A top-heavy week on the waiver wire, where the priority targets are handcuffs that were widely rostered, typically means that deeper targets start to get scooped up during the early waiver run. That leaves somewhat slim pickin’s behind for those of us looking to cull through and make First Come, First Served adds, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t value to be found. Whether they are speculative adds that a play away from fortune breaking in their favor or simply players who weren’t added as widely as they should have been, there is still plenty to like from this week’s lot of deep targets.
Woody Marks, RB, HOU (20% Rostered)
The rare back-to-back feature in this article, Woody Marks saw his rostership swell from 6% heading into last week, to 9% after games concluded, and is now sitting at 20% after waivers have run. Marks is getting the spotlight treatment once again because that number is simply too low. The Texans spent significant capital to move up and acquire Marks during this year’s draft, and his on-ramp to contributing is now on the precipice of merging onto the highway. Last week was significant for Marks for two reasons: it brought about another step forward in playing time, where he pulled near even with starter Nick Chubb, and Marks full stepped into the passing-down role previously occupied by Dare Ogunbowale. We’ve seen Marks post some explosive numbers as a pass catcher, outpacing the likes of Christian McCaffery and De’Von Achane in both yards per reception and yards per route run in his limited sample. Additional time on the field will normalize those efficiency metrics a bit, but will also bring expanded opportunity to show why he was drafted so highly. Marks appears to be on the verge of a breakout, and he can be had for free in nearly 80% of leagues.
Luther Burden III, WR, CHI (14% Rostered)
I might be accused of points-chasing here, but that is anything but what’s happening. Admittedly, seeing Luther Burden III explode for 108 yards and a score isn’t the worst thing in the world, but he was on the radar for this piece regardless. Gauging how Ben Johnson would deploy his war chest of weapons in the offense was one of the biggest questions heading into the season. He seemed to defer to the veterans to start the season, but with each passing game, we’ve been seeing incrementally more of the young talent he hand-selected in the draft. Specifically, a spike in Burden’s routes run and first-read targets is the canary in the coal mine that his role could soon be expanding. Couple that with the generally odd and clearly waning role for DJ Moore, and it’s not hard to foresee a world where Burden becomes a consistent contributor. He’s a readily available way to get exposure to an offense on the rise and should be stashed on any roster that has the space for him.
Hassan Haskins, RB, LAC (1% Rostered)
I completely understand the excitement for the expanded opportunity that lies ahead for Omarion Hampton in light of the news about Najee Harris. I have plenty of shares myself. It would be foolish, however, to simply project the rookie to assume the entirety of the workload out of the Chargers’ backfield. In fact, I’d challenge you to find any Greg Roman offense that featured a single back dominating workload. Hampton figures to see 75-85% of the snaps, but someone has to fill in for the rest, and Hassan Haskins is the favorite to do so. That type of usage alone isn’t much to get excited about, but when contextualized to the fact that Haskins also becomes the “next man up” in a run-dominated system, he becomes a very intriguing speculative add who’s available in almost every league.
Jalen Coker, WR, CAR (8% Rostered)
More of a public service announcement than anything else. Jalen Coker is eligible to return from his stint on IR in Week 5, and reporting out of Carolina suggests optimism about his ability to play as soon as he’s eligible. The timing could not be any better for the Panthers’ offense to get an infusion of play-making ability and for Bryce Young to get back a familiar target with an established rapport. Coker’s mini-breakout as a rookie coincided with Young’s rebound down the stretch run, and he showed flashes of breakaway ability and a knack for winning contested catches. There is certainly no guarantee that these two pick up where they left off, but what is nearly assured is that receiver-needy teams facing the start of bye weeks will look to add a player like Coker next week, which is all the more reason for you to grab him right now.