The rookie pairing of Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. became fantasy football waiver wire targets in Week 15 coming off Monday Night Football. With Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris dealing with injuries, the two rookies could have a starring role for the New England Patriots in the coming weeks.
Let’s take a look at whether fantasy managers should add Harris or Strong on the waiver wire and where they fall on the priority list.
Should Fantasy Managers Add Kevin Harris or Pierre Strong Jr. in Week 15?
Coming into this week, Harris and Strong had combined for just five touches on offense. Harris had carried the ball four times for just four rushing yards, with Strong having five yards on his only carry. The biggest “highlight” of their collective rookie season was Strong giving away a special-teams penalty that arguably cost the Patriots a game against the Minnesota Vikings on Thanksgiving.
Against the Arizona Cardinals, both demonstrated their upside as offensive weapons. Harris carried the ball eight times for 26 yards and a first-half touchdown. Meanwhile, Strong had a breakaway 44-yard run as he ended with 70 yards and a touchdown from five rushing attempts. Strong also added 20 receiving yards from two receptions on two targets.
The decisive element of their value will likely be the health of Stevenson. He left the game with an ankle injury but returned briefly before being ruled out late in the first half. After the game, Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston reported that Stevenson was not wearing a boot or using crutches. He also stated that Stevenson was hopeful of playing against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15.
MORE: Monday RB Injury Report Week 15
Damien Harris’ injury situation is also one to watch this week. He is dealing with a thigh issue that has cost him the last two games — it’s been a tough year with injuries for the fourth-year RB. The Alabama product was not ruled out for the Week 14 game on Saturday, being listed as doubtful. However, he was ultimately inactive, but it does provide some hope he’ll play against the Raiders.
If Damien Harris is able to play, he would likely lead this backfield in the absence of Stevenson. Therefore, for Kevin Harris and Strong to have significant value this week, they would likely need both Stevenson and Damien Harris to miss the game.
If Stevenson and Damien Harris are out, Kevin Harris/Strong in a weekly best ball tournament on Underdog Fantasy could separate you from the pack.
How Should Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Be Valued on the Waiver Wire for Week 15?
With both Stevenson and Damien Harris having a chance to play in Week 15, Kevin Harris and Strong see their value dip a little. That immediately puts them behind the likes of J.K. Dobbins, Chuba Hubbard, and Jerick McKinnon. All three have a clearer role in their respective offenses entering Week 15.
However, Harris and Strong are very much in consideration if you are looking at adding the likes of Travis Homer, Matt Breida, or Gary Brightwell as waiver wire adds this week. Homer’s role if Kenneth Walker is back would be extremely reduced. With a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers this week, you likely would not want to rely on him either.
Therefore, it comes down to the group of Brightwell, Breida, Harris, and Strong. Based on the limited sample we had, Strong had a bigger passing role than Harris. Consequently, he would get the edge across the formats among the Patriots. In PPR, Breida would have more standalone value just because, if Barkley plays, he would be expected to have a pass-catching role alongside the lead back.
In full-PPR formats, the priority of that group would be Breida, Strong, Harris, and Brightwell. In non-PPR or half-PPR, I would be tempted to elevate Strong and Harris over Breida and play for the upside that the duo could bring if they were the two backs the Patriots lean on this week. Breida and Brightwell will still have Daniel Jones taking carries, especially around the goal line, while Mac Jones is more limited in that element of the game.
In terms of FAAB (or waiver priority), it is really tough to know how to approach the rookie duo without further information on Stevenson. Depending on your need for Week 15, it would be tempting to go around 10-12% of your remaining budget on Strong. Meanwhile, Harris would be in the 8-10% region.
However, unless you carry FAAB over, the playoffs are the time to empty the coffers and be bold with your bids. The problem is you would be bidding on players who do not have defined roles and could revert to their backup roles by Week 16. Both Stevenson and Damien Harris could easily be back by then, relegating these two back to having no significant role for the final two or three weeks of the fantasy season.