RADIO
Week 12 wasn't all that crazy as far as big names going down is concerned. That said, there are still plenty of guys who available in over half of leagues that easily qualify as being helpful. And as always, handcuffs are a big thing at this point in the year. Do note that this is being submitted before the Monday night game is played, so read it appropriately. Also, even though I try to keep the names under the 50% ownership level, David Johnson (RB, ARI - 58% owned in Fleaflicker) looks to be drawing the Week 13 start against the Rams as Chris Johnson has a fractured tibia according to Jay Glazer. Keep an eye on Andre Ellington's status, but Johnson is the only one 100% healthy and worth owning in this scenario (looking at you, Stepfan Taylor). Considering Week 13 is most leagues' make or break week, don't be shy with your wallet for a guy with a starting look, even if the matchup isn't ideal.
Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 13. Each price recommendation will be based on a $100 FAAB budget. Be sure to also check out our weekly waiver wire analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all Week 13 options.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) – FAAB Bid: $3
40% owned in Fleaflicker
Tyrod Taylor came into Sunday after looking beaten up with an arm/shoulder injury in that brawl that was the Patriots/Bills game last Monday night, and he was also going on the road to face a Chiefs defense this week that had clearly gotten it together and had been playing lights out. Taylor responded by going to his best weapon, Sammy Watkins, early and often. TyGod finished the game with 21 completions on 38 attempts for 291 yards, three touchdowns, and zero turnovers. He also rushed for 46 yards on five attempts.
While Buffalo faces another defense that is red hot in the Texans next week, they then get the Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys, and Jets to finish up 2015. A stretch against the NFC East right now could play very well, as we can all see that two 5-6 teams sit atop it, and the Eagles are a dumpster fire right now. With Karlos Williams injured, this also digs a bit into the effectiveness of the run game, meaning Tyrod might just have to step up a bit. He's showing good development through this year, and he can definitely be an asset to your team down the stretch.
Brock Osweiler (QB, DEN) – FAAB Bid: $2
24% owned in Fleaflicker
Brock Lobster did a great job stepping up into the Sunday night football spotlight against the Patriots, leading his team to an overtime victory over the previously undefeated New England squad. While he didn't put up insane numbers himself, he still completed 23 passes out of 42 attempts for 270 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He took a few big shots but hung in there all game, continuing to step up and make strong throws, including a few huge ones in the fourth quarter down the sidelines to Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Speaking of DT, Osweiler could have easily had over 300 yards if Thomas made some catches that we're used to him making.
Regardless, Osweiler performed extremely well against a tough opponent in pretty extreme weather conditions, and his next game is against the hapless Chargers defense. This is followed by Oakland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and then San Diego again. If you need some QB relief or he is still sitting there in a 2 QB league, pick him up.
Kirk Cousins (QB, WAS) – FAAB Bid: $2
32% owned in Fleaflicker
He and the whole Washington team are about as inconsistent as they come, but he took advantage of a beaten up Giants' defense by completing 20 of 29 passes for 301 yards and a long touchdown to DeSean Jackson (certified Giants killer), and he also tacked on a little quarterback sneak for a touchdown as well. Cousins is clearly enjoying having a healthy DeSean Jackson around, and if Jackson and Jordan Reed can stay healthy down the stretch along with Pierre Garcon and Jamison Crowder contributing, Cousins has some great weapons around him.
Couple this with the fact that the Redskins can't seem to figure out how to run the ball and a questionable defense, and you've got a good recipe for Cousins to have opportunities to put up numbers for you. He gets Dallas on Monday night next, then the Bears, Bills, Eagles, and Cowboys again. Nothing horribly frightening there.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, NYJ) - FAAB Bid: $1
30% owned in Fleaflicker
Fitzpatrick, sporting a trimmer beard, rocked the Dolphins for 277 yards, four touchdowns, and zero turnovers. He had a few bad throws towards the end of the game, but for the most part he was dropping dimes on Miami. He had a bad showing the previous few games, but pulled it together in this one. The momentum should continue next week in an "away" game against the Giants (who have been shredded as of late), and then he gets the Titans, Cowboys, Patriots, and Bills to end the regular season. Fitzy may not be the best or most consistent quarterback out there, but he is a much better fantasy quarterback than real life quarterback and that is what we care about. Scoop him if he's sitting there.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
Spencer Ware (KC, RB) – FAAB Bid: $5
38% owned in Fleaflicker
Ware finished his first game against the Chargers with 96 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Decent. West missed Week 12 as well, and Ware showed that he wasn't simply good because he got to pick on the Chargers. He went up against a good Buffalo front and put up 114 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. While West will probably be back next week, Ware might have earned himself some snaps, and regardless he is the clear handcuff to West as Knile Davis still barely saw the field. 'Tis the season for handcuffs.
