Levi Chappell discusses which players you should consider grabbing from your dynasty league’s waiver wire.
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Pixar has put out a ton of great movies over the years, and they just keep churning out more and more hits. One of my favorites when I was a kid was A Bug’s Life. From Slim to Heimlich to P.T. Flea, they had some great characters and awesome one-liners.
When I look back at some of my past fantasy teams, one line from A Bug’s Life comes to mind…”Who ordered the poo poo platter?” While you may not want to admit it, you may have ordered the poo poo platter, and that poo poo platter is your fantasy football team. So let me address the many varying stages that teams may be in at this point in the season.
If you made the playoffs in your league already, then I would like to congratulate you on a successful season so far. You put the time in and now it is paying off. If you have another week left in the regular season and are still waiting to find out whether you have made it to the promised land, or if you are stuck in dumpsville with your league-mates tweedle dee and tweedle dumb, then fear not. I will present some players that you may want to add on your team for a stretch run in the playoffs.
Don’t worry if your team has been out of the playoff picture for about a month now. I have not forgotten about you. Unfortunately, this isn’t second-grade soccer, so you won’t get a participation trophy and some orange slices. You do on the other hand get the pleasure of playing fantasy football, adding players off of the waiver wire, and giving crap to your buddies for no specific reason (because that’s just what we do as friends).
Some of the names that I will be listing below and in future articles will already be owned in your league. If you are in a 10-team league, many of these players may be available, but if you are in a 12- or 14-team league, fewer may be available. For the most part, I will be listing players that are owned in less than 40% of 12-team leagues.
Here we go.
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C.J. Anderson (RB – FA)
While this may be speculative, Spencer Ware was nothing special on Sunday and the Chiefs may look to add a veteran on their roster. Anderson is a free agent right now and could sign on for a significant role in the most potent offense in the league. I am not sure what Anderson has in the tank at this point in his career, but he did rush for over 1,000 yards last year and should have fresh legs. He is worth a shot.
Damien Williams (RB – KC)
Speaking of Chiefs running backs, Williams was vaulted into the RB2 position for the Chiefs after the abrupt news of Kareem Hunt. While I would not be thrilled to own Ware or Williams because they do not possess elite skills, he is definitely worth a roster spot in the case that something happens to Ware. Williams also has decent chops as a pass-catching back.
Justin Jackson (RB – LAC)
I am seeing a trend of injured running backs near playoff time, and some other guys are stepping up and taking hold of the opportunity. While most of the buzz surrounded Austin Ekeler, Jackson was by far the superior running back on Sunday and showed that he could carry the load if given the chance. If Gordon has to miss additional time, Jackson is the back to own in L.A.
Jaylen Samuels (RB – PIT)
Another hurt running back situation? Yep. Conner has been ruled out for Week 14 with a sprain. This would vault Samuels into the flex territory and catapult him into a hefty amount of touches in the Steelers’ offense, which utilizes one back very frequently. He showed explosiveness out of the backfield and is a pretty big boy who is tough to take down.
Kenneth Dixon (RB – BAL)
Look who is semi-fantasy relevant again…With Alex Collins being put on the IR, and Buck Allen being relegated to the bench, Dixon is once again presented with a chance to make an impact on a team that has suddenly committed heavily to the run. Gus Edwards has surprisingly overtaken the depth chart, but Dixon will surely push him for carries and touches.
Jeff Wilson (RB – SF)
The week of the running back continues. In another head-scratcher involving San Francisco running backs, Breida was held to five carries while Wilson took the reigns and ran with them, finishing with 134 yards on 23 touches. Who really knows what will happen week to week? But I do know that Wilson is definitely worth an add if he is still available in your league.
Other players to watch out for:
- Zay Jones (WR – BUF)
- Marcell Ateman (WR – OAK)
- Rashard Higgins (WR – CLE)
- Ian Thomas (TE – CAR)
- Ryan Tannehill (QB – MIA)
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