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Nick Mariano's fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bidding guide for Week 14 (2024) -- how many FAAB dollars (free agent acquisition budget) to spend on waivers.
The long Thanksgiving slate brought several helpings of fireworks and now we're barreling toward the final week(s) of the fantasy football season. Whether you're gearing up for the playoffs already, or staring down a must-win situation, we've got you covered. Be sure to finish strong with our famous waiver wire pickups list and our fantasy football waiver wire columns by position -- specially tailored for leagues using FAAB.
These FAAB prices do not indicate how much these free-agent players will go for, especially as some leagues have seen teams use all of their FAAB already, and percentages are based on your starting budget. Each league values players and positions differently due to scoring settings, roster constructs, and personal preferences. Still, these values provide a baseline to understand how much you should be looking to spend.
You should be acutely aware of how much FAAB your competition has left to guide your bidding protocol. We hope you've prepared yourself for the final bye week of the year because six teams are taking a breather. Fantasy teams will be without the Broncos, Colts, Commanders Patriots, Ravens, and Texans here.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson (QB, PIT) - 35% rostered
FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-8%
Wilson led Pittsburgh to 44 points in a win over Cincinnati thanks to 414 yards and three touchdowns. While it’s reasonable to expect less of him against Cleveland, Wilson completed 75% of his passes for 270 yards in Week 12’s snowy road matchup with the same Browns. You're either in or out by now.
The highest-graded QB on 15+ yard throws this season:
🚀 Russell Wilson - 97.4 pic.twitter.com/pfNRlvrAip
— PFF (@PFF) December 2, 2024
Will Levis (QB, TEN) - 12% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Levis and the Titans couldn’t keep up with Jayden Daniels’ Commanders in a 42-19 loss, but Levis did well not to throw any interceptions. Mix that with two TDs and 212 yards and now the second-year signal-caller has a 7:2 TD:INT ratio in four games since returning from injury. He’ll face generous defenses in Jacksonville and Cincinnati over the next two weeks.
Aidan O'Connell (QB, LV) - 2% rostered
FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%
O’Connell is the next man up to face the beleaguered Buccaneers secondary. His first start back in the saddle forced him into Arrowhead Stadium against the defending Super Bowl champs. He performed admirably, completing 23-of-35 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns.
Now he gets a favorable three-start stretch against top 10 fantasy defenses in Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Jacksonville. Without a stellar run game to lean on, O’Connell should be the one moving the ball.
Note that Cooper Rush’s next three games come against Cincinnati, Carolina, and Tampa Bay, who are all fantasy-friendly defenses for QBs.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs
Isaac Guerendo (RB, SF) - 3% rostered
Patrick Taylor Jr. (RB, SF) - 0% rostered
FAAB Bid: 100% / 10-13% in PPR
Aggressive Bid: 100% / 13-16% in PPR
Desperation Bid: 101% / 16-20% in PPR
The biggest injury news of the weekend came in Sunday night’s Buffalo Snow Bowl as Christian McCaffrey suffered a PCL sprain on a shoestring tackle. He needs six weeks to recover so his season is over, seemingly leaving Jordan Mason, who gained 78 yards on 13 carries in relief of CMC, as the add.
However, the San Francisco Injury Reporting Curveballs struck again, as Monday afternoon brought word that Mason is also heading to the IR with a high-ankle sprain. And it was Guerendo scoring the team's only TD by using his speed to win the edge.
Guerendo is a great athlete, but the 49ers have deployed Taylor in passing situations before, though Guerendo had three catches in Week 8 against Dallas. San Francisco is in a tailspin, but the NFC West remains in (technical) reach, so expect Guerendo to get 16-20 touches while Taylor mixes in.
Congrats to those with the most FAAB remaining, you just secured a top 5 RB in Isaac Guerendo for the rest of the season https://t.co/Y6nwynkIQv
— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) December 2, 2024
**UPDATE: The 49ers claimed Israel Abanikanda off of waivers, so he may enter the picture soon. He's not expected to be a fantasy factor, however. Same with Ke'Shawn Vaughn, who was signed to the practice squad.
Tank Bigsby (RB, JAC) - % rostered
FAAB Bid: 8-12%
Aggressive Bid: 12-15%
Desperation Bid: 15-20%
Bigsby returned to action with 35 yards on eight touches in a poor team showing against Houston. Trevor Lawrence got knocked out on a dirty hit early and Houston built a lead that forced the Jags to abandon the run.
