Haven't done a post on waiver targets in at least a couple years. The rule of thumb for most sites is to recommend little-rostered players coming off huge performances. Not a heavy lift. Just scan the highest scorers, identify the guys who remain unrostered in your league, and bingo:
I prefer deeper cuts. But if they're too deep, they're simply lottery tickets, and a lot of managers don't have bench space for more lottery tickets with bye weeks on the horizon.
So here are 10 players, eight of which are (a) available in most leagues, (b) not coming off monster performances, and (c) well-positioned to produce terrific numbers in at least some of the coming weeks. The other two are Rashaad White (47.6% rostered) and Wan'Dale Robinson (29.9%). If they're somehow on your waivers, you'll need to spend big to get either. Pointing them out because White was one of my biggest preseason top-40 RB bargains, while Robinson was one of my biggest preseason top-50 WR bargains. They're #2's at their respective positions, yet capable of playing like #1's. That's what made them bargains.
For the other eight players, starting at quarterback, let's go with Tua Tagovailoa (23.9%) and Sam Darnold (7.3%). Ironically, Darnold might seem more obvious. He still has all the tools to be a top-16 QB. Tua probably makes a lot less sense. Miami's 0-2 and is heading to Buffalo on Thursday. But as discussed on yesterday's podcast, if the 'Fins can hold on until Week 4, there's a path to respectability, as their next three games will be the Jets, @Panthers, and the Chargers. All winnable to some realistic degree, and all favorable enough to support a (on paper) talented offense.
At running back, Bhayshul Tuten (40%) is too obvious. Of course he'll be heavily sought after. Looking a little deeper, I'd want to snag Braelon Allen (36.4) despite the Jets' Week 2 collapse. Blake Corum (5.3%) remains vastly undervalued in a backfield where #1 Kyren Williams is already netting an anemic career-low of 1.2-yards-after-first-contact and also a career-low broken-tackle rate. And AJ Dillon (0.5%) earning some run on Sunday suggests that he -- not Tank Bigsby -- will get the first crack if Saquon Barkley goes down.
There are only two reasonable Hail Mary-ish wideouts I'm eyeing: teammates Romeo Doubs (20.3%) and Dontayvion Wicks (0.2%). With rookie Matthew Golden struggling (so far) and both Jayden Reed and Christian Watson shelved, it would be reasonable to expect double-digit points from Doubs and/or Wicks in most games 'til at least November. Both are proven playmakers in thinned-out receiver corps, and that's exactly what they're facing beginning Sunday.
Finally, Ja'Tavion Sanders (1.0%) appears to be distancing himself from teammate Tommy Tremble and is top 10 in TE targets. Why add a Panthers tight end? Fair question, and that helps explain why 99% of leagues don't want to. Still, the 2024 fourth-rounder is only 22 years old and appears to have taken his game (and his chemistry with Bryce Young) to the next level.
If you're still not convinced (most reasonable people wouldn't be at this stage), I shared this on the blog two months ago: "[Sanders'] four best performances last year came when Tommy Tremble was sidelined. In those contests, Sanders racked up 9.9, 12.1, 12.7, and 8.8 fantasy points. Those are top-12 fantasy numbers."
He's legit. It's simply about whether he can consistently garner 6+ targets.
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