Tyrod Taylor – Bills: Last Sunday housed more QB injuries than I can remember in one day. Drew Brees, Tony Romo, and Jay Cutler all will miss time due to health problems. That means fantasy teams will need to fill the void at quarterback. Taylor is a prime candidate, especially in deeper league in which obvious options are limited. The young passer has played well in his first two games, scoring a total of five touchdowns, and showing dynamic ability on the ground and a strong arm through the air. With a versatile group of receivers lead by Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin, and Charles Clay, Taylor has fantastic upside. He’s a good plug in for an injured starter for a few weeks.
Andy Dalton – Bengals: Another backup option to replace injured QBs, Big Red Dalton has looked to be worth his big contract in the first part of the season. He’s averaging more than 200 yards per game and has scored five times with no interceptions. Though Dalton has a reputation of underperforming, he is capable of sparking a team every once and a while as he’s surrounded by a long list of weapons, including the recently emerged tight end, Tyler Eifert, as well as depth at RB and WR. If you’re looking for the safest widely available QB, Dalton’s your guy.
Travis Benjamin – Browns: There’s almost no way that Benjamin can keep pace with his scoring output so far. With 204 yards and three trips to the end zone in two games, he has the stats of an elite receiver. That won’t continue in a shaky Browns offense. Don’t pick him up expecting reliable starter numbers, but Benjamin has shown that he’s worth rostering because of his high upside. He’ll make a smart spot start when a good matchup roles around.
Matt Jones – Redskins: A 123 yard, two touchdown performance by Matt Jones has Alfred Morris owners terrified that their early round pick has already busted, but there’s no need for panic yet. Morris still has the starting job, but Jones will certainly see a more substantial role in the offense from now on. He may win the job down the road, giving Jones tremendous upside, and a smart waiver wire pickup for owners later in the order.
Dion Lewis – Patriots: There’s definitely some kind of mantra now that goes something like: “don’t ever try to predict the Patriots backfield in fantasy.” While that certainly should ring true during fantasy drafts, the stakes are much lower on the waiver wire. Lewis played for 70 of the Pats offensive snaps on Sunday and had nine targets despite seeing only 7 carries. LeGarrette Blount’s role will certainly increase, but Lewis should continue to play a role in the offense and be a nice flex in PPR leagues. New England’s a high powered scoring machine, which gives Lewis boosted scoring potential. Definitely expect to see Lewis in future fantasy updates.
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