Waiver Wire Pickups | Preseason
Fantasy football drafts may be where the fun is but waiver wire moves are how championships are won. You may have already drafted in your Fantasy Football League and lost Andrew Luck or Lamar Miller, or you may have a draft still coming up. In this article we'll throw out some names that may be able to help you win your league if you are willing to take some chances on these players. We will continue to update these waiver wire rankings as the week progresses and new names emerge as players get cut or injured.
The waiver wire is the single most powerful way you dominate your league. I constantly add players throughout the season to try and help my team. Nothing is 100% foolproof and yes, occasionally I cut a player loose to early before he breaks out but because of my aggresiveness on the waiver I almost always make the playoffs. When looking for waiver wire pickups your goal is simple, replace your under performing players with starters. Yes, You'll be temped to hold onto your early draft picks because of the investment you made. Resist the urge to hold on to dead weight and move onto someone who can help your team. An early pickup from the waiver wire could blossom into a consistent starter throughout the year.
Generally, weeks one through four are the most critical once we see how players and teams are doing. If you have a FAAB budget and a potential league winner shows up early do not be chincy with your money and go get that player!!! During the first few weeks you'll see which wide receiver's are breaking out and almost always you maybe able to upgrade your WR2's and WR3's. You'll see how Running Back By Committees (RBBC) are being put to use and how what we assumed when we drafted was either right or wrong. This year it remains to be seen if Darrell Henderson, Ronald Jones, Jamaal Williams, etc. etc are going to have enough usage to be able to help your team or not. Tight ends that no one saw out like George Kittle last year coming put together several strong games and become fantasy relevant. Lastly, quarterbacks and team defenses can be streamed. We publish the best waiver wire picks every week, see below for our most recent picks. But what do you do right now if you have lost a player like Andrew Luck to Retirement or Lamar Miller to injury?
Love it or hate it, the NFL preseason can give you a lot of insight into what to expect in the regular season that you can take advantage of. Sure, the teams barely play the stars and starters, but the usage of the backups can paint an interesting picture that provide some of the best waiver wire pickups before the players become household names. Last season Phillip Lindsay was a prime example of this.
Preseason Waiver Wire Pickups
If you have drafted already either you or someone in your league may have been crushed to hear about Andrew Luck's retirement or Lamar Miller's knee injury.Preseason Waiver Wire Quarterbacks
Jacoby Brissett: Andrew Luck's retirement shocked the Football World, even diehard Fantasy Football Nerds were shocked. If you are in a 2 QB league and where almost every quarterback is owned than grabbing Brissett has to be a priority. However if you are not in a quarterback premium league there may be other QB's worth replacing Luck with besides Brissett. In my fantasy football quarterback ranking list I have Brissett ranked at as about the 20th QB right now. Somewhere around the Andy Dalton, Nick Foles range. Like Marcus Mariota he will have Boom or Bust weeks so will lack the consistency you would like in a starting QB. In Brissett's favor are that he has been getting a lot of practice in this preseason and has experience with the offense. Brissett started 16 games for Indianapolis in 2017 and threw for 3,098 yards with 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions-pretty far away from Patrick Mahomes numbers. Brissett is also a mobile quarterback who may pick up a little on the ground.
So far that is the only QB worth talking about in the preseason.
Preseason Waiver Wire Pickups-RB's
Now this is where the meat is.Houston-We have a problem!!!
The Fantasy Football injury report has been fairly sparse besides A.J. Green and Keke Coutee early on until Lamar Miller tore his ACL. Lamar Miller's injury is going to open up quite a few carries in Houston. I am assuming Duke Johnson is already owned in most leagues-if not he is a priority waiver wire addition. While I am fairly confident that Houston will sign someone who is waived by another team for now we have to look at the other RB's on the roster.
Damarea Crockett and Karan Higdon:
The front runner appears to be Damarea Crockett for the early down role. Crockett has the size, speed, and decision-making of an NFL prospect often taken in the third or fourth round. Crockett has performed well in training camp. His competition right now is Karan Higdon who also is a special teams guy. Both should make the roster unless there is another signing. In the week 3 preseason game both Crockett and Higdon both played one quarter. Unless your league gives points for special teams I would leave Higdon alone and try and get Crockett. If it doesn't work out you can always cut him.Zach Zenner
[caption id="attachment_34481" align="aligncenter" width="2482"]
Aug 13, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detroit Lions running back Zach Zenner (34) makes the reception during a kickoff against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]Now, as I mentioned Houston could go out and trade for or more likely will pick up a veteran RB who gets cut by another team. Zach Zenner was just released by Detroit and might make a good fit in Houston. Grabbing him is the pure definition of buying a lottery ticket. Unless Zenner gets picked up by Houston I don't see him contributing much on any other team that might pick him up. Jay Ajayi
Another veteran name that has popped up is Jay Ajayi. He was a top round talent coming out of college but concerns about his knee caused Ajayi’s NFL draft stock to plummet into the fifth round. After having a couple of superstar performance games he was suddenly shipped off to Philadelphia. Now Ajayi remains a unsigned free agent, but there are rumors that the Texans may look to himiller. If you have a free spot on your bench, the British-born Ajayi is worth the speculative add.
