It looks like there’s been a changing of the guard in the Denver Broncos‘ backfield.
Broncos coach Sean Payton hinted last week that rookie Audric Estime could be more involved in the second half of the season, and that’s beginning to play out. Estime led the team’s backfield in snaps (26), carries (14) and rushing yards (53) on Sunday. Javonte Williams (one carry and two targets) seems to have been relegated to passing-down duties.
Estime could be Denver’s new RB1 going forward, and he should be considered a top priority on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.
Elsewhere on the waiver wire front, wide receiver Cedric Tillman (50%) should be rostered, Dawson Knox (1%) is a streaming tight end option and quarterback Bo Nix (50%) has quickly become fantasy-relevant.
Today, though, we’re focusing on the running back position. We’ve put together a quick list of 12 running backs to consider on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.
Fantasy Football Running Back Waiver Wire Targets
1. RB Audric Estime (1%): Estime’s efficiency (3.8 yards per carry) wasn’t great on Sunday, but Payton seems to be a big fan of the rookie, so his workload (14 carries) will likely trend up in the coming weeks.
2. RB Gus Edwards (21%): Edwards (10 carries for 55 yards) split time with J.K. Dobbins (15 carries for 50 yards) on Sunday. Playing in a run-heavy offense, both RBs could be fantasy-relevant going forward.
3. RB Tyler Allgeier (50%): Bijan Robinson remains the star, but Allgeier (11 carries for 59 yards) isn’t going away. Allgeier has standalone flex value and he’s an extremely important handcuff in case Robinson is ever unavailable.
4. RB Trey Benson (16%): James Conner (17 touches for 113 yards) and Benson (12 touches for 87 yards) were both productive on Sunday as the Cardinals cruised to a comfortable win over the Jets. That won’t happen every week, but Benson should be rostered. Note that Arizona has a bye in Week 11.
5. RB Tyjae Spears (42%): Spears (10 touches for 51 yards) wasn’t far behind Tony Pollard (13 touches for 63 yards) in Week 10. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues.
6. RB Braelon Allen (22%): Breece Hall is obviously the RB1, but Allen (seven carries and one target) remains involved. Allen could be a flex option if you’re desperate.
7. RB Cam Akers (16%): Aaron Jones had an injury scare on Sunday before later returning to the game. Akers is worth adding in case Jones does end up missing any time. With Jones missing part of Sunday’s game, Akers got 14 touches for the Vikings in Week 10.
8. RB Ray Davis (19%): He’s just a handcuff behind James Cook at this point, but Davis proved earlier this season that he’s a capable fill-in option if called upon in Buffalo.
9. RB Blake Corum (16%): The Rams have been giving Kyren Williams a heavy workload, and Corum could be an extremely valuable handcuff down the stretch if Williams gets banged up.
10. RB Kenneth Gainwell (2%): Saquon Barkley steps aside when the Eagles have big leads, giving value to Gainwell and Will Shipley (1%) when Philly is a big favorite.
11. RB Keaton Mitchell (5%): The speedy running back returned to action in Week 10 and the Ravens now have a “three-headed monster” at running back. Mitchell is worth stashing, especially in deep leagues.
12. RB Jaylen Wright (5%): De’Von Achane remains the RB1 in Miami, but Wright might be taking the RB2 role away from Raheem Mostert. Wright got the second-most carries (five) on Monday. Mostert was targeted three times as a receiver out of the backfield but got no carries.
Bonus: RB Jaylen Warren (62%) is already rostered in most leagues, but double-check just to make sure he’s not still available in your league.
Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.
