Week 11 RB Waiver Pickups & Adds: Brian Hill Leads the PPR Charge

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The running back waiver wire has been running pretty thin this late in the season. However, some good performances and an injury have put a couple of players on the map for the waiver wire this week. Here are some recommendations for additions you can make to your roster for week 11.

Derrius Guice

Guice only has 10 carries on the season for 18 yards, so you might be wondering why he’s on this list. It’s true, he’s a risky addition to any roster for sure. He has struggled with injury this season and is on the Redskins, which doesn’t put him in a great offensive position based on how the Redskins have been playing this year. However, if you have room to spare, it might not be the worst choice. Guice is expected to return for the Redskins next matchup against the Jets. If he can slowly begin working his way to more carries, he could make a good FLEX addition toward the end of the season. He’s one to keep an eye on, and if you have room in your roster, adding him before his ownership percentage gets higher might not be a bad idea.

Alexander Mattison

On Sunday night Mattison had 8 carries for 52 yards. He has 79 attempts on the season for 389 yards and a touchdown, and an average 4.9 yards per carry. Plus, he’s part of a fantastic offense. I’m surprised his ownership percentage is so low, as he’s a great backup add for your roster. I assume his percentage is low because Dalvin Cook gets the majority of their carries, getting 26 on Sunday night as opposed to Mattison’s 8. However, being in this offense he still has the potential to have big games. Plus, if Dalvin Cook were ever to go out for any reason, Mattison will be the number one back in a great running offense.

Nyheim Hines

Hines only has 22 attempts for 66 yards on the season, an average of 3 yards per carry. He also has 27 receptions for 218 yards on the season, getting 40 of those yards off of 3 receptions in their last game against the Dolphins. Hines is another good backup running back, as he can get relatively good points in PPR leagues with the amount of receptions he gets. Plus, with Brissett out for an indeterminate amount of time, I’m expecting the Colts to run the ball more, which means Hines could be getting more carries than usual. The Colts are matched up against the Jaguars this week, who allow an average 120.2 rushing yards and 229.8 yards through the air per game on average. Hines has a pretty good matchup, and could be a solid addition to your roster for week 11.

Kalen Ballage

Ballage had 20 carries for 43 yards on Sunday, an average of 2.1 yards per carry, and 4 receptions for two yards. Obviously, these numbers are not what you’re looking for in a starting back. However, with the running back waivers running thin, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on Ballage. Any back who is getting 20 carries is a good one to check out. He has the potential to have big games, especially with some lacking run defenses coming up in their future. While it might be an instinct to stray away from him due to these numbers, 20 carries is a lot which means he has potential in future games. The Dolphins have a tough matchup against a pretty strong Bills rush defense this week, but the week after they’re playing the Browns who haven’t been as great against the run, so Ballage could be a good investment.

J.D. McKissic

McKissic had 10 carries for 36 yards and 6 receptions for 19 yards. J.D. McKissic has pretty clearly become the number one back for the Lions. They’re a pass heavy team, but clearly McKissic also has a part in the passing game with his 6 receptions. He’s a starting back that’s still widely available on waivers, and is therefore a pretty safe pickup for a backup who will get you high single digit to low double digit points in PPR leagues, with potential for a big game here and there.

Jalen Richard

Jalen Richard was the leading receiver for the Raiders on Thursday night in both receptions and receiving yards, going 4 for 43 on the night. These numbers aren’t incredible, especially when you add on his two carries for zero yards. However, with the waiver wire running thin, I think he’s a good choice for a backup running back. The Raiders clearly trust him with catching the ball so he’s definitely a viable option in PPR leagues. The Raiders next matchup is against the Bengals, who have been an easier team to throw against this year. Richard could have a bigger game this week and is a good player to look out for.

Brian Hill

Devonta Freeman left the Falcons’ game on Sunday with a foot injury. With Ito Smith having been added to IR earlier in the week, this left Brian Hill as the number one back for the Falcons on Sunday. He got 20 carries for 61 yards, and one reception for 10 yards and a touchdown. This earned him a total of 14.1 points in PPR leagues. He’s going to be the number one back for Atlanta until Freeman returns, and clearly is going to be given a fair amount of chances. They have a nice matchup against the Panthers, who allow an average 136.7 rushing yards per game, the 4th most in the league. This could be a great game for Hill to get comfortable in the backfield and pick up some big points for your fantasy team this weekend.