One of the most surprising fantasy breakouts during Week 8 came courtesy of Washington Commanders wide receiver Jamison Crowder. The veteran pass catcher hauled in seven receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, an outing good for 22.5 PPR points.
After Crowder’s breakout game in Week 8, should fantasy football managers look to pick him up on the waiver wire this week?
Should Jamison Crowder Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 9
Crowder’s 22.5 PPR points were the 11th-most of any wide receiver in Week 8 (excluding Monday Night Football), yet hardly any fantasy managers had him in their lineups.
Entering Sunday, Crowder was available in 96.7% of ESPN fantasy leagues. It makes sense, as Crowder is, at best, the WR4 on Washington’s depth chart; he had just two catches for 21 yards on the season through the first seven weeks.
Crowder saw an increased workload against the Eagles largely due to Curtis Samuel’s health. Samuel, the Commanders’ starting slot receiver, was only able to play 14 offensive snaps due to a nagging toe injury. Crowder, a natural slot receiver himself, filled in admirably, but he will almost certainly return to his reserve role if Samuel can suit up next week against New England.
It’s also worth mentioning that three of Crowder’s seven catches — including his 26-yard touchdown — came during Washington’s final offensive drive of the game, a two-minute drill late in the fourth quarter with the team trailing by 14 points.
MORE: Early Week 9 WR Fantasy Football Rankings
While that is hardly the fault of Crowder — and his touchdown was quite an impressive grab — the Eagles weren’t exactly playing the tightest of coverages. Two of Crowder’s catches on the drive were underneath throws that Philadelphia’s defense was more than happy to allow to keep the clock running.
Sam Howell has FOUR touchdown passes today
📺: #PHIvsWAS on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/PKOQFciBv7— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023
Any fantasy manager looking to snag Crowder on the waiver wire this week should closely pay attention to the health of Samuel.
If the latter can suit up next week against the New England Patriots, Crowder is nothing more than a lottery-ticket fantasy play, as he is more likely to finish the game with zero catches than replicate his outing against the Eagles.
However, Crowder did seem to have a solid connection with Commanders quarterback Sam Howell. The veteran wide receiver played just 23 offensive snaps, yet he was targeted on seven of them (30.4%).
He finished with more receptions and yards than Washington’s top receiver, Terry McLaurin, despite McLaurin seeing five more targets. At the very least, Crowder proved he can be depended on in the passing game, should he need to be.
If Crowder was guaranteed a significant snap share moving forward, he’d be a lot more intriguing of a fantasy option. But for now, managers should look in another direction for help at the wide receiver position.
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