AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Fantasy WRs to Target via Waiver Wire, Trade After Julio Jones, Robert Woods Injuries

Paul Kasabian

Big NFL injury news broke Saturday as Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods (torn ACL) is out for the remainder of the season, while Tennessee Titans wideout Julio Jones (hamstring) will miss at least three games after being placed on injured reserve.

Hopefully, the talented Woods (45 catches, 556 yards, four touchdowns) comes back in time for the beginning of the 2022 season.

As for Jones (21 catches, 336 yards), the hope is that he misses only the three-game minimum before contributing for the Titans during the stretch run.

From a fantasy perspective, anyone who rostered Woods needs a waiver-wire replacement. The same goes for Jones, though that one may be more temporary with the wideout potentially returning in early December.

Here's a look at the best waiver-wire wide receiver options out there. All players listed are available in at least half of Yahoo leagues.

Baltimore Ravens WR Rashod Bateman (Available in 50 Percent of Leagues)

Baltimore Ravens rookie wideout Rashod Bateman isn't an option this week after he played on Thursday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins, but the former Minnesota star should be a popular pickup for the last eight games of the regular season.

Bateman has averaged seven targets in his four games, and he's turned that into 18 catches for 241 yards. He's proved to be an explosive, playmaking wideout that has actually garnered the third-most receptions out of any Ravens pass-catcher since his debut on Oct. 17.

He missed the first chunk of the season to recover from groin surgery, but Bateman has looked great ever since. Bateman also has the added bonus of being available every week with the Ravens' bye in the rearview mirror.

Having one of the game's best offensive talents in quarterback Lamar Jackson also helps matters. He's been dominant with his legs in his four-year NFL career and has proved capable of keeping plays alive and finding his receivers downfield in the face of ferocious pass rushes.

In sum, the best of Bateman is probably yet to arrive, and he's already off to a great start anyway, so he's worth a shot.

New York Jets WR Elijah Moore (Available in 50 Percent of Leagues)

Moore has seen as many targets (20) over his last three games as he did in his first four. The rookie out of Ole Miss has made the most of his looks lately, catching 14 passes for 164 yards and two scores.

He's been the Jets' top wideout with Corey Davis absent, although the Jets' big free-agent acquisition is expected to return Sunday against the Buffalo Bills after a hip injury that sidelined him for two games.

That may mean fewer targets for Moore, especially considering that the team already has a crowded wideout room with Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims, Keelan Cole and Jeff Smith.

Still, Moore has shown more than enough to earn playing time over the past two weeks. He's a dynamic, shifty, playmaking receiver, someone the Jets desperately need to play consistent snaps.

New York has averaged just 18 points per game this year (27th in the NFL), but Moore's two-game outburst has helped the team post 64 points over its last two contests. The 2-6 Jets can't afford to keep him on the bench.

Like Bateman, Moore is past the bye, so anyone rostering him would have him for the remainder of the season barring unforeseen absences.

New York Giants WR Kadarius Toney (Available in 53 Percent of Leagues)

Adding Giants rookie wideout Kadarius Toney is a boom-or-bust proposition.

He showed what he's capable of when targeted, catching 16 passes for 267 yards on 22 targets over a two-game stretch in October versus the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. Toney then started a game against the Los Angeles Rams with three catches for 36 yards in fewer than four minutes of action before leaving with an ankle injury.

However, he's been quiet ever since. Toney missed the Giants' 25-3 win over the Carolina Panthers with the ankle ailment, but he's only amassed five catches for 35 yards on six targets in the two games since.

A short-handed offensive line that hasn't given quarterback Daniel Jones much time to work with hasn't helped, nor has the conservative play-calling of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

The latter might be the more serious concern, as Toney somehow only had one target in the Giants' 23-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday. The Giants had 31 rushing attempts versus 20 passes.

Still, if your fantasy team is in a bind, Toney is worth a shot to add to your bench and at least consider as a flex option moving forward.

Five of the Giants' eight remaining games are against losing teams, so the schedule is going to soften up and give Toney chances to do work.

The Giants are in a bye this week but return Monday, Nov. 22, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

   

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