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Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
target both offensive and defensive players — sometimes breakout
stars that eluded your team’s draft — as well as players
who can help your squad that may still be lurking in deeper leagues.
I’ll also provide an occasional daily fantasy recommendation,
as I’m hopelessly addicted to DFS sites.
Off the Top - Includes my premier
recommendations. These are sometimes players available only in more
shallow leagues, and occasionally guys who are more ready but are
thrust into the fantasy spotlight because of opportunity or exceptional
production. Usually, they are available in at least 25 percent of
public leagues.
Digging Deeper - Covers the next
tier of quality waiver wire specimens, usually players available
in a majority of online leagues. There are a lot of gems in this
range who can be plucked rather easily. Usually, these players are
available in at least 50 percent of public leagues.
Scouring the Barrel - Chronicles
the deepest of fantasy adds — and sometimes highlights players
being tacked onto fantasy squads who I don’t have much confidence
in. Make sure you read the fine print because I don’t always
love them. For the most part, you’ll find these players available
in about 75-100 percent of fantasy leagues
Each week, I’ll also provide a brief update on the players
I covered the previous week. It’s the most accurate, comprehensive
one-stop waiver-wire column available on the Internet, and it’s
only available here at fftoday.com. Let’s get to some of
the players who could be still out there on the waiver wire and
in the free agent pool as you prepare for Week 1!
Feedback is always welcome,
appreciated and encouraged. I’ll get to as many e-mails as
I can.
Note: Each player’s
final matchup is listed in parentheses ( ). Since IDP league composition
is so varied, I’ll just list defensive players per position
and use their Yahoo ownership rates – which due to site ranking
anomalies and the high rate of variance in availability, are often
much lower than actual ownerships rates.
Note: This column
will be updated tomorrow at the conclusion of Week 16.
Quarterbacks
Off The Top
Eli Manning, NYG (PHI) – Manning is coming off another
monster performance and is keeping Giants fans focused on the
great future they have in Odell Beckham Jr. He’s a viable
option in Week 17 against a vulnerable Philly defense.
Digging Deeper
Teddy Bridgewater (CHI) – I love Bridgewater’s Week
17 matchup and he’s making a bid for major fantasy relevance
in 2015. He’s worth a plug-n-play in daily leagues and some
deep-league finals.
Scouring The Barrel
Derek Carr, OAK (@DEN) – The Raiders have something in
Carr, and they’re likely to come out guns blazing in Week
17 against the Broncos. I’m anticipating a high-scoring
game and plenty of passing for Oakland.
Updates
Ryan Tannehill, MIA (NYJ) – Tannehill had his best game
of the season, passing for 396-4-1 in the OT win over the Vikings.
He was the top QB of Week 16 and may have QB1 value next season
if he continues to improve. He’s got an outside shot at
4,000 passing yards for this season and 30 total TDs.
Robert Griffin III, WAS (DAL) – RGIII failed to put together
any scores and threw for 220-0-1 with just 11 rushing yards. Not
what we were looking for to close out the championship game in
one of my super-deep IDP leagues where I rolled with him over
Kyle Orton and Josh McCown. There’s always next year in
dynasty leagues!
Derek Anderson, CAR (@ATL) – Anderson sat with Cam Newton
healthy.
Running Backs
Off The Top
Matt Asiata, MIN (CHI) – Asiata is still available in a
bunch of leagues, has the lead role with big-time touch volume,
and has a decent matchup for Week 17 against the pitiful Bears.
What’s not to like?
Digging Deeper
Bernard Pierce, BAL (CLE) – Justin Forsett was horrible again
in Week 16, so expect Pierce to get a few more carries as the
old Browns take on the new Browns in the classic grudge match.
Scouring The Barrel
Jordan Todman, JAC (@HOU) – Todman rushed five times for
71 yards and a TD in the Jaguars’ Week 16 win over the Titans,
adding a pair of catches for 5 yards. The speedy back showed excellent
burst on his first score of the year and could be in line for
a bigger role in Week 17 if Gerhart (ribs) can't play.
Updates
Jeremy Hill, CIN (@PIT) – Update coming Tuesday.
Toby Gerhart, JAC (@HOU) – Gerhart ran for 53 yards and
a TD on 12 carries Thursday before leaving with a rib injury.
He’s questionable this week.
Doug Martin, TB (NO) – Martin got shut down by the Packers,
running for just 17 yards on 10 carries. With just 386 rushing
yards and one TD this season on 116 carries, he’s possibly
the biggest fantasy disappointment among mid-range RBs.
