Smart mics will make all the difference

Winning at fantasy football doesn’t come as easily as some might think. Having a good draft is certainly key, but your in-season management and ability to play the waiver wire correctly is paramount.

Not only do you need to know how to anticipate potential breakout performances, but you also need to know when to drop certain players whose value rises and falls with the changing injury landscape of the NFL. Waiver darlings like Joshua Palmer and Marquise Goodwin are yesterday’s news and it’s time to invest in a new generation of hopefuls to get you to the finish line.

With Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp landing on injured reserve and Matthew Stafford returning from his concussion, we need to invest more in Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek. Most assume Stafford will turn to Allen Robinson, but his inability to part ways is why his quarterback didn’t look his way much, not just that Kupp was Stafford’s favorite. Skowronek is already playing over 90% of snaps and Jefferson should see a significant volume boost now that he is fully healthy. The Rams’ Week 11 game against a depleted Saints secondary is what you’re looking for in a breakout and both receivers are likely still available.

You can also take a long look at Texans wide receiver Nico Collins, who returned after a two-week absence and was targeted 10 times by Davis Mills in Houston’s loss to the Giants. Brandin Cooks is also back from injury, taking cover away from Collins, who is playing a more vertical and deeper game. This week’s game against a Washington secondary that ranks 20th in DVOA against the pass and allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to receivers is exactly what we’re looking for from our fringe wide.

The value of fantasy players goes up and down like the stock market and it’s up to you to spot the fluctuations. Watching a player excel for two weeks and then fade away is common in fantasy football, which is why most waiver additions have a limited lifespan for actual use in your starting roster. Cutting them should be easy, especially if you’re good at identifying the constant changes in the NFL landscape.

Howard Bender is Vice President of Operations and Head of Content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and find him on the award-winning « Fantasy Alarm Radio Show » on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy sports tips, player screenings, injury updates and more.