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
for that elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp.
The waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players that
might be available in 12-team PPR leagues. I’ll also provide
a brief update on the players I covered the previous week.
Week 14 Byes: Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, Indianapolis,
New Orleans & Washington
Quarterbacks
Tyler Huntley, BAL at Pittsburgh – If we get word that
Huntley is starting this week, he could be worth a look given
the depleted QB options in Week 14. The veteran entered Sunday’s
10-9 win over the Broncos for Lamar Jackson (knee) at the start
of the second quarter, finishing with 187-0-1 on 27-for-32 passing.
Huntley is mobile, though not as great as Jackson, and also rushed
10 times for 41 yards and a score – so he does have upside
in a matchup versus the Steelers.
Mac Jones, NE at Arizona – Jones had a humdrum Thursday
night, completing 22-of-36 passes for 195-1-0 in the loss to Buffalo.
Week 14 promises a much better matchup against the Cardinals in
Arizona. I’d prefer him to the next guy for his higher floor,
but there aren’t too many exciting options.
Russell Wilson,
DEN vs. Kansas City – Russ has only cooked up two solid fantasy
performances this season so far (Week 1’s 340-1-0 at Seattle &
the Week 4 when he dropped 237-2-0 and 4-29-1 rushing at Las Vegas),
but the matchup with Kansas City could mean better numbers. Hear
me out: Joe Burrow looked just okay last week and he ripped up
the Chiefs with big numbers, and there remains the general possibility
of more scoring and garbage time passing for Wilson. He’s far
from a lock and you’d have to be relatively desperate to play
him, but it’s a six-team bye week and a few QBs just went down.
If you’re really in a pinch, have weak waiver wire priority and
need a live body, I’d consider Wilson for his 20-25 point upside.
Mike White, NYJ – White threw for 369-0-2 in Sunday’s
27-22 loss to Minnesota. He added 7 rushing yards and a TD on
three rushing attempts, salvaging his fantasy numbers, and giving
just him enough to eclipse his projection for the week.
Jared Goff, DET – Goff completed 31-of-41 passes for 340-2-0
in one of the better fantasy outings of the week. He’s one
of the better options off the waiver wire as he’s owned
in about 30% of fantasy leagues.
Trevor Lawrence, JAC – Lawrence threw for just 179-1-0
on Sunday, rushing four times for 32 yards. The second-year QB
avoided a major injury on the last play of the second quarter
when his leg bent awkwardly under him after being sacked, but
he was better by halftime’s end and never missed a play.
Running Backs
Isiah Pacheco,
KC at Denver – Pacheco lost some touches to Jerick McKinnon (8-51-0
rushing; 2-9-1 receiving) – who had his best fantasy performance
of the season – but the rookie back still carried the ball 14
times for 66 yards and a TD and hauled in both his targets for
16 yards in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Bengals. Pacheco is still
available in over a third of ESPN fantasy leagues despite being
recommended in this column two weeks ago.
UPDATE:James
Cook, BUF vs. New York Jets – Cook keeps looking better
and better and his touches keep going up. They obviously didn’t
draft him to sit around, and they’ve gotten a player who’s
racked up 323 yards on 60 carries (with a rushing TD) and 15-151-0
receiving. Week 13 was his best yet, with 105 total yards from
scrimmage and 20 touches, he’s a solid flex play against
the Jets and should gain value moving forward.
Cam Akers, LAR vs. Las Vegas – Akers was on the “RBs
to consider” list last week, and he carried the ball 17
times for 60 yards and two TDs in Sunday’s 27-23 loss to
the Seahawks. He also caught his only target for no yardage and
remains the primary ball handler for the Rams.
Zonovan Knight, NYJ at Buffalo – Knight looked decent again
on Sunday, rushing 15 times for 90 yards and hauling in all five
of his targets for 28 yards in the loss to the Vikings. I actually
anticipated the veteran Johnson getting more work in a negative
game script but the Jets kept it close enough so they maintained
an effective run game through the final quarter. He’s now
about 40% owned.
Ty Johnson,
NYJ – Johnson is probably still viable in deep PPR leagues as
he rushed once for 3 yards and caught six of seven targets for
38 yards on Sunday, but Knight seems to be the main ball carrier
with Michael Carter out.
Brian
Robinson Jr. WAS – Robinson rushed 21 times for 96 yards and
secured both targets for 15 yards in the 20-20 tie with the Giants
on Sunday. The Commanders are on a Week 14 bye.
Rachaad White,
TB vs. New Orleans – UPDATE:
White had 6-41-1 receiving to go along with nine carries for 28
rushing yards. I’d say that his best attribute is that Tom
Brady likes him, so keep him going as a high-end RB3/flex.
Benny Snell/Anthony McFarland, PIT – Harris was pretty
much good to go on Sunday, so Snell rushed only six times for
24 yards and had one catch for 11 yards during the Steelers’
19-16 win over Atlanta. McFarland hit the practice squad last
week.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
Nico Collins,
HOU at Dallas – With Brandin Cooks out for Week 13, Collins had
just three receptions on 10 targets for 35 yards and a TD in Sunday’s
27-14 loss to the Browns. The TD made it worth our while, and
he should get more chances next week in garbage time versus the
Cowboys.
D.J. Chark, DET vs. Minnesota – Chark secured 5-98-0 on
six targets in the Lions’ blowout win over the Jaguars on
Sunday. He could be competing a bit more for looks with Jameson
Williams active now.
Jameson Williams, DET vs. Minnesota – Speaking of the rookie,
Williams was targeted once but did not catch a pass on Sunday,
a scenario which could change drastically over the next few weeks
as he gets folded into the Lions high-powered offense.
TE Greg Dulcich, DEN vs. Kansas City – Dulcich will be
busy next week against KC, and he’s coming off a decent
week against the Ravens when he brought in six of eight targets
for 85 yards. Giddyup, Broncos!
TE Chigoziem
Okonkwo, TEN vs. Jacksonville – Austin Hooper is still the
Titans No. 1 TE, but we got a good look at Okonkwo in Sunday's
35-10 loss to the Eagles, when he recorded four receptions on
five targets for 68 yards. It’s only a matter of time until he
gets more targets, but his relative inexperience and ineffectiveness
as a blocker is likely what’s keeping him off the field.
Zay Jones, JAC – Jones was questionable heading into Week
13 and had just two catches on seven targets for 16 yards in the
loss to the Lions. He’s not off my radar but he’s
very much a hit or mis fantasy option moving forward.
Isaiah McKenzie, BUF – McKenzie snatched up all five targets
for 44 yards in the Bills’ 24-10 win over the Patriots on
TNF. He’s shaping up as a solid Week 14 flex play.
Mack Hollins,
LV – Hollins caught five of nine targets for 35 yards in Sunday’s
27-20 win over the Chargers but did not reach paydirt – something
his teammate Davante Adams does plenty of. Performances like Week
12 will be rare but not impossible as they enter their final few
games.
Quez Watkins, PHI – Watkins will undergo an MRI on Monday
after he suffered an AC joint sprain during the win over the Titans.
Skyy Moore, KC – Just one carry for 12 yards on Sunday.
