Waiver Wire Adds for Week 8: JaMycal Hasty, Sterling Shepard and more

JaMycal Hasty, RB

San Franscisco 49ers

Owned: 3.5%

Hasty is my top waiver add for the week. Simply put, Kyle Shanahan is a miracle worker. He could have me running out of the backfield and I would probably be averaging four yards per carry. Despite the 49ers losing: Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, Jeff Wilson… they continue to rely on the ground game and have success.

Jerick McKinnon is expected to receive a decent workload, despite being nearly a non-factor last week and disappointing fantasy owners across the country. Even then, that isn’t enough to make me think Hasty won’t be the main beneficiary. Hasty is averaging over five yards a carry, shredded up the Patriots defense last week, and is visibly more elusive and fresh than the banged up McKinnon.

Jeff Wilson Jr. showed last week just how much the primary back in this offense can feast, so Hasty has a massive ceiling in my eyes, with a moderate floor. He may not have long term value with McKinnon and Coleman potentially returning, but for this week, plug him into your lineups and feast.

Sterling Shepard, WR

New York Giants

Owned: 36.2%

After four years, you know what you’re getting with Sterling Shepard. If you’re in a full PPR, this is a no hesitation move.  If you’re in a 1/2 ppr, you’re still making this move, but you aren’t giving people high-fives the next day about it. If you’re in a standard, you’re making this move but dreading the day you have to plug Shepard in your lineup.

He is a reliable catch machine. There will be the occasionally week (probably at most three in a season), where he will boom and win you a matchup. But more common will be his outings that leave you wondering how it’s possible to have 5 catches for just over 20 yards so often. Nonetheless, sometimes having that guaranteed volume, and low-to mid tier production is better than having a guy who could be a complete ghost for a game.

Rashard Higgins, WR

Cleveland Browns

Owned: 0.2%

Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins… I’ve been big on him for years, even saying that I thought he would outproduce Jarvis Landry in 2018, which I’m slightly ashamed of. But now… now… he has a chance to shine. Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a torn ACL last week, and Higgins filled in for him, finishing the game with 6 catches for 110 yards.

There’s a reason the Browns have kept Higgins this long. The team loves his ability and he makes the most of his limited opportunities. The Browns will still be a run heavy team, so you will have to limit your expectations. Regardless, I think Higgins could be end up being a solid flex play certain weeks, given that a prerequisite of a Browns game is playing from behind.

In 2018, before the Browns acquired OBJ, Higgins actually had a serviceable role in the offense. He had either 60 yards or a touchdown in 6 of the 13 games he played in. He had a catch over 20 yards in eight of those 13 games. Thinking he could replicate these numbers, especially with Jarvis Landry dealing with a rib injury, is not too far-fetched.

Nelson Agholor, WR

Las Vegas Raiders

Owned: 1.8%

It pains me to write this, and I am doing it while still skeptical myself, but Agholor deserves to be owned at this point. Agholor was targeted a team-high 9 times last week, and has three touchdowns in his last three games.

His remaining schedule consists of: Jets, Falcons, Browns, Dolphins and Chargers twice. So he should have some favorable matchups. I would expect a return from receiver Bryan Edwards to potentially crush his production, so keep that in mind, but he’s worth taking a look at if you need immediate help at the position.

La’Mical Perine, RB

New York Jets

Owned: 11.3%

This is a move that makes a ton of sense if you’re in one of those core-of-the-earth deep kind of leagues. Bless your soul if you’re making this move in a 12-team or less league. Perine is a lead back on an NFL team, if we want to call the Jets that at this point, so that has some value. He appears to be in prime position to take over the role from Frank Gore, but that likely won’t be enough to save your season. Last week, he split carries with Gore, finishing with 11 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. He also had 2 catches, which puts him in the Kamara / CMC territory in PPR (I’m kidding.)

I know there are some people out there that lost Saquon Barkley, or Austin Ekeler. Then last week Chris Carson got banged up, as well as Kenyan Drake. I feel your pain, we have all been there. If you’re scraping the bottom of the bucket for some sort of value that could expand more as the season progresses, this technically is one of those, but still limit your expectations. Ty Johnson has also shown flashes throughout his career, so if there are any hiccups from Perine, Johnson will promptly take over this spot.