These names should be on your waiver watch list
Here’s a question that probably never has crossed your mind: How is fantasy football like NASCAR?
Now you have a new question you never thought you would ask: Why would anyone ever ask the aforementioned question? Well let me tell you.
The NASCAR season begins with the Daytona 500. It is the most highly celebrated race of the season. It’s called the Super Bowl of racing. And it is at the beginning of the season. Sure, there’s a series of races at the end to determine a champion, which we will call the Corporate Cup. But it doesn’t get the same hype, coverage or attention as Daytona, outside of die-hard fans.
Season-long fantasy football hits its peak with the draft. As soon as the season starts, attention begins to wane. With each passing week, more fantasy owners become disinterested.
Let’s say Billy Joe Frontrunner gets off to a slow start, well, next thing you know he is an absentee owner — leaving bye-week players in his starting lineup, keeping injured players on his roster. Billy Joe ain’t playing no more, and he might not be the only one in your league to give up on the season.
One way to ensure you stay interested until your league’s version of the Corporate Cup is to stay competitive, and to do that you need to constantly update your roster. That means hitting the waiver wire. Here are some players, who likely went undrafted, to put on your radar as the season kicks off.
First, go for players who were undrafted a week or two ago, but have rocketed up draft board. We love Jared Cook’s upside now that he has escaped the Rams and landed with the Packers. With Jamaal Charles not yet ready to assume his feature role, expect Spencer
Ware to get plenty of carries early in the season. Even if Charles takes back the job when fully healthy, Ware still has value as a TD vulture.
Pierre Garcon has been forgotten. He’s not flashy. He’s not exciting. But he can be productive. Don’t be surprised if he has a big Week 1 and becomes a popular waiver target.
Next, look for cut-down day fallout. Justin Forsett was let go by the Ravens. But that leaves a backfield full of hot garbage in Baltimore. Terrance West would appear to be the leading man entering Week 1, but it does open the door for Kenneth Dixon to get more reps earlier in the season. If you have one on your roster, make it Dixon.
Don’t overreact to the other big news — the Sam Bradford trade and Mark Sanchez heading from Denver to Dallas. Bradford’s addition means whatever downgrade Vikings skill-position players got (which wasn’t much, since we didn’t like anyone other than QB-proof Adrian Peterson), well, hit reset and go back to the start.
For Sanchez, all this really does is give Dez Bryant owners insurance that a NFL-capable backup is waiting should the Dak Prescott bubble burst. These moves also mean
Paxton Lynch and Carson Wentz likely we get some action earlier than thought — but that is more news for keeper leagues than redrafts.
Some others you may f i nd who are worth monitoring: Eli Rogers, Jordan Cameron, Kenny Stills, Tajae Sharpe, Clive Wa l ford and Kenjon Barner.