Shaun Draughn (SF, RB) - FAAB Bid: $3
15% owned in Fleaflicker
In Week 11 against Seattle he only rushed for 37 yards on 12 carries, but got eight catches for 40 yards on 11 targets. On Sunday against the Cardinals he rushed for 51 yards on 15 carries and caught all five targets for 35 yards. Blaine Gabbert is pretty darn good at throwing the short-to-intermediate routes and Draughn showed that he get some solid PPR value even in subpar matchups. Carlos Hyde is still not ready to return, but is getting closer. The 49ers face the Bears and Browns next, and they are pretty good to opposing running backs. Draughn is a decent standard option against them if Hyde can't go (proceed as if he won't), and a good PPR option.
Jay Ajayi (MIA, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3
32% owned in Fleaflicker
The Dolphins looked pretty outmatched against the Jets, though they came up with some serious garbage time mojo to pull out some fantasy goodness for owners. It's clear that the Texans game where the Dolphins exploded had some serious "mirage factor" to it. While they're definitely better than they were with Philbin, Dan Campbell isn't a wizard. Now offensive coordinator Bill Lazor has been fired as well, and QB coach Zac Taylor is reportedly taking the reins.
However, as far as Ajayi is concerned he looks to really be trending upwards with his usage. Lamar Miller barely saw the field, and Ajayi had six targets in the passing game, catching four of them for 52 yards on the day. Miller had four targets for three catches and 11 yards. Ajayi and Miller combined for eight rushing yards on the day, so that's barely worth this sentence of acknowledgment. Look for Ajayi to keep on working in throughout the year, though the majority of his value is still tied to his being a handcuff. If he were to get the lion's share of snaps in the backfield he would have great value, but for now he is a mediocre option with upside if Miller goes down.
Joique Bell (DET, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3
50% owned in Fleaflicker
Just makes the cut here, and while Ameer Abdullah (55% owned) is getting more involved here with (16 carries for AA versus seven for Joique), Bell still was the one to punch in the touchdown and he also had a nice run after the catch, racking up 57 yards on two catches along with 25 rushing yards on the seven carries. The Lions' offense has been running a lot more smoothly these past few years, it appears that Jim Bob Cooter was just what Matt Stafford and company needed to get the ball rolling. The Lions will face the Packers, Rams, SAINTS, 49ers, and Eagles next. The Packers and Rams have played rather tough ball lately, but Weeks 15, 16, and 17 bring great matchups against some pretty soft defenses.
Theo Riddick (DET, RB) - FAAB Bid in PPR Leagues: $2
29% owned in Fleaflicker
Why not follow that up with mention of Detroit's pass catching back. As the Lions offense has started to really click, this means that its overall production has gone up, with more opportunities for their respective weapons to rack up points for you. The Lions are moving the ball through the air a lot more effectively than the ground still. Riddick caught all five of his targets for 62 yards and a touchdown. Available in over two thirds of leagues, Riddick shouldn't be forgotten in PPR leagues, and if you're desperate in standard leagues he's taking on a sort of Danny Woodhead status. Don't forget about him as Detroit starts to really figure things out.
Others To Note:
Robert Turbin (DAL, RB) - FAAB Bid: $1
22% owned in Fleaflicker
Turbin is the handcuff to own in Dallas. We all know that McFadden has his injury history, let alone the fact that so many running backs have gone down already, we all know it could be anyone's week to get hurt any given Sunday. Turbin behind that offensive line is certainly worth speculating on, though Tony Romo going down really hurts the potency of the Dallas offense. Dallas also faces Washington, Green Bay, the Jets, Buffalo, and then Washington again. The Jets and the Bills aren't the greatest matchups for those critical 15th and 16th weeks of the season, but if you can stash a running back then Turbin shouldn't be at the end of the list.
