The fantasy playoffs are here! Certainly, if you are still alive, you are not worried at all about the health of your running backs because they have made it through the year completely unscathed. Right? No? Then you aren't worried because the waiver wire is chock full of top-flight options ready to jump in and give you 20 points by just rolling out of bed. Right? No?
Well, shoot, you must be panicking.
Have no fear! We here at Footballguys are ready to give you the goods on a handful of running backs you might find floating around on your waiver wire and who might hold the keys to your fantasy glory. These guys aren't the type you will add to your rosters, plug into your lineups, and expect 20 points, but any of them could grab a contributing role in their offenses over the next few weeks. One thing they all have in common? They are young players without a huge NFL track record to base our decisions on. So, let's take a look at them and see why we think they could have some upside off your waiver wire.
Three guys might be floating around on your waiver wires and could bring you some joy as we head toward the holidays. These three are young players without much of an NFL track record. Let's look at how they got here, where they sit, and where they could be headed.
Sincere McCormick, Las Vegas Raiders
Before we get too far talking about Sincere McCormick and the waiver wire, let me plant a giant red flag here. There is a possibility that Alexander Mattison could return in Week 15. If he does and regains his spot on the depth chart, that could torpedo any real value McCormick will have over the next few weeks. Keep that in mind.
That said, check this out: 10, 38, 61. That is not, in fact, the combination to my heart. That belongs to Dan Campbell, and you can't have it (#OnePride). It is, in fact, Sincere McCormick's snap percentage over the past three weeks. Now, I'm not much for math, but if you graph those numbers, it looks like a good cell phone signal, and that is a good thing when you're looking to pluck from the waiver wire.
Not enough for you? How about these numbers: 5, 14, 18. These are the number of touches (carries and receptions) McCormick has seen in the past three weeks. You know how many he saw before that? Zero.
I like these numbers, but the sample size is quite small. The trend is in the right direction, but what else do we know about Sincere McCormick that might make him a good waiver wire addition?
McCormick was undrafted in 2022 coming out of UTSA, but he checked a few interesting boxes in my analysis. I rated him on par with Isaiah Spiller and Isiah Pacheco in the same draft class. I liked his college production. He had 35 career touchdowns while rushing for under 1,000 yards as a freshman and more than 1400 yards as a sophomore and junior. He also drew more than 20 targets in the passing game in each of his college seasons.
What I really like about McCormick is that he's been around the NFL for a couple of years, learning how to be a pro. These past few weeks, he's been given a small opportunity, and he has done well with it. If he is still available on your waiver wire he should be a priority add. The Raiders made fantasy gold out of Zamir White late last year and could be poised to do it again with Sincere McCormick. There are a couple of plus matchups looming against Jacksonville and New Orleans, but keep an eye on the health of the players in front of him. If one or both return to a prominent role, Sincere McCormick could quickly become waiver wire fodder again.
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints
Word on the fantasy streets is that Dennis Allen disliked Kendre Miller so much that Allen wrote Miller in to be president on Allen's ballot in November. Miller's fortunes turned, though, when (1) he only got one vote for president, and (2) Saints ownership finally sent Allen packing after the 15th time he sent Miller to IR with no supper.
So we need to take a peek at the waiver wire, and when we do, keep in mind that Allen is gone, Miller is back, Kamara is aging, and the Saints offense is, well, not exactly a dumpster fire, but maybe, I don't know, a blazing wastebasket. Taysom Hill is out. Rashid Shaheed is out. Derek Carr is injured. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is out there looking like Joe Horn. Something has to give. Enter Kendre Miller.
You may recall Miller injured his knee late in his last college season in 2022. We got his measurables heading into the 2024 draft, but we didn't see him participate in any drills attendant to the pre-draft process.
