I hope I don’t get sued for using the CW logo. Who am I kidding? I’m sure they would appreciate the exposure to the four people that read this article. With that said, they have come a long way from their UPN/WB days. You know, that channel that gave us hits such as Homeboys in Outer Space, The Mullets and Platypus Man. To be fair, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a hit and I got my wrestling fix from WWE SmackDown.
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The CW is and has always been a niche television station. They will probably never attain the goal of becoming the fifth “major” broadcast network, but that’s ok. They provide entertainment for their audience and the advertisers keep pouring in money. At the end of the day, isn’t that all that matters?
What in Tehol Beddict’s name does this have to do with fantasy football? There’s a player out there with the initials C.W. (I’m so clever aren’t I?) that is attractive to certain segments of the fantasy football community. At this point of the fantasy season, it consists of those that are still alive in the playoffs and those in keeper or dynasty leagues. All that matters at this point of the season is production. Case in point:
@MatthewBerryTMR I won this week, but kinda felt bad for doing it. pic.twitter.com/h3H2EzDKiY
— Jordan Wright (@J_Wright68) December 14, 2015
C.W. stands for Clive Walford, tight end of the Oakland Raiders. He is 6’4″, 258 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.79 seconds. The Raiders selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Many draft pundits had him as the second best tight end behind Baltimore’s Maxx Williams. According to NFL.com’s draft analysis, Walford is a good blocker, can line up all over the field, is quick enough to threaten the seam and make the contested catch. His main weakness was inconsistency in catching the routine pass and questions about his athleticism.
https://twitter.com/KillAStan_/status/676518127530848256
Clive Walford #TEU https://t.co/x1lHRjH688
— WeAreDBnation (@WeAreDBNation1) December 14, 2015
Looks pretty good to me.
Now, rookie tight ends usually have difficulty making an impact their first year and Walford has been no exception. In his first four games, he received a total of five targets and hauled in two for five yards. In Week 5 against the Broncos, we got a glimpse of his explosiveness as he caught his lone target for 33 yards. From Week 7-10, Walford scored three touchdowns and received at least two targets in every game, but still was on the field fewer than 50% of the time. Below is the snap count percentage, targets and receptions since Week 10:
| Week | Snap percentage | Targets | Receptions |
| 11 | 58.8% | 3 | 2 |
| 12 | 57.7% | 2 | 1 |
| 13 | 35.4% | 5 | 5 |
| 14 | 66.7% | 7 | 3 |
Even though he was only on the field 35.4% of the time in Week 13, he caught five passes that game and posted his highest yardage total of the year (53 yards). Walford is becoming a bonafide weapon for the Raiders. With Amari Cooper and Michael Crabree doing damage on the outside, the middle of the field is primed for Walford to take advantage.
For those in redraft leagues, the Raiders host the Packers and Chargers in the next two weeks. The Packers have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to the tight end position. It’s very possible that Aaron Rodgers will put up points in that game, so the Raiders may have to chase points. That would be very favorable for the prospects of Walford. The Chargers have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends. The schedule sets up very favorably for the fantasy playoffs.
For you dynasty owners, scoop up Walford if you haven’t done so already. Mychal Rivera will be a free agent at the conclusion of next season, but the pendulum has already swung in Walford’s favor. The Raiders are definitely building something special on the offensive side of the ball. As shown in the vine at the top of the page, Walford has the athleticism to beat safeties on the sideline. He also abuses linebackers in the middle of the field. With the amount of weapons that the Raiders possess, he is usually going to be in an advantageous situation.
VERDICT
