Player value in dynasty football reminds me of watching ocean waves. They ebb and flow, always in a state of flux. Competitive dynasty players anticipate these movements before they happen and act by picking up, buying, or selling players as the situation demands. Dynasty general managers have previously been at the mercy of regular waiver segments to assist in dynasty pickups, but these fail to account for the long-term view necessary to dynasty success. This weekly column will focus on identifying assets that will help dynasty teams build for the future, as well as players that may plug a hole at a position of need on an otherwise strong squad.
Welcome to week eight of Waivers of the Future! Whether you are a contender or a rebuilder, this article will seek to help you put yourself in the best position to have success in your dynasty league by assisting you in making preemptive pickups.
This week, we should be thinking about our goals for the rest of the year. Half of the year is almost in the books and we should have a pretty good idea about our playoff chances at this point. If you are in it, are you stashing players that might play a depth role for your team down the stretch? If you are out of it, are you stashing players that don’t have significant roles today, but may in future years? Those are important things to think about because planning ahead in dynasty formats is one of the edges an owner can gain over his opponents.
Budget percentages are to give the reader guidance regarding how the writer would prioritize these players. However, you know your league best. If you think you can get away with bidding less than recommended or nothing at all, go for it!
IN THE SKY
Players on this list have previously appeared in this article as pickups, but have had value spikes at points in the season that make them unlikely to be out there in your league. If they are still available and you need help contending, consider spending 30-50%+ of your budget on them.
IN THE CLOUDS
Players on this list are probably also rostered but are worth less than 30% of your budget.
- Jacoby Brissett
- Gardner Minshew
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Malcolm Brown
- Adrian Peterson
- Frank Gore
- Giovani Bernard
- Matt Breida
- Raheem Mostert
- Damien Williams
- Darrel Williams
- Wayne Gallman
- Sterling Shepard
- Demarcus Robinson
- Ted Ginn Jr
- Phillip Dorsett
- Auden Tate
- Darren Waller
- Jason Witten
- Jordan Akins
RIDE THE WAVE
(These are plug-and-play options who might patch a hole on your team in the short-term.)
QUARTERBACK
15-20%| Joe Flacco, DEN- Flacco is the bridge option to Drew Lock, but Lock will not see the field this year due to being on injured reserve. This week, the Broncos will face the Colts, who have been fairly stout in pass defense most of the year.
15-20%- Matt Moore, KC- With Patrick Mahomes II likely out for 3-6 weeks with a kneecap dislocation, Moore will be entrusted with a potent offense for a few weeks and will have the benefit of Andy Reid’s creative playcalling. The Chiefs will play the Packers, who have been up and down in terms of their pass defense.
5-10%| Mason Rudolph, PIT- Rudolph has been solid in relief of Ben Roethlisberger. He has not been trusted to air it out like his predecessor and subsequently has not made the glaring turnover mistakes you might expect of a first-time starter. Rudolph has a great matchup this Monday night against the Dolphins.
1-5%| Case Keenum, WAS- Keenum continues to be the starter, albeit a low-end one. Washington was nearly shut out offensively against San Francisco. That trend might continue this week as they face a roaring Vikings pass rush.
1-5% Matt Schaub, ATL- Matt Ryan injured his ankle and was unable to complete week seven. That could mean we will see Matt Schaub in week eight against the Seahawks. Schaub has always been a game manager type and that has only become more true as he has aged. One positive about starting Schaub is that there will be plenty of garbage time opportunity on a bad defensive team, so he could put up more numbers than we might expect.
1%| Taysom Hill, NO- Hill was already getting his own package of snaps when Brees was healthy and Sean Peyton has indicated that will continue when Brees returns. He is a last-resort option only, but one that has a high upside to score on any given week. The Saints draw an easier matchup against the Cardinals this week, so Hill is more viable as a desperation play.
RUNNING BACK
5-10%| Ty Johnson and JD McKissic, DET- Kerryon Johnson sustained some sort of knee injury in week seven and was unable to finish the game, despite his best efforts. If he were to miss week eight action against the Giants’ porous defense, we could see Johnson and McKissic form a committee in which Johnson does more between the tackles and McKissic catches passes.
1-5%| Brian Hill, ATL- Ito Smith suffered a brutal injury in pass protection and Hill was pushed into starting duties when Devonta Freeman was ejected for throwing a punch. Freeman should be back this week, but Hill will now be part of their timeshare. Freeman has also not been the most durable back during his career, so there is a chance Hill could emerge as the starter before the year’s end, albeit on a team that is sputtering. The Falcons will have to contend with the Seahawks this week.
