While yesterday was all about showing love to some Undroppable players through the first half of 2020, it’s just as important to secure whatever upside you can on your roster to make that playoff push. There are league winners just sitting out there on weak rosters and waiver wires, WAITING to be picked up by YOU, and I’m here to tell you who they are. Whether it’s the rookie finally getting their chance or a consistent performer getting their schedule to line up just right, here are a few guys I’d be making room on my roster for rest of season:
Justin Herbert
Say what you want about Anthony Lynn and the number of wins he’s coached, he’s letting his rookie QB sling the ball downfield, and it’s yielding impressive results. Since he started in relief of Tyrod Taylor in Week 2, Justin Herbert is averaging over 37 pass attempts per game and has only recorded one game under 21 fantasy points in 4-point passing TD scoring. On top of leading a pass-heavy offense, Herbert showed his rushing upside in Week 7 against the Jaguars, when he ran 9 times for 66 yards and a touchdown.
It might feel weird locking a rookie in as the starting QB in your redraft lineup, but combine his great balls (the ones he throws) with a super-friendly fantasy playoff schedule, (Falcons, Raiders, Broncos) and you’ll have a hard time prying him from anyone else’s roster. If he’s available on your waiver wire, pick him up NOW.
J.K. Dobbins
Let’s get to our cover man for the article, a guy who’s been primed to take over the Ravens backfield since Day 1. Hardcore fantasy analysts would love to have seen J.K. Dobbins get a healthy workload as soon as he stepped on the field, but that’s a hard thing to do when veteran Glue Guy Mark Ingram is standing in your way. The opportunity split in Baltimore was a nightmare before the Ravens’ bye week, but now that Ingram is dealing with a high ankle sprain, there are more carries to go around for Dobbins and his teammate Gus Edwards.
Dobbins may not steal Edwards’ workload from him overnight, but he’s been consistently involved in the pass game, (16 targets to Edwards’ 4 on the season) and he has greater big play ability (2 carries for 48 yards Week 2; 1 carry for 34 yards Week 5). It would be insane to me if John Harbaugh isn’t getting Dobbins involved early and often for the rest of the season.
imagine putting J.K. Dobbins back in the garage…#LeagueWinner pic.twitter.com/FCi9PmQLXI
— The Custodian (@TheCustodianFF) November 4, 2020
Last nugget: Just today, “Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman told reporters that rookie RB J.K. Dobbins’ role ‘will evolve’ as the season goes on, which was always the plan.” Confirmation bias is a helluva drug.
Terry McLaurin
Despite catching balls from less-than-mediocre QBs for the first half of the season, Terry McLaurin has managed to be the WR16 in PPR thus far. Even better, his toughest cornerback matchups are behind him. Here’s the schedule for McLaurin going forward: Giants, Lions, Bengals, Cowboys, Steelers, 49ers, Seahawks, Panthers.
If a string of nearly complete green in the fantasy app matchup column doesn’t get you going, perhaps some advanced metrics from my friend Sam Hoppen will solidify the need for McLaurin on your roster…
Wide receiver air yards market share vs. target market share: pic.twitter.com/GiRI6zgOwv
— Sam Hoppen (@SamHoppen) October 28, 2020
If you click to zoom in on Sam’s charts below, you’ll find McLaurin in the top right of each table. McLaurin is dominating in the Washington passing game, and he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Pay up with some major name value (Ezekiel Elliot or Michael Thomas even) and grab McLaurin while you still can.
Allen Lazard
As much as I love to joke about the Packers not making big moves, the personnel side of the organization is telling us a lot by relying on what they have in their wide receiver room. They believe in Allen Lazard as the #2 WR in Matt LaFleur’s offense, and if Aaron Rodgers can maintain his “vintage” level of efficiency, there’s plenty of room for Lazard to produce as well.
Through 8 weeks of the NFL season, Lazard ranks as WR14 in PPR points per game with 17.4 (this is a three game sample size, but it’s what we have.) I would try to grab Lazard on the cheap before he returns to action, as he may no longer be available if an immediate return to form takes place in primetime. He is inactive for the Packers’ Thursday might matchup against the 49ers, so you have more time to make a move here.
Austin Hooper (?)
I’ll admit, this is a deep pull. I’ll even say I’ve been too nice to Austin Hooper since he found success in Atlanta and got paid afterwards. But if you’re a fantasy player who just lost George Kittle, and you haven’t been able to figure out who your replacement-level tight end savior is yet, Hooper still has a chance to be your answer.
Hooper looks to be back on the field for the Browns in Week 10. Before his absence, he saw 7, 10, and 6 targets in three consecutive weeks from Baker Mayfield, and this was all while Odell Beckham Jr. was still on the field. With the absence of OBJ, Mayfield needs consistent options in the passing game. Hooper built up chemistry with Mayfield in the offseason, so the Progressive gunslinger should look Hooper’s way often enough to make him at least a solid floor play.
That’s all of my league winners for now; if you want to bend my ear for more or have questions on how to acquire your own favorite league winner targets, hit me up on Twitter and we can chop it up in the mentions or the DMs.
