Being ahead of the curve.
That's the goal in many aspects of fantasy football, and that's why I'm here. Stashing players is a common practice, and you should be looking to do so in some way shape or form, to keep you ahead of the curve.
Many people like to focus on what's becoming a common phrase around the fantasy industry, "one injury away." That means grabbing a player to put on your bench who could be in for a significantly larger role, if one injury occurs to a player ahead of him. This has been in use for years with running back handcuffs, but we can expand it to other positions.
Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos
Coleman has garnered positive buzz throughout training camp and preseason, making him a good player to target. The Broncos have an elite offensive line, and with
a bit of murkiness in their backfield, he's a player to have on your radar.
There's no doubt J.K. Dobbins is a solid running back … when he's healthy. Dobbins missing time is something we can essentially set our watch to. It sucks to see him injured so often, but we should prepare for everything. Also, RJ Harvey had a tough time truly commanding the backfield when Dobbins was out last year, opening up a path for Coleman.
Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts signed the veteran receiver to a deal late in training camp, and he's widely available, rostered in only 28% of Yahoo leagues.
The Colts have both Alec Pierce and Josh Downs listed ahead of Allen on the depth chart, and both of those players have been dealing with injuries throughout training camp. Just to be clear, both Pierce and Downs are good to go for Week 1, but it's not as if they've been beacons of health thus far. Allen is a consistent target earner and would be in for a stable workload if one of the others were to miss time.
Emmett Johnson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs drafted Johnson in the fifth round of this past draft, and they have him slotted in as RB2 on the depth chart behind Kenneth Walker. He doesn't have a clear role as of now and the Chiefs bring a bit of uncertainty with Patrick Mahomes returning from injury, which is why Walker is set up for a big start to the season according to many.
However, if Walker were to miss any time, Johnson would be the waiver wire darling, where people would drop massive amounts of FAAB to grab him.
Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Detriot Lions
I will continue to advocate for TeSlaa as a premium stash candidate. The Lions are continually projected as one of the highest-scoring teams in the NFL and getting exposure to that is always a good idea. TeSlaa remains high on my list, since he's the clear WR3 for the Lions.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are clearly ahead of him, but an injury to either one of them, makes TeSlaa a starting wide receiver on a high-scoring offense. If you have an extra bench spot – or you have St. Brown – TeSlaa is an easy stash.
Chris Brooks, RB, Green Bay Packers
We all know that Josh Jacobs is dealing with legal issues, and is on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which is what made MarShawn Lloyd so popular in drafts. That's simple, Lloyd is the RB2, so take him once Jacobs went out.
But now shouldn't we be focusing on the backup of the original backup? Brooks is the guy to target for his work in the passing game, and overall experience, which is something Lloyd doesn't have.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football waiver wire lookahead: 5 players to stash now
