By Jordan Jackson
This edition of “Waivering” Hope is going to feature some familiar names, as most of the following players have been featured on the series before but somehow have still not been picked up in most fantasy leagues.
Beginning, as usual, with the quarterbacks, the usual names still float around the top of the free agent list: Eli Manning and Joe Flacco, notably. Then there is Mike Glennon. I really like Glennon because of his immediate schedule: Minnesota, Cleveland, Atlanta, Washington, Chicago, Cincinnati—six weeks in which you can expect reasonably good fantasy numbers from the Bucs QB—especially since they will often be playing from behind (that is, passing).
At running back, again, I advise you to pick up Jerick McKinnon of the Vikings. He dropped 100 rushing yards on a top-five run defense this past Sunday in Buffalo, and has firmly overtaken Matt Asiata as Minnesota’s No. 1 tailback.
Also keep an eye on the Bills’ running back situation. In a matter of minutes, the Bills lost Fred Jackson for up to four weeks with a groin injury, and C.J. Spiller with a broken clavicle on Sunday.
The third back in the rotation was Anthony Dixon, a bruiser of 49ers fame, who said in light of the injuries that he will now be in the “workhorse” role in Buffalo. That might be a little bit hasty. Though he has been a weekly scratch so far this season, it is possible that Bryce Brown could get early-down work with Dixon in more of a big-back role a la LeGarrette Blount in Pittsburgh. Wait for clarity on the situation before you add either.
Before you wonder why I haven’t said anything about Tre Mason, the Rams have a brutal schedule coming up, Mason is in a three-way committee, and, if I know Jeff Fisher, Mason’s almost game-losing fumble might cost him some carries going forward. It’s too soon, and the schedule is too tough. He is a trendy add, but I say stay away for now.
Add Odell Beckham right now. Don’t make me tell you again. Right now, Beckham is touchdown-dependent, as he still has a hard-time getting open between the 20s, but he has been Eli Manning’s favorite red-zone target for the past three weeks with Victor Cruz lost to injury and Larry Donnell suddenly declining. He has three touchdowns in three weeks to show for it, and a better touchdown celebration than Victor Cruz.
Keep an eye on Doug Baldwin and Steve Johnson. I am not sold on either yet. At first glance, one would expect Baldwin’s looks to go up after the trade of Percy Harvin, but the fact is that Harvin was only playing on something like 60 percent of snaps anyway, with Baldwin (and Jermaine Kearse) firmly ahead of him on the depth chart. I attribute Baldwin’s suddenly stellar performance against the Rams on Sunday not to the Harvin trade, but to the fact that, for once, Seattle was playing from behind, forcing Russell Wilson to throw rather than rely on the ground game. I don’t expect Seattle to be playing from behind all that much going forward, so I am still hesitant to add Baldwin.
As for Steve Johnson, he has scored in three of four weeks, but had not really done much in terms of yardage until Sunday night against Denver—in garbage time. The scores are promising, yes, but as long as San Francisco is still competitive in their games, Johnson will be behind Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, and Vernon Davis in the passing game. It is unusual for the 49ers to get beat so drastically so early (as they did in Denver), so to expect similar performances from Johnson in the future would be foolish. Hold off on adding him for now, too.
Finally, I have another great strategy at kicker. See, no one wants to carry two kickers, so a lot of really good kickers get released when their bye weeks come around. Case in point: Cody Parkey. His bye is behind him now, and he is still a top-ten fantasy kicker. Playing behind a good offense, Parkey is an awesome add. Snatch him up while/if you can.
Jordan Jackson is a writer for Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @jordanrjackson1
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