Honestly, the only thing I have to say about the waiver wire this week is, don’t blow your FAAB. There’s nothing too exciting or even much long-term value out there on the wire. Grab some players who can help fill in as you face your bye weeks, and live to fight another day with your FAAB.Wh
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Running Backs
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (11% rostership on Yahoo/3% on ESPN)
This is how sad the waiver wire is this week. We’ve been talking all season long about how we don’t want anyone in this Baltimore backfield, but with Mark Ingram II dealing with an ankle sprain, there’s an opportunity here for Gus Edwards to get a decent sized role. He’s been involved in this backfield since Week 1, and has typically been the one getting the work on the ground above rookie J.K. Dobbins. With only two running backs getting touches now, there’s a decent chance that Edwards gets high-value touches near the goal line.
FAAB Budget: 5%
Carlos Hyde, Seattle Seahawks (12%/7%)
Deejay Dallas, Seattle Seahawks (1%/1%)
This one depends entirely on the Seahawks injury report over the next few days. Starting running back Chris Carson suffered a mid-foot sprain and will likely miss some time, which makes Carlos Hyde an attractive option to take over his role. Hyde did well when he had his opportunity on Sunday, but now he might also potentially miss time with a hamstring strain. If both Carson and Hyde miss time, that would make Deejay Dallas the next man up as Travis Homer is out with a bruised knee. Not only would Dallas be the next man up, he also would be the only healthy running back on the roster. There’s really no way of knowing who’s going to get the work next week because we don’t know yet who will be healthy, but you should be taking a shot on at least one of these guys.
FAAB Budget: 5%
JaMycal Hasty, San Francisco 49ers (22%/6%)
Speaking of injured backfields, the 49ers have their fair share of injuries as well. With Raheem Mostert still out for a few weeks, no clear answer on whether Tevin Coleman will be back soon, and Jeff Wilson Jr. going down on Sunday, that leaves only Jerick McKinnon and JaMycal Hasty as healthy running backs in San Francisco. While that might make Hasty seem like a no-brainer pick up, especially with how little McKinnon has been involved lately, if there’s anything we’ve learned about the 49ers over the past few seasons it’s that they will never use their running backs the way we expect them to. I want to buy into Hasty having a big week, but there’s really no way of knowing if he will get the work or not.
FAAB Budget: 5%
Wide Receivers
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers (50% rostership on Yahoo/27% on ESPN)
It’s not just running backs that have gotten hurt, it’s also the wide receivers as Deebo Samuel also got hurt on Sunday. Brandon Aiyuk has already had some fantastic weeks and now that the offense is essentially him, whatever is left of the backfield, and tight end George Kittle, Aiyuk should see plenty of opportunities in the coming weeks.
FAAB Budget: 10%
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (29%/38%)
Before the season started, Sterling Shepard had been drafted in 67% of Yahoo leagues as the 44th wide receiver off the board. Now that he’s healthy, he should be back to that level at the very least. The Giants have no running game to speak of really, and no legitimate weapons in the passing game besides Darius Slayton. They’ve needed a playmaker like Shepard in a bad way and in his first game back he received 8 targets. He has a good role and is a talented player.
FAAB Budget: 10%
Nelson Agholor, Las Vegas Raiders (6%/3%)
I’m not really sure what to make of Nelson Agholor. On the one hand, he’s been ridiculously efficient, averaging only two targets per week prior to Week 7 but scoring 3 touchdowns through that time. On the other, that lack of volume makes me very nervous. However, against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL his target share skyrocketed, receving a season-high 9 targets, and turned that into 5 receptions for 107 yards and a TD. He is very big-play dependent, but they have been connecting on the big plays so far and giving him more of a role in the offense.
FAAB Budget: 5%
Rashard Higgins, Cleveland Browns (4%/1%)
Let’s get one thing straight, his performance this week against the Bengals is the best performance he’ll have all season. The Bengals defense is as bad as it gets, and the Browns were slinging it for the first time all season. I don’t expect the Browns offense to remain so high-volume, so even though Rashard Higgins figures to step into the role left behind by the injured Odell Beckham Jr., I don’t expect Higgins to be anything more than a bye week low-end flex.
FAAB Budget: 1%
Tight Ends
Richard Rodgers, Philadelphia Eagles (10%/6%)
With both Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert out, Richard Rodgers stepped right into their roles and racked up 6 receptions for 85 yards on 8 targets. There is a ready-made role for Rodgers here as long as both Ertz and Goedert are injured, but whenever Goedert returns, I’m no longer interested in Rodgers.
FAAB Budget: 1%
(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire)