Who should you add on waivers this week?
By Calvin K (Twitter: @Calvin_SGF)
NOTE: These players are rostered in 40% or less of ESPN leagues
1. Devonta Freeman (RB, Baltimore Ravens)
Freeman has now solidified his hold on the Ravens backfield, racking up 22 touches on Sunday against the Bears. Freeman has been Baltimore’s back of choice over the last few weeks, and fellow RB Latavius Murray took a backseat in this game to Freeman, who has now garnered at least 13 touches in three straight matchups. The release of Le’Veon Bell will only increase Freeman’s opportunities, and while he’s not the most efficient runner compared to his younger days (only 49 rushing yards on 16 carries last week), his opportunity share still makes him a back-end RB2, placing him easily atop this week’s waiver wire adds.
2. Ty Johnson (RB, New York Jets)
Johnson has become a fantasy must-add following the news that Jets starting RB Michael Carter will miss multiple weeks with an injury. Johnson already has been somewhat involved in the Jets’ offense as of late, catching 19 passes over his last five games. Now, his carry numbers will get a chance to skyrocket in Carter’s absence, although his upside may be somewhat limited due to the presence of Tevin Coleman in the backfield as well. However, Johnson should still get some decent work in future weeks, so while he’s a risky start in fantasy as of now, he should still be rostered in all leagues.
3. A.J. Green (WR, Arizona Cardinals)
Green has been quietly productive over the last few weeks, and he had another solid game against Seattle on Sunday, catching four passes for 78 yards with Colt McCoy at the helm instead of the injured Kyler Murray. Green is currently sitting in a very crowded receiver room, so his performance can often hinge on whether the Cardinals put up a massive game that supports every wide receiver. However, Arizona’s high-powered offense has plenty of those games, which can serve to mask potential inconsistency from Green that we might otherwise see. Rondale Moore, Christian Kirk, and DeAndre Hopkins will continually eat into Green’s target share, but his week-to-week upside and relatively safe floor make him worth an add in fantasy.
4. Rondale Moore (WR, Arizona Cardinals)
Moore and Green are in similar situations, as both tend to hinder the other’s fantasy performances. However, Moore’s 11-catch day showed that, while he may be more inconsistent than Green at times, his short-yardage playmaking ability can allow him to siphon tons of targets on occasion. While this can make him a good asset in PPR leagues, the short-yardage nature of his receptions can make it difficult for him to have massive games unless he breaks off one big run, so he’s often too inconsistent to start on a week-to-week basis. However, Moore is electric with the ball in his hands, so fantasy managers could do far worse with an emergency plug-and-play.
5. Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers)
Newton threw for just 189 yards on Sunday, but he still finished as the fantasy QB4 on the week (pre-MNF) due to the rushing floor that he provided. Newton picked up 46 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, accounting for 10.6 of his fantasy points with his feet alone. This baseline will allow Newton to have good fantasy performances even on days where his passing isn’t the best, and upcoming matchups against the Dolphins and Falcons will allow Newton to truly display his upside. Newton is still a risky option at QB, but his soft schedule over the next two weeks makes him well worth an add, as he could become very valuable as a streamer at QB.
