Welcome back to Tanner’s Top Free Agents! This week was nothing short of crazy for most fantasy managers, with some players putting up monster numbers seemingly out of nowhere. With that, let’s dive right in!
Recap
Last week’s hottest name on waivers, Carson Steele, had a solid showing on Sunday, putting up 8.4 PPR points. Unless you’re in a very deep league, he’s probably not on the starting radar just yet, but look for his numbers to improve in the coming weeks. Allen Lazard recorded his third touchdown in as many weeks in the Jets’ thrashing of the Patriots, putting up a rock-solid 13.8 fantasy points. As long as Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, I see Lazard as fringe, touchdown-dependent flex play. The newly-extended Justice Hill had a decent game in Dallas, and he’ll likely see an increased workload contests where the Ravens are trailing, as he gets a good bit of work in the passing game.
Aside from these guys, who else should you be looking to claim this week?
Jauan Jennings: WR, SF (36% rostered)
Jauan Jennings has the fantasy football world buzzing. With Deebo Samuel being held out due to injury, Jennings stepped into the WR2 role in San Francisco’s offense and did not disappoint. The wideout attracted 12 targets on Sunday, catching 11 (!!!) for 175 yards (!!!) and three touchdowns (!!!). How many fantasy points does this work out to? Oh, nothing but a solid 46.5. What an absolutely unbelievable game from Jennings, who’ll be the first name off the waiver wire in nearly every fantasy league.
Now, the veteran WR will probably never get close to these numbers again in 2024. But, as long as Samuel is sidelined, is Jennings a solid bet for around 15 points a game? Heck yeah! It’s notoriously hard to play 49ers players in fantasy; some weeks will be duds and others will blow your mind. But the risk is absolutely worth it, especially if Jennings is available on waivers. He immediately slots in as a high-end flex/WR3 or a low-end WR2 in my eyes. There’s absolutely no excuse not to claim him.
Bucky Irving: RB, TB (32.7% rostered)
Rachaad White was one of the top running backs in fantasy football in 2023, but many overlooked his efficiency issues in this year’s drafts. Yet, these problems have resurfaced in 2024, with White averaging an abysmal 2.1 yards per attempt. Bucky Irving, a rookie out of Oregon, has been a much-needed breath of fresh air for Tampa Bay’s run game here in the early going, and I could see the Bucs looking to him a lot more down the road.
The former Duck and fourth-round pick had an electric college career, displaying elite ability as a pass-catcher and impressive burst and change of direction. The first skill, however, is by far the most important for fantasy purposes, especially in PPR leagues. If he continues to exhibit impressive efficiency, both his snap count and workload will increase. There’s a lot of uncertainty with the Bucs’ running back situation right now, but investing in Irving now could pay dividends down the road.
Andy Dalton: QB, CAR (1.4% rostered)
Did anyone see that coming from Andy Dalton?
The longtime Bengal turned journeyman veteran quarterback got his opportunity on Sunday, and he made the most of it. Dalton completed an impressive 70.3% of his passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions in Carolina’s win over the Raiders. Next week, he faces a Cincinnati defense that just allowed 28 points to Jayden Daniels, and I see this as another pass-heavy game for the Panthers as they look to keep pace with Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense. Dalton might also have a bit of extra motivation going up against his former team. While I’m not ready to say that he should immediately be thrust into your starting lineup, Dalton isn’t a bad option for fantasy managers electing to stream talent at the quarterback position.
That’s all for this week’s piece! Good luck on the waiver wire.
