Pigskin Papers Waiver Wire- Week 2

Jahan Dotson’s Jump Ball Skills Were On Display Sunday

(Published September 13, 2022)

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Welcome to another year of Waiver Wire analysis from the Pigskin Papers! Each week, I’ll try to identify the top Waiver Wire targets and I’ll also try to evaluate the short and long term prospects of those players. I’ll also do my best to identify which players who are coming off a big week are fool’s gold.

Some of the players I’m going to mention each week won’t be available in your league. As a general rule, I’ll only talk about players who are available in more than 50% of leagues. But what does that even mean? A 10 team league with 6 bench spots will have a much larger pool of available players than what I’m used to which is a 14 team league with 8 bench spots. It’s like night and day. Most leagues fall somewhere in between. This is unfortunately not “one size fits all,” but I’ve got to fit it all into one column. So - if you’re wondering why I’m not listing Darrell Henderson or James Robinson this week, that’s why. Both backs should already be rostered in every league. If they aren’t, open the bank.

Another thing that varies by league is how waivers are processed. Some leagues are still in the Dark Ages and use priority waivers. If that’s you, talk to your Commissioner and change to a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) system for next year. If your league uses FAAB, one thing to bear in mind is that your dollars are worth a little more now than they will be later in the season. Why? Because any player you buy now might be with you for 13 or 14 more weeks before your playoffs start. With each passing week, that number goes down, but you’re using the same dollars. I’m not arguing that you should blow your entire budget now, and there’s definitely value to having more money later. For the record, I think the Free Agent crop this week is about average for a Week 2.

OK, let’s get to the Waiver Wire for Week 2!

QB

Most people are set at this position, but if you lost Dak Prescott, or you’re a little nervous about Trey Lance, and you don’t have one of the better backups because they all got taken, or if you’re looking to have another option in a Superflex league, Carson Wentz is someone who isn’t scared to chuck it, has some good weapons, and can give you fantasy points in the right matchups, as he showed with his 4 TDs against the Jaguars on Sunday. And if for some reason you’re still looking beyond that, Geno Smith also has pretty good weapons and he looked good on Monday night, and at times last season.

It’s Deja Vu All Over Again in SF

RB

It seems like yesterday that Raheem Mostert went down in the 49ers’ first game, and rookie Elijah Mitchell came in and ran for 100+ yards and a TD, causing the great Fantasy Stampede of 2021. Well, exactly one year later, the brittle Mitchell goes down with an MCL injury in Week 1, and here comes Jeff Wilson. Wilson is a competent back who should be in line to get the bulk of the early downs work for at least half of the season, but he’ll lose carries to Deebo and Lance and might get spelled on third downs, so I wouldn’t go crazy. Still, starting RBs are hard to find, and if you need one, Wilson should have the gig for a decent stretch. He’s a priority add.

Another RB who could be in for starter reps on a team that tends to feature one RB is Steelers’ rookie Jaylen Warren. Early reports are that Najee Harris won’t miss the Week 2 game against the Patriots, but given that Harris had a lisfranc injury in the preseason, I think Warren is a decent bench stash and especially if Harris is on your roster.

Jamaal Williams is a good bench add at RB if you’ve got the space, as he can be a useful plug-in for bye weeks or an emergency starter at RB. He should get double digit touches most weeks.

Khalil Herbert had promising usage on Sunday - 10 total touches including a goal line carry that he converted. I’m down on the Chicago offense as a whole, but Herbert has talent and is a good add at a position where you can never have enough depth.

I know he scored 2 TDs last week, but Dontrelle Hilliard is probably fool’s gold, as he did that on just 5 touches. Still, if you’ve got Derrick Henry on your roster, I suggest finding room for Hiiliard.

Is Devin Duvernay Worth a Pickup?

WR

Every year, there are a handful of WRs who surprise with a big game in Week 1. This year was no exception. Of the WRs who you might be thinking about for a waiver claim this week, I like Jahan Dotson best. Dotson was a bit of an afterthought as the 5th WR taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but his contested catch skills are a nice complement to Carson Wentz’s skillset, as discussed above. He was on my Sleepers list for the season and for this week, and I continue to like his prospects as a fantasy asset this season. He’s a borderline priority add for me. His teammate Curtis Samuel also had a big game, but I feel less confident in his ability to produce consistent fantasy points.

Julio Jones looked spry (and surprisingly fast) on Sunday night, and while he only hauled in 3 catches (for 69 yards), with Chris Godwin returning from his torn ACL only to leave with a hamstring injury, Julio could be in for a decent-sized role in a high-volume passing offense. His 5 targets were second only to Mike Evans, and he also got 2 rushing attempts. Don’t expect vintage Julio, but as we saw with Antonio Brown last year, Brady knows how to get the most out of veteran WRs and I think Julio can be a fill-in starter or flex for you if you’re in need. He’s my second favorite WR pickup this week, after Dotson.

Devin Duvernay hauled in all 4 of his targets on Sunday, for 54 yards and 2 TDs, and it looks like he’s the #3 option for Lamar. I think Duvernay is fine as a bench stash who gives you added depth, but I don’t think he’s a guy you can count on each week.

A few other WRs to consider, and like Duvernay, these are all decent depth adds who I would not spend much on, but I’d like to have on my roster as a 4th, 5th or 6th WR: Sterling Shepherd, Jarvis Landry, Tyler Boyd (and especially if Tee Higgins misses time), Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Robby Anderson.

Don’t Sleep on Gerald Everett

TE

Gerald Everett was on my sleepers list for the season and for Week 1, and he came up big with a 3-54-1 performance. Considering how weak the TE position is, those are nice numbers. He may lose some reps when Donald Parham returns, but he’s in a high volume passing offense with a great QB - and if Keenan Allen misses time he could be in for more targets. You could do a lot worse than Everett as a TE streamer or even a low-end starter.

Hayden Hurst had a nice first game with the Bengals, and his 8 targets is a promising sign. Remember that the game went an extra 10 minutes and that Higgins left with a concussion. Still, we saw last season that a TE in this offense can be somewhat productive. Hurst is another lower-end TE who can help you at a weak position.

I can’t recommend O.J. Howard, even after his 2 TD performance. He only had 2 catches. But again, it’s a weak position, so if you’re desperate, I understand it.

Good luck with your waiver claims!

DH

***This column (Waiver Wire) and the Weekly Fantasy Recap appear each Monday and Tuesday, and the Weekly Fantasy Preview each Thursday. Please bookmark the site and come back often. You can also follow on Social Media - on Instagram (thepigskinpapers) and Twitter (@PigskinPapers). I appreciate your patronage and welcome your feedback. You can post in the comment boxes or email pigskinpapers@gmail.com.***