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Waiver Wire Week 9: Darren Fells, Darius Slayton Highlight Pickups to Know
October 28, 2019
No one expected Darren Fells to have more touchdown catches than DeAndre Hopkins after Week 8.
The Houston Texans tight end has five scores compared to his star teammate's three, and he put up his second multi-touchdown performance of 2019 in Sunday's win over Oakland.
Fells could be the Week 9 waiver-wire addition that fixes some issues for fantasy owners at a position that can be tricky to figure out week-by-week.
Darius Slayton could be another two-score player from Week 8 that helps you in the future. The 2019 fifth-round pick is forming good chemistry with Daniel Jones, and he might be a valuable fantasy piece in the second half of the campaign.
Week 9 Pickups to Know
Darren Fells, TE, Houston
In October, Fells produced 16 receptions for 174 yards and four scores. During that stretch, the tight end has hauled in all but one of his targets.
Fells was Houston's second-best receiver Sunday behind Hopkins, who had 109 yards on 11 catches but no trips to the end zone.
Kenny Stills did not replace the injured Will Fuller's contributions, and it is clear the 33-year-old Fells is valued as a red-zone target by Deshaun Watson.
With the two scores Sunday, Fells eclipsed his single-season career high. His previous best was three in three seasons.
The former Arizona, Detroit and Cleveland player is owned in 18 percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros, and that total should rise over the next seven days.
Week 9 could bring more success, as Houston faces a Jacksonville side that allowed two passing touchdowns to New York Jets tight end Ryan Griffin in Week 8.
Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants
Slayton emerged as one of Jones' top targets in Week 3, and he has been active in the offense since. However, Sunday marked the first time the rookie found the end zone on two occasions.
His three touchdowns in four weeks make him an intriguing option on the waiver wire, especially if you are looking to fill gaps left by byes.
In three of Jones' six appearances, Slayton has reached 50 yards, but his consistency could be a concern for some prospective owners.
The 22-year-old is owned in 4 percent of Yahoo leagues, and there could be worries about his point-per-reception reliability. Outside of the loss to New England, the Giants wide receiver has been targeted five or fewer times by Jones.
The upcoming matchup to circle is Week 10's meeting with the New York Jets, who give up 7.1 yards per reception.
With six teams off during the second weekend of November, Slayton could be worth stashing now for an important role in two weeks.
He could also be a deep sleeper in Week 9 with Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and Cooper Kupp on byes.
Chris Conley, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Chris Conley has become the latest beneficiary of Gardner Minshew II's success in Jacksonville.
The former Kansas City wideout made four catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Jets. In the last two weeks, the 27-year-old has been targeted on 15 occasions by his rookie quarterback.
Conley is only owned in 4 percent in Yahoo competitions, so he could be a quality replacement for those on byes in Week 9.
If you have any combination of Jones, Thomas, Kupp, Calvin Ridley, Robert Woods or Auden Tate on bye, you could be in the market for multiple receivers on the waiver wire.
If that is the case, Conley is worth a look against a Houston defense that has allowed 18 passing touchdowns.
Cole Beasley, WR, Buffalo
Cole Beasley might have a better long-term outlook than Conley and Slayton.
The Buffalo wide receiver found the end zone in each of his last two games, and he has been one of Josh Allen's top targets.
Allen has looked for Beasley six or more times in four of the last five games, and the two have a favorable Week 9 matchup with Washington. After hosting the Redskins, the Bills visit Cleveland and Miami, so he could be in for a string of success that boosts your fantasy playoff hopes.
The 30-year-old is owned in a quarter of Yahoo leagues, but that number could rise if some players add him because of his production and the list of Week 9 vacancies.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.