Football is a violent, unpredictable sport where anything can happen. Injuries can derail a player’s season and dash any hopes you may have had for your fantasy football squad. The best way to protect yourself is always to have a plan B. That can be through acquiring your rostered players’ “handcuff” or backup or having deep stashes on your bench in an emergency.
Many fantasy football managers find themselves limping into Week 2 after a slew of injuries in Week 1. Here are three WRs and two TEs that could help insulate you from injury disasters in the coming weeks that won’t break the bank to acquire on your waiver wire:
- Waiver Wire Advice
- Weekly Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
WR Handcuffs & Stashes (Week 2)
Tutu Atwell (WR – LAR)
With WR Cooper Kupp landing on IR ahead of Week 1, the hype for rookie WR Puka Nacua in Los Angeles reached a fever pitch. While Nacua (PPR WR9) did not disappoint in the team’s 30-13 upset of the Seattle Seahawks, third-year WR Tutu Atwell also impressed. In Kupp’s absence, Atwell finished the week as the PPR WR15.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford targeted Atwell 8 times on Sunday, the second most looks of his career. He snagged six of those targets for 119 eight yards and racked up 17.9 fantasy points. With Kupp out until at least Week 5, this is Atwell’s chance to cement himself in the Rams offense. Should Kupp miss more time, Atwell could be a consistent WR3 play nearly every week.
Terrace Marshall (WR – CAR)
No one was excited about anything in the Carolina Panthers offense outside of Bryce Young this season, and for good reason. The Panther’s roster is a who’s who of aging veterans with diminishing fantasy value and forgotten prospects from days of yore. However, another third-year receiver, Terrace Marshall, showed there might be some value as a deep bench stash moving forward.
His performance didn’t raise eyebrows this weekend, but he saw usage with six targets and logged a 90 percent snap share. While he benefited from the absence of WR DJ Chark, Marshall will likely continue to have a role. His six targets were second on the team behind TE Hayden Hurst, and his 11.5 yards per catch led the team. To be clear, this isn’t a home run roster addition. However, Marshall is one game or an injury above him on the depth chart away from being a diamond in the rough.
Deonte Harty (WR – BUF)
If you’re first thought at reading Deonte Harty is, “Who?” you’re not alone. Harty, the veteran WR in his first season in Buffalo, barely made the roster and wasn’t even a lock to be active this past Monday against the New York Jets. However, not only was he active, but he saw four targets, which was tied for third on the team.
The Monday night opener against New York shows Harty seemingly passed WR Khalil Shakir on the depth chart. Shakir was on the field for 10% of the team’s offensive snaps, while Harty saw a 22% snap share. It is true that despite the apparent status upgrade, he still will be competing for targets with some elite talent. However, if Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Dalton Kincaid or Dawson Knox miss any time, Harty could be a sneaky flex play to save your week.
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Nate Polvogt is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Nate, check out his archive and follow him @NatePolvogt.
