Fantasy Football Roster Trends: Waiver Pickups, Drops & Trades

We have hit the hallway point in most regular seasons. Players continue to drop like flies, and a flurry of waiver wire adds are occurring. Don’t be left behind, stay forward-thinking and adjust to the ever-changing fantasy football landscape.

Fantasy Football Roster Trends

Key Injuries

Mike Evans (WR – TB): Mike Evans went down with a broken collarbone that will likely keep him out for the rest of the fantasy season.
Kendre Miller (RB – NO): Kendre Miller tore his ACL, putting him out for the remainder of this season and also possibly the start of next season. The hope that he would take over for Alvin Kamara in the event of a trade leaves many forward thinkers back on the drawing board.
Jayden Daniels (QB – WSH): Jayden Daniels left the game with a minor hamstring injury, though his Week 8 availability is in serious jeopardy.

Most Added Players

Oronde Gadsden II (TE – LAC)

Oronde Gadsden exploded onto the landscape in Week 7, catching seven of his nine targets for 164 yards and a touchdown. At a generally depleted tight end position, Gadsden provides the upside that many are in major need of.

Kyle Monangai (RB – CHI)

Coming out of the Bears’ bye week, Kyle Monangai received 13 carries as he appears to be carving out the David Montgomery role in Ben Johnson‘s offense, a system that can support two fantasy-relevant running backs.

Tez Johnson (WR – TB)

With Mike Evans down for the year, and still no real timetable for Chris Godwin, Tez Johnson showed he can make the most of an expanded opportunity in a pass-first Tampa Bay offense.

Joe Flacco (QB – CIN)

Joe Flacco appears to have adjusted to his new location and made tremendous use of his elite pass-catchers. While still providing no rushing upside, the passing volume and negative game scripts allow Flacco to be a great bye-week replacement as things unfold down the stretch.

Most Dropped Players

Luke McCaffrey (WR – WSH)

The hope that Luke McCaffrey would explode with Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel out left many extremely disappointed. While he did leave with an injury, McCaffrey’s zero-catch performance cost many their Week 7 matchup.

Justin Fields (QB – NYJ)

Another terrible performance for Justin Fields that saw him benched left many who thought his rushing upside would make up for the lackluster offense sadly mistaken. With the unknown or short leash moving forward, Fields is droppable in all 1-QB formats.

Kendrick Bourne (WR – SF)

With the return of some skill players and the pending return of Ricky Pearsall, Kendrick Bourne is moving back to the bench. His relationship with fellow backup Mac Jones was on full display, but with Brock Purdy looking to return, not even those minimal snaps will carry the same value as they have.

Most Traded Players

Chase Brown (RB – CIN)

Joe Flaco was the savior, right? This clearly did not age well, as Chase Brown showed out, and the Bengals’ offense looked solid versus the Steelers in Week 7. Hitting over 100 yards, Brown showed he can still be an RB2 moving forward.

Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI)

Another lackluster performance for Saquon Barkley, leaving many to now think he is washed. Averaging a meager 2.4 yards per carry and only getting one target in the passing game, Barkley is out of the RB1 range until the Eagles figure things out.

Derrick Henry (RB – BAL)

Another aging running back who has appeared to lose a step. Will the bye week and return of Lamar Jackson right this ship? Many are speculating and moving Derrick Henry accordingly, in what may be the last chance to sell him high or buy him low based on the owners’ views.

Final Thoughts

Wow, time has flown with us hitting the halfway point of the season. Where do you sit? Are you contending or pretending, or simply glad basketball and hockey seasons have now started? Know that no matter your position, you do still have time to fight for those last playoff spots or to start looking for your best matchups/playoff planning in the weeks ahead.