Still, there were some good signs. Miller averaged 6.2 yards per carry in college, just ahead of the 6.0 ypc threshold I look for in rookie running backs. Similarly, his height, weight, and body mass index all checked in above the thresholds I utilize. He was an early declare and a Day 2 NFL Draft Pick. His injury and lack of participation in the pre-draft process left my evaluation of him incomplete, but these numbers were marks in his favor entering the NFL. If you are looking for waiver-wire running backs at this point in the season, you could be worse than someone with these numbers in his pocket.
He was on the field in Week 14 for the first time since he received three carries in Week 8. He played 26 percent of the snaps in Week 14, his highest since hitting a 29% snap rate in Week 7. He didn't do a ton with them, logging 32 yards on ten carries and seeing one lonely target in the passing game. However, he scored a touchdown to make his fantasy line look okay. Depending on your scoring system, he probably clocked in around 10 points. Not bad if you had to grab him off the waiver wire and plug him in for a week. With Hill out, the aging Kamara and Jamaal Williams in front of him at running back, and an interim regime that seems willing to give him a clean slate, Miller could get opportunities over the next few weeks.
When looking at a three-game run to the finish, you're looking to the waiver wire for guys who can contribute at least a little something. Over the next three weeks, the Saints will face the Commanders, Packers, and Raiders. The Packer and Raider games look like plus matchups for Saints running backs. Even with a 5-8 record, the Saints are only two games back from division-leading Tampa Bay with four games left. This could cut either way. If the Saints stay in contention for the division, they may lean on their veterans, meaning Miller doesn't get as many chances as we hope. If they fall out of contention, we could see a game or two where he leads the way. Either way, he is a worthy add from the waiver wire if you need help.
Isaiah Davis, New York Jets
I guess it's a good week to be a running back named Isaiah if you want to appear in my waiver wire article. Drafted by the Jets in the 5th round in April, Davis checked several of the physical boxes I like to see in rookie running backs. His college production didn't quite reach the levels I like to see for a guy to be a Top-24 kind of NFL running back, but a lot of people who are better at this than I am targeted him as a sleeper in rookie drafts last spring.
Davis came into New York and won the third RB job behind fellow rookie Braelon Allen and workhorse Breece Hall. Still, outside of dynasty leagues, he was probably hanging around on your league's waiver wire. Over the past two weeks, though, Davis' usage and production have spiked. The Jets are, man, I don't know what to say about the Jets right now. This team started the season with Super Bowl aspirations, but by midseason, they were down a head coach (who, I swear, I saw jogging through my neighborhood here in West Michigan the week after he was fired. Was that you, Robert?) and seemed directionless.
This isn't great for the fantasy value of those young stars like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. It isn't even great for Davis' fellow rookie RB Braelon Allen, who most thought would shoulder the load with Hall out. You know who it might be great for, though?
Waiver wire darling Isaiah Davis.
"Josh," you're saying, "It's too early in the morning to be drunk." Well, dear reader, though we can debate that at another time, I assure you I am stone sober.
There is a very good possibility that Breece Hall doesn't play another snap this year. I have no idea what is going on with his knee, but the Jets have no reason to put him back on the field this year. We all thought Braelon Allen would be the next man up, but then they played Week 14.
Davis played 53% of the snaps in Week 14. Braelon Allen played 54. That, my friends, looks like a timeshare in the absence of the star running back. But why? Allen looked phenomenal early in the year, was the higher draft pick, and looks locked in as the RB2 in New York.
Well, the Jets aren't going anywhere this year. They know who Breece Hall is, so they don't need to play him in a lost season, especially if he's nursing an injury. I submit that they also know what they have in Allen. So, while getting him some reps and experience will be important, the Jets may spend the rest of the season figuring out what they have in Davis. If Hall remains out and this remains a timeshare, Davis is a waiver-wire running back who could step in and win you a league.
Conclusion - Sincere McCormick, Kendre Miller, Isaiah Davis
No idea is crazy when you get to this point of the season and need that waiver-wire running back to come through. Could it be Sincere McCormick? Someone else? The guys above could help ease the insanity, but our Upgrades/Downgrades Tool might help you find the cure. Check it out for more great insight into your Week 15 waiver wire claims.