Besides the Houston opening there are quite a few interesting Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups that may be worth speculating on.
Dare Ogunbowale
Never heard of him? Good. Snag him before your league mates do. Dare Ogunbowale is a former Wisconsin RB who entered the league in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and has bounced around three different teams practice squads. He is a former cornerback so he is already lloking like a great candidate for the third down role in Tampa Bay. After All Peyton Barber is really just a JAG and Ronald Jones could just as easily become one of the biigest draft busts in NFL history or maybe pill off a miracle and become the player that people thought he was coming out of U.S.C. With those question marks ahead of him Ogunbowale could become a league winner. He’s shown that ability in the preseason with five catches for 73 yards. Ronald Jones is still the favorite for that role in the Bucs offense, but don’t be shocked if Ogunbowale leap frogs him. In Dynasty and Keeper leagues he is a speculative add right now but who can return value this year and potentially league winning value should he become the #1 guy in Tampa sometime this year. As of now he is #3 but that can change fast. Dare's biggest challenge may be from Andre Ellington. Ellington is also a good pass catcher and has history with Head Coach Bruce Arians, between the two though dare is the shiny new toy.
Malcolm Brown
Many people who have drafted already were draftig Darrell Henderson as a back-up to Todd Gurley. I think Henderson has stand alone value as a third down back but that if Gurley were to go down or his arthritis flare up that Malcom Brown will be the primary beneficiary and probably wasn't drafted in your league. If he gets the call he immediately becomes a high RB2/Rb1 player. Just look at what C.J. Anderson did last year and you know whomever is in that role can produce. While you may not need to draft him before week one if you are a Gurley owner keep him on speed dial for any news of a Gurley set back. The Rams didn't match Brown's offer sheet for no reason at all...
DeAndre Washington
Unless you think Josh Jacobs is the reincarnation of Saquon Barkley than Washington may be a sneaky addition. DeAndre Washington has secured the No. 2 running back spot behind RB Josh Jacobs after Oakland released RB Doug Martin. RB Jalen Richard will remain the third-down back.
Brian Hill
It looks like Brian Hill could very well replace Ito Smith as Devonta Freeman's backup in Atlanta. While should Freeman go down that backfield would almost certainly be a committee situation but owning a piece of the high flying Falcons backfield can be valuable and it is basically free for the taking right now. With the likelihood of injuriy to Freeman and his skills give Brian Hill a better shot at the lead role in Atlanta than change of pace back Ito Smith.
Chase Edmonds
Chase Edmonds should have been drafted in your league but is a fairly safe speculative add if he wasn't. The Cardinals haven't looked the best in preseason and have a tough opening schedule so could probably be picked up after week 2 but if you own David Johnson-handcuff him with Edmonds. Has stand alone value in PPR leagues.
Darrel Williams
Coach Andy Reid's shiny toy Darwin Thompson is expected to be the #2 behind Damien Williams, however Darrel Williams is a talented backup in his own right and should Damien falter we have seen Andy Reid go through multiple RB's in the past. Remember Damien was #3 last year.
Dexter Williams
If you haven't seen enough Williams yet get ready for another one, while it was assumed that Jamaal Williams was the back up to Aaron Jones another one should be on your radar. Dexter Williams. Most of his issues hae been off field issues. On the field he has the athleticism. He is a quick back with excellent footwork. While he may not have the power you want to see from a starting RB he could easily fill in for either Jamaal Williams or Aaron Jones should the need arise and with neither being the poster boys for healthy players he could get his number called at any time.
Preseason Waiver Wire Receivers
Damion Willis- I mostly leave WR's on the waiver wire but if you are short at the position than Willis may help you for a few weeks until A.J. Green comes back and even then has been known to have an injury or two before during the season, Willis has been impressive in training camp and he has already been named the Week 1 starter opposite Tyler Boyd. While I don't look at him as a league winner by any stretch of the imagination he could give you some early help if you happen to own A.J. Green of Keke Coutee.
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