Things are getting thin on the waiver wire and Arian Foster was lost for the season this past weekend. As top running back options keep going down and bye weeks roll on, owners are left scrambling. If you find yourself in this boat, read on and see which lightly owned options could benefit your team. Pay attention to the descriptions as well to see if they are short term or season long pickups. Hopefully none of you bailed on Charcandrick West after one week for instance.
Week 7 Recap (Standard League Points)
- Christine Michael DAL - 1 pt
- James Starks GB - Was on a bye, wait and see
- Charles Sims TB - 5 pts
- Watch List: Theo Riddick DET - 4 pts
If you feel betrayed by the Cowboys coaches, you are not alone. Michael barely touched the ball and was a major disappointment while McFadden ran wild. Starks is a solid flex if Lacy is still limited following the bye. Sims is worth holding onto, but his value is tied to the passing game; the same goes for Riddick.
Teams On A Bye Week 8: Buffalo, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Washington
Week 8 Waiver Wire: Quarterback And Tight End / Wide Receiver
Week 8 Picks
Alfred Blue/Chris Polk HOU
Arian Foster is done for the season and maybe for his career. The Texans do not have any enticing options left in the backfield, but somebody is going to run the ball. Blue and Polk have shown that they are barely worth a flex play in many situation, but the occasional touchdown can give them short-term viability. I would grab Blue before Polk, but it is close.
Darren McFadden DAL
I hate to recommend McFadden...I mean, I really hate it. Unfortunately, his performance in week 7 cannot be ignored, nor can the large majority of carries that he was responsible for. McFadden has never been lacking in talent, but he has also never been able to stay healthy. I see no reason to think that this season will be any exception. Before getting crazy about the yardage total, remember that the Giants have been getting gashed in the run game recently. I also do not trust the Cowboys coaching staff to stick with any one back. Right now the coaches are in survival mode, just looking to keep their jobs for another year. This means that any player who shows a spark can quickly carve out a large role. McFadden is worth a pickup, but severely temper your expectations.
James White NE
Speaking of coaches that I don't like to rely on, how about Bill Belichick. There is no doubting the track record of success that the Patriots posess, but trying to play their running backs can be maddening. White saw a significantly larger number of snaps than LeGarrette Blount versus the Jets, but this may just be a gameplan issue. In reality, the boost in White's value could abruptly end when Dion Lewis returns to full health. For the moment, pick up White as a wild card and hope that he gets hot.
Be Careful: Orleans Darkwa NYG
Darkwa looked impressive in Sunday's game, but the Giants have a glut of playable running backs. The fact that they are all on the same team, though, makes it so none of them are consistently playable for fantasy. Darkwa could see a lot of carries next week, or he could be back to none. I would probably steer clear in all but the deepest leagues.