Brandon Bolden (NE, RB) - FAAB Bid: $1
24% owned in Fleaflicker
Most of Bolden's value came from a long scamper on a wheel route that just was horribly covered. The safety took a bad route and missed cutting off Bolden from the end zone. He and James White will probably still sort of mitigate each other's usage enough to make value difficult to come by, but if Rob Gronkowski misses time they could be leaned on more. The big play is going to be necessary for Bolden to be worth starting most weeks, so he's really only a deep league consideration, but certainly don't think he's a non-factor moving forward.
Dan "Boom" Herron (IND, RB) – FAAB Bid: $1
19% owned in Fleaflicker
Ahmad Bradshaw is now on the Injured Reserve and we may very well have seen the last of Bradshaw in the NFL, sadly enough. Herron shouldn't see much work with standalone value, though there is a recent report that came out today about how Frank Gore is "beat to crap" (in the words of head coach Chuck Pagano), and while he won't do what Bradshaw did in the passing game out of the gate, he is the handcuff and we are late in the season where all handcuffs should be on the watch lists, especially on the tail of reports such as that. Herron should also be familiar with the team and not need much time to get comfortable again.
Jerick McKinnon (MIN, RB) - FAAB Bid: $0
27% owned in Fleaflicker
While we're talking about handcuffs, McKinnon is a decent one even if Matt Asiata looms as a vulture and passing down guy. Just a quick note to make sure the awareness is there around McKinnon if the other handcuffs are scooped up.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
DeVante Parker (MIA, WR) - FAAB Bid: $5
15% owned in Fleaflicker
Ryan Tannehill threw the ball 58 times and Rishard Matthews left the game early with a rib injury after taking a big hit from Calvin Pryor. This left the door open for DeVante Parker to finally see the field in earnest. He was in on 61 of 75 snaps. He saw ten targets from Tannehill, catching four of them for 80 yards and a touchdown. It was just released that Rishard Matthews is out indefinitely with multiple broken ribs. Parker stepped up for them on Sunday, and will continue to do so it seems.
Kamar Aiken (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $3
36% owned in Fleaflicker
Now not only do we have to worry about Kamar Aiken being not that great, but now he is going to have Matt Schaub throwing him the pigskin. Still, he is the #1 receiver for the Ravens now, and all #1 receivers should be rostered. Available in many leagues, you're going to want to find a spot for him. He did well against a strong Rams' secondary, posting five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, and now he gets the Browns in Week 12. Aiken is simply going to get plenty of opportunities to put up numbers despite the bounty of fleas that surround him. His ownership is hovering around the 35% mark, despite a nice game against a good Rams defense last week. That positive news was probably totally mitigated by Matt Schaub being his quarterback now. This situation sounds like someone built a decently functioning robot out of scrap parts at a junkyard, but it's something.
Dontrelle Inman (SD, WR) - FAAB Bid: $3
6% owned in Fleaflicker
It was a pretty good bounce back game for the Chargers' offense and Philip Rivers. Dontrelle Inman saw nine targets, catching five of them for 65 yards and a touchdown. He is a starting receiver for an offense that needs to move the ball through the air and has a great slinger at the helm. He should be owned in most leagues based on opportunity alone, but now he is getting the chance to develop chemistry and work on things. He does face the Broncos stout defense next week though, and the Chiefs after that. Then the Dolphins, Raiders, and the Broncos again. Some tricky matchups in there, but starting as a wide receiver for these Chargers means you're going to see the ball regardless of matchup.
