Throughout the years, we have seen some amazing quarterback/wide receiver tandems that have been the bread and butter for fantasy owners seeking a championship.
Back in the day, Troy Aikman had Michael Irvin, Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison, and Daunte Culpepper and Tom Brady took turns teaming with Randy Moss. It’s no different now as Matt Ryan locks into Julio Jones, Ben Roethlisberger leans on Antonio Brown and a returning Aaron Rodgers will reconnect with Jordy Nelson.
But what happens this late in the year when your dynamic duo is no longer there for you? The quarterback position has been decimated by injuries and the wide receiver fallout has had a severely negative impact in fantasy.
Thursday night’s game between the Broncos and Colts is a perfect example, as Trevor Siemian suffered a dislocated shoulder and the change to Brock Osweiler had Demaryius Thomas owners screaming to the fantasy gods in frustration.
The numbers were clear. Siemian favored Thomas, and the receiver’s targets were abundant. But the move to Osweiler shifted targets away from the team’s true No. 1, and Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer reaped the benefits. Even when Sanders reinjured his ankle and left, the targets stayed with fringe players like back-up tight end Jeff Heuerman — players who have spent most of their practice time with the back-up quarterback on the second team.
Though Denver’s situation was beyond our control, as in-game injuries are unpredictable, we still have an opportunity to take advantage of some recent changes. The return of Rodgers will put Nelson back into consideration, but with Nick Foles taking over in Philadelphia, T.J. Yates in Houston and Bryce Petty now leading the Jets, there are a variety of fringe wideouts who may start seeing an increase in both snaps and targets. Backups tend to lean on those with whom they are most comfortable before they start to open things up.
Keep in mind, you’re not replacing the big names on your roster with third-stringers. But if you’re struggling for a flex play and your waiver wire looks barren, it might be worth the risk. Mack Hollins makes for an interesting play for the Eagles, as he and Foles have worked out together extensively. After Yates took over last week, DeAndrew White actually saw six targets and could be in line for a repeat. And, of course, the Jets have nothing to lose giving extra work to Chad Hansen and ArDarius Stewart.
The names aren’t sexy and still come with high-risk. But at this point in the season, if you’re that in-need, you’ve got to pull out all the stops. If they hit, you’re a genius. If not, at least you went down swinging.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 4-6 p.m.
