Let’s take a look at players who had strong weekly performances, but our fantasy football analysts aren’t buying it as they look ahead to this week and beyond. Here are a few players to avoid when making your fantasy football waiver wire pickups. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 8.
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- Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid
Fool’s Gold
- Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT)
- Xavier Legette (WR – CAR)
- Chimere Dike (WR – TEN)
- Daniel Bellinger (TE – NYG)
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is a former tight ends coach who loves to use 2-TE and 3-TE sets. Unfortunately, Smith’s tight end usage is largely inscrutable. Take Pat Freiermuth, for instance. He had 8-76-0 receiving on 11 targets over Pittsburgh’s first five games and was tied for TE54 in half-PPR fantasy scoring. Then, in Week 7, Freiermuth exploded for 5-111-2 on six targets against the Bengals. With Freiermuth sharing snaps and targets with Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington, this isn’t a place where you should be investing.
After producing 31 or fewer receiving yards in each of his first four games, Panthers wideout Xavier Legette had 9-92-1 on 11 targets on Sunday against the Jets. Legette was busy largely because Carolina’s best receiver, rookie Tetairoa McMillan, was locked up with Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, one of the NFL’s top cover men, for most of the game. Legette has largely been a disappointment over the first 21 games of his career. That’s not to say he can’t become a valuable fantasy asset, but it will take more than one good performance to pique our interest.
With Calvin Ridley out in Week 7, Titans rookie Chimere Dike helped take up the slack, going for 4-70-1 on four targets. Dike was third in snaps and routes behind Elic Ayomanor and Van Jefferson. When Ridley comes back, Dike will be a No. 4 WR in one of the league’s most impotent passing attacks. No thanks.
Daniel Bellinger is worth monitoring, as the receiver-depleted Giants could follow the Steelers’ lead and run the passing attack through their tight ends. Bellinger had a couple of big plays, including a 44-yard touchdown catch, en route to a 3-88-1 stat line against the Broncos on Sunday. But Bellinger had only four targets in that game, and he’s been targeted only 11 times in the Giants’ first seven games. For now, monitor Bellinger from afar.
Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management
Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:
Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.
Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.
Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.
Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.
Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.
Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.
Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.
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