Player value in dynasty football reminds me of watching ocean waves. They ebb and flow, always in a state of flux. Competitive dynasty players anticipate these movements before they happen and act by picking up, buying, or selling players as the situation demands. Dynasty general managers have previously been at the mercy of regular waiver segments to assist in dynasty pickups, but these fail to account for the long-term view necessary to dynasty success. This weekly column will focus on identifying assets that will help dynasty teams build for the future, as well as players that may plug a hole at a position of need on an otherwise strong squad.
Welcome to week seven of Waivers of the Future! Whether you are a contender or a rebuilder, this article will seek to help you put yourself in the best position to have success in your dynasty league by assisting you in making preemptive pickups.
Budget percentages are to give the reader guidance regarding how the writer would prioritize these players. However, you know your league best. If you think you can get away with bidding less than recommended or nothing at all, go for it!
IN THE SKY
Players on this list have previously appeared in this article as pickups, but have had value spikes at points in the season that make them unlikely to be out there in your league. If they are still available and you need help contending, consider spending 30-50%+ of your budget on them.
IN THE CLOUDS
Players on this list are probably also rostered but are worth less than 30% of your budget.
- Jacoby Brissett
- Gardner Minshew
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Malcolm Brown
- Adrian Peterson
- Frank Gore
- Giovani Bernard
- Matt Breida
- Raheem Mostert
- Damien Williams
- Darrel Williams
- Wayne Gallman
- Sterling Shepard
- Demarcus Robinson
- Ted Ginn Jr Jr
- Phillip Dorsett
- Auden Tate
- Darren Waller
- Jason Witten
- Jordan Akins
RIDE THE WAVE
(These are plug-and-play options who might patch a hole on your team in the short-term.)
QUARTERBACK
5-10%| Joe Flacco, DEN- Flacco is the bridge option to Drew Lock, but Lock won’t see the field this year due to being on injured reserve. This week, the Broncos will face a Chiefs defense that has improved from last year but is by no means a shutdown unit.
1-5%| Mason Rudolph, PIT- Rudolph was feeling well enough after last week that he came close to playing. He should return to starting duty after the bye.
1-5%| Case Keenum, WAS- Keenum did not look particularly splendid even against a weak Dolphins defense. Nevertheless, Keenum is one of the few starting options who is available on the wire, and with four teams on bye this week, you may have no choice but to start him against the 49ers’ vaunted defense.
1%| Taysom Hill, NO- Hill was already getting his own package of snaps when Brees was healthy and Sean Peyton has indicated that will continue when Brees returns. He is a last-resort option only, but one that has a high upside to score on any given week. The Saints get a tough Bears defense this week, so it might not be the time to deploy Hill unless desperation leaves little choice.
RUNNING BACK
10-15%| Chase Edmonds, ARI- Edmonds is the next man up in Arizona if David Johnson misses time. Johnson is already dinged up and battling a back problem. Known for his receiving ability, Edmonds might be more valuable in PPR formats than some anticipate should he get his opportunity. He has been grabbed in about 90% of the leagues the writer has looked at, so this is probably the last chance you have to snag him. The Cardinals play the Giants this week in what could be a purely offensive contest.
WIDE RECEIVER
20-40%| Byron Pringle, KC- Pringle moved up from the watch list last week. Tyreek Hill has returned to the lineup, but Sammy Watkins’ hamstring has flared up again. After Watkins left the contest against the Colts, Pringle became heavily involved. He is a very good route runner and the coaching staff was complimentary of his improvement and professionalism towards improving his game this offseason. The quality of the offense also makes Pringle worthy of consideration. In the upcoming week, the Chiefs will face off against a Broncos defense that is middling.
5-10%| Chris Conley, JAX- Conley seems to be a favorite target of Gardener Minshew and the offense has been competent when playing inferior teams. Marquise Lee is injured again, meaning Conley could soak up even more opportunity this coming week. The Jaguars draw a struggling Bengals defense against whom they should have little trouble moving the ball.
