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Andy's must-have fantasy football bench stashes and waiver wire sleepers ahead of Week 5 (2024). He picks high-upside NFL players to stash on your fantasy teams.
Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship.
As the season progresses, injuries occur or rookies begin to break out. Many of these NFL players are often drafted but dropped after the first handful of weeks due to impatient league managers. This article will pinpoint which players we’d want to stash on our bench as fantasy football waiver-wire pickups to power us down the stretch.
Earlier in the season, we examined some must-have handcuffs and upside players who already showcased their upside in the opening weeks, such as Xavier Legette, Jordan Mason, and Braelon Allen. This week, we will discuss some more rookies and a few veteran players who could eventually grow into starting roles and who you should consider stashing before Week 5 kicks off. All players will be below a 25% Yahoo! roster percentage.
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Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants
10% rostered
The fifth-round pick out of Purdue may be one of the most valuable handcuffs on your waiver wire. Devin Singletary has seen the most rushing attempts in New York, while Tracy has been given a reserve role.
However, in the limited snaps he has seen, Tracy has run at least seven routes per game and at least double-digit routes twice. Tracy has been targeted on at least 10% of his routes in three games this season, suggesting that Daniel Jones looks his way when he is on the field.
Giants rookie Tyrone Tracy was one of the most underrated RBs in the 2024 NFL Draft because he began his career as a WR at Iowa and was a late bloomer at Purdue.
Combo of contact balance, pass catching upside, lateral explosion are going to make him a really fun player. pic.twitter.com/Ag3QOiALMZ
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) September 27, 2024
In addition, Tracy has claimed the No. 2 role as Eric Gray has been operating as the No. 3 back, which shows that the coaching staff trusts the rookie to be the backup.
While Tracy should never go near your starting lineup yet, he is a valuable stash and could immediately become a flex option if Singletary were to miss time.
Note: Devin Singletary (groin) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game which could push Tracy up the depth chart much sooner than expected.
Ronnie Rivers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
1% rostered
While many expected Blake Corum to be the No. 2 RB in Los Angeles, the rookie has primarily seen the field only on special teams, pushing Ronnie Rivers up to the No. 2 spot. Like Tracy, Rivers is a pure handcuff stash with little to no standalone value, while Kyren Williams is a three-down workhorse.
However, Williams has an injury history, especially since he sprained his ankle last season, which caused him to hit the IR. Given the heavy workload the Notre Dame product sees weekly, he could suffer another injury.
In addition, Rivers has seen his snap count climb every week since Week 2, which could suggest that the Rams may eventually try to limit Williams’ workload given his injury history.
Isaac Guerendo, RB, San Francisco 49ers
3% rostered
Is there a trend here? Our next running back is a familiar name to readers: Isaac Guerendo. Guerendo has served as the No. 2 RB all season as Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) has battled an injury. Just this past week, it was revealed that the star running back is now suffering Achilles tendinitis in both legs, which could sideline him even longer.
Jordan Mason has logged over 50 total snaps in three of the four games this season, with Guerendo seeing just under ten in each. While the rookie should not be started in any format, he would immediately become an RB2 if Mason were to be injured.
Given McCaffrey’s uncertain timeline and Mason's large workload, Guerendo is a solid upside stash.
Other RB stashes: (Kimani Vidal LAC, Dylan Laube LV)
Mike Williams, WR, New York Jets
21% rostered
The former Charger posted a season-high four catches for 67 yards in a loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon. Williams was one of the few bright spots in that game, as the Jets offense could not find any rhythm.
Williams has been eased into action through the early part of the season after suffering a torn ACL last season but finally surpassed the 40-snap mark on Sunday.
While Allen Lazard looks to have locked down the No. 2 WR role, Williams could still have a fantasy-friendly role in this offense. The former Charger runs routes downfield, which is evident in his 2.73 average yards per route run and his average depth of target of 12.8 yards, which are both higher than Lazard.
Williams has big-play ability, and the more comfortable Aaron Rodgers gets in this system, the better. Williams is a solid stash option in shallow formats.
Noah Brown, WR, Washington Commanders
1% rostered
Noah Brown has seen his snap count increase every game since joining the Commanders in Week 2 and has begun to cement himself as the No. 2 pass-catcher in the offense. Even though Sunday’s box score suggests Olamide Zaccheaus stole the show, he logged only 18 snaps to Brown’s 45.
Brown’s 45 snaps were second to Terry McLaurin's and more than both Luke McCaffrey's 29 and Dyami Brown’s 17.
NOAH. BROWN.
📺 #NYGvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/qg4YQAluXC
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 15, 2024
Brown also saw a season-high four targets in last week’s game but could only bring in three receptions.
The Washington offense under new OC Kliff Kingsbury is firing on all cylinders and working to get as many people involved as possible, which suggests that Brown could become a solid flex option very soon.
Note: Noah Brown (groin) will not play in Week 5. However, he remains a solid stash in deeper formats as he was on his way to claiming the No.2 spot on the depth chart.
Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, New England Patriots
9% rostered
The Washington product enjoyed a breakout game (at least from a target perspective) as he saw a team-high seven targets and logged a team-high 51 snaps in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Even though Polk only brought in three of those targets, seeing him on the field more and getting looks is a great sign for his rest-of-season production.
Like Xavier Legette last week, Polk is a must-stash option this weekend, as the breakout performance could be right around the corner, given the volume he saw last weekend.
Other WR stashes (Tre Tucker LV, Luke McCaffrey WAS)
Erick All Jr., TE, Cincinnati Bengals
1% rostered
For the first time this season, the fourth-round rookie logged 38 snaps at the tight end position in Cincinnati. Throughout the first three weeks, All was typically deployed as the No. 2/No. 3 option behind Mike Gesicki, who split time with Drew Sample.
In Week 4, All caught four passes for the third straight game. Despite his low playing time, the rookie is being targeted on 46% of the routes he runs, which is very impressive.
Fantasy managers looking for an upside tight end stash should grab All this weekend before he grows into a more significant role in the Cincinnati passing attack.
Joe Flacco, QB, Indianapolis Colts
1% rostered
Rounding out this list is veteran Joe Flacco. Flacco was called upon to take over starting duties this past Sunday when Anthony Richardson (hip) left the game with an injury. The veteran looked solid, going 16-for-26 with 168 passing yards and two scores.
JOE FLACCO TO Josh Downs TOUCHDOWN!!!!!
Dicing up the Steelers for old time sake
pic.twitter.com/j0AMwLZDmf— Sideline Daily (@sideline_daily) September 29, 2024
Richardson is viewed as day-to-day and should be expected to start on Sunday against Jacksonville. However, given Richardson’s playing style and past injury worries, Flacco could find himself back on the field sooner rather than later.
In addition, Flacco was able to defeat the 3-0 Steelers. If Richardson continues to struggle (without an injury), Flacco could take the job simply based on his experience and his on-field production.
Other QB stashes (Drake Maye NE)
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