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 Pittsburgh’s Darrin Hall.
Quarterbacks
Mike White, WKU
% Owned: 38%
Mike White was drafted in every league in which he was available, and after a 2016 campaign in which he threw for more than 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns, owners were expecting more in 2017. His ownership dropped drastically, however, after several subpar performances. In the past three weeks, we seem to have found the Mike White that we once knew, as he has thrown for 12 touchdowns and 1,073 yards in the past three weeks. With the fantasy playoffs right around the corner, call on a familiar face to push you to the top.
Marcus Childers, NIU
% Owned: 4%
Northern Illinois is dropping deep down the depth chart once again this season. And just as it did last season, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Huskies. With Ryan Graham sidelined, Marcus Childers has emerged as the guy for the Huskies, and he has accounted for 300 or more total yards in each of the last three games with two touchdowns in each contest. Childers’ game next week against Toledo could prove to be a challenge, but he is still well worth the add.
Malik Rosier, Miami (FL)
% Owned: 35%
Whether the U has returned or not is yet to be seen, but what we have seen is just how productive Rosier can be. Malik Rosier won the job before the start of the season and has put up consistent numbers. With Mark Walton and Travis Homer taking most of the offense for the Canes, most have overlooked just how productive Rosier has been. He has accounted for over 2,000 yards this season as well as 21 total touchdowns. Rosier can produce points, but don’t rely on him for a monster game.
Running Back
Darrin Hall, Pittsburgh
% Owned: 9%
Pittsburgh may not have the flashiest of offenses, but the workload that Darrin Hall is receiving is hard to ignore. Hall has gotten more than 20 carries in the last two games and has put up over 300 total in those two contests. Next week’s game against North Carolina is an incredible matchup for Hall, as the Tarheels are ranked 107th in the nation in rush defense. Hall is the fourth-ranked back in terms of points per game since taking over the Panther backfield, and he’s going to make a big statement next weekend.
Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma
% Owned: 14%
The backfield for the Sooners seems like a mystery … unless you look closely. Rodney Anderson has gotten more and more touches as the weeks have gone by, and he is putting up more and more yards. Anderson has posted 140+ in the last two games with a touchdown in his last three contests. He has also averaged 21.33 fantasy points per game since missing the Baylor game, which is the 12th best total in that time period.
Wide Receivers
Ike Lewis, App State
% Owned: <1%
Ike Lewis is flying incredibly low on the radar this season. For a guy who has outscored J’Mon Moore and Trey Quinn in the past month, his low ownership is astounding. Lewis has caught five or more balls in the past three weeks, has recorded 100+ yards in two of the past three games, and has three touchdowns in that same time period. Snatch up Ike while he’s just a face in the crowd, or pass on him and live to regret it.
Kanawai Noa, California
% Owned: 5%
With the sudden rise of Ross Bowers, there was bound to be a receiver who stepped up in the receiving ranks. Kanawai Noa has recorded three games with 100+ receiving yards and hasn’t caught fewer than six passes since early September. He’s also grabbed three touchdown passes in the past two weeks, which tripled his season totals. If Noa continues to see this much action in the red zone, he could prove to be a good WR2 or a solid WR1 the rest of the way.
Tight Ends
Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
% Owned: 12%
How is a tight end that has scored six touchdowns in three weeks flying so far under the radar? Albert Okwuegbunam has done just that in the past several weeks. Albert has established himself as Drew Lock’s go-to option in the red zone. And in an offense that passes as much as Missouri’s does, that really means something. The boom or bust factor applies, however, because Okyuegbunam hasn’t gone for more than 60 yards all season long, which makes him very touchdown-dependent. For owners still scrounging around looking for a Caleb Wilson replacement, look no further.
Shane Wimann, NIU
% Owned: 11%
What is a freshman quarterback’s best friend? An active tight end. In the time that Marcus Childers has taken over for NIU, Wimann has caught four touchdown passes and racked up 184 receiving yards. He catches around four passes per game, and his workload only seems to be increasing. Wimann’s upside lasts as long as Childers remains the starter. So should Graham return, Wimann’s stock could take a hit.