Knile Davis, KC (SD) – Jamaal Charles got most of the work
and the Steelers did an excellent job containing the Chiefs running
game. Davis (11 total yards on three touches in Week 16) probably
won’t have much of a role Sunday unless the Chiefs decide
to sit Charles.
Carlos Hyde, SF (ARI) – Hyde was inactive (ankle) and Frank
Gore (concussion) had one of his best games this season in the
loss to San Diego. Go figure.
Chris Polk, PHI (@NYG) – Polk (ankle) didn’t get a
touch against the Redskins on Saturday but remains a TD vulture
possibility in Week 17.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Off The Top
Malcom Floyd, SD (@KC) – Floyd caught 4-50-1 on 10 targets
in Week 16 against the 49ers, and should continue to see plenty
of action with Keenan Allen out. Plug him in as a viable WR2.
Digging Deeper
Charles Johnson, MIN (CHI) – Have you noticed I really
like this matchup for the Vikings offense? Johnson tweaked his
hammy but still finished with 3-38-0 in a tough matchup versus
Miami. As long as he’s starting next week, he makes an excellent
plug-n-play versus the Bears.
Eddie Royal, SD (@KC) – Now this is an Eddie Royal game.
You know how I can tell? Because there’s an obvious WR to
start (Floyd) and Royal will likely secure 2-3 TD passes when
nobody’s looking. Seriously, though – he’s a
really interesting and cheap DFS option this week.
Scouring The Barrel
Marqise Lee, JAC (@HOU) – The Texans are coming off a nice
win against the Ravens and can still get into the playoffs if
both the Ravens and Chargers lose, but Lee (4-65-0 on Thursday)
looks like the real deal and could dominate the Houston secondary
if he gets consistent targets. He’s worth a look in deep
leagues and DFS.
Updates
Eric Decker, NYJ (@MIA) – Despite a huge Week 15 and some
early targets in Week 16, Decker finished with just 2-21-0 against
the Pats. The Jets are brutal.
Jarvis Landry, MIA (NYJ) – Landry had his worst game since
Week 8 but still managed 8-31-0 on nine targets, coughing up a
crucial fumble but immediately getting looks and bouncing back
with a couple nice catches. He’s going to be a mid-range
WR2 with upside heading into next year’s drafts.
TE Owen Daniels, BAL (CLE) – Daniels was targeted six times
by Joe Flacco but hauled in just one catch for 7 yards –
a product of some poor passing by the veteran QB. He’s not
a great option in Week 17.
James Jones, OAK (@DEN) – Jones saw five targets Sunday
and had just one catch, but it was a 3-yard TD. The guy is a red
zone beast with upside next week facing Denver.
Nate Washington, TEN (IND) – The Titans started Charlie
Whitehurst and got some of their weapons back, so Washington wasn’t
much of a factor (2-18-0) in the loss to Jacksonville.
Devin Hester, ATL (CAR) – With Julio Jones and Roddy White
both active, Hester just had 2-25-0 on three targets. He probably
won’t be a factor in Week 17 facing the Panthers.
IDP
Linebackers
LB Miles Burris, OAK (@DEN) – The Broncos are now a running
team and Burris is the Raiders best tackler right now. He’s
not a consistent option, but Burris posts some big stat lines
once in a while and this is a favorable matchup.
Defensive Backs
DB Malcolm Jenkins, PHI (@NYG) – Jenkins is a playmaker
facing the division rival Giants, who have been throwing quite
a bit (and predictably so) to Odell Beckham. Look for the veteran
safety to hone in on a telegraphed Manning pass and make some
big plays in the secondary.
Defensive Lineman
DL Jared Allen, CHI (@MIN) – Allen has integrity, so he’s
not going to phone it in against his old team. I’m banking
on a handful of tackles and sack out of the veteran pass rusher
this week in Minnesota.
Updates
Devon Kennard, NYG (PHI) – Kennard had four solos in the
win over St. Louis. He’s someone to keep on the IDP radar
in 2015.
Patrick Chung, NE (BUF) – Chung had six total tackles Sunday
but failed to collect any junk points. He’s a risk/reward
DB3 for Week 17.
Chandler Jones, NE (BUF) – Jones managed five total tackles
but didn’t get to Geno Smith – surprising considering
the favorable matchup. He’s a Top 5 IDP DL heading into
2015.
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