This weekly article is focused on identifying players who are owned in less than 40% of redraft leagues. These players are going to help your team win this week and every week to come! We are looking for guys you should be able to plug into your starting lineup without hesitation.
Be sure to check out all of our in-season content right here.
(There will be no recommended FAAB spends in this article, as those decisions always depend on your team’s needs)
Royce Freeman (RB – DEN)
Ownership: 39.88%
Phillip Lindsay suffered a knee injury during the Broncos’ quarterback-less loss in Week 12, vaulting Royce Freeman into a little bit more work than he’s used to. Freeman has been the black sheep of the running back room in Denver this year with his season-high rushing total (8) and yards (50) in Lindsay’s absence. Reports indicate Linsday could miss some time, so Freeman could see even more touches than usual. Melvin Gordon has been hit with the injury bug in the past, and running backs come at a premium this time of year, so I’d watch to roster Freeman just in case during COVID-19 season.
Keke Coutee (WR – HOU)
Ownership: 17.17%
In a matter of two weeks, Keke Coutee becomes the WR2 for the Houston Texans. Coutee’s expanded role is unexpected but comes at an opportune time for fantasy managers. First, Randall Cobb suffered an injury allowing Coutee to get on the field a bit more. But, reports broke over the weekend that leading receiver Will Fuller will be suspended for six games due to substance abuse. Coutee is barely owned in any leagues and has been promoted into an extremely high volume passing offense. Go out and get him.
Jeffery Wilson (RB – SF)
Ownership: 26.39%
Wilson’s Week 12 statline is nothing to write home about but this marks the third time this season he’s received 10+ rushing attempts and the second time in a row. Wilson hadn’t played since Week 7 but he totaled 17 rushing attempts for 112 and three touchdowns before suffering an ankle injury. The 49ers rush the ball as much as any other team in the league so Wilson’s ownership percentage comes as a surprise. He could go under the radar as a cheap waiver add considering he was mediocre at best in the win over the Rams.
Ito Smith (RB – ATL)
Ownership: 26.02%
Todd Gurley was a last-minute inactive in Week 12 leaving Ito Smith and Brian Hill to split carries. Both received a similar amount of carries but Smith dominated the receiving work, something we love to see from a fantasy perspective. Smith also scored a rushing and receiving touchdown, giving him enough production to land himself in the top 10 fantasy producers at running back for the week. Ito Smith should be added to any contending team in case Gurley is out for an extended period of time.
Anthony McFarland (RB – PIT)
Ownership: 32.57%
James Conner will miss some time due to a positive COVID-19 test and there’s no telling how long he could be out. Reports indicate McFarland will see an increased workload. McFarland has yet to receive more than six rushing attempts in any given game. But, it sounds like that’s going to change come Week 13. This could be a meaningless waiver wire add or we could be getting ahead of the curve. Shoot your shot.
Darnell Mooney (WR – CHI)
Ownership: 35.80%
Darnell Mooney didn’t have a very productive game but that’s most likely because Mitch Trubisky was tossing the rock. Sadly, they don’t have much better anyway but Mooney’s target share is encouraging nonetheless. The rookie is currently second on the team in target share with 15% and has nine or more targets in two of the last three games. He’s poised for a ton of targets going into fantasy playoff matchups and is a must-own regardless of how poor the quarterback play is.
Thank you for reading. If you have any thoughts or would like to discuss, you can find me on Twitter @WillieBeamanDFF.
