns have been somewhat productive, especially in recent weeks, both guys could benefit from being bumped down a spot on the depth chart. Westbrook has the talent to be the top option in the Jacksonville passing attack and flashed it in the preseason. There's a chance he doesn't even move past the WR3 spot on the Jaguars depth chart, but he has breakout rookie potential.
Corey Davis (WR, TEN) - 31% owned
Speaking of breakout rookie potential, Corey Davis has shown it in an actual NFL game. Davis had six receptions on 10 targets in Week 1 before an injury in Week 2 has kept him out since. Davis should once again become a factor in the Titans passing game upon return. He's worth picking up if available and could break out once again in Week 9.
Corey Coleman (WR, CLE) - 11% owned
Corey Coleman received 13 targets over the first two weeks of the season before being placed on the IR. The 2016 first round draft pick is by far the most talented receiver currently on the Browns roster. He's expected to come back following Cleveland's bye this week and will be thrown right into the fire. Coleman will be a hot add on next weeks wire. The Browns desperately need him back and need him to produce quickly.
Josh Gordon (CLE, WR) - 7% owned
After over a year of mindless speculation, we finally have concrete news on Josh Gordon: he met with the NFL this week to discuss his reinstatement. We have no idea if the Browns would even welcome back Gordon or if he can even be productive at this point, but I'd bank on them giving him a chance. Hue Jackson is coaching for his job. If his receiving core can go from Kenny Britt's corpse and Ricardo Lewis to Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon, he has to take that opportunity. It would benefit both him and whoever he's using at quarterback at that point. Gordon is worth a speculative add if you have a roster spot.
Kenny Golladay - 11% owned
Not much has changed for Galloday since last weeks column. Galloday didn't come back in time for the Lions game last week and missed an opportunity to step back in with a vengeance. Assuming Galloday comes back at the same time or after Golden Tate, he isn't as likely to have a huge statement game. But Galloday is a talented player surrounded by a talented passing game and should build on his great Week 1 performance sooner than later.
Charles Clay (TE, BUF) - 14% owned
Greg Olsen (TE, CAR) - 46% owned
I'm going to group these two together because they represent the same thing: high-end TE1s making their return from injury in the coming weeks.
Charles Clay has been fantastic over the past two seasons. He came on strong at the end of 2016 and didn't let up starting this season, scoring two touchdowns in his first three games and going for over 100 yards in his fourth. Even with the addition of Kelvin Benjamin, Tyrod Taylor is going to love having Clay back in the lineup. He's expected to come back in Week 10 and will surely be a hot add next week. Owners without a real tight end option should pick up Clay now.
Olsen is the flip side of the Benjamin trade. Without Benjamin out of the picture, Cam Newton is going to need Olsen back as soon as he can step on the field, which is expected to be Week 12. Olsen has been Newton's most reliable receiver over the course of his career and if he can come back healthy will be an immediate TE1. Owners in the drivers seat for a playoff spot should take a chance on Olsen if available. He could be great even as a FLEX play for the playoff stretch.
Pittsburgh Defense - 76% owned
76% is way to high for being listed in this kind of column, but Pittsburgh is on bye and was dropped in 12% of leagues Tuesday night. They play Indianapolis in Week 10. Do I need to say anything else? They're the top plan-ahead streamer if available.
Rod Smith (RB, DAL) - 2% owned
UPDATE: The Zeke saga continues, with news this morning that Elliot will be playing in Week 9.
If you missed out on Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden but still want to enter the Zeke replacement raffle, Rod Smith is your guy. The Cowboys are expected to give all three guys a shot to earn the job next week. Cowboys players have been high on Smith and he flashed potential with a 45 yard run against San Francisco in Week 7. It isn't ridiculous to think Smith will become the lead back in Dallas. There's a reason that McFadden, a former first round pick, and Morris, a former All-Pro, are currently backups on a team that uses one running back for almost the entire game. If they were really that good, they would be playing! Smith had to earn his spot on this roster, it wasn't given to him. He could just as easily earn the starting job.
