We are reaching the halfway point of the fantasy football season, and the waiver wire is more important than ever. By now, you know who the contenders and pretenders in your league are. Some will be fighting for a championship, and others will be doing everything they can to avoid punishment. At this point, you will want your roster to be perfect, and the waiver wire is the best place to make last-minute improvements. Here are three players you can grab off the waiver wire before Sunday’s games start.
Michael Mayer, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
While Brock Bowers gets all the attention, Michael Mayer has put together a very solid fantasy season. He’s gotten more chances in the Raiders’ offense and looks more like the tight end he was at Notre Dame. He has caught 28 passes on 34 targets for 266 receiving yards and a touchdown. He has become a solid streamline option, with the 12th-most fantasy points among tight ends this season. He may only be averaging 7.8 points per game, but he has posted double-digit scores in three of his last four games.
Although this week’s matchup is tough against the Rams, who are allowing the second-fewest points to tight ends this season, Mayer can still carve out a path to solid fantasy production. For starters, Bowers is dealing with a hamstring/calf injury. He should be good to start, but who knows how much the injury will affect him. There is also the fact that Mayers has become one of Kirk Cousins’ favorite targets, being in the top two targets in two of the last three weeks. He is a solid grab off the waiver wire if you need a tight end.
Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos
Normally, in these articles, we target players who can make an impact this week. Guys with a favorable matchup who could give you a boost. But in the case of Jonah Coleman, this is a little different. While he is currently still on IR, his practice window has opened, and he has been a full participant in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. He could play this week against the Cardinals but should be locked in to return to the lineup next week against the Chiefs.
With Coleman rostered in just 22% of ESPN leagues and 38% of Sleeper leagues, he could be one of the biggest waiver-wire steals this season. We saw a glimpse of Coleman’s workload back in Week 2 against the Jaguars. He had 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown, along with three receptions for 19 yards. It’s safe to assume Coleman will return to a similar workload. It may take a week or two to pay off, but grabbing Coleman off the waiver wire could be the steal of the season.
Jaylin Noel, WR, Houston Texans
One of the season’s biggest surprises has been how effective the Texans’ passing game has been. They currently average 270.2 passing yards per game, the fourth-best mark in the NFL. Over the last few weeks, Jaylin Noel has become a key part of the Texans’ passing success. In the last three weeks, he has caught all 12 targets for 233 yards and two touchdowns. He has also posted double-digit fantasy points in each game during this stretch, including 20.7 points this past week against the Jaguars.
On the surface, Noel does not look very attractive. With Nico Collins as the wide receiver one and the recent acquisition of Marvin Harrison Jr., there will be a lot of competition for targets. But with Noel averaging nearly 20 yards per reception this season, he seems to have established himself as the Texans’ deep threat. The guy they go to when they are looking to make a big play downfield. This will help him put up strong fantasy numbers even if his targets dip.
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