After a handful of wonky games during Week 8, “Shop or Drop” is back, giving you expert advice on who to pick up and drop every week in your fantasy football league.
Waiver Wire additions
Will Levis – QB – Tennessee Titans – 5% rostered via Yahoo! Sports
Will Levis put on an absolute clinic in his first NFL action as a rookie? The former Kentucky standout threw for 238 yards and four touchdowns in Ryan Tannehill’s absence. With Tannehill nursing an ankle injury, Levis may be poised to start on Thursday Night Football against Pittsburgh. If Levis gets the call and continues to ball out, even a healthy Ryan Tannehill may have to find a new job.
Sam Howell – QB – Washington Commanders – 45% rostered via Yahoo! Sports
Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders have experienced a roller coaster of a season thus far. Even though he is playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football, the second-year quarterback continues to put up exceptional stat lines. In Washington’s competitive loss to Philadelphia, Howell threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns. That was against an elite Eagles secondary, who just added All-Pro safety Kevin Byard. If Howell can easily pick apart that talented defense, he should theoretically have no problems moving forward.
Rashid Shaheed – WR – New Orleans Saints – 36% rostered via Yahoo! Sports
Rashid Shaheed is the definition of a boom-or-bust player. You either get a solemn reception for eight yards or three receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. This past Sunday, we got the latter. Is he a player that you can start in your flex spot every week? Probably not. But if the former undrafted free agent begins to consistently put up numbers, he may be a sneaky play down the road.
Demario Douglas – WR – New England Patriots – 3% rostered via Yahoo! Sports
Demario Douglas led the Patriots’ offense with five receptions on seven targets in their loss to Miami. Douglas, who was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, will look to take over Kendrick Bourne’s WR1 role. Bourne, who was having a great year, is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Patriots have been looking slightly better on offense, meaning Douglas could have some potential in the weeks to come.
Trey McBride – TE – Arizona Cardinals – 20% rostered via Yahoo! Sports
Shout out to my fantasy opponent this past week for leaving Trey McBride on their bench. McBride exploded for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens, reeling in ten catches on a whopping 14 targets in the process. Tight ends are hard to come by, meaning the former Colorado State Ram may be a diamond in the rough. With Kyler Murray returning to the lineup any week now, McBride will hopefully continue this production.
Taysom Hill – TE – New Orleans Saints – 35% rostered via Yahoo! Sports
Taysom Hill seems to make his way onto my list every season. The hybrid athlete, who is considered a tight end on fantasy football apps, has scored over 15 fantasy points in the Saints’ past two games. This past Sunday, Hill threw for 44 yards, caught a pass, rushed for 63 yards, and found the endzone twice. If Hill puts up similar numbers against Chicago on Sunday, he’s going to be in serious consideration for the tight end spot in your lineup.
Players to Drop
Ezekiel Elliott – RB – New England Patriots
Unfortunately, Ezekiel Elliott does not have the same juice he once exhibited back in his Pro Bowl days. He has only scored more than ten fantasy points once this season. Additionally, Zeke remains the second option behind a great back in Rhamondre Stevenson.
Josh Reynolds – WR – Detroit Lions
Josh Reynolds is looking like the odd man out in the Lions’ offense at the moment. Ever since Jameson Williams returned from suspension, Reynolds’ numbers have declined. Detroit’s receiving core is too crowded, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs all commanding a significant share of targets.
Jimmy Garoppolo – QB – Las Vegas Raiders
Jimmy Garoppolo has had a rough first season with the Raiders. He has already missed a few games due to injury and is playing behind a struggling offensive line. Garoppolo has Davante Adams as his main weapon, who’s one of the best receivers in football, but they cannot seem to get on the same page. Jimmy G has scored over 20 fantasy points just once this year.
If you see some of these guys on your waiver wire, try and scoop them up. Although some players may not have a spot on your starting roster at the moment, injuries are bound to happen. When everyone else in your league is scrambling around looking for replacements, you will remember that you read “Shop or Drop,” and reinforcements are already sitting on your bench.
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