FANTASY FOOTBALL ADD/DROPS
Week 12 working the waiver wire: Movers and Bakers
Nov 19, 2019, 4:26 pm
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Week 12 is upon us, which means the fantasy playoffs are right around the corner. This week, 4 teams won't be playing (Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, and Vikings) so expect this to be a fairly busy week on the waiver wire. Keep in mind the owner % mentioned is for 10-team standard ESPN PPR leagues. Some of these players below are good for the short-term, while others have more long-term value. You have to make the call on what your team needs. Immediate help to start this week, or a player to stash on your bench and hope he breaks out. Let's get started.
QB
Baker Mayfield: He's only rostered in 45% of ESPN 10-team leagues, and he plays the Dolphins this week.
Jacoby Brissett: He threw for over 300 yards and 4 TDs that last time he played the Texans, so he's worth considering for sure. He's available in 50% of leagues.
Sam Darnold: He's only rostered in 12% of leagues, and he gets the Raiders on Sunday. The matchup doesn't get much better, so grab him if you need him.
Nick Foles: He's available in 80% of leagues and his schedule is pretty nice down the stretch. He plays the Titans this week but next week is really where it's at. He plays the Bucs at home who have been dreadful at stopping the pass.
RB
Jonathan Williams: The Colts' backfield is a little murky right now, and we don't know if Jordan Wilkins will play this week. If Wilkins is out, Williams should get the work on 1st and 2nd down with Nyheim Hines getting the touches on passing downs. Marlon Mack isn't expected to miss a lot of time, so these are short-term options. Williams is widely available.
Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson: They split the workload pretty evenly last week, so they both might be usable against the Lions defense this week. Detroit is at the bottom of the league when it comes to stopping the run, so it's a beautiful matchup. Guice is rostered in 47% of leagues and Peterson's at 55%.
Bo Scarbrough: He had a nice fantasy game against the Cowboys, but who knows how the Lions will split up the RB touches going forward. He's out there in pretty much every league.
Kalen Ballage: He stinks, but it looks like he'll get the bulk of the carries for Miami. He's rostered in 34% of leagues.
WR
DeVante Parker: I can't believe Parker is still available in so many leagues. This is probably your last chance to add him. He's recorded 100 yards or a TD in 5 of his last 7 games. He's rostered in 45% of leagues.
Darius Slayton: Slayton has 4TDs in his last 3 games, and this dude can run. He's worth adding for upside. If Sterling Shepard returns from his concussion issues, that could negatively impact Slayton's value. Shepard fully practiced on Monday, so you'll have to monitor his status this week. He might be somebody to consider also if he does return to action.
Deebo Samuel: He's been terrific for 2 weeks straight, so he's worth adding. We'll see if he continues to put up big numbers when Emmanuel Sanders gets healthy, but Samuel looks good for the next couple of weeks. He should put up decent numbers in what could be a shootout against the Packers this week. Samuel is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he's expected to play. He's rostered in 33% of leagues.
Mecole Hardman: Tyreek Hill injured his hamstring on Monday night, and Hardman was used as his replacement. Hardman has similar traits to Hill, so he should be a good option until Hill returns from injury. Keep in mind, the Chiefs have a bye this week, and it's certainly possible Hill is ready to return in week 13. But if Hill misses a few weeks, Hardman could help lead your team to the fantasy playoffs. He's available in 80% of leagues, and makes for a good handcuff to Hill at the very least.
TE
Kyle Rudolph: He's recorded 4TDs in his last 3 games, so he's clearly the guy you should target. He's only rostered in 41% of leagues, so he's out there for the taking.
Noah Fant: He's only rostered in 14% of leagues, and this guy can really run, especially for a TE. He's a great option if you're looking for some upside and tired of starting guys like Jimmy Graham.
