Identifying Seven Potential Late-Year Season Savers

! Warning ! Your 2021 fantasy football season is on FINAL NOTICE. Otherwise meaning: your team is swirling down the crapper, spiraling more quickly thank my bank account after a fun-filled day spent at Chuck-E-Cheese, and you’re desperately in need of that one (maybe two?) player to save you from permanent destruction. Now, there’s this scene in New Girl where Nick shows Jess his box of overdue bills, which he hides in the closet — a place where he puts things he doesn’t want to have to deal with. Heading into Week 11, do not let your fantasy roster become a hidden box of overdue bills. Get the box out. Read the writing on the wall (in the letter). Take a stand and do something about it. Target the right players. Don’t waste a waiver claim on the guy who will save you for one week, rather, go big on the one name that could turn your entire season around. In this segment, I’ll detail seven players who hold the potential to flip the switch your 2021 fantasy football season. Many of these names have been discussed in this week’s waiver column, but as I’ll discuss later, not every waiver add has rest-of-season relevance. These players aren’t so much league winners, as they are league savers. 

Hunter Renfrow – The Boston Red Sox’ breakout outfielder — erm, I mean, the Las Vegas Raiders’ third-year wideout — averaged 10.1 half-PPR points, 5.2 catches and 7.3 targets per game through the first-seven weeks of the season leading up to Vegas’ Week 8 bye. That was passable production for a potential emergency flex option, but is there room for more between now and the end of the 2022 fantasy football season? Following the unfortunate (in so many ways) departure of Henry Ruggs, Renfrow is now the undisputed No. 1 receiver on the Raiders and should compete with Darren Waller as the most-targeted option in the Vegas offense. Each of the last-two weeks, Renfrow has had nine targets, seven receptions, one touchdown and 45-plus yards. Those aren’t league-winning numbers quite yet, but if that volume proves to have consistency, Renfrow’s potential to save a roster with holes is undoubtedly there.

AJ Dillon – I know, I know. Aaron Jones owners aren’t going to like this. But hear me out. Jones was one of my most-commonly drafted players this season, and I own him in nearly two-thirds of all leagues. I’m not necessarily panicking that Jones’ MCL sprain will keep him out more than the reported one-to-two week timeframe, but I do think it opens the door up for the Green Bay backfield to resemble more of an even split down the stretch. For one, Dillon has looked great in limited action for the Packers, rushing 21 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns this past week — one week after totaling 11.0 half-PPR points on 12 touches. Those who actually watch the games know Dillon is lauded for being such a physical runner, which is something Green Bay might want to take advantage of with their 8-2 record and their sights set on a deep playoff run. On top of that, the analytics love Dillon, and he’s graded as the seventh-best running back in the game this year according to Pro Football Focus. Might that mean limiting Jones’ touches to keep him healthy for January and February? I think it’s hard to poke a hole in that logic, and that’s assuming Jones’ MCL recovers the way many are hoping. As a heavily invested fantasy owner, I’m hoping Jones returns in Week 14 (Green Bay has a Week 13 BYE) and sees 20-plus touches, but the fantasy analyst in me thinks Dillon could be a league winner (and saver).

Rhamondre Stevenson – AJ Dillon. Rhamondre Stevenson. Mark Ingram. These are all players who finished as top-10 running backs in Week 10 due to injuries with the primary rushers in their respective backfields. Dillon finished as RB1 overall, Stevenson as RB2 and Ingram as RB10. You can make a case that all-three backs have season-saving potential in fantasy from here on out. However, the focus should be on Dillon and Stevenson, and I’ve already explained my logic with the former. As for Stevenson, it’s much of the same in the sense of the eye test. It’s clear the Patriots’ ground attack is maximized with a one-two punch of Damien Harris and Stevenson. Along with that, Stevenson has racked up 220 total yards on 36 touches the last-two weeks for 37.0 half-PPR points while Harris has been dealing with a concussion. Expect Stevenson’s role to continue to grow as the season progresses, as Bill Belichick’s hand may be forced to lean more heavily on the rookie. If both backs are healthy, I’m still starting Harris over Stevenson, but I think Stevenson holds standalone value in deeper leagues, such as those with multiple Flex spots — and given the level of investment needed to acquire Stevenson, he has more surplus value and potential league-winning upside. As it currently stands, Harris grades out as the fourth-best running back in the league according to Pro Football Focus, but even as a rookie, Stevenson isn’t far behind with an impressive grade of 74.6 that puts him in between Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb. If your RB core has been plagued by injuries, Stevenson could very well be your season saver. 

Odell Beckham Jr. – Okay, so I’m not exactly sneaky. Like at all. Everyone and their mother’s father’s sister’s grandma and her friends at the Red Hat Society would likely pinpoint OBJ here. But with Robert Woods lost for the year, I see no reason why the Rams’ offense can’t flip the switch after a brutal week in San Francisco, with Beckham Jr. being one of the primary beneficiaries. Last week, OBJ played just 15 snaps for the Rams after being picked up by the team just four days prior. Despite the lack of on-field action, OBJ saw three targets and caught two passes for 18 yards. Given Matthew Stafford’s level of passing accuracy and status as a veteran, it shouldn’t take too long for the two to build chemistry — which gives Beckham Jr. the potential to save your fantasy WR corps late in the season.

Antonio Gibson – Can Gibson really be considered a “season saver” if he’s the precise reason your fantasy season needs saving? If that’s your line of thinking, then you have a valid point. But one way or the other, an 180-degree turn from AG could be your saving grace, whether that means you held on long enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel or you bought low via trade for surplus value. Washington’s BYE may very well have done Gibson’s shin wonders, as it’s hard to believe Ron Rivera would have given his young back 26 touches in Week 10 if that wasn’t the case. Gibson turned those 26 touches into 78 all-purpose yards, which isn’t all that impressive, but he also found the end zone twice to total 21 half-PPR points and finish as the RB6 overall.

D’Onta Foreman – Derrick Henry could very well be out for the year, and Adrian Peterson or Jeremy McNichols aren’t going to save your sinking ship. The only Tennessee back remotely explosive enough to do so with all-three backs splitting touches is Foreman, and although it’s a long shot, he’s worthy of this list. If the 13 touches he saw last week tick up even a smidge with some consistency, then he’ll be worthy of weekly RB2 consideration for those looking for a savior.

Dan Arnold – Razzball’s thejoeywright touched on a handful of players in this column in his Wright on Waivers for Week 11, but not every waiver add has season-saving potential. Some are simply one-week fill-ins due to short-term injuries or fliers that will flare out in a matter of days. Due to the rough landscape of the fantasy tight end position, Arnold is one of those few. As thejoeywright put it: “Throwing out his first game in Jacksonville after arriving from Carolina, Arnold has averaged 10.7 PPR points per game. The current climate of tight ends makes Arnold a must-start until the production changes.” Nuff said.

That’s all for this week, Razzball fam! As always, I’m happy to take this conversation into the comments section or on Twitter, where you can find me @WorldOfHobbs.