Kirby Lee USA TODAY Sports
We are getting to the point in the season where the quality of the free agents available on the fantasy football waiver wire is getting picked pretty thin. There are a lot of fliers and stash guys out there, but if you have a starter that’s hurt or underperforming, it can be pretty tough to find someone you can grab and cross your fingers when you plug him in on a bye week.
There are still a few players out there with the potential to put up serviceable numbers all season long. In my opinion, at the top of that list is Houston Texans tight end Garrett Graham. On the depth chart, he’s listed at the backup to Owen Daniels.
However, if you take a moment to look at his stat line, you’ll find that he’s actually had a modestly productive and consistent season other than Week 3 when he was hobbled with a minor hip injury. So far this season, he’s caught 16 balls for 126 yards and three scores. Those are numbers that rank him above players like Greg Olsen, Brandon Myers and Kyle Rudolph.
On paper, Graham’s physical skills are about as pedestrian as the fourth-round pick the Texans used to draft him in 2010. His production is the direct result of the rich offensive talent the Texans boast. With other teams overwhelmed trying to stop the running game while defending Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins and Owen Daniels in the pass, Graham is often left wide open.
There is some cause for concern that Matt Schaub is starting to play with feet of clay early in the season. However, I think he’s a veteran who just needs a retool before returning to his role as a game-managing quarterback.
If you have a tight end on bye this week or if you need to shore up an underwhelming starter, I’d grab Graham and accept that he can at least get you serviceable numbers.
Eric Beuning is a Fantasy Football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericbeuning or add him to your network on Google.