DEF
This week, the Browns have the honor of playing the Dolphins, so they are a good streaming option. If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up on Twitter. Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5FM. We're on every Sunday morning from 10-noon, and we'll talk a lot of fantasy football and NFL gambling getting you ready for kickoff every Sunday.
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Rich Eisen lays out how Stefon Diggs trade will impact Texans next season
Apr 19, 2024, 3:03 pm
Impersonal as it might seem to have their dynamic on-field relationship end with an exchange of phone texts, Bills quarterback Josh Allen made it clear on Thursday how much receiver Stefon Diggs meant to him during their four seasons together in Buffalo.
Allen made no mention of Diggs’ mercurial temperament or the occasional sideline flare-ups by expressing only praise in his first opportunity to discuss his now-former teammate being traded to the Houston Texans earlier this month.
“Just thanking him for everything that he did for me, and (I’ll) always have a spot in my heart for him. I’ll always love that guy like a brother. And I wish him nothing but the best,” Allen said, in disclosing what he texted to Diggs. “My lasting memory of Stef will be the receiver that helped me become the quarterback that I am today.”
Brought together in March 2020, when Buffalo gave up a first-round draft pick to acquire Diggs in a trade with Minnesota, the duo went on to re-write many of Buffalo's single-season passing and scoring records, and lead the team to four straight AFC East titles.
Diggs, now 30, also brought an inescapable sense of drama with him in raising questions about his commitment to the Bills and whether his tight relationship with Allen had soured.
A day before being traded, Diggs posted a message, “You sure?” on the social media platform X in response to someone suggesting he wasn’t essential to Allen’s success.
Whatever hard feelings, if any, lingered as Buffalo opened its voluntary workout sessions this week were not apparent from Allen or coach Sean McDermott, who also addressed reporters for the first time since Diggs was traded.
“Stef’s a great player, really enjoyed our time together. Won a lot of games and he was a huge factor in winning those games. We’ll miss him,” McDermott said. “You never replace a player like Stef Diggs, and we wish him well.”
Allen turned his focus to the future and a Bills team that spent much of the offseason retooling an aging and expensive roster.
Aside from trading Diggs, salary cap restrictions led to Buffalo cutting respected center Mitch Morse, the breakup of a veteran secondary that had been together since 2017, and the team unable to afford re-signing No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis.
“I don’t think it’s a wrong thing or a bad thing to get younger,” said Allen, entering his seventh NFL season. “I think it’s an opportunity for myself to grow as a leader. And to bring along some of these young guys and new guys that we’ve brought in to our team. And that’s an opportunity, frankly, that I’m very excited about."
Despite the departures, the Bills offense is not exactly lacking even though general manager Brandon Beane is expected to target selecting a receiver with his first pick — currently 28th overall — in the draft next week.
Receiver Khalil Shakir enters his third year and tight end Dalton Kincaid enter his second following promising seasons. Buffalo also added veteran experience in signing free agent receiver Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins.
While Beane acknowledged the Bills lack a true No. 1 receiver, he noted there’s less urgency to fill that spot now than in 2020 because of how much the offense has developed under Allen.
“Now that Josh has ascended to the player he is, is that a requirement? I don’t think so,” Beane said.
Diggs’ role also began diminishing in the second half of last season, which coincided with Joe Brady replacing Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator. Brady placed an emphasis on adding balance to a pass-heavy attack and getting more receivers involved, which led to an uptick in production for Shakir and Kincaid.
While Diggs’ numbers dropped, Buffalo’s win total increased.
With the Bills at 6-6, Diggs ranked third in the NFL with 83 catches, seventh with 969 yards and tied for third with eight TDs receiving. Buffalo then closed the season with five straight wins in which Diggs combined for 24 catches for 214 yards and no scores.
”(Diggs) meant a lot. You look at the statistics, they don’t lie,” Allen said, in referring to Diggs topping 100 catches and 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in Buffalo. “I don’t get paid to make changes on the team. I get paid to be the best quarterback that I can be and try to lead the guys on this team.”