Week 11 Waiver Wire Column - Add/Drop
Bobby Van Pelt of Break the Mold covers players that fantasy managers should target off waivers and drop from their team
ADD
Ty Chandler, RB, MIN
After the Vikings traded for Cam Akers, Chandler was relegated to the RB3 role and virtual irrelevancy to fantasy managers for the rest of the season. However, after Akers’ sad departure from the team due to another Achilles injury, he was given another opportunity to establish himself as a premier handcuff to Alexander Mattison.
Chandler got the opportunity Sunday and relatively did so, recording 15 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown (10.5 PPR) after Mattison left the game due to a concussion. Although he was inefficient, Chandler showed that he was able to produce some fantasy worth — and with Mattison’s status for Week 11 in doubt due to injury, Chandler should be a priority pickup for those in need at the RB position.
FAAB Budget: 8-10%
Brandin Cooks, WR, DAL
After an unusually quiet campaign thus far (partly thanks to a knee injury suffered early in the season), Cooks finally broke out his best game as a Cowboy by catching 9 of 10 targets for 173 yards and a touchdown — a whopping 32.3 PPR points and WR3 overall finish on the week.
The passing offense in Dallas primarily — and to a point, overwhelmingly — runs through CeeDee Lamb, and for good reason. However, it does seem as if Cooks is beginning to get his footing in the offense with the potential of him moving into flex territory as the year progresses.
FAAB Budget: 6-8%
Tyler Conklin, TE, NYJ
Conklin has continually been a sneaky play at the TE position all season, as he’s sitting at TE21 with an average of 7.7 PPR FPPG. That number has been inflated the past couple of weeks, where he has scored consecutive double-digit PPR point (12.6 and 14.0) outings — placing him at TE6 over this stretch.
Although the idea and reality of Zach Wilson being his QB deflates both his floor and ceiling, Conklin has proven to be a TE capable of providing solid outings at a typically lackluster position. Fantasy managers with a massive hole at the TE position should scoop up Conklin if the 28-year-old is sitting on waivers in deeper leagues,
FAAB Budget: 3-5%
DROP
Jonathan Mingo, WR, CAR
A 2nd round pick in this past year’s draft, Mingo came into the season set on a rookie breakout with Bryce Young under center — with many fantasy analysts labeling him as a late round sleeper to target (including me in my home league).
Entering Week 11, it’s one of the safest bets you can make to say that Mingo has been overwhelmingly disappointing. Although he has consistently been given a sizable target share, the lack of viability emanating from Young has made Mingo unusable in lineups — evident by him only having one performance with at least 10 PPR points thus far. Fantasy managers should look to target other options with more promise (if available) off waivers.
Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, MIA
Wilson Jr. was activated off IR in Week 7 after his counterpart De’Von Achane was placed there due to a knee injury, with the purpose of him acting as the RB2 to Raheem Mostert. In his 3 active games, Wilson Jr. has averaged only 4.3 touches and 4.63 PPR points.
On Monday, reports came out from Miami that they plan to activate Achane off IR with the expectation that he will return to — at worst — a split workload with Mostert. This makes Wilson Jr. the odd man out in the backfield, and fantasy managers can feel comfortable dropping him for a different handcuff with more value.
Gerald Everett, TE, LAC
The Chargers have been losing receiving threats left and right due to injury, and Everett hasn’t been an exception. After scoring 10.8 and 11.6 PPR points in Weeks 6 and 7, Everett was forced to miss Week 8 due to a groin injury. He then returned for Weeks 9 and 10, but only to score a combined 3.8 points and was forced to leave Sunday’s game with a back injury.
Although the receiving options in LA are few and far between, Everett hasn’t proven himself to be unreliable both with production and availability. Even if there aren’t many other options on waivers at the TE position, fantasy managers can look to drop Everett for options at other positions.
Other players to consider adding:
Joshua Dobbs, QB, MIN (3-5%)
Rico Dowdle, RB, DAL (8-10%)
Devin Singletary, RB, HOU (6-8%)
Latavius Murray, RB, BUF (4-6%)
Demario Douglas, WR, NE (5-7%)
Khalil Shakir, WR, BUF (3-5%)
Jayden Reed, WR, GB (3-5%)
Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, TEN (1-3%)