5-10%| Jakobi Meyers, NE- With Phillip Dorsett and Josh Gordon injured, the Patriots will be forced to turn to Meyers as a receiving option. Meyers is not a particularly talented player. However, in this offense, he will have good days. One of those good days could be coming against a Jets team that cannot get it together defensively.
1%| Duke Williams, BUF- Williams took Zay Jones’ place in the offense and did more with it in one game than Zay Jones had done with it in the four games prior. While it will be a low-volume pass offense, Williams has some value if a fantasy general manager is desperate for a player who can net a few catches a game. The Bills have a great matchup against the weak Dolphins defensive unit.
1%| Jaron Brown, SEA- The lacking pass volume in this offense is troubling, but with Will Dissly out, the targets that do exist will be redistributed. Brown is not amazing, but he has a shot to catch a few balls each week. He will have a good opportunity to do so against a Ravens secondary that is not an airtight group.
TIGHT END
1-5%| Vernon Davis, WAS- Davis himself is dealing with a concussion, but when he is back, he will continue to fill in for Jordan Reed, who ended his season placed on injured reserve. Davis has proven to be a viable stand-in for an offense that uses its tight end position often. Washington will play a tough 49ers defense this week.
1-5%| Luke Willson, SEA- Will Dissly went down with a non-contact injury and it looks as if he will miss the remainder of 2019. That leaves Luke Willson with a bigger role. We have seen Willson not produce much before when he was the primary guy, though, so keep expectations low. The Seahawks square off against a Ravens defense that is not as scary as in years past.
THE SPLASH
(Might be available in 30 or fewer roster spot leagues.)
QUARTERBACK
None this week, as the position is depleted. See other quarterback sections for pickup recommendations.
RUNNING BACK
1-5%| Reggie Bonnafon, CAR- With the waiver wire so thin at this position, fantasy general managers may have to begin thinking about players in productive situations that are also not rostered because they are not thought of as future starters. Bonnafon is such a player. Behind Christian McCaffrey, who rarely misses a snap, Bonnafon finally got an opportunity when McCaffrey was sidelined with cramps in week six. Bonnafon shone with the few touches he played. If McCaffrey were to go down, Bonnafon would become a lot more interesting.
1-5%| Gus Edwards, BAL- Edwards also falls into the category of valuable backup who is unlikely to be rostered in dynasty leagues and is not getting many touches now, but he would benefit greatly if the lead back were to go down. Mark Ingram II has been banged up before, so Edwards having fantasy relevance this year is not impossible.
WIDE RECEIVER
1-5%| Justin Watson, TB- Watson is not making an impact on the stat sheet yet, but may get more work due to an injury that sent Breshad Perriman out of the game against the Rams. Jameis Winston prefers short-to-intermediate throws, meaning Watson could get more work than we anticipate as the season wears on.
TIGHT END
10-20%| Adam Shaheen, CHI- Trey Burton continuing to struggle on and off with health issues may open the door for Shaheen. He has had his own troubles staying healthy but has flashed when he has been on the field, especially in red-zone work. He has been kicked to the curb in many dynasty leagues. However, now that Shaheen is entering his third year, this could be the time we see him come into his own.
10-15%| Foster Moreau, OAK- Moreau hops up from the watch list because of continued involvement in the game plan, despite the presence of Darren Waller. He is a good pass catcher and a great blocker. Jon Gruden has shown the propensity to target his tight end heavily and there is no one on the roster that is a long-term lock to hold the job. Moreau has scored a couple of touchdowns and has been involved in most games so far this year, which is encouraging for his future prospects.
10-15%| Jeremy Sprinkle, WAS- It is time to elevate Sprinkle from the watch list based on the fact that Jordan Reed is now on injured reserve and his career is in jeopardy after sustaining another concussion. Vernon Davis is aging and Sprinkle has proven to be an able blocker and receiver. He is someone we want to monitor for now and pick up if we see him start to get more opportunities now that the season is lost for Washington.
