With FAAB and Waivers set to go off Tuesday and Wednesday in your leagues, here’s our Week 11 edition of the Waiver Wire Spotlight.
By Ryan Reynolds
For those who are new to fantasy sports, the Waiver Wire is a place full of all the unclaimed players; and your decisions on the Wire could either help or hurt your total fantasy production. It’s simple, you either claim a sleeper or claim a bust. For example, everyone who claimed Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman off waivers at the beginning of the year are being rewarded huge by how much he’s producing this season. Freeman is the perfect example of how fruitful the Waiver Wire can be.
This weekly guide is written to help owners easily identify the “studs” of fantasy football who are currently unclaimed in order to make your team more fearful to the rest of the competition. Here is the Waiver Wire Spotlight for Week 11.
Wide Receivers
Danny Amendola – New England Patriots (21.6 percent)
The New England Patriots just keep adding to their injury report. Two weeks ago, the Patriots announced that running back Dion Lewis would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL and now their most productive wide receiver, Julian Edelman, has been added to the list.
So who would be the best fit to replace him? Well, considering Edelman was leading the team in targets per game, someone is going to have to step up and fill the void, and it starts with Danny Amendola. Through ten weeks of action, Amendola has only one 100 yard receiving game under his belt while reaching the endzone twice, but do not let those stats fool you.
When Edelman went down in Week 10, Amendola saw a season-high ten targets, and with Edelman set to miss the remainder of the season, Amendola can expect to see an increase in targets and playing time – making him a must-add in all leagues.
Dwayne Harris – New York Giants (9.4 percent)
Giants Wide Receiver Victor Cruz announced that he will undergo season ending calf surgery, making Dwayne Harris a potential fantasy target.
The Giants offense has been rolling this season, scoring more than 20 points in every game except one. Harris has proved he has upside through ten weeks of play, scoring four touchdowns and averaging between three and six receptions per game. With the absence of Cruz, and playing alongside fellow wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Harris looks to be one of the team’s top options for the rest of the season.
In deep leagues, Harris makes for an interesting add.
Tight Ends
Jordan Reed – Washington Redskins (75.7 percent)
Redskins tight end Jordan Reed is the definition of a fantasy sleeper. He’s ranked fifth among tight ends, averages eight points per contest and is only owned in 75.7 percent of leagues.
Reed’s value comes in the redzone. He has proven that he’s quarterback Kirk Cousins’ top option by scoring an astonishing five touchdowns over the past three games. In a touchdown base league, that’s the best possible production anyone could ask for.
If available, Reed is a must-add.
Jacob Tamme – Atlanta Falcons (22 percent)
The Falcons are coming off their Week 10 bye and are facing the Indianapolis Colts this week. Flashback to Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tamme showed his fantasy potential by catching ten passes for 103 yards and one touchdown.
With defenses keying in on other Falcons’ threats such as running back Devonta Freeman and wide receiver Julio Jones, expect to see Tamme produce numbers like he did back in Week 8. Another big factor that points Tamme’s fantasy potential upwards is the style of offense he plays in. Quarterback Matt Ryan likes to sling the football, which means possibly more targets for Tamme, which in the end results in more fantasy points.
For owners who are searching for a tight end in deep fantasy leagues, Tamme isn’t a bad option considering his potential and the kind of offense he plays in.
Quarterbacks
Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys (47.4 percent)
If you are an owner in need of a quarterback, here is your chance to scoop one.
Everyone is aware of what Tony Romo can do to an opposing defense. In his only full game this year, Romo produced 22 fantasy points by throwing for 356 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Romo will have plenty of weapons to throw to in tight end Jason Witten and wide receiver Dez Bryant.
If you’re an owner in need of a quarterback, pick up Tony Romo if you have the chance. With Romo, you know exactly what to expect and he will immediately have the potential to produce big fantasy games.
Blake Bortles – Jacksonville Jaguars (74.5 percent)
Yes, I never thought I’d be saying this about a Jacksonville quarterback, but don’t be afraid to pick him up.
His numbers speak for themselves. This season, Bortles has posted a total of three 300 yard passing games, while also posting seven multi-touchdown games. It looks as if this second year quarterback is improving with every snap he takes part.
Blake Bortles makes for a solid fantasy quarterback. If Romo is owned in your league, and you’re looking for a quarterback, Bortles is a good option considering he has a favorable matchup against a suspect Tennessee Titans defense this week.
Running Backs
Karlos Williams – Buffalo Bills (70.3 percent)
This option is for owners who play in deep leagues and are desperately looking for a running back.
In Week 10, Williams became the first rookie to score a touchdown in each of his first six games. This season, Williams has reached the endzone seven times and has rushed for over 100 yards twice. The only downfall to Williams is that he’s currently backing up a healthy LeSean McCoy. On the bright side, the Bills run the ball enough for Williams to receive more carries than what a usual backup gets.
If the injury-prone McCoy gets shelved again, expect to see this explosive rookie assume the starting role and produce quality fantasy numbers.
These are the best players currently unowned in the majority of fantasy leagues. If you’re an owner looking to fill a hole in your lineup, or just an owner wanting to add depth to your team, feel free to pickup any of these players. Good luck in Week 11!