November 3, 2015

Ed Gorelik analyzes Week 9 sleepers available on your 2015 fantasy football waiver wire. These NFL running backs (RBs), wide receivers (WRs), tight ends (TEs) and quarterbacks (QBs) are fantasy football sleepers.

Waiver Wire Adds for Week Nine

The eighth Sunday of the season is through and if you were lucky enough to have your team finish this week healthy, you probably won.

Week 8 saw an unspeakable amount of injuries to major players, another dominant showing from future Hall of Famer and winner of at least two league MVP awards Todd Gurley, and one of the most exciting games of the year between Drew Brees and Eli Manning.

Below are some waiver wire pickups and sleepers for Week 9 who can have a potential impact for your teams. My piece won't cover all waiver wire adds and targets each week, as there are just too many with all the league types out there, but I'll be highlighting and prioritizing the biggest impact players. Additionally, be sure to check out many more great RotoBaller articles and waiver wire analysis pieces at each position throughout the week, including risers/fallers, deeper league sleepers, rankings and more.

Week 9 Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickups

Derek Carr (QB, OAK)

45% Owned on Fleaflicker

Derek Carr's already owned in a lot of leagues, but this number should really rise after this week. Against the New York Jets Carr had his best game yet. He attacked the entire field, maximizing his wide receivers' space to help them gain yards after the catch, and was just generally good. With the Jets now past, Carr's schedule becomes very easy as he faces the Steelers, Vikings, and Lions in upcoming weeks. All three of those teams will have no way to handle Cooper and therefore will struggle to contain Carr. Carr should be owned in nearly any sized league and should be a low end QB1 for at least the next three weeks- with an okay playoff schedule where only Denver in week 14 looks like a harsh matchup.

Geno Smith (QB, NYJ)

5% Owned on Fleaflicker

Oh boy, here I go again. I've always been interested in Geno Smith's potential fantasy value. A quarterback who can attack the field everywhere and has the ability to run for big gains, Geno's been consistently held back by a weak supporting cast that is no longer as weak as it once was. Coming in after Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury, Geno put together 20 fantasy points flat with two touchdowns, some rushing yards and about 250 yards passing - making him the 10th highest QB for Week 8 (standard QB scoring) before the Monday game, and very little of that came in true garbage time (most of it was in the 3rd quarter). There are a lot of easy pass defenses on his schedule and a completely revamped offense to work with, so potential value is there. In a 2QB league, he could see time as your starter; standard leagues shouldn't want to bother yet unless desperate.

Other Quarterback Options: 

• WAS QB Kirk Cousins - 17% owned - Cousins is in no way an exciting or, really worthwhile, quarterback. However, playing the Patriots means you'll be down and being down means you'll be throwing. Always a chance that volume leads to value.
• TB QB Jameis Winston -30% owned - Winston started off the year living off garbage time but he's starting to really come into his own as he gets more comfortable. Perhaps the second half of the season is a lot kinder as he's had two back to back 20~ point weeks.

More Options: Joe Flacco, Josh McCown, Nick Foles

Week 9 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

Jeremy Langford (RB, CHI)

10% Owned on Fleaflicker

Matt Forte is reportedly dealing with an MCL injury, meaning Langford becomes the next man up. Langford was an elusive back in college who showed some good spurts of vision and had some receiving skills to boot. In my notes, I felt like he wasn't special in the burst department and had him penned as a committee type of back more than a starter - but the Bears don't have anyone worth putting him into a committee with, making him the likely full-time back. Langford will be the most sought after running back this week and rightfully so - anyone taking up Matt Forte's workload is a potential RB1. He should be owned in all leagues.

For good measure, here's a play from Langford's college days showing some of his better skills in action:

Jeremy Langford uses that arm to initiate contact very often and it helps his elusiveness.