Jacksonville may often fall into a hole but at least they consolidated the rushing attack into two between Bigsby and Travis Etienne, pushing D’Ernest Johnson out. Etienne had 13 carries to Bigsby’s seven, yet Bigsby averaged more yards per carry and nearly double the yards gained after contact per rush. We’ve seen Bigsby be the better rusher all year and could get the lion’s share in any week.
Braelon Allen (RB, NYJ) - 32% rostered
FAAB Bid: 6-10%
Aggressive Bid: 10-15%
Desperation Bid: 15-20%
Allen didn’t have a good Week 13 (true for most Jets), but Breece Hall’s knee injury limited him to just 12 touches. Isaiah Davis came out of the bye getting a few looks, which included a pitched receiving TD, but Allen is still the primary handcuff.
The Jets are out of it, the commitment to Aaron Rodgers is shaky at best, and their rest-of-schedule rushing matchups is impeccable.
Jeremy McNichols (RB, WAS) - 0% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Desperation Bid: 6-10%
McNichols did well with limited work, notching 32 yards on six carries with Austin Ekeler on IR. Brian Robinson Jr. ran for over 100 yards and a TD as the clear 1A capable of big workloads.
They have a Week 14 bye but the next game against a soft Saints run D awaits. Chris Rodriguez Jr. looked great on the stat sheet, gaining 94 yards and a score on 13 totes but barely played until the fourth quarter of a blowout.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR, TEN) - 18% rostered
FAAB Bid: 25-35%
Aggressive Bid: 35-40%
Desperation Bid: 40-50%
Westbrook-Ikhine continued his outrageous scoring run with a 27-yard touchdown before tacking on another TD late, giving him eight TDs in his last eight games. That TD streak is insane for any receiver, let alone a guy with just 20 total catches.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has 8 touchdowns on 20 receptions.
That’s tied for the most touchdowns on 20 or fewer receptions in the Super Bowl era.
His 40% TD rate is the highest of any player in NFL history with at least 15 receptions. pic.twitter.com/wmLOMesmH2
— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) December 2, 2024
The lower volume and lesser offense have buried NWI into the “unsustainable mirage” tier of waiver options alongside Marquez Valdes-Scantling. But Westbrook-Ikhine played all 55 offensive snaps and ran 37 routes (the same as Calvin Ridley, per Fantasy Points Data Suite) and has been above 85% in six straight games.
NWI and Ridley have also run the same number of routes in the last six weeks (198), though Ridley owns a 776-429 air yard advantage in that window. No one is painting NWI as the sudden No. 1 option, but he’s an established big-play threat with Will Levis’ trust and little target competition. Mix in Tennessee’s strong rest-of-season schedule (they have two games versus Jacksonville left!) and you’ve got a healthy add.
Adam Thielen (WR, CAR) - 32% rostered
FAAB Bid: 20-25%
Aggressive Bid: 25-35%
Desperation Bid: 35-50%
Thielen led the Panthers with eight catches (10 targets) and 99 yards, scoring a go-ahead touchdown with 30 seconds left in an eventual loss. Consider the TD karma for what looked like a scoring catch earlier in the game that the refs/challenge system didn’t reward.
The runaway game script against a Tampa Bay defense that can halt the run more readily than the pass left all three Carolina receivers with ample opportunities. Both Xavier Legette and David Moore only combined for a catch rate of nearly 50% while Thielen sat at 80%. The sure-handed vet should be Bryce Young’s best bet downfield moving forward, and he’ll need that against Philadelphia’s defense next week.
Elijah Moore (WR, CLE) - 11% rostered
FAAB Bid: 10-15%
Aggressive Bid: 15-20%
Desperation Bid: 20-30%
Moore caught eight passes for 111 yards in a wild Monday night affair that saw Jameis Winston go full Jameis Winston. With Cedric Tillman (concussion) unavailable, Moore was constantly out there alongside Jerry Jeudy’s WR1 performance and David Njoku’s two-touchdown effort.
If Tillman can’t go for Week 14’s rematch with Pittsburgh, then Moore can expect another healthy target share. Don’t read too much into the first game’s passing results as a future indicator given the snowy conditions in Week 12.
Parker Washington (WR, JAC) - 1% rostered
FAAB Bid: 8-12%
Aggressive Bid: 12-16%
Desperation Bid: 16-20%
Washington finally popped beyond the usage metrics in Week 13! With Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis done for the year, Washington led the Jags with 39 routes run and 12 targets for 103 yards (six catches).