10-15%| Ian Thomas, CAR- Thomas has been tossed back out on some waiver wires. However, when the box score is examined it is clear that he actually acquitted himself well when Greg Olsen was out last year. Thomas will need seasoning, but with Greg Olsen near the end of his career, Thomas is worth holding.
1-5%| Demetrius Harris and Ricky Seals-Jones, CLE- It appears that Harris and Seals-Jones are splitting the work while David Njoku’s broken wrist keeps him sidelined. It keeps both from having a lot of value, but either of the two could catch a touchdown on a given week.
THE DEEP
QUARTERBACK
Watch List| Jared Stidham, NE- It is notable that New England cut backup Brian Hoyer and will roll with the rookie. Stidham performed well in preseason and shows promise to be the next in a long line of developmental quarterbacks for the Patriots. He is worth rostering in deep leagues because his perceived value will only grow with time.
Watch List| Chad Kelly, IND- It is a long shot, but if Brissett drops the ball, a talented Kelly waits in the wings. The only downside is that Kelly has had a variety of character issues both in college and the NFL that suggest he might not be mature enough to handle the opportunity, which is why he is not higher on the list. He was moved to the practice squad recently, which does not bode well for him getting a shot this year. Still, the talent is such that we should keep him on our radar.
RUNNING BACK
None this week, as the position is depleted. See other running back sections for pickup recommendations.
WIDE RECEIVER
Watch List| Richie James, SF- James is buried on the depth chart but remains one of the author’s favorite deep stashes. He has the skills to eventually play from any receiver position in this offense. His trademark skills are being very shifty and great on contested catches, despite his smaller size.
Watch List| Deon Cain, IND- Cain got his chance with Devin Funchess’ injury and has so far made good on his elevation to the active roster. With T.Y. Hilton’s quad injury, we will see if Cain’s role continues to build in the coming weeks.
Watch List| Juwann Winfree, DEN- After a recent injury to Tim Patrick, Winfree had a chance to play a part. He was a camp standout who may have more upside for the team long-term than DeSean Hamilton. He is one to keep an eye on for the future.
Watch List| Emmanuel Butler, NO- Like Winfree, Butler made a name for himself in camp practices and has a disappointing role player in Tre’Quan Smith ahead of him on the depth chart. Butler currently resides on the practice squad. If he can stick with this team for another year or two, he has a great chance to step into that role.
Watch List| Javon Wims, CHI- Wims was constantly making plays throughout the preseason last year, so much so that the Bears dared not put him on the practice squad. He was doing the same in camp again this year and there have been some games in which Wims has been on the active roster and has even been targeted. He had a nice play against the Vikings in week four that may be a catalyst for more work going forward.
TIGHT END
Watch List| Anthony Firkser, TEN- Could the Titans have made a significant discovery last year with the undrafted Firkser? It’s a possibility. He has size, reliable hands, and the ability to box out defenders in the middle of the field. Jonnu Smith and Firkser could become quite the duo when Delanie Walker moves on in a few years or if Walker once again fails to complete the year due to injury.
Watch List| Alizé Mack, NO- Mack is now on the practice squad but impressed over the summer as a receiving tight end. With Jared Cook in the later stages of his career, things could time out right for Mack to take his place when Mack is more developed.
LOST AT SEA
(Players who recently appeared in this column, but have had their value decrease to the point they hold no value in all but the very deepest of dynasty leagues.)
Colt McCoy, WAS- when he took over for Jay Gruden, the interim coach actually decided to name Case Keenum as the starter.
Kyle Allen, CAR- Allen’s time as the starter is coming to a close with Cam Newton likely back soon.
Devlin Hodges, PIT- Mason Rudolph should be back this upcoming week, sending Hodges back to the bench.
Chase Daniel, CHI- The Chicago coaching staff is hinting that Trubisky should be back from injury in week seven.
Will Dissly, SEA- Dissly suffered an Achilles injury in Sunday’s game and is out for the year. It is his second season-ending injury in two years.