DeAngelo Williams (RB, PIT)

54% Owned on Fleaflicker

He's already owned in most leagues, but if you're in one where he isn't, he has to be owned now. During the two weeks Bell was out, Williams somehow managed to be amongst the top fantasy running backs and is on his way to re-entering that echelon. He's worth a huge free agent bid and might be the last true fantasy RB1 coming off waivers this season.

Ray Rice (RB, FA)

7% Owned on Fleaflicker

Look, no one's expecting him to get signed. I'm not going to tell you to drop a player for him either but if you've got the spot open in a deeper league (I'm talking DEEP) why not? Le'Veon Bell, Matt Forte, and even Reggie Bush's injury opens up the need for running backs on some NFL teams. A report put out three days ago says Rice is still keeping in football shape, so can you imagine a more likely time for him to get signed? If you're in a normal sized league, you should ignore him but keep an eye on news about him as it comes out.

David Cobb (RB, TEN)

39% Owned on Fleaflicker

We're getting closer to the time of the season where Cobb returns and carries everyone into the promise land of the playoffs. Nah, not really. But he's going to likely do better than any of the current backs are playing in Tennessee. It's becoming very clear that Cobb will have the immediate starter role since none of the other running backs in this offense can consistently make plays on the ground, but there are some real questions about how much value that will have on a Titans offense. Still, at this point, desperation plays are better than no plays when it comes to running backs.

David Cobb's able to break tackles and take away angles from players which helps make up for his lacking speed.

Orleans Darkwa (RB, NYG)

16% Owned on Fleaflicker

Orleans Darkwa would leave the game early on against the Saints, but once again he looked like a good running back on the NFL field. I'd be more than willing to take Darkwa on most rosters I have and hope that he separates from the rest of the group. At this point, why not? If you've got a spot being wasted on some backup who you never plan to start, might as well.

Ben Tate (FA, RB)

5% Owned on Fleaflicker

Man, remember Ben Tate? Everyone use to be so excited about this guy before he had a rough, rough season with the Browns that involved losing his job to Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West (who have both lost their jobs). Well, Ben Tate might be signed to the 49ers this week and that means that maybe his career might turn around. I've been saying for months how surprised I was that a guy with so much hype and youth (only 27) was just sitting in the NFL's free agency without anyone giving him a shot. Well, now's his chance.

Other Running Back Options: 

• NYJ RB Stevan Ridley - 11% owned - I'm surprised he's owned in the double digits. Ridley has been re-activated and Chris Ivory has been injury prone throughout his career.
• KC RB Charcandrick West - 58% owned - There is still over a third of leagues not rostering West. C'mon already.
• IND RB Ahmad Bradshaw - 16% owned - Still trying to build his role in the offense, he should eventually be valuable this year.
• FA RB Isaiah Pead - 0% owned - Another long shot player, Pead's supposedly going to be signed to take up Le'Veon Bell's roster spot. Who's to say he can't somehow find his way to touches?
• SF RB Kendall Gaskins - 0% owned - Someone has to run the ball on the 49ers. Assuming they don't sign another back, right now that's lookiing like Kendall Gaskins, the only healthy back left on this roster.
• NO RB C.J. Spiller - 64% owned - If he's not owned in your league this is when you pick him up. Khiry Robinson's injury opens up the #2 role.
• TEN RB Antonio Andrews - 30% owned - It's weird that he's only seeing 30% ownership even though he's been the clear starter this far into the season. Although he's certainly bound to lose his spot once Cobb returns, until he does, he still has value.
• DET RB Joique Bell - 51% owned - Somehow he got the start with new OC Jim Bob Cooter calling the plays. I guess he needs to be owned then.
• DET RB Theo Riddick - 31% owned - Theo Riddick however is still putting up the same value as before, and is especially great in PPR leagues. Needs to be owned in any PPR format.
• BUF RB Karlos Williams - 44% owned - Ownership must've dropped following his injury, but after a week off it's likely he'll be ready to return. We've seen him have a lot of value working in tandem with McCoy already.
• SF RB Shaun Draughn - 0% owned - Another player recently signed to cover for injuries, Draughn was signed to the 49ers on monday but projects more likely as depth than a starter. Still worth thinking about in deeper leagues.

