I am so happy to get a chance to write our weekly waiver wire column, looking at our top targets for Week 2. I have written a weekly waiver column in the past, and you may be familiar with my thread on Twitter.
Here’s how this column will work: Every Tuesday morning, there will be a review of players that are rostered in 50% of Yahoo leagues or less that you will want to consider to add to your team through the waiver process of your league. We’ll go through the top options available by position.
Quarterbacks
Gardner Minshew – Rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues. Minshew opened the season with 19 completions on 20 pass attempts for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns. Next up is the Titans. Last season he threw for 204 yards and 2 TDs against them, so you can expect more of this in Week 2. Kyle Larson talked about streaming Minshew for Week 1 in his streaming options article.
Philip Rivers – Rostered in 27% of Yahoo leagues. Rivers produced well behind one of the best offensive lines in the league. He threw an outrageous 46 times and had 36 completions for 363 yards and a TD. Next up are the Vikings, who were just torched by Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
If you are REALLY desperate (you shouldn’t be after one week): Mitchell Trubisky and Derek Carr.
Running Backs
Nyheim Hines – Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues. Since the start of the 2018 season, Hines has 108 receptions. This ranks 8th most in the NFL among RBs. In Week 1, Hines had 8 receptions for 45 yards and a TD. Fellow teammate Marlon Mack tore his Achilles tendon in the game, which means Jonathan Taylor and Hines will see increased roles in this offense. If you are playing point per reception or half point per reception, Hines should be your priority add off the waiver wire.
Malcolm Brown – Rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues. Brown totaled 110 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 1 against the Cowboys. Brown looked like the better Rams running back on the field. There’s a little buyer beware with this player, last season Brown opened up Week 1 with 53 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns only to completely cool off after.
Adrian Peterson – Rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues. Peterson ran for 93 yards and had 3 receptions for 21 yards. The Packers, who gave up 2 TDs to Dalvin Cook in Week 1, are up next. Peterson is producing for the Lions.
Joshua Kelley – Rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues, Kelley got the goal line work for the Chargers with 12 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown. It appears he has the Melvin Gordon role in this offense.
Other running backs to consider if you are desperate: Chase Edmonds, Josh Adams, and Alexander Mattison.
NOTE: James Conner went down with an injury in the second quarter of the Monday night game between the Steelers and Giants. Benny Snell will be a premier add at running back if Conner ends up missing time.
Wide Receivers
Robby Anderson – Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues. This was discussed on the Unscripted podcast. Anderson obviously feels free from Adam Gase with his Week 1 performance: 6 receptions for 115 yards and a TD on 26% target share. This looks like it will continue.
Russell Gage – Rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues. Gage had 9 receptions for 114 yards. The downside here for Gage is there’s a lot of competition for targets, but Week 1 ended with Gage, Julio Jones, and Calvin Ridley receiving 12 targets a piece. Gage is manning the slot exceptionally well since the Sanu trade last season.
Parris Campbell – Rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues. Campbell was targeted 9 times and had 6 receptions for 71 yards in Week 1. He was Philip Rivers’ most targeted receiver. Campbell is someone the Undroppables have been touting all preseason, while manning the slot he will continue to be the guy Rivers targets early and often.
Other wide receivers to consider: Sammy Watkins, Marques Valdez-Scantling, Laviska Shenault, and James Washington.
Tight Ends
Dallas Goedert – Rostered in 55% of Yahoo leagues. I know this breaks the rules, but if he is out there, he is the top TE add off the waiver wire. Lining up out wide often, Goedert produced big Week 1 against the Washington Football Team. Goedert had 8 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.
Logan Thomas – Rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues. Thomas was targeted 8 times and produced 4 receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown. Thomas had a 26% target share from Haskins to start the season.
Other tight ends to consider: O.J. Howard, Jimmy Graham, and Greg Olsen.
Defense
Rams – Rostered in 48% of Yahoo leagues. The Rams defense had 3 sacks against the Cowboys in Week 1. Next up is the Eagles, who were destroyed by the Washington Football Team (8 sacks) in Week 1. Expect the Rams defense to get you double-digit points in Week 2.
Thanks for checking out our waiver wire collumn. For more great content from the Undroppables, follow us on Twitter, follow @MikeReedyFF for more great content, and visit back soon for Mike’s weekly Money Makers and Heart Breakers article.
