We have reached Week 8 and Halloween weekend. October turns into November, the season is flying by, and the fantasy playoffs are just around the corner. As we always preach: This is not the time to be passive, this is the time to win.
The past week has been “calm” by 2020 standards, but that does not mean there are not teams left scrambling to fill lineups. Bye weeks and injuries can take their toll on even the best constructed rosters. There are always lesser-used players who can either breakout or step-up. This week, we have the smallest pot of players to dip into to date, however, we hope to identify a couple of them that can help your team in a pinch.
As always, our threshold is players rostered in less than 10 percent of Yahoo! Leagues.
Denzel Mims WR NY Jets (7%)
The Jets are still a mess, but hope for the future and present arrived last week with the rookie by way of Baylor.
The second rounder saw 7 targets, catching 4 passes for 42 yards. This week, his targets will rise as Jamison Crowder and Breshard Perriman are set to miss the game. The Chiefs secondary is strong, but Mims has the combination of talent, opportunity, and a negative game script. I will be using him in a league myself. He could be a huge waiver wire add next week if he has a breakout game.
Harrison Bryant TE Cleveland (8%)
Austin Hooper will be out again. David Njoku will see work, but the rookie Bryant scored twice last week, and will see a good sized role against Las Vegas. Bryant showed a nice connection with Baker Mayfield; you can treat him as a TE2 that could be streamed.
Irv Smith TE Minnesota (7%)
It seems like we talk about Smith every week, but he has to be considered again.
Smith has had two promising games in a row in terms of usage and production with 4 catches and at least 55 yards in back to back games. Coming off a bye, this could be a big week for Smith. If you do not need to start him, still consider rostering Smith to see if his role grows. The talent and pedigree are there, he simply needs more opportunities at this juncture.
Deonte Harris WR New Orleans (4%)
Last week, Harris found the end zone, and had season highs with 4 catches and 46 yards. Michael Thomas, Manny Sanders, and Marquez Callaway are out. Harris should see the field a lot, and if you are in need of a floor-play at this position (or FLEX spot), Harris could fill in.
Best of luck in Week 8!