WIDE RECEIVER
10-20%| Byron Pringle, KC- Pringle recently moved up from the watch list after Sammy Watkins’ struggles to stay healthy. Watkins could be back soon and with Patrick Mahomes II sidelined, Pringle gets a slight downgrade in terms of priority of pickup. He is more of a long-term option at this point, but one that might have short-term utility if Watkins continues to miss time. He is a very good route runner and the coaching staff was complimentary of his improvement and professionalism towards improving his game this offseason. The quality of the offense also makes Pringle worthy of consideration. The Chiefs play the Packers this week.
5-10%| Zach Pascal, IND- Pascal is not a tremendous player and has some quiet weeks, but he does have weeks like the last one when he is targeted often and scores. That is all we can ask for with the waiver wire so thin at this point in the season. The Colts will take on the struggling Broncos in week eight action.
5-10%| Chris Conley, JAX- Conley seems to be a favorite target of Gardener Minshew and the offense has been competent when playing inferior teams. Marquise Lee is injured again, meaning Conley could soak up even more opportunity in his absence. The Jaguars draw the Jets in the upcoming contest.
5-10%| Allen Lazard, GB- Lazard has been filling in to supplement for a banged-up receiver group. When Devante Adams comes back, we can probably drop Lazard; but until then, we can play him and expect a few catches a game. The Packers will play against a not-very-scary Chiefs secondary this week.
1%| Duke Williams, BUF- Williams took Zay Jones’ place in the offense and did more with it in one game than Zay Jones had done with it in the four games prior. While it will be a low-volume pass offense, Williams has some value if a fantasy general manager is desperate for a player who can net a few catches a game. The Bills have a great matchup against the Eagles’ leaky secondary this week.
1%| Jaron Brown, SEA- The lacking pass volume in this offense is troubling, but with Will Dissly out, the targets that do exist will be redistributed. Brown is not amazing, but he has a shot to catch a few balls each week. This week, he will have a good opportunity to do so against a ravaged Atlanta secondary.
1%| Alex Erickson, CIN- The fourth-year veteran was the beneficiary of Tyler Boyd and Auden Tate drawing the more difficult coverage. It is not a given that will continue or that the Bengals, who are struggling as an offense, will have success through the air again. However, for teams that are hard up at the position, Erickson is worth a speculative add. The Bengals will get a Rams defense this week that has been generous against opposing passers this year.
TIGHT END
1-5%| Vernon Davis, WAS- Davis will continue to fill in for Jordan Reed, who ended his season placed on injured reserve. Davis has proven to be a viable stand-in for an offense that uses its tight end position often. Washington has another brutal matchup against the Vikings this week.
1-5%| Luke Willson, SEA- Will Dissly went down with a non-contact injury and will miss the remainder of 2019. That leaves Luke Willson with a bigger role. We have seen Willson not produce much before when he was the primary guy, though, so keep expectations low. The Seahawks play the generous Falcons defense this week.
THE SPLASH
(Might be available in 30 or fewer roster spot leagues.)
QUARTERBACK
None this week, as the position is depleted. See other quarterback sections for pickup recommendations.
RUNNING BACK
1-5%| Reggie Bonnafon, CAR- With the waiver wire so thin at this position, fantasy general managers may have to begin thinking about players in productive situations that are also not rostered because they are not thought of as future starters. Bonnafon is such a player. Behind Christian McCaffrey, who rarely misses a snap, Bonnafon finally got an opportunity when McCaffrey was sidelined with cramps in week six. Bonnafon shone with the few touches he played. If McCaffrey were to go down, Bonnafon would become a lot more interesting.
1-5%| Gus Edwards, BAL- Edwards also falls into the category of valuable backup who is unlikely to be rostered in dynasty leagues and is not getting many touches now, but he would benefit greatly if the lead back were to go down. Mark Ingram II II has been banged up before, so Edwards having fantasy relevance this year is not impossible.
WIDE RECEIVER
1-5%| Justin Watson, TB- Watson is not making an impact on the stat sheet yet, but may get more work due to an injury that sent Breshad Perriman out of the game against the Rams. Jameis Winston prefers short-to-intermediate throws, meaning Watson could get more work than we anticipate as the season wears on.
TIGHT END
15-25%| Foster Moreau, OAK- Moreau hops up from the watch list because of continued involvement in the game plan, despite the presence of Darren Waller. He is a good pass catcher and a great blocker. Jon Gruden has shown the propensity to target his tight end heavily and there is no one on the roster that is a long-term lock to hold the job. Moreau has scored multiple touchdowns and has been involved in most games so far this year, which is encouraging for his future prospects.
