Jonathan Williams and Bo Scarbrough are some of the hottest waiver-wire targets in Fantasy right now, and CBS Sports NFL Draft writer Chris Trapasso is looking back into his scouting reports on each to provide a unique perspective as you decide whether to use a Week 12 waiver claim on them or if you should drag them into your starting lineup:
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In a pretty barren 2016 running back draft class — after Ezekiel Elliott — Williams was my RB2. Yes, ahead of Derrick Henry. Williams has been an enigma for a long time, even dating back to his career at Arkansas. After averaging 6.0 yards per carry in a limited role as a sophomore, Williams erupted for 1,190 yards at 5.6 yards per as a junior. But before his senior season, he broke his foot, missed the entire season, and entered the draft the following year.
I had him valued as a second rounder. Here's what I wrote about Williams before the draft.
"His 2014 film is spectacular. In nearly every outing, Williams flashed springy burst through the hole, power through tacklers and most impressively, a Carlos Hyde-like ability to maintain his balance after all types contact anywhere on his body."
If you really want to go next level with your fantasy scouting, click this link, and watch all the amazing work Williams did against Alabama in 2014, one of the most dazzling 84-yard games you'll see from a back at the collegiate level.
After going in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft to the Buffalo Bills, he ran it 27 times for 103 yards in the preseason but was a minimal part of the team's running game throughout the regular season. He was cut before the 2017 campaign despite a 121-yard preseason on 21 attempts.
As Williams showed many times during his 13-carry, 116-yard performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11, he's capable of deploying multiple cuts on a run without losing much speed, and when he sees an open lane, he has above-average burst to hit long plays. Those abilities, along with his contact balance, were demonstrated on the 48-yard run in the fourth quarter on Sunday.
Running behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL on a team that runs it at the fourth-highest rate in football, Williams has legitimate value as a flex option with Marlon Mack dealing with a fractured hand thaqt will keep him out for at least Week 12 against the Texans. Beyond that, however, he probably doesn't have RB2 appeal because the Colts' next three games — vs. Titans, at Buccaneers, at Saints — are against three of the best run defenses in football.
Bo Scarbrough, Detroit Lions
Scarbrough was my No. 213 overall prospect and No. 21 RB in the 2018 Draft. He was picked by the Dallas Cowboys a little later than that — No. 236 overall — in the seventh round. At nearly 6-2 and 228 pounds, Scarbrough crushed his combine workout from an explosion standpoint with a 4.52 time in the 40-yard dash (61st percentile), a 40-inch vertical (93rd percentile), a 129-inch broad jump (94th percentile). His 4.34 in the three-cone drill placed him in the 30th percentile at the position.
When the Cowboys drafted the former Alabama runner, I gave the selection an A- and wrote the following:
"Rare combination of size, cutting ability and top-end speed. Lacks in the vision department and had plenty of big holes at Alabama. Bruising back who would be logical stand-in for Zeke Elliott if need be."
Playing behind Derrick Henry and sharing time with Damien Harris, Scarbrough never had more than 125 carries in a season in Tuscaloosa but averaged 6.5 yards per carry as a sophomore, before falling to 4.8 yards as a junior before declaring early. As the combine would later show, Scarbrough's dynamic burst and long speed — and flashes of juking capabilities — were easy to spot during any Crimson Tide game, but knee injuries hindered his playing time in college.
He's yet to get much running room in the NFL, and Scarbrough only averaged 3.9 yards per pop against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11. But his touchdown in Week 11 showcased the power in his legs, as he ran through a tackle and tumbled forward for the score. Scarbough is going to miss some open lanes. But his size/athleticism combination is reminiscent of Latavius Murray. Will the second-year back be a PPR monster for you? Probably not. But his running style could wear down defenses, and don't be shocked when he hits a big play every game and is effective in the red zone.
If you're in a desperate situation this late in the year — and given the state of the running back position, there's a good chance you are — Scarbrough is worth an add, especially with a juicy matchup for the Lions' ground game against Washington in Week 12. After that, things very well could get dicey for Detroit's rushing attack with contests against the Bears and Vikings, but those are outings in which a low-volume game from Scarbrough could be saved by a touchdown plunge.
So who should you sit and start this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 12 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.
