Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Wire: Trade Deadline Shuffling Means Jimmy Garoppolo Gets a Chance

Jimmy Garoppolo will get his chance to start in San Francisco, not this week, but soon enough. He has waited behind Tom Brady for three and a half years, and will 26 in two days. So let’s talk about how you should approach him in fantasy football. Beathard will start this week. Garoppolo will either start next week against the Giants, or after the bye week against Seattle.

It’s not a great situation, but it’s also not an untenable one. San Francisco, with a never-was journeyman in Hoyer and a reach later round pick in Beathard, is averaging 6.0 yards per attempt and less than a TD pass a game. I think Garoppolo improves on those (something like 6.8 yards per attempt and 1.3 TD per game). He’s going to be playing on a team trailing a lot and needing to pass. When you look at the dearth of quality quarterbacks due to injury and general suckitude, I think he falls in mid-QB2 territory in Shanahan’s system, with upside to start based on matchup.

For the team with an established starter, he may not make sense. But if you’ve lost Aaron Rodgers or Carson Palmer or have some disappointments (Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger) I think he can be a platoon starting option and worth a decent bid.

QUARTERBACKS

Average: Jared Goff (59%) is kind of in that range where he seems to be available, and if you need a start this week, go with him coming off a bye at the dysfunctional Giants, who may decide to suspend their whole team by Sunday.

Deep: Brett Hundley (23%) vs DET gets another chance after a less than stellar first start. The ingredients are there, and he is a low-end starting option because he did provide some rushing value.

While he won’t be the starter for much longer, CJ Beathard (14%) vs ARI is the best matchup play in a QB2 league where you need a spot start.

RUNNING BACKS

Average Leagues: Alex Collins (51%) had his breakout game, though he had been getting carries at a steady rate until last week. The problem is that he isn’t very involved in the passing game, but he is again a flex start at TEN.

Alfred Morris (62%) looks to be ready to start and has a great matchup this week against KC’s run defense, and Darren McFadden (57%) is worth an add to see how the carries break out.

DeAndre Washington (54%) fumbled early but put up yards late for Oakland last week. Marshawn Lynch returns but this is a situation to watch because Lynch has not been good.

Deep Leagues: It’s hard to recommend the Miami backfield too highly because the blocking has been terrible, and Ajayi was having trouble being productive. A committee situation is fairly undesirable. Still, under the “you never know” doctrine of fantasy football, Damien Williams (3%) and Kenyan Drake (3%) are available to stash and see how this week goes.

Wayne Gallman (18%) looks to still be part of a platoon and could have value in coming weeks.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Robby Anderson (36%), but maybe people will start picking him up after another week with a touchdown.

Paul Richardson (48%) has been another frequent flier in this space, and after two touchdowns against the Texans, will likely shoot up in ownership. He’s been quite useful in my best ball league.

Jamison Crowder (40%) finally had a 100 yard game Sunday and looks to be the best option. Teammate Josh Doctson (55%) has supplanted Terrelle Pryor as starter, though he only had one catch last week.

Corey Davis (41%) could return this week for Tennessee and is worth a risk if you need wide receiver upside for the second half of the year.

Deep Leagues: Robert Woods (19%) is just lurking out there, and is again a WR3 option at NYG. Marquise Goodwin (7%) is a stash play with the addition of Garoppolo.

To the extent there’s a winner in the Benjamin trade to Buffalo for fantasy purposes (since Funchess is widely owned), Curtis Samuel (3%) is likely to see an uptick, but probably a monitor situation unless in really deep leagues.

TIGHT ENDS

Vernon Davis (27%) could again stronge the strongeneficiary as Jordan Reed is on the injury report. If Reed is out, Davis is a top 8 start.

Ed Dickson (45%) hasn’t put up big yardage in recent weeks but is still getting steady receptions in Carolina. Speaking of Carolina, it’s time to put Greg Olsen (48%) on your radar as he is targeting a week 12 return.

OVERALL

WR Paul Richardson, SEA
RB Alfred Morris, DAL
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, SF
RB Alex Collins, BAL
WR Jamison Crowder, WAS
RB Damien Williams, MIA
WR Robby Anderson, NYJ
WR Corey Davis, TEN
RB Darren McFadden, DAL
QB Jared Goff, LAR
RB DeAndre Washington, OAK
WR Josh Doctson, WAS
RB Kenyan Drake, MIA
WR Robert Woods, LAR
QB Brett Hundley, GB
WR Marquis Goodwin, SF
RB Wayne Gallman, NYG
WR Curtis Samuel, CAR

DEEP LEAGUES

QB Jimmy Garoppolo, SF
RB Damien Williams, MIA
RB Kenyan Drake, MIA
WR Robert Woods, LAR
QB Brett Hundley, GB
WR Marquis Goodwin, SF
RB Wayne Gallman, NYG
WR Curtis Samuel, CAR