If you want to have long-term success in fantasy football, you need to work the wire. Here’s a look at the top waiver wire adds of the week, including SMU’s Xavier Jones.
Quarterback
Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
% Owned: 1%
I don’t know about you, but I loved watching Skylar Thompson absolutely tear apart Oklahoma State this past weekend. Thompson threw for 204 yards with three touchdowns and ran for 93 yards and a touchdown. This kid is only a freshman. Move over, Alex Delton. Give me more Skylar Thompson. If he doesn’t start against Iowa State this weekend, be sure to file this guy away and take him as a late-round steal next year.
Marcus Childers, Northern Illinois
% Owned: 9%
I mentioned Childers a few weeks ago, and he still seems to be flying under the radar. Childers has 10 touchdowns spread across his last four games. He doesn’t get many yards, but in the red zone, he likes to call his own number and finish the job. And a quarterback who can run is a fantasy owner’s best friend. Central Michigan’s defense isn’t the worst, but Childers should have no problem doing his thing against them.
Running Back
Demario Richard, Arizona State
% Owned: 10%
Kalen Ballage seemed to be the guy in Week 1, but Demario Richard has worked hard to get back the job he’s held for several seasons now. Since really taking a firm grasp on the offense three weeks ago, he has racked up 433 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Richard is an easy play against the Arizona Wildcats’ terrible defense. He will top 100 yards again with at least one touchdown.
Tavares Thomas, Middle Tennessee State
% Owned: 1%
Brent Stockstill’s return three weeks ago has made Tavares Thomas a valuable player, as can be seen in his huge spike in production. Prior to Week 8, Thomas recorded 103 total rushing yards. Since Stockstill’s return, he’s rushed for 355. He’s also scored at least one touchdown in each of the last three games. Thomas should have no problem running on Old Dominion, who allows 193.6 rushing yards per game.
Xavier Jones, SMU
% Owned: 4%
Xavier Jones pretty much did whatever he wanted last week against Memphis, running for 175 yards and two touchdowns. This is Jones’ second straight 100-yard game and his fifth straight game with a touchdown, making him one of the more consistent red zone backs in the NCAA. Jones will look to top 100 yards again this week against Tulane’s 116th-ranked run defense, as the Mustangs look for their seventh win.
Wide Receivers
Kalib Woods, FAU
% Owned: 3%
Kalib Woods made a name for himself in the offseason after being charged with two felony counts of battery. In the two weeks since returning from suspension, Woods has 10 receptions for 290 yards and three touchdowns, making him the fourth-best fantasy receiver over the last two weeks. If you’re wanting to make a bold statement in your championship game this week, throw this guy in your lineup against North Texas’ 92nd-ranked defense.
Trevon Brown, ECU
% Owned: 13%
Davon Grayson reaggravated a back injury in pregame warmups last week, leading up to Saturday’s matchup against Cincinnati. Even if Grayson does return this week, Brown should have no problem getting open against Memphis, who allowed 477 total yards to SMU last week. With 483 receiving yards and four touchdowns over the past three weeks, Brown’s upside is evident.
Byron Pringle, Kansas State
% Owned: 5%
It may be a bit premature to throw Pringle on the board after one monster game, but hear me out. Skylar Thompson is the future of this Kansas State team, and he should be good to go this Saturday against Iowa State. Against Oklahoma State, Thompson made Pringle look like the talented receiver that he is, racking up 166 receiving yards and three touchdowns. K State will need to score just as efficiently this week to beat the Iowa State Cyclones at home.
Defense/Special Teams
Alabama-Birmingham
% Owned: 3%
As a college football fan, there is nothing that makes me happier than seeing the Blazers go to the postseason after having their program disbanded. This week, UAB takes on a UTEP team ranked last in the nation in total offense. The Miners average fewer than 240 total yards per game and have only 15 total touchdowns this season. UAB ranks in the top 50 defenses in America and should be your pick to bring home the trophy this week.
Northwestern
% Owned: 2%
Did you know the Wildcats are 8-3? Wild. Northwestern has definitely improved after several seasons of so-so football. The combination of an accurate passing game and a top-50 defense are the main reasons behind their improvement. In an effort to make it to nine wins, they get the luxury of taking on Illinois. Illinois’ offense is bottom-five in the nation, averaging 284 yards per game and scoring fewer than 20 touchdowns. The Illinois offense revolves around the run game, and Northwestern is 10th-best in the nation at stopping the run, allowing fewer than 115 rushing yards per game.
All NCAA offensive and defensive rankings can be found on ncaa.com/stats/football.
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