ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through the Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Who are some good bye-week or injury fill-ins?
SCOTT PIANOWSKI
I recognize the Jacksonville passing game has been a bust for most of us, but let’s appreciate the 12-106-0 line Brenton Strange has posted the last two weeks. Kansas City is not an appealing Week 5 matchup, but I expect Strange to see enough volume to merit starting in most medium and deep leagues.
Pianowski has been with Yahoo Sports since 2008, covering a variety of sports. On the rare occasions when the computer is turned off, he enjoys word games, poker, music, film, game theory, and a variety of condiments. He lives in suburban Detroit. Pianowski was inducted into the FSWA Hall of Fame in 2021.
JASON WOOD
It’s generally easiest to find bye week fixes at the quarterback position, because of the positional depth on waiver wires. Jaxson Dart’s debut was encouraging, particularly because of his rushing production. He faces the Saints this week; arguably the worst pass defense in the league across multiple metrics.
Wood is Senior Editor at Footballguys.com and has been with the company since its start in 2000. For more than 20 years, Footballguys has provided rankings, projections, and analysis to help fantasy managers dominate their leagues.
SCOTT SACHS
Looking at Cleveland's depleted receiving corps, rookie Isaiah Bond might be worth a flyer. Projected as a possible 2nd/3rd round pick, his legal problems dropped him out of this year's draft entirely. With Cedric Tillman on IR, Bond is the WR2 on a Browns team that will be trailing in most of their games. Rookie Dillon Gabriel takes the reigns at QB (for now), and with unreliable Jerry Jeudy suffering the dropsies, the sure-handed and speedy Bond looks like a decent low level flex option.
With 2 perfect seasons and multiple league championships to his credit, Sachs runs Perfect Season Fantasy Football, featuring LIVE Talk & Text Advice. He is a 3-time winner of the Fantasy Index Experts Auction League, as well as a previous winner of the Fantasy Index Experts Poll. Follow on X: https://x.com/ffbcoach
SAM HENDRICKS
I cannot choose so I will give you three choices, one at each key position. First, Woody Marks should not be on waivers. You should have grabbed him last week. So I am not counting him. Nor Jaxson Dart. (Speaking of which, who is on waivers depends on so many variables: Roster size, IR spots, starters, etc., but I digress.) Sean Tucker. If Bucky Irving is out Week 5 Tucker will get a chance to reprise his role from last year. How quickly we forget his 197-yard game. Malik Washington. He will try and fill the void left by Tyreek Hill's season ending injury. Honorable Mention, Isiah Bond, who looks to be the No. 2 for the Browns. Finally, Brenton Strange, Harold Fannin and Darren Waller (he lined up as a WR Monday night) should not be available on waivers, but if they are, grab one. Tommy Tremble is also a decent what-the-heck for Tucker Kraft teams if Darren Waller is already gone.
Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 30-year fantasy football veteran who participated in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). He won the Fantasy Index Open in 2013 and 2018.
IAN ALLAN
I like the look of Emari Demercado. They put him on the field, and he makes plays. He's gone over 40 yards on 3 of his 86 career runs, which is probably the best ratio of any back in the league. They're at home against an 0-4 opponent. I would be inclined to gamble on him, hoping that he's not only serviceably productive but also capable of a few more decent games in the month.
Allan co-founded Fantasy Football Index in 1987. He is a member of the FSGA Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame and the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.
TOM KESSENICH
Kendre Miller is available in many leagues and has begun to carve out a role in the Saints' backfield. He's increased his usage in each of the past three games, topping out with 11 carries for 65 yards and a TD in Week 4 vs. the Bills. Miller is offering New Orleans a younger more explosive complement to Alvin Kamara in the backfield and with byes now upon us and he is someone who is worthy of being a Flex option with the potential to become even more as the season progresses.
Kessenich is the Director of High Stakes Contests for SportsHub Games. He runs the NFFC, NFBC and NFBKC and is a fantasy sports Hall of Fame inductee.
KEN HOLIZNA
I don't like looking for one-week starters on waivers. I usually start with players who may have starting value beyond one week. Though that is not always possible it happened a couple of times for me this week. One of those players is Woody Marks. He is slowly taking away not only touches, but value touches from Nick Chubb. He was under 50% owned coming into this week before having a mini breakout last week. Chubb is an aging back who has a high injury risk. At worst, moving forward Woody is a flex option with solid workhorse potential. I picked Woody up last week in several leagues trying to beat the waiver wire. Turns out to be a good decision since he is the waiver wire darling this week. RJ Harvey was also readily available going into this week. Harvey's running mate Dobbins has not been the picture of health in his career which makes Harvey a top end handcuff and a solid add as Denver is working him in a little more each week. I picked up RJ on waivers in a couple of leagues this week. If only he could pass protect! From my lips to God's ears.
Holizna is a 29-year fantasy football enthusiast and founder of Faith-Family-Fantasy Football in 2019, a family-friendly, faith-based, G-rated fantasy football platform. Rankings contributor to the 2023 Fantasy Index magazine. Find him on Twitter @holihandicapper
ANDY RICHARDSON
I've downplayed his credentials already, but in fact I'll be forced to start Kendrick Bourne somewhere this week. With four teams on bye, some guys having lousy matchups, and stars like Malik Nabers, CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill all out (two of them for the year), beggars can't be choosers. Bourne will start for San Francisco tonight, saw 4 targets last week in a reserve role, and with any luck chance his way into a touchdown along the way. Should be noted that I prefer Darius Slayton, facing the Saints, but I got outbid on him in the two leagues I tried to add him, with some guy spending 30 percent of his budget on him, which seems optimistic.
Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He writes a weekly gambling newsletter, Index Bets, during the NFL season and also previews all the games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays.