Week 2 Sleepers, Potential-Emergent Players, and Opportunistic Plays
This column is NOT intended to provide weekly waiver claims lists. Instead, the purpose is to look at young players whose opportunities could be emerging and should be monitored. I will also look at potential injury replacement players, but I will try to not focus on the obvious choices for this week’s slate of games as that is covered elsewhere on the sight. My goal is to help look around corners for the season which might give some ideas for pre-emptive adds to your roster.
Running Backs
Bucky Irving (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Irving is more than just a young handcuff for Rachaad White in Tampa Bay. He enters the league with a strong receiving profile as well as a better prospect for rushing between the tackles. He would make a great handcuff for White, but he also appears to have already turned this into a committee backfield.
White carried the ball 15 times for 31 yards compared with Irving’s nine carries for 62 yards. Now, White was very productive in the passing game as he has always been with six receptions on six targets for seventy-five yards so he is likely not going away. I suspect Irving will carve out a significant role going forward.
Jaylen Wright (Miami Dolphins) – There was a lot of hope for Wright pre-season and there still is amongst many fantasy managers. However, Wright was INACTIVE this weekend in favor of Jeff Wilson backing up Mostert and Achane. Both Mostert and Achane received DNP designations Monday and Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s game. So, although the inactive status on Sunday is worrisome he might be slow to fire. He also might see the field on a short week on Thursday with the two co-starters banged up. I would continue to monitor Wright’s status. The Miami backfield can produce a league winner in fantasy. Wright is a name to keep an eye on.
Blake Corum (Los Angeles Rams) – Corum was another young RB who did not see the field this past week. He played behind both Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers. It was widely thought that Corum was going to pick up a significant opportunity share to lighten Kyren Williams’ load. That did not happen. He looks like strictly a handcuff right now who’s opportunity may take a little while.
Tank Bigsby (Jacksonville Jaguars) – The talk of Bigsby taking on a bigger role this year. Unlike the talk with Corum, proved to be true. And he delivered on the promise he showed last preseason. Carries were split evenly with Etienne this past week. Bigsby had 12 carries for 73 yards compared with Etienne’s 12 carries for 45 yards. It looks like Bigsby’s opportunity has arrived. He is unlikely to unseat Etienne but he’s forced his way into a committee.
Wide Receivers
Jalen McMillan (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – He did catch a long touchdown this week and could have had more. McMillan played alongside Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk in college. He seems to have fit in as one of the three receiver weapons in Tampa and out snapped both Evans and Godwin. Look for his target count to increase throughout the season.
Adonai Mitchell (Indianapolis Colts) – Mitchell is taking advantage of Josh Downs’s absence to play the slot role for the Colts. He looks good in action and left a lot of opportunity on the field this past week. His stat line was modest but could have included a touchdown where he and Richardson failed to hook up on a long pass. The challenge here is that the Colts will have a low volume passing attack and Downs will return to the field shortly. Mitchell will need to make his mark, and Richardson needs to develop as a passer for him to pay-off this year.
Malik Washington (Miami Dolphins) – Washington was injured for this past week’s game. Achane picked up the slack that Washington could have provided in the passing game. When Washington gets healthy the Dolphins will add another speed element to their attack that will make this team even more difficult to defend. I’d continue to monitor his health and opportunity to see if he can fire when he gets his chance.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks) – JSN was drafted in the first round last year but failed to break out. There was a lot of hope that a healthy off season and new offensive system was going to lead to more opportunities. That really did not happen week 1. All indications were that he would have a bigger role this year, however. Be patient.
Tight Ends
Brock Bowers (Las Vegas Raiders) – Bowers was one of the few tight ends that provided usable stats in week 1. Other than Isaiah Likely, we did not see a true blow-up game for a tight end. Bowers led the Raiders in targets and receptions in Week One on his way to a six-catch, 58-yard performance. It’s a usable game and could be a pre-cursor of what’s to come.
Tucker Kraft (Green Bay Packers) – In a surprise turn of event. Kraft played the TE1 role for the Packers instead of Musgrave. Kraft’s performance was not eye-opening, but his usage was. Musgrave was the clear TE2 playing in 2 TE sets. The late round dart throws on Kraft could pay off. That usage could lead him toward a top 12 TE finish. However, Jordan Love’s injury could put a near term damper on his performances.
