The season has crossed the halfway point and it’s time we start prepping our rosters for the playoff run. If you’re in a one year/redraft league, you can start exploring trades of hyped guys (like a Bijan Robinson or Aaron Jones) to help round out weaker spots. I’ve never experienced a season with more coordinators pulling their key personnel on the goal line or spreading the ball away from their stars. It’s been weird, but that’s why teams that can figure out a way to consistently get the ball to their best are atop the standings. Arthur Smith may pull Bijan Robinson inside the 10 yard line. You don’t see Kyle Shanahan pulling CMC.
Anyway, let’s get on with the waivers…
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Top Overall Players Available to most of you:
- Quarterback: Kyler Murray, Joshua Dobbs
- Running Back: D’Onta Foreman
- Wide Receiver: Quentin Johnston, Tank Dell
- Tight End: Tasyom Hill
- Defense: Jacksonville Jaguars
Should Be Gone (available between 15-30% of leagues):
Quarterbacks:
- C.J. Stroud – I didn’t waiver after his tough week 8 performance and after his incredible week 9 tilt vs the Bucs, I don’t think anyone else will waiver either.
- Justin Fields – he’s getting close to returning. He’ll rush for a decent amount of yardage and the Bears want to win this game vs Carolina bad (to keep the Panther pick they own as close to #1 as possible).
Running Backs:
- Javonte Williams – I’m leaving him atop this list coming off a bye week.
- Jerome Ford – he’s healthy and he’s getting a good amount of touches again.
Wide Receivers:
- Courtland Sutton – he must have been dropped due to the bye. He should be rostered everywhere.
Tight Ends:
- Dalton Schultz – for weeks, I’ve been praising the Texans passing game. The position group has been rising the roster percentages as well. You’ve probably missed Schultz, but this will be your last week to have a chance.
- Cole Kmet – he’s doing well with the backup QB, but it’ll be interesting to see what happens when Fields is back in the lineup.
Defense/Special Teams:
- Ravens – for reasons unknown, they’re still available in about 15% of leagues
Could Be Available (available between 31-50% of leagues):
Quarterbacks:
- Russell Wilson – he’s playing well and should get a boost coming off the bye week.
Running Backs:
- Jaylen Warren – he’s chipping away at Najee Harris’ workshare week by week.
- Chuba Hubbard – Miles Sanders is healthy and Hubbard dominated touches.
- Khalil Herbert – he will be back in the next couple of weeks, but did he lose his job to Foreman? Time will tell. Herbert did have a great game the week he was injured.
Wide Receivers:
- Tank Dell – after last week, it’ll be tough to grab him. But do it if you can. Make Dell a priority.
- Rashee Rice – his snap share percentage is creeping up. If he can get a few more reps, he’ll be a viable weekly start. Not bad for a rookie in a crowded WR room.
Tight Ends:
- Trey McBride – I expect him to be dropped in more leagues than he’s picked up this week after the pathetic performance Arizona’s offense logged vs the Browns this week, but don’t hold that against McBride. Murray will be throwing him the ball soon.
- Logan Thomas – rough game against the Patriots, but he’ll be back.
Defense/Special Teams:
- Chiefs – people purged Kansas City ahead of their Miami game, but they’re clearly one of the league’s best defenses. They’re on a bye, but I’d snap them up and stash them.
- Pittsburgh Steelers – they’re getting to the QB and keeping scores low.
Probably Available (available between 51% and 70% of leagues):
Quarterbacks:
- Kyler Murray – the Cardinals aren’t going to be starting Clayton Tune any longer than they have to. Kyler will be on the field in the coming weeks.
- Will Levis – Tannehill might return, but I think Levis will ultimately start more games the rest of the way than Tannehill.
