The West/Knile virus made its way through many fantasy leagues last week. Symptoms included a fevered rush to the waiver wire, sweats associated with lineup decisions and sharp headaches following the Kansas City/Minnesota game.
After Jamaal Charles went down for the year, owners in need of a running back (and all opportunistic fantasy vultures) were looking to pick up the best parts of that running game. For a long while that looked like Knile Davis, but the team had elevated Charcandrick West past Davis on the depth chart before Charles' injury.
Most owners thought West was the guy to claim on the waiver wire. Others thought it should be Davis. Turns out, it was neither: West had 39 total yards and a fumble, while Davis had 25 total yards. For those in PPR leagues, they each caught exactly one pass. I don't know the specifics of your scoring system, but I think the final calculations will reveal that each player produced something south of garbage.
Granted, it was just one game. But it was also another loss, leaving the 1-5 Chiefs a staggering five games out of the division lead after only six weeks. A team that had playoff aspirations could be mathematically eliminated before Thanksgiving.
But this isn't about the Chiefs. It's about your fantasy team, and another waiver wire hype train that got derailed on the gridiron. Why do we get so excited about a prospect nobody wanted two weeks ago, and then so disappointed when he plays like a guy nobody wanted two weeks ago?
I'll tell you why. Gary Barnidge. Barnidge was raised on the mean streets of your waiver wire, and (for now) he's playing like the best fantasy tight end this side of Gronkowski. And how about James Jones? Depending on when your league drafted, he could have been available to anyone who wanted him. Now he's winning games for somebody just about every week.
Guys like that make you look for the next waiver wire superstar. He's out there, isn't he? Maybe. That's why it's worth diving in each week, and hoping you come out with something great. Let's face it; some expected starters have been serious disappointments. And it's not always injury-related. C.J. Anderson's problem isn't that he can't stay on the field. It's that he's on the field in the first place. And Antonio Brown without Ben Roethlisberger is like Guns N' Roses without Slash: There's talent there, but it's not the same. So looking for help on the waiver wire isn't just a good idea; it's a weekly ritual for prudent owners.
Picking up a prospect is one thing. Throwing them into your lineup the following Sunday is something different. No matter who you added, expecting starter's points is raising the bar pretty high. Ideally, you'd take a wait-and-see attitude and find out if you actually have something. In West's case, there wasn't much there besides opportunity and some comparisons to Charles from the coaching staff. Davis had a pretty good track record in the past when Charles was unavailable, but that was before West showed up and began drawing praise. Unless you had no other option, you shouldn't have started either one last Sunday.
And that's the real problem, isn't it? Why was West or Davis your best option? In the real world, one of those guys should be the true backup to Jamaal Charles. In fantasy football, it should be Jonathan Stewart or Lamar Miller. Maybe even LeGarrette Blount or Danny Woodhead. Even in deep leagues there should be someone already on your roster ready to fill in with the potential for respectable numbers. Why risk that starting spot on an unknown quantity?
Maybe there were bye week issues. Or injuries. Or again, the Barnidge factor. Maybe the hype got to you. Maybe the thrill of winning the West sweepstakes made you want to reap the rewards immediately. Whatever the reason, the virus has gone through your system and you're left with an achy feeling and maybe a notch in the loss column. The important thing is to recognize where things went wrong. Picking up West or Davis was not a bad decision. One of them might emerge as a fantasy starter in the coming weeks. One bad game doesn't define a season, especially with a couple of months left before the fantasy playoffs. You have to take a chance on startable players emerging from the waiver wire.
But you shouldn't have to throw them into your lineup. If you do, the problem isn't West or Davis performing poorly in week 6. It's a lack depth, a poor draft or some really bad luck. Whatever the case, starting one of those guys wasn't the problem. It was the symptom of a bigger sickness. Don't let it deter you from mining for the guy who can save your season. He might be out there. He just might not play for Kansas City. Good luck this week.
Did you make a popular waiver pickup last week? Did extenuating circumstances force them into your lineup? How do your waiver moves rate so far? Do you want to see a proper Guns N' Roses reunion? Share your thoughts below.
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