KEONI'S WAIVER WIRE PICKUP - WEEK 11
Kalen Ballage- Los Angeles Chargers RB
This is the time of year where decisions become critical as those on the verge of playoff elimination still have a sliver of a chance to get into a spot for the big dance, so keep hustling and we’ll try to help you make the right moves for your fantasy squad. We aspire to be the All State of fantasy football where you know you are in good hands, and one day, we might even get Dennis Haysbert. Who knows? For now, we only have the luxury of the work we’re putting in to give you the best chance to brag to your fantasy buddies, and if you happen to win with the help of our advice, be sure to tell you fantasy league you won with the help of the Fantasy Daydreamers. Now that the baseless pandering and pleading are out of the way, it’s time to get to my waiver wire add of the week.
For this week, I suggest picking up Los Angeles Chargers running back Kalen Ballage. His stock has quickly risen as he went from being just under 30% owned in ESPN leagues on Sunday to just under 50% owned as of the writing of this article, so pick him up while you can. Ballage has pretty much been the only back to perform in that jumbled Chargers backfield. In a backfield that looks like someone threw a bunch of spaghetti at the wall, he is the one sticky string of pasta that has stuck while all the others have fallen to the floor to inevitably be eaten by the dog before you can get a broom to sweep up the mess. Justin Jackson was just placed on IR, Troymaine Pope was not used at all in the offense and doesn’t look likely to, and Joshua Kelley seems to be like Patrick Swayze in his 1990 classic with Demi Moore in that he is basically a ghost. Ballage has taken over the backfield and since Austin Ekeler will be out for another week, Ballage seems to be standing atop the Chargers running back position.
Ballage gets the California Kush-iest of matchups against the New York “technically still a professional football team” Jets this Sunday. The Jets have allowed nearly 1,100 yards to the running back position this year which is ranked 15th overall, and they have allowed 12 rushing touchdowns which is ranked tied for 7th. Ballage is coming off a game in which he had over 100 total yards and over 20 total touches on offense. He has just under 70 rushing yards in his past two games and he also caught five passes against Miami. If he can perform competently against a stout Miami defense, then I can only imagine what he might do versus the supremely incompetent Jets. He is the ultimate streaming running back for this week with a perfect set of circumstances at his disposal, so cash in while you can because after this week, the state of that backfield becomes hazy once again with Ekeler’s return.