More Options: James Starks, Ryan Mathews, Matt Jones, Charles Sims, Shane Vereen, Christine Michael, Thomas Rawls, Chris Thompson, Denard Robinson, Taiwan Jones, Zac Stacy, Spencer Ware

Week 8 Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups

Kamar Aiken (WR, BAL)

15% Owned on Fleaflicker

This isn't the way anyone wanted to see Steve Smith Sr. end his football career. Having another great year, Smith unfortunately will have his final season before retirement ending on the heels of an achilles injury. One of football's most under-appreciated players hopefully finds his way into the Hall Of Fame one day.

Onto Kamar Aiken. Steve Smith's already had to miss a game this season, along with leaving another one early - in both games Aiken had at least 75 yards and managed to snag a touchdown in one of the two gauntlets. Aiken might not be more than a low end WR2, but volume means value and someone has to be thrown to on the Ravens. For what it's worth, Derrick Klassen, a popular draft writer and quarterback specialist, was very high on Aiken's prospects for this year. Perhaps this is his chance to really breakout. Everyone knows the Ravens desperately need someone to.

Robert Woods (WR, BUF)

15% Owned on Fleaflicker

It seems like forever ago, but there was a time where Robert Woods had a lot of hype on him coming out of USC. It's also been a long time since Percy Harvin had a ton of hype on him. Speaking of Harvin, the Bills aren't sure what's going on with him. Apparently, a healthy Harvin decided to not make the trip to London and might be considering retirement. With Tyrod Taylor and Sammy Watkins potentially coming back this week, Woods could be a huge beneficiary of easy coverage as teams focus on Watkins/McCoy. He's a decently talented player who could benefit from a team that has their WR1 constantly injured.

Jamison Crowder (WR, WAS)

11% Owned on Fleaflicker

Jamison Crowder's ownership remained low over the bye week, which is great because he'll be easy to grab now. Since gaining a legitimate role in the Redskins offense, Crowder has hovered between nine to 16 points every week in PPR leagues, creating a very reliable floor that has held up without any touchdowns. Crowder might not gain a lot of value throughout the course of the season, but wider receivers waivers aren't looking much more reliable for production than these three guys. He's a lot less valuable in a standard league.

Michael Crabtree (WR, OAK)

54% Owned on Fleaflicker

It's weird that Michael Crabtree is barely over the 50% mark in ownership. His per game averages hover around 10 targets, 6 receptions, and 80 yards, with a touchdown every other game. That's a viable starting player, and even more viable in PPR leagues. Personally, I was very excited for Crabtree to leave the quarterbacking no man's land of Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick and finally play with a passer who had anticipation and touch on his throws. Derek Carr has become the perfect medicine for Crabtree's once spiraling career and a comeback is in full swing.

Other Wide Receiver Options: 

