You can’t replace a player like Arian Foster in reality or in your fantasy league. The star running back unfortunately suffered a torn achilles Sunday, which means he’s done for the year.
The lowly Texans find themselves without their biggest offensive weapon and if you have Foster on your team you know how Houston feels.
One way to soften the blow of losing Foster is by hitting the waiver wire. At this stage of the season reliable talent is scarce, yet there are a few options that could pay dividends. The Bills, Jaguars, Eagles and Redskins are all on bye this week, so here are some players to consider picking up ahead of Week 8 action.
Darren McFadden (owned in 36 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
McFadden came out of no where and played like a man possessed in a loss to the Giants. The veteran ran for 152 yards and a touchdown after Joseph Randle had to sit down with a back injury. If you’re one of the poor souls that needs to replace Arian Foster — or you’ve got LeSean McCoy, T.J. Yeldon, DeMarco Murray or Ryan Mathews on bye — McFadden seems primed to become the lead back in Dallas. Bad news is he’s going up against the Seahawks this week, so he won’t be a recommended start in Week 8.
Chris Polk (owned in 4 per cent of Yahoo! leagues) and Alfred Blue (owned in 14 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
With Foster out these are the two players that will split his touches. Blue will likely get the first shot at solidifying himself as the starter, but Polk is also worth taking a flier on in case Blue doesn’t have success.
Orleans Darkwa (owned in 3 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
Who? Exactly. There’s now a fourth running back on the Giants to consider having on your roster. Darkwa was New York’s best back Sunday, finishing with 48 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries.
Antonio Andrews (owned in 14 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
Like the Giants’ situation above, the Titans backfield is one that should probably be avoided, but it might be worth taking a chance on Andrews. The second-year player has only seen double-digit carries once this season but that should change in the weeks ahead.
Nate Washington (owned in 5 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
Washington is another player likely to benefit from Foster being out. He had a monster week with 127 yards and two touchdowns. The Texans will be throwing the ball more frequently and Brian Hoyer loves targeting Washington.
Danny Amendola (owned in 13 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
Two weeks in a row with nine targets and double digit fantasy points means Amendola is once again a viable fantasy option. Julien Edleman’s finger injury is clearly bothering him and Brady has been looking at Amendola often.
Jordan Reed (owned in 59 per cent of Yahoo! leagues)
The Redskins tight end is still available in far more leagues than he should be. Reed should be owned in every league without question. Even though Washington is on bye Week 8, pick him up. Staying healthy has been an issue for Reed, but he could be a top-five tight end for the remainder of the season if he manages to stay in the lineup.
Other waiver options… Michael Floyd, Dwayne Harris, Brandon LaFell, Robert Woods, Tyler Lockett, Crockett Gillmore