For the second consecutive week, fantasy football managers may find themselves scouring the waiver wire on Sunday morning for some last-minute help. Whether it’s players on bye or unexpected inactives, plenty of you are starting some seriously fringe guys.
Not sure who to pick up? We’ve got you covered. Here are a handful of running backs available in more than 50% of Yahoo leagues who can help you this week.
Kyle Monangai, RB, Chicago Bears (at CIN)
Rostered: 50%
By the time you’re reading this, Kyle Monangai will probably have crested the 50% rostership threshold. That’s okay. He’s still worth mentioning.
This one is as straightforward as it gets. Two weeks ago, Monangai saw 16 opportunities against the New Orleans Saints in a comfortable win. He turned them into 94 yards and a touchdown. There’s your proof of concept.
D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson are out. The rookie is about to see as much volume as he can handle. He’s going to get it against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that allows the most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to running backs.
Not only should you add Monangai if he’s out there in your league, you should force him into your lineup by any means necessary.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
Rostered: 44%
For the second consecutive week, Tyjae Spears’ name appears on this list. Last week, he rewarded fantasy managers with 17.2 fantasy points on 12 opportunities. Granted, it was mostly garbage time, but the fact remains that Spears plays when the Titans are trailing. Guess what’s likely to happen again this week?
Tony Pollard has not played particularly well. This is now a full-blown timeshare.
The Titans are heavy underdogs against the Los Angeles Chargers. If they see a negative game script, that typically means more Spears and fewer opportunities for Pollard. We know Spears is a talented player. If he can get 8–10 opportunities, that could be enough to be a worthwhile desperation start for fantasy managers.
Brashard Smith, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Rostered: 20%
The Kansas City Chiefs backfield is about to consolidate from three to two. Isiah Pacheco is out this week with a sprained MCL. Kareem Hunt will obviously start and see the bulk of the touches, but Brashard Smith will be involved.
Throughout his entire coaching career, Andy Reid has always had a passing-down back. It doesn’t matter if that back is specifically suited for the role. Ideally, he would be. But as long as he’s someone other than the early-down back, that works for Reid.
Hunt is now the early-down back. Therefore, we should expect him to relinquish the passing-down role to the rookie. If that puts Smith on the field for even 35% of the snaps, it could be enough to get him RB3 production in a potential shootout against the Buffalo Bills.
Michael Carter, RB, Arizona Cardinals (at DAL)
Rostered: 11%
My main advice for fantasy managers would be to avoid the Arizona Cardinals backfield. We don’t know what they are doing. I’m not sure they even know what they are doing. The only thing we know for sure is that Trey Benson will be the guy when he is able to return.
When Benson first went down, Michael Carter was the lead back. The next week, he lost his job to Bam Knight. That held for two weeks. Then, the team had its Week 8 bye.
Coming out of the bye, the Cardinals cut Carter in a procedural move to add him back to the practice squad shortly thereafter. Then, it was Carter operating as the RB1 in practices.
Emari Demercado is set to return from a one-game absence due to an ankle injury. He will reprise his role as the passing-down back. Fantasy managers seem not to be fully aware that it may very well be Carter back in the primary runner role this week.
How valuable will that be in a game in which the Cardinals might see a negative game script? Well, that’s a horse of a different color.
The hope is whether it’s Knight or Carter, the one you start can punch in a short touchdown. That’s the gamble. Rolling the dice on Carter is very risky, but if you don’t have an alternative, he’s there in almost every league.