Zero Dollar Bidding: Waiver Wire Look Ahead Week 8

Zero Dollar Bidding: Waiver Wire Look Ahead Week 8.
by Alan Seslowsky

Each week this column will provide you with sneaky zero dollar pickups you can add to your roster today, that may be of great value down the road. The idea is to identify players that have a plausible path to be the high-priced free agent in the coming weeks. The bottom of your fantasy roster should always be used to cycle through high upside pickups that can easily be cut to speculate on another player.

 

Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR Cleveland Browns 0% rostered)

DPJ was a sixth-round pick in this year’s real NFL draft. His college production at Michigan given his national rank coming out of high school was considered a disappointment. Proponents of DPJ point to the poor QB play and limitations of the offense at Michigan to explain away his modest college production. 

None of that matters now and DPJ impressed when forced into action this past Sunday after Odell Beckham‘s season-ending injury. The Brown’s leading WR was the rock-solid pro Rashard Higgins, who went 6/6/110/0. You should certainly try to roster Higgins as a priority add this week. Higgins is an immediate every week starter for fantasy. However, this column is about rostering players who will cost your zero dollars in FAAB or can get picked up after your first run of waivers executes. DPJ was tied for second in team receiving yards in week seven. He catching all three of his targets including an acrobatic 25 yard toe tapping TD to put the Browns ahead late in the fourth quarter. DPJ looks like he belongs in the NFL right from the start and makes for a strong zero dollar bid add. 

 

Albert Okwuegbunam (TE Denver Broncos 1% rostered)

Albert “O,” was featured in our “Zero Bidding” column last week. His ownership percentage is still only 1%. Okwuegbunam is not ranked among the top TE consensus waiver wire pickups across the fantasy industry this week. Your leaguemates are likely using their FAAB to bid on Dallas Goedert, Irv Smith, Trey Burton, Logan Thomas, and Richard Rodgers. All of those TEs produced in their last game. If you need a TE you should absolutely put in a token bid for those players but you are likely to get Albert Okwuegbunam for a zero dollar bid after your waiver wire runs. Okwuegbunam was Denver QB Drew Lock‘s college teammate at Missouri and one of his favorite redzone targets. That was on display in week 6. Albert O tied for the team lead in targets with six and saw a handful of those in the redzone. Even with starting TE Noah Fant back in the lineup in week 7, Okwuegbunam led the team in receiving yards and tied Fant with seven targets. Okwuegbunam caught 100% of those targets whereas Fant only hauled in three. This is another data point that speaks to the chemistry between Lock and Okwuegbunam. He makes for an interesting zero dollar bid in a depleted TE market.

 

Denzel Mims (WR NY Jets 4% rostered)

Denzel Mims was featured in week five’s “Zero Dollar Bidding” column. Surprisingly he is still only 4% rostered. There is likely a “Jets Suck” bias depressing his appeal. The waiver wire is flush with low-end options this week, that profile more as WR3 types. Mims is one of the players available that has a plausible path to top 15 weekly WR value. 

During the pre-draft process rookie WR, Denzel Mims, skyrocketed up draft boards with an eye-popping 4.38 forty time and stand out senior bowl performance. RosterWatch was early to identify Mims as a player that was off the mainstream radar. Mims was subsequently drafted in the second round by the Jets, then injured before the season started. Mims made his season debut on Sunday against the Bills and led the team in targets, receptions, and yards. Albeit they were modest numbers for fantasy 7/4/42,  it was an encouraging first game for the rookie given the non-optimal circumstances on the Jets. The Jets are going to be motivated to feed Mims in a nightmare season, to give the fan base something to be optimistic about moving forward. Mims has the upside to be an every-week fantasy starter and is a strong zero dollar bid addition to your roster.

14 Comments

  1. ↓ Post By John Hunsberger

    .5 ppr
    With the news in SF do I still play hasty over moss ?

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Its a reasonable question. I think this is a great opportunity for Hasty to show his skills. There is a much lower floor for Hasty, but I think a much higher upside this week. Moss is a safer play for sure.

  2. ↓ Post By DJ

    Trade advice? Need WR/RB help for struggling team – potential trade of me giving up AJ Green and Chubb for his Montgomery and Robert Woods….my starters right now are Jefferson, Cooper, Boston Scott, and Gio w Mixon, Drake, B Cooks, M Brown, and R Higgens all hanging on bench….rough season. Thanks!!

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      I like that trade for you if you need immediate help, but Chubb sounds liek he will be back in 2 weeks. You may not be able to wait for him

  3. ↓ Post By Nebraskan Assassins

    14 team .5 ppr
    Injuries and bye weeks killing me. 5-2 take the Loss or…
    Drop shenault or deebo for mims or DPJ
    Drop Tua for gus edwards or malcolm Brown. Both would be starting spots qould be starting with Aaron Jones and miles sanders out and james Robinson on bye.

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Nebraskan:

      14 teamers are brutal. The one big 14 teamer I am in, its always ugly when byes/injuries hit.

      Gus is going to get his opportunity this weekend. I highly doubt Ingram plays. Too bad its a very tough matchup. I’m playing him in a lot of leagues. DPJ doesn’t have a floor but looked great in his debut, enough to be worth a roster spot. Is Albert O available? If yes, he can be played with reasonable confidence. Those 13 targets last 2 weeks are encouraging.

  4. ↓ Post By MikeVegas

    Alan, Those are scraping the barrel.

    One word.
    Aiyuk!!

    I need a smash game from him.

    Thank you for your columns. They’re good reads.

    Best Wishes,

    Mike

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Hey Mike Vegas!

      Thanks for the supportive comments. I appreciate it more than you know. I’m am with you Aiyuk is in a great spot this week, and I stuck my neck out for him in so many of my dynasty leagues taking him ahead of players like Ruggs, Higgins, and Antonio Gibson. I hope I get a chance to stick it to my league mates this weekend.

      As far as the barrel scrappers as you very “funnily” put it. You are right. They are players that are more or less free this week that could get bid up in the next week or 2. I’m especially intrigued by Albert O.

      Good luck this week!

      1. ↓ Post By MikeVegas

        Alan, I was wondering if Jalen Reagor might be one of those barrel scrapers but this year we went with a 6 man bench and no IR so did not have room to pick him. (Short benches are fun because they make you think plus there’s always stuff on the waiver wire.)

        Good luck this weekend. Lets hope for Aiyuk!!!!

        1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

          Yes, Reagors injury was only a hand. He should be ready to roll.

  5. ↓ Post By MikeVegas

    Alan, I now have a minor dilemma. Ebron or Goedert?
    Do you operate under the understanding that if Goedert recently busted his ankle, and just a few weeks later he is active, he is normal? First game off IR makes me nervous but Wentz loves a TE.

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      If you can afford to get a “show me game” from DG that si great, but I am playing him in a few spots. Its a risk as you said, but I’d try him out over Ebron. Good luck!

  6. ↓ Post By beni8790

    Would you cut Cam Akers for Denzel Mims?

    I know Akers is a good stash but is it worth wasting a roster spot for him?

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      I agree it is time to cut bait. Love picking up Mims. If Akers produces at some time this year so be it.

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