Working the waiver wire is the most important thing to do to win a fantasy championship. The waiver wire is where league-changing gems are found, and where bye-week fillers are snatched up. Speaking of which, the byes start this week so it is time to start pounding that waiver wire.
I hyped Good Luck Buck in this column last week, and he rewarded fantasy owners with his second straight double-digit output. Allen isn't the most inspired runner but he can catch passes, and his only competition for touches is an even less-inspiring Alex Collins. Flacco likes Allen, and that's important, too. Allen is still available in 72% of leagues. Don't miss out on his third straight double-digit game against the Browns this week.
Chris Ivory: This one feels like a bad call, but there is no denying that Ivory positively abused the vaunted Vikings defense through the air in week three. You may not want to spend too much FAAB or sacrifice a high priority on Ivory but usable running backs are a hard commodity to find in fantasy, and Ivory looks like a guy you can play during the byes in a pinch. He is available in 95% of leagues.
QUARTERBACK
Baker Mayfield:The number one overall pick actually looked good, which is rare for a Browns quarterback taken in the first round. Mayfield came into a game that the Browns were losing and provided the team with a spark. Mayfield went on to lead the team to its first win in over 8,000 years, flooding the streets of Cleveland with a mixture of light beer and tears of joy. The Browns have a surprisingly talented roster, and Baker Mayfield is much better suited to run the Todd Haley offense than Taylor ever was. Mayfield is a great pick up for those streaming QBs, needing a replacement for Garrappollo, or looking to jump ship on Fitzpatrick. Mayfield is available in 93% of leagues Andy Dalton: Dalton is playing like Andy Dalton thus far. That is to say, decently. Dalton isn't a league-winner, but for those streaming quarterbacks, he can certainly be a week-winner. Especially in a week going up against the Falcons who have an explosive offense and a snake-bitten defense. Dalton should put up some points this week, and he is available in 71% of leagues.
WIDE RECEIVER
Tyler Boyd: In his third year out of the University of Pittsburg, Tyler Boyd is finally making his mark. On an offense loaded with weapons, Boyd is emerging as the number two target for Dalton. That isn't a bad place to find yourself as Green will often demand double-teams, making Boyd's life easier. Ross, Eifert and even the running backs are still in the mix in the passing game, but Boyd should be viewed as a high-end WR3 or possibly a low-end WR2 moving forward. That is great for a guy available in 76% of leagues. Calvin Ridley:Three touchdowns and 146 yards were enough to make the rookie the number one wide receiver in fantasy last week. Part of the breakout was due to New Orleans having some of the worst corners in the league behind Lattimore, who spent his entire day trying to contain Julio. Ridley, however, has the talent to perform against any secondary and he is on a team competent enough to do so. That performance will likely be Ridley's biggest of the year, perhaps of his entire career, but he will have consistent value moving forward. Plus, Ridley in three games now has as many touchdowns as Julio does in his last 19. That has to count for something. Ridley is available in 56% of leagues. Antonio Callaway:
Callaway is my personal favorite waiver wire grab at this point. He had a few costly drops in the Browns comeback win against the Jets, but that touchdown against the Saints proved that his preseason swagger wasn't an illusion. Mayfield starting for the Browns is great news for Hyde, Njoku and especially Callaway. Mayfield has the arm and athleticism to get Callaway the ball and Callaway has the athleticism to put up big numbers. He received more targets than Ridley in week three and has less competition than either Ridley or Boyd. He and Mayfield face a beatable Raiders defense in week four, so grab Callaway now before its too late. Callaway is available in 67% of leagues.
RUNNING BACK
Javorious Allen:I hyped Good Luck Buck in this column last week, and he rewarded fantasy owners with his second straight double-digit output. Allen isn't the most inspired runner but he can catch passes, and his only competition for touches is an even less-inspiring Alex Collins. Flacco likes Allen, and that's important, too. Allen is still available in 72% of leagues. Don't miss out on his third straight double-digit game against the Browns this week.
Chris Ivory: This one feels like a bad call, but there is no denying that Ivory positively abused the vaunted Vikings defense through the air in week three. You may not want to spend too much FAAB or sacrifice a high priority on Ivory but usable running backs are a hard commodity to find in fantasy, and Ivory looks like a guy you can play during the byes in a pinch. He is available in 95% of leagues.
TIGHT END:
Ricky Seals-Jones:There isn't a lot out there on the waiver wire when it comes to tight ends. Heck, there aren't a lot of quality fantasy-caliber tight ends in the league right now. RSJ has two things going for him: Snap count and Rosen. Josh Rosen's first game action wasn't exactly encouraging, but he has to be better than Sam Bradford. Rookie QBs typically love their tight end safety blankets, and RSJ is on the field for practically every offensive snap. He is also a big boy, which could make him an ideal red-zone target if the Cardinals can get down there with any regularity under Rosen. RSJ is available in 91% of leagues.
