Waiver Wire

Salvon Ahmed’s 21 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 cannot be ignored in the new look NFL that is devoid of workhorse backs. Ahmed is slotted in as the direct replacement for Myles Gaskin in Miami and is an ideal RB2 to help you with your playoff push, especially with Jordan Howard now out of the picture. Don’t overthink it.

David Moore is the next man up in Seattle’s high-octane offense after Tyler Lockett was declared questionable with a knee sprain. If Lockett is out, get excited for Moore, who has flashed big play potential for years when tethered to Russell Wilson.

Duke Johnson is the latest example of why we should be stashing backup running backs this late in the season, especially those who project to be bell cows in the event of an injury to the starter. The fantasy community has waited years for him to have the opportunity he’s been presented for Week 10. With David Johnson yet to be cleared from his Week 9 concussion, Duke is looking at an every-down role in a narrative-soaked revenge game against his former team. You know what to do.

Since returning from a knee injury that cost him Week 6, Curtis Samuel has scored in three straight games and logged two 20-plus-point performances. He’s finally happening. He has seen his recent floor bolstered by carries and rushing touchdowns, and now Christian McCaffrey is in danger of missing this week’s contest. His dynamism will make him an enticing, high-ceiling Flex play down the fantasy stretch.

DeeJay Dallas was a top 5 running back in Week 8 with the Seattle backfield ravaged by injuries. There is no guarantee that Chris Carson or Carlos Hyde come back this week, and an every-week role is possible for Dallas regardless. Any running back can thrive when playing in the same backfield as Russell Wilson.

Kendrick Bourne is one of the few last men standing in San Francisco. Bourne caught eight-of-ten targets in Week 8 for 81 yards following Deebo Samuel and George Kittle injuries. Nick Mullens has shown an ability to generate fantasy-viable wide receivers. It is also possible that this offense struggles to put up points in general. Bourne is a fair consolation prize if you fail to acquire anyone else this week.

When given the opportunity in 2019, Wayne Gallman did have an RB1 week with 23.8 half PPR points. He has a brutal Week 8 matchup against a lights-out Tampa Bay run defense, but needs to be acquired since he has shown the most upside of the Giants RBs to this point and may be the starter for the foreseeable future. The severity of Devonta Freeman’s ankle injury is unknown, but Gallman has RB2 upside if Freeman is out.

In his first action since Week 2, Sterling Shepard logged a season-high 78.8-percent Snap Share, while also recording season-highs with eight targets, three red zone targets, 59 receiving yards, 60 Air Yards and 17.9 (No. 16 among qualified wide receivers) fantasy points. He’s the de facto WR1 for the Giants and has low-end WR3 upside so long as he stays healthy. The offense overall is lackluster, but Shepard will maintain fantasy relevance in PPR formats.

Boston Scott is walking into at least one week of pseudo-starter responsibilities. Scott is the next man up, and a short week against the New York Giants ensures that Miles Sanders will sit and that scoring opportunity will be abundant. Doug Pederson has a history of using a committee when no true workhorse is available to carry the load. Still, one week RB2 upside makes Scott a worthy Flex play for those looking to fill bye weeks.

J.D. McKissic has forced himself onto the fantasy radar with at least six receptions in each game since Dwayne Haskins was relinquished to the bench. Kyle Allen is a checkdown machine that helped fuel Christian McCaffrey’s historic 2019 run. McKissic is AFC James White with PPR flex value completely supported by targets. He’s a high-floor PPR Flex option perfect for bye week fill-ins.

Chase Claypool is the hot ticket pickup for Week 6 after a four touchdown performance against the Eagles. His efficiency will obviously come down to Earth, but his profile supports his breakout being for real. The Steelers average 37.2 (No. 16) Team Pass Plays per Game, so there is plenty of opportunity for Claypool. His eruption was seemingly linked to Diontae Johnson being injured. However, the overall productivity of this offense can lead him to weekly fantasy success.

Travis Fulgham looks like 2020’s Phillip Lindsay; the undrafted guy nobody ever heard of who may finish top 24 at his position. Carson Wentz can sill activate high-end fantasy receivers and as of Week 5, his best weapon is Fulgham. Add him in all formats as the ultimate boom/bust acquisition of 2020. His range of outcomes include returning to irrelevancy or ascending to moderate stardom and at least Flex value.

Newly-minted starting QBs always make for priority waiver wire targets. Especially when they have Konami Code upside and are among the most efficient college QBs of all time. Skip the middle man. Get Tua Tagovailoa on your roster now to avoid the inevitable rush to acquire him when he becomes the starter in Miami. If Ryan Fitzpatrick has another dud this week and the Dolphins drop to 1-4, Tua Time may come sooner than anticipated.

With Russell Wilson finally being allowed to play at an MVP-caliber level, it makes sense to target pieces of his passing offense. That includes David Moore, who comes off his best statistical and fantasy outing of the young season. The Snap Share and routes have trended downwards, but Moore still went 3-95-1 on four Week 4 targets, also logging 81 Air Yards despite a season-low 13 routes run. Despite a 7.6 (No. 31 among qualified wide receivers) Weekly Volatility mark, it shows that we want to have him stashed to play in deeper leagues in the right matchups.

PlayerProfiler subscribers already know all about Joshua Kelley’s upside. He’s healthy Sony Michel. His usage was throttled back in favor of Austin Ekeler over these last few weeks, but Ekeler is slated to miss 4-6 weeks with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The split between Kelley and Justin Jackson is yet to be seen, but both players warrant a bid going into the Week 5 waiver run.

Julio Jones is dealing with lingering hamstring issues, paving the way for more opportunity for Olamide Zaccheaus, who profiles as a proficient slot receiver best comparable to Jamison Crowder. His 34.1-percent (94th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) College Target Share and 19.1 (88th-percentile) Breakout Age suggest that this undrafted free agent belongs on NFL rosters and fantasy teams alike.

Brandon Aiyuk is less widely rostered than Justin Jefferson but unlikely to be available in deep leagues. He is a stronger add than Jefferson and Tee Higgins this week, because he would likely operate as the 49ers’ No. 1 wide receiver until Deebo Samuel is 100-percent back online.

Travis Homer is a more versatile and explosive back than Carlos Hyde and received the first backfield snap in a clutch situation after Chris Carson went down on a dirty play at the end of Seattle’s epic Week 3 win. Like Myles Gaskin last week, Homer is this week’s signature darkhorse free agent fantasy running back and a high priority add. Because he did not pop in the score, he can be added for a small percentage of most FAAB budgets.

A bet on Bryan Edwards is a bet on one of the highest ranking prospects in this year’s rookie class via the Breakout Finder. A player with the second-highest Breakout Age in the entire database and a 48.4-percent (94th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) College Dominator Rating against SEC competition. If he puts up a usable fantasy performance while facing Stephon Gilmore’s coverage, we will unequivocally know that he’s for real.

With Jerry Jeudy a game-time decision for Denver’s Week 3 contest against the Bucs, it’s time to stash K.J. Hamler, who tied Jeudy for the team lead with seven targets last week. Having Jeff Driskel under center lowers his ceiling for now, but Courtland Sutton being unavailable for the rest of the year raises his rest-of-season floor, and Drew Lock’s eventual return will raise the sky-high ceiling back up. He also draws the Jets in Week 4, if exploiting winnable matchups is something you’re interested in.