Photo via:Chargers/Facebook
This is the time of year when fantasy owners tend to get desperate, so make some trade offers. You might get a steal from an owner that has to win this week.
Alright, let's see which free agents are still available. Keep in mind the owner % mentioned is for 10-team standard ESPN 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
Josh Allen: Last week I advised anyone that needed a QB to stash Josh Allen. If you didn't do that, now is the time. He gets the Dolphins this week. FIRE HIM UP! He's available in about 50% of 10-team leagues.
Gardner Minshew: He had a tough game last week, but gets the Bengals in his next matchup. He's rostered in about 54% of leagues.
Matthew Stafford: This week's matchup against the Vikings is tough, but he gets the Giants and Raiders after that. He's coming off a bad game, but overall he's been pretty good this year. He's also rostered in about 50% of ESPN standard leagues.
Kirk Cousins: If you're in a deeper league, Cousins looks like a good bet with the Vikings throwing the ball more. He plays the Lions this week, and he's 26% owned in 10-team leagues.
RB
Jamaal Williams: He rushed for over 100 yards against the Lions, and the Packers will continue to use him and Aaron Jones. Finding a RB off waivers is tough, so he's probably the best option out there. At least he plays in an offense with Aaron Rodgers.
Darrell Henderson: He won't do much when Gurley returns, but Gurley is no lock to stay healthy. He's out there in almost 98% of standard leagues and Malcolm Brown didn't do much with his opportunities.
Mark Walton: He's on the Dolphins so you can't feel very good about him, especially with Kenyan Drake taking touches away from him. If you're desperate, he is getting touches and the Dolphins have never fully committed to Drake. He does have a tough matchup against the Bills this week.
Alexander Mattison: He's more of a handcuff, but he could be a league winner if Dalvin Cook goes down. He's available in 85% of leagues.
WR
Phillip Dorsett: Josh Gordon is banged up and Dorsett's hamstring injury shouldn't keep him out of the lineup much longer. He's the best long-term option at WR, and he's only rostered in 27% of standard ESPN leagues.
Jamison Crowder: With Sam Darnold back Crowder is very usable for fantasy. He almost had 100 yards last week against a Cowboy defense that's been stout for most of the season. I'd rather have Robbie Anderson, but Crowder should be solid in PPR.
Auden Tate: Tate also had almost 100 yards receiving this week, so he could continue to be a decent starter until A.J. Green returns. Hell, Green may never play for the Bengals this year, so Tate could be good long-term as well. He's only rostered in 21% of ESPN leagues.
TE
Hunter Henry: He's actually available in almost half of ESPN standard leagues. Grab him immediately if he's out there. All his production came in garbage time, but who cares? He could be a league winner with TE being so terrible for fantasy this year.
T.J. Hockenson: He might have been dropped so you may be able to get him. He's rostered in 56% of ESPN leagues. He wasn't very good against the Packers, but he did drop a TD, so he's in the mix.
Chris Herndon: We he gets healthy, he could come in handy. He's available in about 80% of leagues. Darnold is giving this offense some life.
DEFENSE
The 49ers and the Bills have great matchups this week. There's a good chance the 49ers are owned, but the Bills are coming off a bye and were likely dropped.
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.
In this episode, we break down the decision to bring rookie Cam Smith up to the Houston Astros big league roster — just 96 plate appearances into his major league journey.
Was it the right call, or a move made out of desperation due to the early-season outfield situation? We dive into the context of the Kyle Tucker trade, the uncertainty surrounding the outfield to start the year, and whether Cam Smith was truly ready — or if the Astros may have rushed a top prospect before he was fully developed.
Don't miss the video below as ESPN Houston's Jeremy Branham and Joel Blank break it all down!