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We asked our writers to name their top waiver-wire targets at running back and wide receiver for the week. Here’s what they said.
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Who’s your top running back pickup of the week?
Mark Walton (MIA)
The options for waiver wire running back pickups are pretty bare at the moment, but taking a shot on Mark Walton could be an option. Kenyon Drake, the former “lead” back for the Dolphins, was just traded to the Arizona Cardinals which should provide more opportunities for Walton. The issue is that he plays for one of the worst offenses in football, but he could provide some depth at a thin position in fantasy.
– Kevin O’Connor (@22koconnor)
Walton is a mixed bag. He is the starting running back on the worst team in the NFL. That means they could be down 35-0 in the first quarter and be forced to abandon the run. That means they could just be bad at running the ball the entire game. They could also not like what they have seen and go in another direction in a few weeks. The bad possibilities are endless in Miami, but Walton does have some upside. Kenyon Drake is gone, and Walton should be their lead back. He has two games against the New York Jets, the New York Giants, and the Cincinnati Bengals on the schedule. That means four games against some of the worst defenses against running backs in the NFL. Playing a Miami Dolphin in fantasy football is always a risky proposition, but now that the Dolphins have parted ways with half of their timeshare, it opens up the chance for Walton to average 15-20 touches down the stretch and be a flex play in some of their good matchups.
– Derek Lofland (@DerekLofland)
Mark Walton is the starting running back for the worst team in football, and game flows will rarely be in his favor this season. Still, opportunity knocks as he could warrant enough touches and snaps to become flex-viable. He will have an expanded role and will mainly battle Kalen Ballage (who has done next-to-nothing) for touches. If you need running back help or depth, you could do worse than Walton. As I had mentioned in previous articles, I would prefer Alexander Mattison with the tremendous upside he brings if Dalvin Cook were to ever go down. Back to Walton, if you need to get through bye weeks, Walton is your guy.
– Brad Camara (@beerad30)
Darrell Henderson (LAR)
Picking up Henderson is all about the unknown because Henderson was mysteriously the lead back for the Rams entering this week’s bye. Perhaps they were playing it safe with Gurley’s knee or maybe they were overly confident about playing the Bengals. It is possible that Henderson is never startable for your fantasy team, but there is also a scenario where Gurley is banged up and we’ve now got the starting running back in Sean McVay’s offense.
– Bobby Sylvester (@bobbyfantasypro)
Who’s your top wide receiver pickup of the week?
Danny Amendola (DET)
If you need a streamer for this week, Amendola has been rolling with back-to-back games of eight receptions and 95+ yards. Now that Kerryon Johnson is out and the Lions run into a pass-funnel Raiders’ defense, you can expect Stafford’s third consecutive 300+ yard performance. If that happens, you’ll be glad to have started Amendola.
– Bobby Sylvester (@bobbyfantasypro)
Without a lead running back in Detroit, the Lions are leaning on the passing game for offense. In the last two games with Kerryon Johnson out, Danny Amendola has 16 catches on 19 targets for 200 receiving yards. He may not have much touchdown upside, but Matthew Stafford seems to be targeting Amendola in short-yardage situations. He could be a valuable wide receiver in PPR formats.
– Kevin O’Connor (@22koconnor)
A.J. Brown (TEN)
Their passing offense has really taken a step forward with Ryan Tannehill under center. He has five touchdowns and only one interception the last two weeks and his 19.8 fantasy points per game rank ninth in the NFL over that two-week stretch. Brown has not been a superstar, but he has been serviceable and that has helped Brown, who has averaged 8.7 fantasy points per game the last two weeks, good for 33rd in the NFL among wide receivers. I like rookies that start finding their groove in the middle of the year, and that can sometimes translate into a strong finish. Brown is becoming an upside player, and he is someone I would want to own for the remaining bye weeks, hoping that his big-play ability could translate into some good fantasy production down the stretch. It is encouraging to see that he has had a pretty high floor with Tannehill the last two weeks, which also makes it easier to roll the dice with him.
– Derek Lofland (@DerekLofland)
Preston Williams (MIA)
Preston Williams led the Dolphins in receptions and receiving yardage in Week 7’s loss against the Bills. He secured six of eight targets for 82 yards and was second in targets only to DeVante Parker. The Dolphins will be behind in most games, which means Williams could pile up stats during garbage time. He’s averaged 61 snaps and eight targets in his last four games. Ryan Fitzpatrick does look his way and he could be a serviceable WR4 for a bad Miami team. If you need help at wide receiver or an emergency flex, Williams won’t hurt your team, and he should receive plenty of opportunities to produce solid numbers.
– Brad Camara (@beerad30)
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