Another week is in the books and there are a few choice free agents available in a lot of leagues. The quarterback spot is as deep as it has ever been and that means lots of usable wide receivers as well. If you are looking to make an upgrade to your fantasy roster, then read on and get your picks in.
Quarterback
Daniel Jones NYG Rostered - 15%
In his first game as a starter, Jones burst onto the fantasy scene like a house afire. He is not always going to rush for multiple touchdowns of course, but he is a legitimate dual-threat quarterback. The days of rookie quarterbacks being a risky proposition are all but in the past at this point with the rules protecting offensive players in the NFL. Moving forward it looks like Jones will be without Saquon Barkely for weeks, but I still like his prospects as the Giants will have to throw a ton.
Kyle Allen CAR Rostered - 1.5%
The Carolina offense looks entirely different with Kyle Allen at the helm. This is a team filled with dynamic weapons that were largely ineffective with Cam Newton at the QB spot. Maybe it is because Newton has not been healthy in a year or two, but Allen brought life to a team that should be hanging crooked numbers on the opposition. He has an excellent rapport with Curtis Samuel and spread the ball around to the rest of the team as well. This is someone to grab immediately in dynasty leagues and he is a viable starter in all leagues as long as Cam sits.
Not Yet
Gardner Minshew JAC Rostered - 5%
My feeling at this point is that Minshew is a better real life quarterback than fantasy. He is a great option in 2 QB and super flex leagues, because he is not going to hurt you with turnovers and the passing numbers are likely to improve as he gets more comfortable starting. The Jaguars have a decent receiving corps and if they can get the running game going this offense would be serviceable. I would have to be desperate to start Minshew in a 1 qb league, but he is the real deal.
Running Back
Ronald Jones TB Rostered - 40%
The Bucs offense had a massive outburst against the lackluster Giants defense. There were points aplenty in this one so you have to question whether Jones will see the ball going forward. Still, in the small sample size that we have for 2019 Jones has two games with over 90 total yards. He is a risky start, but a running back with this much potential volume is hard to find on waivers.
TD Vulture
Jeff Wilson SF Rostered - 3%
He is on a bye, so this is more of a long range pickup. In standard/TD dependent leagues, Wilson is well worth having on your team. He is the undisputed goal line option for the 49ers and he has been very successful. With two touchdowns in each of the past two games, it is clear that San Francisco will continue to lean this way when they get in close.
Backups With Value
Tony Pollard DAL Rostered - 19%
Alexander Mattison MIN - 13%
Darrel Williams KC - 3%
These three are all players that can put up points even with the starting running backs active. Game flow will obviously be important in all of their situations, as the starters will see more carries in closer games. Williams is slightly less valuable as he needs Damien Williams or LeSean McCoy to miss time to realize his value.
Wide Receiver
Mecole Hardman KC Rostered - 44%
There is not a great deal of volume for Hardman, but he only needs one catch to break a huge play. This is not the type of thing that can be relied upon every week, but his ceiling is as high as just about any player. Having a piece of the Chiefs' offense could be a key to fantasy victory this season, and Hardman is available in many spots.
D.J. Chark JAC Rostered - 41%
There is some hope for the Jaguars offense despite being left for dead after Nick Foles went down. It has been an eye-opening early season for second year man D.J. Chark. He has a nice connection with Gardner Minshew and has scored in three straight games. He has caught 4, 7, and 4 passes and should continue to be an integral part of the Jags passing game.
Deep Pull
Preston Williams MIA Rostered - 1%
It is generally not recommended to grab shares of the Dolphins this season, but there is some hope for fantasy at least. It has quietly been a solid start to the season for this unheralded rookie receiver. Williams has topped 10 fantasy points in each game so far in PPR formats. He should continue to see a high volume of work as the Dolphins are always playing from behind. You could do much worse at the flex spot, especially considering you can grab Williams in pretty much every league.
Tight End
Will Dissly SEA Rostered - 27%
This is a tough one, because Russell Wilson is streaky with tight end targets. The whole tight end position is a crapshoot after the top 5 though, so Dissly is as good a bet as any. He has 11 targets and 3 touchdowns over the past two games. It looks like in games where the Seahawks are throwing the ball, they'll be throwing it to Dissly.
Dart Throw
Demetrius Harris CLE Rostered - 2%
The Browns offense still looks broken, but Harris is a big target with plenty of athletic ability. He fits the tired "former basketball player" narrative that is so often applied to tight ends...so there's that. If he can carve out a bigger role now that he is starting, he could be a weekly scoring threat at a position devoid of many starting options.
Be sure to check out our weekly positional rankings and come back next week for more waiver wire picks. Follow me on Twitter for questions answered and extras: @brendancole16.
