Injuries once again bring a new slate to the waiver wire rankings this week.
Top of the list is Latavius Murray who expects to see the majority of early down work for the Minnesota Vikings without Dalvin Cook. A sneaky pickup for those not willing to go big in FAAB bidding for Murray or who aren’t highly ranked in the waiver order this week is Jerick McKinnon.
McKinnon is expected to be the change-of-pace back for the Vikings without Cook, but if Murray is slowed by his ankles or unable to move the chains, McKinnon could take over.
In Seattle, Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls should both see more carries after rookie darling Chris Carson went out for the season. Lacy is the healthier of the two backs at this point, but Rawls was the “starter” to begin the season. There isn’t a clear indication who will get the first crack at the job, and they could both end up in an inconsistent committee. Those who need immediate help should go after Lacy, but I like the move of stashing Rawls to see how this plays out.
Those looking for quarterback help or trying to replace Derek Carr should go after Deshaun Watson on the wire this week. With his rushing ability, he can be a consistent quarterback week to week.
It’s Greg Olsen’s injury that opened the door for Devin Funchess to get more targets for the Panthers, and he took full advantage in Week 4. It’s unlikely he gets two scores in a single game again this season, but his increased production should stick around.
There may not be much value in owning the early downs back in the Ravens offense this season. But, if there is, Alex Collins is the running back you want to own, not Terrance West.
Aaron Jones might be the starting running back for the Packers this week if Ty Montgomery is unable to play with the pain of multiple broken ribs. Can’t blame him for that.
If you’re in a deep league or PPR league, my favorite stash going into Week 5 is J.D. McKissic. There are no promises here with the Seattle backfield being what it is – and with C.J. Prosise likely to return to the field this week. But McKissic made an impression in Week 4 that is hard to shake.
