Waivers of the Future: Week 9

Jordan McNamara's Waivers of the Future: Week 9 Jordan McNamara Published 11/01/2022

Waivers of the future will focus on making decisions that improve our odds of our dynasty championship. The back of your dynasty roster should be flexible, with preferences made for players you can use in your lineup during the season.

Quarterbacks

Among the quarterbacks, there are three types of waiver options: those moving up this week, veteran backups, and potential young players with future roles.

Moving Up this Week

There are no immediate uptick players at the quarterback position. However, the following players warrant waiver consideration if available.

P.J. Walker is in the midst of the best stretch of his career. Walker has averaged 8 and 8.8 yards per attempt in the past two games and has earned an additional starting opportunity. Walker is a journeyman and undersized but has taken a major step forward in the past two weeks. Walker is a streaming player in one-quarterback formats and is a priority addition in the small chance he is available in quarterback premium leagues.

Mike White has been elevated to the backup behind Zach Wilson for the Jets. Wilson has been terrible under pressure and faces the best defensive line in football in Week 9 against the Bills. White is a speculative add in deeper quarterback premium formats.

Veteran Backups

As a general rule, you should have a limited amount of backup quarterbacks on your monitor list. With roster spots tight, optimized dynasty rosters under 25 spots in Superflex or quarterback premium. If you are in 25 to 35-man rosters and have a roster spot, these quarterbacks are the premium backups:

In leagues deeper than 35 spots, consider:

Younger Stashes

Stashing young quarterbacks can be tricky because it is rare quarterbacks without high draft pedigree will become fantasy starters. These options are more depth opportunities with the hope to include in a future trade than they are solutions to a quarterback issue.

Marcus Mariota is playing well enough to hold off Ridder for the foreseeable future.

Jordan Love is a pure stash behind Rodgers heading into the offseason. He will be in the final year of his rookie contract in 2023.

If you can roster Matt Corral as an IR stash, there is no clear QB1 in front of him for 2023.

Both Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke have been erratic this season, and the team should be looking to audition rookie Sam Howell in the coming weeks.

Running Backs

One of the keys to dynasty fantasy football is continuously optimizing your backup running back situation. The last five to ten roster spots on your roster should be very fluid, with little allegiance if the player does not offer the capacity to help your lineup. A constant churn on the back end of your roster is critical.

Moving Up this Week

The following running backs have improved this week and are available in more than 50% of MFL leagues.

Dynasty GMs went to Raheem Blackshear as the back behind DOnta Foreman with Chubba Hubbard out. However, Carolina turned to Spencer Brown in Week 8, with six carries to only two for Blackshear. Likewise, Brown had 11 routes to only 4 for Blackshear. Brown was a UDFA from UAB in 2021, who measured 5-foot-10 and 208 pounds at his pro day. He underwhelmed with a 4.64-second 40-yard dash and agility drills but performed well in the vertical (36 ½ inches) and broad jump (121 inches). Brown is a smaller waiver add because Hubbard will return sooner rather than later.

Travis Homer played ahead of DeeJay Dallas in a surprise after returning from injured reserve. Homer is the backup to rookie Ken Walker and could be of value if Walker misses time.

Indianapolis traded Nyheim Hines to the Buffalo Bills, which opens up the injury-away role in the Indianapolis offense for Deon Jackson. Jackson played well in an audition earlier in the season and should be added where he is available.

Other Backups

Other backups with high availability include:

Wide Receiver

The odds wide receivers from the waiver wire will become a big difference maker on your dynasty roster are very small. For every Tyreek Hill, there are 100 Travis Fulgham. Your strategies on the wide receiver position should be to find immediate lineup help or a flip candidate.

Players who warrant addition include:

Rashod Bateman missed Week 8, and Robinson led the wide receiver position in receptions (6) and receiving yards (64). Robinson is a journeyman but is in a surprisingly good situation to win a target share in this offense, as Bateman’s absence is expected to go on for multiple weeks.

Last week included Braxton Berrios and Darius Slayton, who continue to be waiver adds. Mack Hollins and Terrace Marshall are also every-down players available in over 50% of leagues.

Tight End

Three tight ends in changing circumstances include:

Mark Andrews suffered a shoulder injury in Week 8, giving an opportunity for Isaiah Likely. Likely took over and led the team in receiving yards (77) while also scoring a touchdown. Likely is almost certainly rostered in your dynasty league, but make sure. He has shown well in his rookie season.

Daniel Bellinger has encouraging metrics to start his career. Bellinger has 1.35 yards per route run, a clear success track on a struggling passing offense for a rookie. Bellinger suffered an eye injury and has been cut in shallower leagues because of bye week squeezes. Bellinger’s return status is uncertain, but he has not been placed on injured reserve. He warrants a roster spot in 20-man and beyond roster sizes.

Tanner Hudson caught three passes for 58 yards in the absence of Daniel Bellinger. Hudson is a journeyman, but he has been effective in small samples. Hudson can be a streaming option in Bellinger’s absence.

Rookie James Mitchell came into the NFL recovering from a torn ACL. He has been slow to integrate into the offense but will get a bigger opportunity with the trade of T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota. The team should audition Mitchell and Brock Wright for the rest of the season before they enter the offseason.

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