Devin Funchess (CAR, WR) – FAAB Bid: $2
27% owned in Fleaflicker
Funchess saw eight targets last week from Cam Newton in the rout of the Redskins, catching four of them for 64 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately he wasn't in on the Thanksgiving Day parade for the Panthers against the Cowboys. He only caught two balls on four targets for 19 yards. That said, he's still getting worked into the offense and could be worth throwing a buck at if you need wide receiver help down the stretch and want a piece of the Carolina pie. Reports earlier in the year were centered around Funchess' inability to be up to speed with the program that the Panthers wanted to run, but an injury to Corey Brown put Funchess in a position to start opposite Ted Ginn. Funchess had the highest snap count for all of the Panthers receivers with 57, or 83%, compared to Ginn's 51 and Berson's 11. It's not a sure thing given how the Panthers offense runs (literally), but he is certainly trending up, and you can't afford to be late on the waiver wire.
Doug Baldwin (SEA, WR) - FAAB Bid: $2
41% owned in Fleaflicker
Baldwin easily had his best game he's had on Sunday afternoon against the Steelers, as Baldwin scored three touchdowns with 145 yards on six catches. That's not something you should chase too literally, but I'm sure you know that, and with Jimmy Graham going down his targets are going to go somewhere. Baldwin has a pretty nice ceiling, but can put up some duds. Seattle faces the Vikings, Ravens, Browns, Rams, and Cardinals next. Those matchups against the Ravens and Browns are certainly nice, and the Vikings are much more vulnerable through the air than they are on the ground. Look to Baldwin for a decent WR3 type moving forward.
Others To Note:
Dwayne Harris (NYG, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
22% owned in Fleaflicker
The Giants got embarrassed on the road against Washington and the whole offense was pretty anemic, but Dwayne Harris is still locked in for the rest of the year as the Giants' slot man. Harris saw nine targets, catching six of them for 92 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 against the Patriots. In this most recent "bad Giants" showing he saw five targets, catching two for 28 yards. It doesn't hurt anyone that he also has that outside chance at getting you a return touchdown as well. Harris has shown a lot of improvement as the year has gone on. Notably raw with route running and seeing some key drops early in the year, he has performed much better as of late and is clearly establishing some great chemistry with Eli Manning. Unfortunately, he and the Giants as a whole, are an inconsistent bunch and you're going to have to live with the highs and lows if you roster him. Look for Harris to continue to get some great targets and opportunities in the Giants' offense though, especially with their running game not being that great and their offensive line sporting multiple injuries.
Seth Roberts (OAK, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
1% owned in Fleaflicker
The inconsistent slot receiver for the Raiders struck in a big way on Sunday, catching six balls for 113 yards and two touchdowns in a game where Derek Carr and the Raiders took full advantage of a McCourty-less Titans secondary. The Raiders seem very committed to moving the ball through the air more than just about any other team, and the tale continued on Sunday. Roberts will be behind Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree in the pecking order always. He had seven targets on Sunday, but had been averaging between two and three targets in the seven previous games for Oakland. Keep that in mind before you overreact to the box score.
Markus Wheaton (PIT, WR) - FAAB Bid: $1
31% owned in Fleaflicker
Given the game he had it feels disingenuous not to include him, but one should not read into this too much. Antonio Brown was blanketed pretty effectively by Richard Sherman and company, and Heath Miller left the game with a rib injury. Wheaton is still the third best receiver on this team behind Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, and perhaps even DeAngelo Williams out of the backfield. Wheaton had 13 targets on Sunday, whereas he had seen 12 targets in the past four games. This was an outlier game, but if you're in really deep leagues then you could throw a buck at him and hope he has some life in him moving forward.
Chris Givens (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
8% owned in Fleaflicker
As we said for Kamar Aiken, Matt Schaub is now the quarterback for the Ravens and opposing defenses don't even have to worry about Justin Forsett anymore. This is a tough sell, but Givens is still available in over nine out of ten leagues and is, in fact, a starting wide receiver. Aiken is definitely worth your attention as has been pointed out, but don't let Chris Givens just fall through the cracks if you're speculating or in deeper leagues. In Week 10 Givens caught four of seven targets for 37 yards and a touchdown. He saw seven targets again on Sunday, but only was able to haul in two of them for 25 yards. He's more of a stretch the field type of guy, but there is no doubting that the door is open for any wide receiver for the Ravens to earn their way into more playing time. Givens is available in many leagues and should not be viewed as an afterthought for those who are desperate in deeper formats.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Richard Rodgers (GB, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2
47% owned in Fleaflicker
As has been said about Richard, he is reliant on getting into the end zone for his production to be worth it, and unfortunately the Packers have hit a tough stretch recently in the world of scoring touchdowns. They got back on track in a big divisional win and confidence booster over the Minnesota Vikings but then blew it against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving night. Richard Rodgers got seven targets in their most recent game, catching four balls for 30 yards. Seven targets is encouraging though. It should also be noted that they get the Raiders in Week 15 for those who love beating up on them for the tight end matchup.
