It is Week 7, fantasy managers. The byes are in full swing and it is more important than ever to have depth on your bench, as you navigate the rough waters of player replacements to keep pace with the rest of your league. Or (if you are one of the lucky few that has not been decimated by injury and lackluster performances), to keep that lead. It is time for another rousing round of fantasy football “Believe it or Not?”
As always, this is not a deep dive into the sea of waivers. Instead, we will address some popular waiver-wire adds headed into Week 7 and drop the gavel of judgement on whether we are buying what they are selling. In a season like this one, managers should not waste their waiver priority or FAAB on a player that might not pan out in the long run.
This primarily addresses redraft leagues, though some players may still be available in dynasty. Buckle up, away we go.
Remember when Ryan Fitzpatrick won two straight games and evened the Dolphins record?
That was way back on Sunday. Now comes word that Tua Tagovailoa will take the reins for the Miami Dolphins for the remainder of the season. Old “Crazy Legs” Fitzpatrick, ever the model teammate, endorses the move and vows to help Tagovailoa in every way possible. Here is the problem: The Dolphins (though 3-3) have not quite turned the proverbial corner, so Tagovailoa has very little value in fantasy leagues. This is a situation to avoid.
So, do we believe it or not?
In short, NO. Tagovailoa is about to become an unbelievably valuable asset for teams that have one quarterback rostered and may be coming up on bye-week issues. Let us not forget that prior to his injury last season at Alabama, he was the presumptive No. 1 pick in the draft and is still the same player. To see the value in what a talented young quarterback who is usually trailing can do fantasy-wise, look no further than Cincinnati. Not only can Tua be a bye week starter, he may also completely break out. Tickets, please. It’s time to board the train.
Remember Mo Alie-Cox?
Mo Alie-Who? Trey Burton is the new sheriff in tight end town for the Colts. Last week, the big guy caught four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. However, he also took a direct snap and added a rushing touchdown as well, much to the chagrin of Jonathan Taylor managers everywhere. Burton has played quarterback and even in college had 17 pass attempts, not to mention 153 carries from the backfield. He is the tight end to own in Indianapolis.
So, do we believe it or not?
This is a tricky one. Is he the one to own in Indianapolis? Yes. Alie-Cox was a flash in the pan and injury prevented him from trying to continue that momentum. That said, is Burton worth blowing your budget on? No. He is a trick play guy (“Philly Special”, anyone?), which is fun if you are a fan but not as much when you are a fantasy manager. Alie-Cox will still see the field when he comes back and Jack Doyle is still there getting snaps, as well. For a fill-in, Burton is a streaming candidate, but not worth going out of your way for. Burton owners will be trying to sell. Do not fall for it unless the price is awfully low.
Remember when we left Travis Fulgham off this list last week?
Well, there is something to be said about the old “show me you can do it twice” theory. Sure, Fulgham did not duplicate his Week 5 performance of 10 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown, but six catches for 75 yards and finding paydirt is not too shabby. It seems like everyone was taking the wait-and-see approach because he is widely available in leagues. He is absolutely the real deal.
So, do we believe it or not?
Yeah, believe it. There are an abundance of injuries in Philly, but that does not mean that everyone comes back healthy and Fulgham suddenly loses all his touches. He has shown enough in just three games (18 catches for 284 yards with a touchdown in all three) that he needs to be rostered, especially in the face of bye weeks. Most notably this week, with several teams off when Fulgham gets the woeful Giants.
Remember when we talked about the Eagles?
Yeah, it’s right up there. Miles Sanders is out for a couple weeks with a knee injury. While the team says he is not expected to miss more time than that, this is the same running back that has been listed as week-to-week since before the season began. At that time, all that was released was that it was a “lower-body injury”. Everyone agrees that the knee is part of the “lower-body”, right? It is time to drop a load of FAAB on Boston Scott this week.
So, do we believe it or not?
Yes sir. Drop that money on Scott, and if he is unavailable in your league then you may as well put in a sneaky-low bid or waiver request on Corey Clement. Not nearly as much on the latter, however, as Clement’s offensive snap counts have decreased dramatically. After 25 in week one, he has managed just 23 offensive snaps in the following five weeks combined. On Sunday, Scott had 35 snaps (good for 49% of their total).
It is a quick turnaround for the Eagles and the Giants this week. That said, it is worth noting that in his last two games facing New York, Scott had 128 yards from scrimmage and 138 yards from scrimmage, respectively. In the second of the two, he also found the promised land three times. Who knows how reliable Sanders is going to be when he does return? Go get Scott.
Best of luck in all your waiver endeavors. Don’t forget: Prime Time Sports Talk has a live start/sit session with our experts every Sunday beginning at 11:00 A.M. EST where you can get your advice in real-time.
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