10-15%| Jeremy Sprinkle, WAS- Sprinkle was elevated from the watch list based on the fact that Jordan Reed is now on injured reserve and his career is in jeopardy after sustaining another concussion. Vernon Davis is aging and Sprinkle has proven to be an able blocker and receiver. He is someone we want to monitor for now and pick up if we see him start to get more opportunities now that the season is lost for Washington.
10-15%| Adam Shaheen, CHI- Trey Burton continuing to struggle on and off with health issues may open the door for Shaheen. He has had his own troubles staying healthy but has flashed when he has been on the field, especially in red-zone work. He has been kicked to the curb in many dynasty leagues. However, now that Shaheen is entering his third year, this could be the time we see him come into his own.
10-15%| Ian Thomas, CAR- Thomas has been tossed back out on some waiver wires. However, when the box score is examined it is clear that he actually acquitted himself well when Greg Olsen was out last year. Thomas will need seasoning, but with Greg Olsen near the end of his career, Thomas is worth holding.
1-5%| Demetrius Harris and Ricky Seals-Jones, CLE- It appears that Harris and Seals-Jones are splitting the work while David Njoku’s broken wrist keeps him sidelined. It keeps both from having a lot of value, but either of the two could catch a touchdown on a given week.
THE DEEP
QUARTERBACK
Watch List| Jarrett Stidham, NE- It is notable that New England cut backup Brian Hoyer and will roll with the rookie. Stidham performed well in preseason and shows promise to be the next in a long line of developmental quarterbacks for the Patriots. He is worth rostering in deep leagues because his perceived value will only grow with time.
Watch List| Chad Kelly, IND- It is a long shot, but if Brissett drops the ball, a talented Kelly waits in the wings. The only downside is that Kelly has had a variety of character issues both in college and the NFL that suggest he might not be mature enough to handle the opportunity, which is why he is not higher on the list. He was moved to the practice squad recently, which does not bode well for him getting a shot this year. Still, the talent is such that we should keep him on our radar.
RUNNING BACK
None this week, as the position is depleted. See other running back sections for pickup recommendations.
WIDE RECEIVER
Watch List| Richie James, SF- James is getting more work in the passing game and has the skills to eventually play from any receiver position in this offense. Kyle Shanahan values this kind of multiplicity in his offense. James’ trademark skills are being very shifty and great on contested catches, despite his smaller size.
Watch List| Deon Cain, IND- Cain got his chance with Devin Funchess’ injury and had moments when he shined. He is a promising young receiver on the roster of an organization that is ascending and does not have an established receiver opposite of T.Y. Hilton.
Watch List| Juwann Winfree, DEN- After a recent injury to Tim Patrick, Winfree had a chance to play a part. He was a camp standout who may have more upside for the team long-term than DeSean Hamilton. He is one to keep an eye on for the future.
Watch List| Emmanuel Butler, NO- Like Winfree, Butler made a name for himself in camp practices and has a disappointing role player in Tre’Quan Smith ahead of him on the depth chart. Butler currently resides on the practice squad. If he can stick with this team for another year or two, he has a great chance to step into that role.
Watch List| Javon Wims, CHI- Wims was constantly making plays throughout the preseason last year, so much so that the Bears dared not put him on the practice squad. He was doing the same in camp again this year and there have been some games in which Wims has been on the active roster and has even been targeted. He caught a touchdown in week six.
TIGHT END
Watch List| Anthony Firkser, TEN- Could the Titans have made a significant discovery last year with the undrafted Firkser? It’s a possibility. He has size, reliable hands, and the ability to box out defenders in the middle of the field. Jonnu Smith and Firkser could become quite the duo when Delanie Walker moves on in a few years or if Walker once again fails to complete the year due to injury. Walker suffered an ankle injury in week six and Firkser became a contributor to the Titans’ victory against the Chargers. If Walker is out for significant time, we will be sure to see more of Firkser, as we did last year.
Watch List| Alizé Mack, PIT- Mack recently elected to sign with the Steelers’ practice squad. The Steelers have Vance McDonald, but like Jared Cook, he is often hurt and the Steelers have been looking for help at this position for some time. He is a good prospect who impressed over the summer as a receiving tight end in the Saints’ camp.
LOST AT SEA
(Players who recently appeared in this column, but have had their value decrease to the point they hold no value in all but the very deepest of dynasty leagues.)
Jakobi Meyers, NE- He did not do much with his opportunities and N’Keal Harry will probably be back from injured reserve soon to take his place in the pecking order.
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