Waiver Wire Weekly: Quick fixes for the injury bug

If you read last week’s edition and picked up players we featured, such as Frank Gore, DJ Chark, Demarcus Robinson or Will Dissly, then you know to take our advice again. Week 3 of NFL action brought to light several backup quarterbacks along with a few critical injuries key to fantasy dominance. So if you find yourself stuck with an injured star, such as Saquon Barkley or T.Y. Hilton, expect the following players to fill some big shoes in Week 4. 

*The %OWN statistic is based on ESPN Standard Leagues on Sept. 24th.

Quarterbacks

Daniel Jones, New York Giants, *%OWN: 15%

All of the critics that blasted the Giants for selecting Duke quarterback Daniel Jones sixth overall in this year’s draft are silent now. Jones put the entire league on notice with his stellar debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jones went 23/36 with 336 passing yards and four total touchdowns, two coming by way of Jones scrambles.

Jones completely transformed a once-stagnant Giants offense under former starter Eli Manning using both his arm and his legs. Jones also happens to find himself in a favorable matchup in Week 4 against the struggling Washington Redskins.

Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts, %OWN: 19.3%

After being featured in our first week’s edition, Jacoby Brissett still finds himself with a %OWN less than 20%. Brissett has done nothing but produce after the Colts elevated him to starter following Andrew Luck’s retirement. Last week against the Falcons, Brissett went 28-37 with 310 yards and two touchdowns.

Though Brissett may be without top playmaker T.Y. Hilton for this upcoming matchup with the Raiders, the Colts have enough dependable weapons to help Brissett continue his early season success.

Running Backs

Darrel Williams, Kansas City Chiefs, %OWN: 2.5%

Darrel Williams found himself firmly in the mix of the Chiefs backfield following an injury to regular starter Damien Williams in Week 2. He then found himself as the lead man when LeSean McCoy had to exit last week’s game early with an ankle injury.

Now with both regular starters’ status up in the air for Week 4, Darrel Williams must be considered in all fantasy leagues. Sharing opportunities with McCoy until he exited, Darrel Williams had nine carries for 62 yards and five receptions for 47 yards. Given the explosive nature of the Chiefs offense, if Damien Williams and or LeSean McCoy cannot suit up, Darrel Williams is a must-add player.

Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins, %OWN: 52.9%

If you are considering picking Chris Thompson for your fantasy league, don’t be discouraged by his modest numbers so far this season. Thompson is the type of back that makes his money in the passing game.

Despite only having seven carries for 29 yards on Monday night, Thompson had four catches for 79 yards, bringing his total yardage to 108 on the night. He does the most damage catching the ball in space and using his speed to gain yards after the catch, and if the Redskins’ early season is any indication, they want to give Thompson his fair share of opportunities.

Wide Receivers 

Phillip Dorsett, New England Patriots, %OWN: 11.5%

Even though the Patriots offense is normally categorized as unpredictable for fantasy players, Dorsett has become a constant for timeless quarterback Tom Brady. This past week, Dorsett caught six passes for 53 yards and a touchdown against the struggling New York Jets.

Aided by Antonio Brown’s release, the opportunity for increased targets is up for the taking in New England and it seems as though Dorsett is ready to capitalize.

Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles, %OWN: 45.9%

Agholor became the central focus of the Eagles passing game in Week 3 after a slew of injuries, and he did not disappoint. Two Philadelphia receivers, DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery, were unable to play against the Lions this week, opening the door for Agholor to take advantage of increased targets.

He hauled in eight catches for 50 yards and two touchdowns. With Jackson already ruled out due to an abdominal strain and Jeffery’s status very questionable after a calf strain, look for another huge game from Agholor on Thursday night.

Tight Ends

Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks, %OWN: 27.5%

Even though Will Dissly’s %OWN went up 22.3% this week after being featured in our edition last week, he still rests below 30%. That number is going to keep rising, though, so if you need a tight end, try and get your hands on Dissly as soon as possible.

Dissly followed up his big game in Week 2 with another standout performance in Week 3, totaling six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. He’s becoming a focal point in the Seahawks red zone offense and should be a focal point of your fantasy roster as well. 

Demetrius Harris, Cleveland Browns, %OWN: 1.5%

Despite not having many touches to his name so far this season, Harris finds himself on our list because of a serious injury to regular Browns tight end David Njoku. Njoku sustained a concussion and a broken wrist in the Browns’ Monday night game against the Jets.

In the wake of Njoku’s injury, Harris only had one catch, but for a touchdown. With Njoku sidelined until at least Week 12, expect Harris to fill in the void left behind and capitalize on the high volume of opportunities that would have normally gone to Njoku.