We are now officially halfway through the XFL season! As we head into the home-stretch for fantasy football, the waiver wire has gotten remarkably sparse in most leagues. However, we are here for you! Injuries and performance issues are ensuring that there are some gems buried on the waiver wire.
Colby Pearson – WR – Guardians
Colby Pearson has averaged four catches for 57 yards over the last three weeks. Each week he has seen his target shares increase steadily and continues to be a reliable target for Luis Perez. Perez has provided a steadying hand for the Guardians and consistent passing output as well. Pearson has been hauling in 64% of his passes, as well as leading the Guardians in targets. He is only 23.1% owned on altfantasy and will be a solid WR2 as we close out the season.
L’Damian Washington – WR – BattleHawks
It is a travesty that only 36.7% of all y’all degens started L’Damian Washington this week. To the 5,688 people who started him well done! You were rewarded with a five-catch, 114-yard top-eight wide receiver performance. He has been a top-ten receiver all year, despite being hurt in Week 3 and only catching one pass that week. He has a commanding 25% target share in St. Louis and will be a high-end WR2/low-end WR1 to finish out the year.
Sam Mobley – WR – Roughnecks
Someone was going to be the beneficiary of the inefficient Sammie Coates being inactive this week. That someone was Sam Mobley who capitalized on the opportunity to the tune of six catches on nine targets for 95 yards. Mobley has already found the endzone a few times this year, but adding some regular targets to move the chains will turn him into a star down the stretch. Each week PJ Walker continues to look Mobley’s way more and more, peaking with a 26% target share this week. If this trend continues, the Catawba product will find himself in the Flex conversation weekly.
Tyree Jackson – QB – Defenders
If you are desperate at quarterback or have Cardale Jones, Tyree may be the only answer available to you. He looked okay after taking over for Cardale during the Defender’s win. He threw for one touchdown but was relatively limited through the air only throwing for 39 yards. Where Jackson has the most upside is on the ground, in order for him to be at his best he needs to run the ball more. If, and that sounds like a big if after Pep Hamilton’s postgame news conference, Tyree starts next week he will be a last-resort waiver wire option at QB.
Jake Powell – TE – Guardians
Powell has comfortably established himself as the number three option in the Guardian’s passing attack. Do not let a down week fool you, Powell has been targeted at least four times in three games and is due to haul in a touchdown soon. In a league where tight end is a wasteland after Parham, Truesdell, Barnes, Powell offers some level of consistency and yardage upside. If he starts to become a scoring threat he will become a top-tier tight end.
Depth Running Backs to Watch
Justin Stockton has been several analyst’s favorite back in New York and finally appears to have been unleashed by the Guardians. Stockton turned his five carries into 41 yards and added in one catch for eight yards. In addition, he looks dangerous in the return game as well, he is a nice dart-throw Flex play down the stretch in his present role, but that might expand in the coming weeks.
Austin Walter has the XFL’s second kick return touchdown and looked downright explosive on his only reception that he turned into a 23-yard pickup. Dallas has capable backs in Artis-Payne and Dunbar, but Walter provides a different look from them and could start seeing an expanded role.
Guys to Watch
BJ Daniels looked respectable in his first start for Seattle this week. If you do not have a top-level quarterback option, you would do well with Daniels and his rushing upside in your QB slot… Jacques Patrick left Sunday night’s game with some sort of back injury. Tampa’s offense is dependent upon two backs and Tarean Folston could be in line to take a large portion of Patrick’s workload if he misses time. Folston is a capable back who should easily fill that role for the Vipers.
Tre McBride was banged up as well but did return. Regardless of his status moving forward, Jordan Smallwood looks to be carving out a large role in the Wildcat’s offense. He has had more than seven targets each of the last two weeks and has been producing with the increased target share as well. He will be a solid Flex play at least moving forward.
