The 2024 season is upon us. Are you ready? Hopefully you’re in for a winning campaign. But those of us that play Dynasty know it’s a 365-day a year endeavor. When we’re in season, it’s about patching roster holes and making pickups that can benefit you in the long-term.
Below are the players that might be on your Waiver Wire that are worth targeting. As we begin bye weeks, that will be even more crucial. All roster percentages are courtesy of the NFL.
Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: I know I’ve suggested picking him up the past few weeks because the Browns should bench Deshaun Watson. They haven’t benched him. But now, Watson is out for the year with an Achilles injury. That means it’s Winston time.
Mason Rudolph, Tennessee Titans
Roster Percentage: 0
About: Will Levis was a scratch on Sunday due to a shoulder injury. It’s the same injury that cropped up a couple weeks ago. The question is how quickly the Titans will want to rush him back. If you’re desperate at quarterback, Rudolph had a decent game on Sunday. He’s worth a stash.
Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Roster Percentage: 0
About: Jayden Daniels left early on Sunday with a rib injury. The extent of the injury won’t be known until later this week. In his stead, Mariota looked good, helping guide the Commanders to a lopsided victory. He is worth a pick up if you lost Daniels or need some QB production.
Drew Lock, New York Giants
Roster Percentage: 0
About: The Giants aren’t having a good season, and neither is starter Daniel Jones. On Sunday, Jones got the hook and Lock came in. It’s not guarantee the Giants are ready to make a switch, but it remains a possibility as the team seeks a spark. If you roster Jones and rely on him, I’d make sure to have a backup plan.
Running Backs
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints
Roster Percentage: 0.4
About: We had high hopes for Miller in 2023 after he was drafted. It never materialized. We also spent most of the off-season wondering if he’d even make the Saints roster. He’s now back and saw some significant snaps on Thursday. With the team riddled with injuries and Alvin Kamara now on the trade block, Miller is a great speculative add.
JaMychal Hasty, New England Patriots
Roster Percentage: 0
About: The Patriots are looking for weapons and offense. On Sunday, Hasty emerged as a contributor. He only had two carries and failed to gain positive yards. But Hasty did catch five passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. At this point, he’s worth a deep league add.
Wide Receivers
Bub Means, Mason Tipton, & Cedric Wilson – New Orleans Saints
Roster Percentage: 2, 0.1, 0.1
About: The Saints are hurting—literally and figuratively. Rashid Shaheed is now out for the year, and Chris Olave is fighting back from a concussion. This trio is the next man—or men—up for the Saints. All three had a role Thursday night, and while the Saints pass offense isn’t humming right now, they are all worth a look at in deep leagues.
Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: The Browns are reeling with Watson on IR. But the team also sent Amari Cooper to Buffalo this week, leaving an opening in the receiver room behind Jerry Jeudy. The team has Elijah Moore, who figures to contribute, but second-year man Tillman also figures to see increased snaps. That led to eight receptions for 81 yards on Sunday. He’s worth a pickup.
Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs
Roster Percentage: 0.2
About: The Chiefs lost Marquise Brown, then Rashee Rice, and now Juju Smith-Schuster is down. All that opens more opportunities for Hardman, a veteran familiar with the offense, and Patrick Mahomes. Hardman is a player to target in waiver runs as the Chiefs march on with the next-man-up mentality.
Jacob Cowing, San Francisco 49ers
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: The 49ers are hurting. Last week, Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel were out, and Brandon Aiyuk suffered what appears to be a season-ending knee injury. Rookie Ricky Pearsall is working his way back, but the thin group yielded opportunities Sunday and possibly beyond. Cowing, another rookie, stepped up. He caught two passes for 50 yards. He’s worth a deep league stash, given the 49ers’ injury concerns.
Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: This is the epitome of a deep league stash, but having a piece of a robust Lions’ offense is always good. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are at the top of the depth chart, but veterans Tim Patrick and Raymond are behind them. We saw Raymond catch three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. He’s worth a deep league stash.
(Editor’s Note) Since writing, Jameson Williams’s suspension has opened the door for at least the next few weeks!
Trey Palmer and Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Roster Percentage: 0, 0.1
About: This comes down to injury—the injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Both figure to be gone at least a week, possibly longer in the wake of Monday night’s loss. Jalen McMillan is more heavily rostered as a rookie, but this opens the door for Palmer, last year’s darling, and the veteran Shepard. Both could be a good grab this week.
Tight Ends
Lucas Krull, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 0
About: Greg Dulcich was a healthy scratch again in Week 7. All that opens the door to more opportunities for Krull, who has seemingly grabbed a hold of the chance. He had three receptions for 41 yards on four targets. He’s worth a stash, especially for TE-needy squads.
Will Dissly, Los Angeles Chargers
Roster Percentage: 0.1
About: The Chargers’ passing game is a work in progress. So far, we’ve seen some connections with receivers like Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey. Last night, the star of the show was Dissly, who caught eight passes for 81 yards. He’s not a lock for ten targets each week, but given the tight end landscape and his production, he’s worth a stash.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
