Notable Injuries from week 8:
- Jeremiyah Love (Ankle)
- Bam Knight (Concussion)
- Jeremy McNichols (Foot)
- Christian Watson (Rib)
- Jake Ferguson (Ankle)
- Hunter Henry (Foot)
- Lamar Jackson (Right thumb)
- Tyler Huntley (Turf toe)
BYE Week:
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Titans
Tyler Allgeier (Rostered in 45.9% of ESPN leagues)
With injuries to both Bam Knight and Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier is a no-brainer waiver addition for this week. The Seahawks are a tough matchup but if Love and Knight don’t play, that leaves the door wide open for Allgeier. Beggars can’t be choosers when in need of a starting RB in fantasy.
Jonathan Brooks (Rostered in 35% of ESPN leagues)
Brooks makes this week’s list as a stash option. After suffering a core injury that required surgery after week 2. What makes Brooks so frustrating is we don’t know what he can be at the NFL level. He has been hurt for the majority of his pro career. However, I’d be ok taking a gamble by rostering him (If I have an open spot). RBs are often at a premium and as much as I love Chubba, he needs someone else behind him to mix things up a bit. It’s also no secret our oline has been terrible but there is still time for people to get healthy and the line to gel better. Consider Brooks a stash play as the Panthers consider opening his practice window.
Dylan Sampson (Rostered in 11.6% of ESPN leagues)
I usually don’t make it a common practice to roster Browns players. However, like I said above, the running back position is at a premium, especially as the season progresses. Sampson for me is a PPR play for the moment. While he is not getting a ton of work on the ground, he makes up for it in some capacity as a receiver. Definitely more of a risky play, the Saints do offer an easy matchup this week.
Emmett Johnson (Rostered in 11.8% of ESPN leagues), Kaelon Black (Rostered in 23.4% of ESPN leagues) and Mike Washington Jr. (Rostered in 17.5% of ESPN leagues)
Weekly reminder to pick these dudes up if you have Kenneth Walker or CMC.
The case for rostering Emmett Johnson just got a significant boost this week against the Broncos, not for what he did on the ground but what he did through the air. Johnson tallied 128 yards on 5 targets including a 73 yard receiving touchdown. He is still firmly in the back up role but I love seeing the potential should Walker deal with an injury.
Mike Washington Jr. is an interesting addition to this week’s handcuff list mainly because he outsnapped Ashton Jeanty in the Raiders win over the Jets. Washington handled 38 offensive snaps compared to Jeanty’s 25. I’m not saying that there is any reason to be concerned about Jeanty or that there is suddenly a new RB1 in town. More so that the Raiders at least seem to be semi interested in getting Washington involved. Certainly a great handcuff option or perhaps a change of pace back. Only time will tell. In the meantime, Washington is a worthy stash option.
Keenan Allen (Rostered in 41.6% of ESPN leagues)
Last week I said give me the old man against a susceptible Jaguars defense. While the Colts themselves did not do much to aid in my assessment, Keenan Allen put up a respectable 67 yards on them and managed to bring in all 7 of his targets. Allen remains intriguing to me this week against the Dallas Cowboys whose defense is butt ass. Alec Pierce’s 21 day window still is not open and outside of Josh Downs and Tyler Warren, the receiving options are lacking. I’m flexing the old guy again this week.
Last week’s entry:
It’s so hard to pick a player for the Colts outside of Jonathan Taylor. For a team that won 11 straight last year, it sure is a sorry state of affairs. Somebody has to catch the ball however and I’m betting on the old man. Alec Pierce is out for what seems like forever and Tyler Warren has been out the past 2 games with a groin injury. It’s also worth noting that Allen is second on the team in targets (43) only behind Josh Downs (46). Give me the old man as a sneaky flex play this week against a susceptible Jaguars defense.
Malik Washington (Rostered in 38% of ESPN leagues) and Caleb Douglas (Rostered in 29.2% of ESPN leagues)
For me this is a pick your poison kind of situation. Both guys seem to be getting work within this Dolphins offense and likely comes down to how you feel about each guy. Washington is more of the pure PPR play and Douglas more of the playmaker. I’m definitely not flexing these guys week to week but more so playing the matchups. With that being said, this is a less than stellar Lions defense when it comes to fantasy. To make matters worse, safety Brian Branch (Concussion), Cornerback D.J. Reed (Hip) and Line Backer Jack Campbell (Neck) all exited Sunday’s game against the Vikings meaning even more vulnerability to an already depleted defense.
Jordyn Tyson (Rostered in 35.4% of ESPN leagues)
I mentioned it last week but adding Tyson here again to this week’s list as a reminder to stash him in preparation of him returning to practice. While his 21-day practice window hasn’t been officially opened, Tyson will easily be one of the top waiver additions. It’s also worth mentioning the Saints are still in the race for the top spot for the NFC South believe it or not so I imagine they will try to get some production out of their first round pick once healthy.
Mike Gesicki (Rostered in 15.1% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
Gesicki has been a fun TE for fantasy this year but certainly not the sexiest pick week in and week out. A fringe top 12 TE, Gesicki has benefitted greatly from the game script the Bengals have been finding themselves in quite regularly. I feel like most weeks I’m watching them get into shootouts against mid teams. In comes a Falcons team that fits the description and is capable of keeping pace offensively with the Bengals. Gesicki also has a touchdown in every game this year but one. Gesicki is certainly on the start list with top 10 or top 12 TE upside.
Malik Willis (Rostered in 10.6% of ESPN leagues)
Throughout the season, Malik Willis has shown flashes of fantasy relevance a couple of times. While not the biggest air raid type threat, Willis is usually capable of 200 ish yards and a score. The biggest appeal though is his ability to pick up yards with his legs. I like Willis this week against an easy Lions matchup but even beyond that, his matchup in week 10 against the Colts, making Willis a potential multi-week starter.
Michael Penix Jr. (Rostered in 18.6% of ESPN leagues)
If you said to me, “Well Penix just shit the bed against the Bucs and threw 4 interceptions”, I’d probably nod and say something about how the NFC South is a hot pile of garbage. However, the potential is there for Penix as well as the weapons at his disposal. It’s also worth mentioning this game is kind of a mulligan in my head. The conditions were terrible and the Bucs won without completing a pass. My condolences if you started either Penix or Baker but that was just fantasy malpractice. This week I’m choosing to pretend that game never happened and I do believe that Penix and the Falcons bounce back here against the Bucs. At least for fantasy. A lot of these Bengals games have been dog fights and the Falcons aren’t afraid to air it out. Penix is my dark horse this week to be a top 10 fantasy QB.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring.
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