Running Backs:
- D’Onta Foreman – if you read my book, you know I’m a big fan of Foreman. He’s an unheralded guy who manufactures yards every time he gets the ball (Rashaad Penny is the same way). Roschon Johnson and Darrynton Evans had a very low percentage of carries compared to Foreman. This job is Foreman’s until AT LEAST Khalil Herbert returns, but he might be the starter the rest of the way.
- Tyler Allgeier – the Falcons don’t even have Bijan Robinson on the field in goal line situations. Allgeier should be rostered.
- Emari Demercado – he missed last week, but could be back this week.
Wide Receivers:
- Quentin Johnston – Palmer is on the IR so Quentin Johnson will finally get his chance. His college tape impressed me before the season. I think he’ll flourish.
- Rashid Shaheed – he’ll continue to give you low receptions, but high yardage.
Tight Ends:
- Taysom Hill – he had more rushing attempts than Alvin Kamara this week. It’s not a fluke. Pick up Hill, he’s the Saints power rusher of choice. He also catches passes and throws passes.
Defense/Special Teams:
- NA – see below.
Sleeper Grabs (available in more than 70% of leagues):
Quarterbacks:
- Joshua Dobbs – he gets quality yardage and will soon be throwing the ball to a full stable of pass catchers including Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson and KJ Osborne.
- Aidan O’Connell – he’s no CJ Stroud or Anthony Richardson, but O’Connell impressed me more in his short time than #1 overall pick Bryce Young has. If you’re in a deep keeper or dynasty, he’s worth adding. The Raiders are going to win enough games to keep them out of the early picks, which means the Raiders will either have to trade a fortune to move up and draft a QB, or O’Connell could end up getting a full offseason of work as a starter heading into 2024. Before you say I’m crazy, this is about the time Brock Purdy was starting his ascension in 2022.
Running Backs:
- Keaton Mitchell – he looks small, but you can’t argue with success. He’s on everyone’s radar, though I don’t think he’d have had as many touches had the Ravens not been torching the Seahawks this week.
- Jaleel McLaughlin – it looked to me like he had overtaken Perine as the #2 back in Denver. I am curious to see how the rookie is used coming out of the bye week.
- Justice Hill – Keaton Mitchell deservedly got more attention, but Hill had the most touches in the backfield. I do wonder if this receiving back role will end up going to Mitchell moving forward though.
Wide Receivers:
- Demario Douglas – he rewarded people who took a shot on him this week. Douglas will continue to see his role expand in the Patriots paltry offense. They need him.
- Noah Brown and Robert Woods – if you missed out on Schultz, Nico Collins and Tank Dell, Noah Brown and Robert Woods are your chance to get on the high flying Texans passing game. Woods was the starter before injury, but Brown has looked really good subbing in. You can spot-start either.
- Donovan Peoples-Jones – I think he will take a few weeks to settle in, but he should contribute quickly for the Lions
- Jameson Williams – I don’t think the Lions would trade for Donovan Peoples-Jones if Williams was ascending, but maybe this is the shot in the arm the 2nd year player needs.
Tight Ends
- Cade Otton – frustratingly, I had to give him up a couple of weeks ago. His snap share has been fantastic all season, but the Bucs finally looked his way consistently and he rewarded fantasy owners. His target totals will probably still fluctuate, but he’s worth having.
- Juwan Johnson – he’s back in action. He caught a TD pass from Taysom Hill this week (the rare TE-to-TE tight end connection).
- Donald Parham Jr. – I’m writing this before the MNF action, but if he has another nice game on the goal line, it’ll be time to snap him up. Keep an eye out.
- Michael Mayer – this is seriously the last week I mention him if I don’t see juice out of him vs the Jets in week 10. He’s manhandling people in the blocking game, but the offense is going to be run-first for the rest of the season and the Raiders are integrating Hunter Renfrow back into the fold. Mayer might not break out until 2024 because there are just a lot of mouths to feed on this offense.
Defense/Special Teams:
- Jaguars – they’re one of the best units in the league. They just went through their bye week and are available in about 75% of leagues out there.