• CHI WR - Marquess Wilson - 9% owned - Eddie Royal's injury opens up a space for Marquess Wilson to step through.
• DET WR - Lance Moore - 7% owned - The Lions are on bye, but if Calvin Johnson's injury is serious in any way, then Moore becomes the next man up. We've seen Calvin be ineffective before when injured in recent years, so he might have value anyway.
• NYJ WR - Jeremy Kerley - 2% owned - Geno Smith's always had good chemistry with Jeremy Kerley. Putting up 63 yards in a game where Smith came off the bench, that number could increase especially as Brandon Marshall's injury news comes out.
• NYJ WR - Devin Smith - 5% owned - You can bet the entire draft community is excited about this potential. Devin Smith's been heavily underused thanks to Ryan Fitzpatrick's lacking arm talent. One of the best deep ball receivers to come out of the draft in years finally has a QB who can make deep passes. Don't expect anything big, but in deeper leagues/for desperate owners he's worth some thought.
• ARI WR - Michael Floyd - 60% owned - He's probably owned in your leagues but if he's not, it's time to pick him up. John Brown's injury is opening an opportunity for Floyd to step through and he's shining in it, with three touchdowns in three weeks.
• MIN WR - Stefon Diggs - 58% owned - If your league is still one of those that's leaving Stefon Diggs on the wire, stop it. Diggs is 2015's version of 2013's Keenan Allen.
• TB WR Dontaa Dye - 1% owned - Vincent Jackson's injury opens the door for Dye to maybe walk through. Probably not though.
• ARI WR J.J. Nelson - 1% owned - Nelson had 70 yards playing in place of John Brown. If he misses more time, perhaps Nelson gains more value.
• BAL WR Chris Givens - 2% owned - Givens was brought on to be the deep threat, and that's what he's been. However, with Steve Smith out maybe Givens gets more looks than we expect.
• SD WR Malcom Floyd - 21% owned - Not expecting much here, but with Gates injured, Ladarius Green injured, and Keenan Allen going through an injury, Floyd might be able to earn some extra looks.
• ATL WR Justin Hardy - 4% owned - Justin Hardy saw his first playing time on Sunday on an offense desperately asking for some good WRs to play. I'm not a Hardy fan, but there's plenty that are.

More Options: Rishard Matthews, Brandon LaFell, Michael Crabtree, Tavon Austin, Cecil Shorts, Leonard Hankerson, Rueben Randle, Doug Baldwin, Jeff Janis Bryan Walters, Albert Wilson, Dwayne Harris, Torrey Smith

Week 8 Tight End Waiver Wire Pickups

Jacob Tamme (TE, ATL)

11% Owned on Fleaflicker

Jacob Tamme comes in and out of relevance. It's hard to rely on him but I like momentum. Tamme's not worth spending a high waiver pick on, but if you're desperate he has value as long as Hankerson is injured and defenses focus on Julio Jones.

Vernon Davis (TE, DEN)

28% Owned on Fleaflicker

That's right, Vernon Davis is now a Bronco. One of the greatest athletes at the position of all time, Davis will be given a chance to recharge his career with a Peyton led team including a Gary Kubiak offense that has always made use of it's tight ends. Although that might not make his ceiling too high since we're looking at the current Manning and not the 2013 Manning, it should help bring him out of the gutter of the 49ers offense. Davis is worth a shot at if you're in need of a tight end.

Other Tight End Options: 

• NYG TE - Will Tye - 0% owned - Larry Donnell's injury opens the door for Will Tye, who I think has looked pretty good in some of his opportunities. The Giants have done all they can to give everyone a chance to be featured this season (even Preston Parker got his shot), so why not Tye?
• PHI TE Zach Ertz - 39% owned - Ertz has had at least 7 targets in his last three games. He might be on the upswing. The bye week also dropped his owndership.
• NO TE Benjamin Watson - 42% owned - Watson is breaking out at 98 years old. Or 34, whatever. If he's unowned in your league, he has to be owned now.

More Options: Richard Rodgers, Timothy Wright, Coby Fleener, Troy Niklas, Jared Cook, Richard Rodgers

Week 8 Defense (D/ST) Waiver Wire Pickups

New York Giants 

37% Owned on Fleaflicker

The Giants are facing a Buccaneers team that has an injured Evans, potentially an injured or rusty Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, an injured Vincent Jackson, and basically a bunch of injured players. Meanwhile, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is on a streak of interceptions and turnovers, and Winston is still a rookie QB going up against two of the leagues most seasoned coaches (Coughlin, Spagnuolo). Giants aren't looking like a great play, but a better play than most of the waivers can offer.

Philadelphia Eagles

66% Owned on Fleaflicker

They're playing against the Matt Cassell led Cowboys. There isn't much else to say, really.

Jacksonville Jaguars

4% Owned on Fleaflicker

The risky play of the week, the Jets offense has been playing well despite subpar quarterback play. Geno Smith has melted down before however, and remains relatively unknown in his offense. With Brandon Marshall potentially injured, this is looking like a solid floor play with upside.

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