Jacksonville’s already-limited potential is further curbed under Mac Jones after Trevor Lawrence took that scary late hit to the head. There’s little reason for the Jags to risk Lawrence in a lost year, but Jones nearly led them to a comeback over Houston. You can hate the Jaguars’ fantasy appeal and still recognize Washington is a starting WR in a team likely to trail often.
Tre Tucker (WR, LV) - 4% rostered
FAAB Bid: 6-10%
Aggressive Bid: 10-15%
Desperation Bid: 15-20%
Tucker made his lone target on a 92% route participation rate count, housing a 58-yard strike that put the Kansas City Chiefs on the ropes. One hates to rely on one big shot from Aidan O’Connell, but Tucker is not a rotational deep threat either. His plus speed means he can be schemed vertically and horizontally, though he’ll always be behind Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers.
Tucker only needs one play to make good on trust and draws several vulnerable secondaries moving forward. The Raiders end the year against the Bucs, Falcons, Jaguars, and Saints.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends
Will Dissly (TE, LAC) - 42% rostered
FAAB Bid: 5-8%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12%
Desperation Bid: 12-15%
Dissly will be dropped in some leagues after a Week 13 donut (one target), but the Chargers looked stagnant against Atlanta on a short week in the Eastern time zone. They’ll need their best, including Dissly, to take down a vulnerable Chiefs team this Sunday night.
After that, they’ll take their turn picking apart Tampa Bay’s secondary. With Ladd McConkey nursing a knee injury and J.K. Dobbins on the IR, the passing game takes on more importance and gets centralized.
Juwan Johnson (TE, NO) - 3% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-7%
Not only did Johnson tally a season-high seven targets in Week 13, but his role is due to increase moving forward after Taysom Hill was diagnosed with a torn ACL. Johnson and Foster Moreau should split routes, but the decimated WR room leads to several 2TE sets. We haven’t seen a high ceiling from Johnson, but beggars on a six-team bye can’t be choosers for volume.
New season-high in usage this week:
+ Bijan, JT, Bucky Irving, D Mont, Rico Dowdle
+ Mark Andrews, Noah Gray, Dalton Schultz, Tremble, Okonkwo, Juwan Johnson, Fant
+ DJM, London, Parker Washington, Marv Harrison, Hopkins, Brian Thomas, Ladd McConkey, Thielen, Cooks, NWI
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) December 2, 2024
Tommy Tremble (TE, CAR) - 0% rostered
FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-5%
Tremble caught five of his eight targets for 77 yards with Ja’Tavion Sanders (neck) missing a key game against Tampa Bay’s defense. Bryce Young has played better of late but judging Tremble off of a game against the Bucs’ funnel D must be adjusted.
He was one of four Panthers with eight or more targets, but only four were first-read looks (per FPDS). Compare that to seven or more for the three WRs, as well as 45 air yards versus over 100 for the WRs.
If Sanders misses Week 14 then Tremble should see work against Philadelphia given the Eagles’ propensity for rolling up scoreboards. He’s a valid TE2 dart as the starter.
FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams
Tennessee Titans Defense (vs. JAX) - 5% rostered
FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-7%
Desperation Bid: 7-10%
The Titans entered Week 13 as a top 12 defense per standard Yahoo fantasy scoring but got rolled for 42 points by Washington. However, that was their third road game in four weeks, and they’ve faced a playoff contender in six of their last seven.
That changes in Week 14, when they host a Jaguars team likely led by backup Mac Jones. This remains a plus-plus matchup despite Jones performing admirably late against the Texans.
New Orleans Saints Defense (at NYG) - 26% rostered
FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Desperation Bid: 6-8%
The New Orleans defense didn’t muster much in Week 13’s 21-14 loss to the Rams, but they have now recorded three straight games with multiple sacks. They’ve allowed an average of 17 points over their last three contests and now get a scrambling Giants franchise looking to re-orient itself following the release of Daniel Jones.
They’ll have a long week to prepare after losing on Thanksgiving but neither Drew Lock nor Tommy DeVito poses a threat after that offensive line surrendered six sacks to Dallas.
Arizona Cardinals Defense (vs. SEA) - 15% rostered
FAAB Bid: 1-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 4-6%
The Cardinals dropped a second straight game, but the defense once again did its job. Arizona’s D posted five sacks, their third time reaching the mark in four games.
They held Seattle to 10 offensive points on the road in Week 12 and now get their home crowd behind them, with games against New England and Carolina to follow. Playoff planners take note.
Early Playoff Week 15 DST adds (beyond Arizona):
Atlanta Falcons (at LV, 7% rostered)
Cincinnati Bengals (at TEN, 17% rostered)
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