Kyle Rudolph (MIN, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2
45% owned in Fleaflicker
Kyle Rudolph put up the highest total for a tight end in Week 11. He had only registered eight targets in the Vikings' three game stretch in Weeks 8-10, but had nine targets last week and ten targets on Sunday. He caught seven balls for 53 yards. Perhaps there is something sustainable here. Rudolph has been more name than production for all of 2015, and while this game more like the Rudolph that was worth rostering from years past, it seems suspicious to entertain the notion that Rudolph will be particularly useful down the stretch. No receiving option seems to be able to put up consistent targets and numbers for the Vikings, as even Stefon Diggs has receded a bit, and we all know how horrible Mike Wallace's year has been (don't get me started on Charles Johnson).
The offense goes through Adrian Peterson first and foremost (as we were all reminded of on Sunday), and Teddy Bridgewater just isn't asked to do as much. It's worth throwing a buck or two at if you're desperate for a tight end and want to see if this momentum pushes Rudolph forward for a bigger role in the offense for a nice fantasy football stretch run, but the chances are low here.
Scott Chandler (NE, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1
6% owned in Fleaflicker
If Rob Gronkowski misses time (though it sounds like he shouldn't miss much, he's being called week-to-week as of now with a "bruise rather than a tear") then Scott Chandler will step into the starting tight end role. He is a huge target for Tom Brady and we saw on Sunday night how Brady isn't afraid to loft the ball high and give his big guy a chance to go up and get it. While Chandler doesn't have the best hands, he still got 11 targets in all last night (only catching five of them) for 58 yards and a touchdown. Keep an eye on the injury reports, and even if Gronkowski does come back the Patriots still seem to be running plenty of two tight end sets, especially for as long as Danny Amendola is also on the shelf.
Crockett Gillmore (BAL, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1
20% owned in Fleaflicker
He turned in four receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' loss against the Jaguars in Week 10, and followed that up with five catches for 101 yards on eight targets in Week 11 against the Rams. While Gillmore is going to need to score to be valuable most of the time, it was nice to see him break the 100 yard barrier with this one. Unfortunately it came with the loss of Joe Flacco and Justin Forsett. Heap this on top of the loss of Steve Smith, and you've got a pretty stripped down team as far as talent goes. Gillmore is the biggest receiving option out there right now for the Ravens, but now it is Matt Schaub throwing him the ball and the running game probably won't be effective enough to make for light opposition in the secondary. Still, Gillmore is showing that he is capable of putting up some nice numbers. Now it's just up to you to decide if you trust Matt Schaub to get him the ball. See how he performs on Monday night and how the Ravens offense looks in general, but he's a decent flier that is available in four out of five leagues right now.
Cameron Brate (TB, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1
0% owned in Fleaflicker
Austin Seferian-Jenkins is out indefinitely as he's been practicing for weeks now, but has yet to be cleared. Cameron Brate, the Harvard Economics guy, has put up touchdowns in back to back weeks now with ten targets in those two games. With those ten targets he has caught eight balls for 100 yards and the two touchdowns. Brate has shown that he deserves the looks from Jameis Winston, and with ASJ a huge question mark for the rest of the year, Brate should continue to get great usage in the Buccaneers' offense and could be a good pickup for deep league owners who require tight end help.
Luke Willson (SEA, TE) - FAAB Bid: $0
2% owned in Fleaflicker
Jimmy Graham is done for the year and Luke Willson will step back into the starting role for the Seahawks at tight end. While Willson probably won't command that much of a market share of the targets from Russell Wilson, there's no doubting that a starting tight end has some decent value to him in deeper leagues and should be on radars moving forward.
