RADIO
Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship.
As the season progresses, injuries occur, or rookies begin to break out. Many of these NFL players are often drafted but dropped after the first handful of weeks due to impatient league managers. This article will pinpoint which players we’d want to stash on our bench as fantasy football waiver-wire pickups to power us down the stretch.
Earlier in the season, we examined some must-have handcuffs and upside players who already showcased their upside in the opening weeks, such as Tyrone Tracy Jr., Drake Maye, and Isaac Guerendo. This week, we will discuss some more rookies and a few veteran players who could eventually grow into starting roles and who you should consider stashing before Week 14 kicks off. All players will be below a 25% Yahoo! roster percentage. If you have any questions about managing your roster down the stretch, feel free to chat with me on X @A_Smith_FS.
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Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams
15% rostered
In a surprising move, the Michigan product saw most of the work on the team’s opening possession and finished with just under half of the total offensive snaps last weekend. In addition, with the increased workload, Corum tallied a season-high in rushing (42 yards) on eight carries.
While Corum has consistently been deployed as the No. 2 option, he never saw this sizeable portion of the opportunities. Even though Kyren Williams still saw most of the work, this shift suggests Corum may be set for an increasing role down the stretch.
Corum - tremendous cutback in the hole --sees the line og blockers
play prob off tackle aiming point, bit edge set, he cuts and someone is in his face
Jackson and Allen nice job, IMO pic.twitter.com/2vRfaPNtZX
— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) December 2, 2024
Corum remains one of the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy football. Still, he could even enter low-end flex territory in deeper 14+ team formats if he continues to see near double-digit attempts weekly.
Cam Akers, RB, Minnesota Vikings
5% rostered
After ceding the vast majority of snaps to Aaron Jones in Week 12, Cam Akers saw a surprise increase in Week 13 and finished with just 10 fewer snaps than the presumed workhorse. In this game, Jones also logged just one more carry than Akers, which has never occurred since Akers joined Minnesota.
While this may have been a fluke and related to the game script, as the Vikings trailed for most of the game, the team may be planning to limit Jones’ workload down the stretch, especially given their favorable position in the NFC playoff picture.
Once the Vikings clinch a spot, Akers may be given the 1A role during the final weeks of the regular season to save Jones for the postseason.
Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
5% rostered
While Saquon Barkley has enjoyed a near-perfect debut season in Philadelphia, Kenneth Gainwell could have some sneaky value down the stretch, even as a handcuff. While he would be a league-winner if Barkley were to miss time, the Eagles could clinch the NFC East in a matter of weeks, which could encourage the Eagles to rest some of their star players in the final games of the season.
If this happens, Gainwell could be a plug-and-play RB2 during Week 17 (and 18 if your playoffs go that long).
Gainwell should still be viewed as a high-upside handcuff but continue to monitor Philadelphia's clinching scenarios. Gainwell could be in store for an increased role during your fantasy championship.
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
20% rostered
Another high-upside handcuff worth checking your waiver wire for is rookie Trey Benson. Last weekend, Benson saw his typical low usage but was once again impressive in his limited role as he tallied 20 yards on just three carries. Over the past two weeks, Benson has posted a solid 5.4 yards per carry.
Since Week 9, Benson has consistently been deployed as James Conner’s backup and posted a strong 5.5 YPC during this extended stretch.
Cardinals RB Trey Benson had 12 touches and a career-high 87 yards in week 10. Showing off that explosive play ability and contact balance that made him the 2nd RB selected in the draft. pic.twitter.com/V2Yd8Flbvo
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) November 12, 2024
Like Corum, his standalone value is unpredictable, but his upside is quite high if Conner were to miss time.
Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
5% rostered
With J.K. Dobbins (knee) on the IR, several high-upside touches are open in the Los Angeles backfield. Unsurprisingly, veteran Gus Edwards got the starting nod this past weekend but did not see a massive workload. He tallied just 32 yards on six attempts, while Vidal logged the second-most with four attempts.
While Edwards did see twice as many snap opportunities, the rookie could be a lottery ticket for the fantasy playoffs.
KIMANI VIDAL, WELCOME TO THE NFL
The @chargers rookie RB scores on his very first touch as a pro 💨 pic.twitter.com/iFjB8VFqyw
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 13, 2024
Edwards is averaging a mere 3.4 YPC this season. If those struggles continue, the Chargers may turn to their rookie running back for a spark, opening the door for a productive conclusion to the regular season.
Devaughn Vele, WR, Denver Broncos
5% rostered
A frustrated league mate may have cut ties with the rookie earlier this week after his poor showing on Monday when he caught just one of his four targets for a mere 16 yards.
However, prior to this outing, Vele was enjoying a nice late-season breakout as he averaged 12.8 PPR points per game during Weeks 10 through 12. During this span he saw at least four targets per game and averaged 61.7 yards per game.
Given Bo Nix's steady progression, Vele could be a viable flex option in deeper leagues during the fantasy playoffs.
Arizona Cardinals DEF/ST
The current No. 11 DEF/ST on the season has two great matchups during the fantasy playoffs and could be the No. 1 defensive unit down the stretch.
Last weekend, the Cardinals continued their impressive record of scoring at least double-digit PPR points in each game. In addition, since Week 11, they have had the fourth-most sacks in football and forced the fifth-most fumbles.
In Weeks 15 and 16, they face the Patriots and Panthers, respectively, who have struggled to score points and could be the difference-maker in your playoff matchup.
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