X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

Championship Waiver Wire Adds - The Fantasy Football Finals

If you've survived this long and are playing into Week 16, then congratulations on being in either your league's championship game or the semifinal matchup (but most of you are probably in your championship week now). This column is for those of you who lost someone to injury in Week 15, are playing some matchups with your deeper plays, or just want to round out your bench for some dirty, dirty tinkering.

Week 15 was relatively quiet as far as injuries go, but we still saw Marcus Mariota, LeSean McCoy, Danny Amendola, Shaun Draughn and Melvin Gordon all go down with various knee injuries that we'll have to keep an eye on as far as severity goes. Knees are a bad time, I even hurt my knee running this weekend. David Johnson owners had a bit of a scare on Sunday night when he took a helmet to the knee as well (but he's fine, seriously, he's great). Adrian Peterson also scared his owners when he went down awkwardly on his left ankle, but he came back in no time. Other injuries included A.J. Green leaving with his back issue once Cincinnati had the game in hand, and Alshon Jeffery leaving with a hamstring issue that was not tied to the score of the game. Alshon has been banged up very often, so if you're relying on him you better send him some witch doctor remedies so he's 100%, but it's hard to imagine he sits unless it's really bad.

Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 16. I'll list the names in the order that I would attack them in. Be sure to also check out our weekly waiver wire analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all Week 16 options.

 

Championship Waiver Wire Priorities - Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) 

48% owned in Fleaflicker

Tyrod Taylor stays on this list as his ownership level continues to hover just below the 50% mark, and he responded with a very strong game with 235 yards and two touchdowns through the air as well as nine rushes for 79 yards on the ground. That is who Tyrod is. Taylor continues to construct some continuity with Sammy Watkins, which definitely helps his own passing stats and is also just wise given that he is far and away the most talented receiver on the team. TyGod flashed the rushing ceiling that he can give you with getting nearly 80 yards, and it boosted his pretty good passing line into a total line that got him over 30 fantasy points. He didn't even have to break 250 yards passing or throw for three plus touchdowns to give you QB1 numbers.

Buffalo now gets the Cowboys and Jets to finish up 2015. It's a little worrisome that he has to deal with Dallas' quick and stifling defense as well as their slow tempo offense, but his floor still appears to be very strong. With Karlos Williams coming back, naturally LeSean McCoy went down with a "minor MCL sprain". So while it's nice to get Williams back and to see Mike Gilleslee coming off of the bench for them, it still means Tyrod might have to do that much more with his own legs. He's shown good development through this year, and he can definitely be an asset to your team down the stretch.

Kirk Cousins (QB, WAS)

36% owned in Fleaflicker

Last week Cousins squared off with the Chicago defense (an under the radar improved unit) and threw for 300 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while also rushing for 13 yards and a touchdown on a crafty keeper on the read option. He followed that strong effort up with completing 22 of 28 passes for 319 yards, four touchdowns, and another rushing touchdown where he really flashed some agility. Cousins has all of his weapons around him, a speedy DeSean Jackson to stretch the field, a possession receiver in Pierre Garcon, and a reliable and big target in Jordan Reed. He utilized all of them on Sunday.

Couple this with the fact that the Redskins still can't seem to figure out how to run the ball all that consistently and a questionable defense, and you've got a good recipe for Cousins to have opportunities to put up numbers. From here on out he faces the Eagles and Cowboys. Not the prettiest of matchups in Week 17 as we saw from their first matchup on that ugly Monday night football game, but the potential is there next week for sure. The Eagles can show up for divisional games, but they are trending in the wrong direction and their defense really struggled. They also lost Byron Maxwell and Eric Rowe (both starting DBs) in the game Sunday night and their availability is in question for this Saturday. If one or both of them can't go, well the Redskins should just be able to pass, pass, and pass some more on Philly.

Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, NYJ)

49% owned in Fleaflicker

Week 12: he rocked the Dolphins for 277 yards, four touchdowns, and zero turnovers. Week 13: destroys the Giants' terrible secondary for 390 yards and two touchdowns. Week 14: blows up the Titans for 263 yards passing and three touchdowns (plus 23 yards rushing). Most of those numbers came in the first half alone as the Jets jumped all over Tennessee. In Week 15 against the molasses Cowboys team he still completed two thirds of his passes for 299 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It was a pretty ugly game and still managed to score over 20 points. He has one of the best pairs of wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker at his disposal, along with a good receiving back in Bilal Powell.

Fitzpatrick and the Jets now face the Patriots and Bills to end the regular season. Jets-Patriots games are always nitty gritty, and while the Patriots defense has played better ball as of late, we've seen how difficult it is to defend the Jets' receiving duo and still account for the complementary pieces. Fitzy may not be the best or most consistent quarterback out there, but he is a much better fantasy quarterback than real life quarterback, he's got a hot hand right now, and that is what we care about. Scoop him if he's sitting there.

Jay Cutler (QB, CHI)

50% owned in Fleaflicker

This one is more about looking forward to his Week 16 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defense that just gave up the world to Case Keenum and the Rams on Thursday night. Jay Cutler did still look alright on Sunday, passing for 231 yards and throwing for two scores while being picked off once (he completed 70% of his passes, which is encouraging). He lost Alshon Jeffery in the middle of the game and if he is out for Week 16 you'll want to re-think using Cutler, but for now this profiles as a good game for the Bears offense. Zach Miller can operate over the middle, and Matt Forte operating out of the backfield on screens and wheel routes can be lethal against a linebacking corps in Tampa Bay that is susceptible to those underneath and outside routes.

Obviously if Alshon Jeffery plays then he is at near Julio Jones levels of dominance and unlike Matt Ryan and the Falcons, Jeffery does get those red zone looks. None of those Tampa DBs can match up with him. If they double or bracket him, it means Zach Miller is one on one across the middle or that Matt Forte is unmarked coming out of the backfield. Even Eddie Royal might have a decent shot at a relevant game. That's saying a lot.

 

Championship Waiver Wire Priorities - Running Backs

Tim Hightower (NO, RB)

41% owned in Fleaflicker

This has to be submitted before the Monday night game really gets underway so here's last week's blurb again:

Tim Hightower managed to take 2015 by storm by taking over for Mark Ingram. He scored his first touchdown since September 11th of 2011 on Sunday, rushing for 85 yards on 28 carries and catching one ball for ten yards. The Saints will face the Lions, Jaguars, and Falcons to end the regular season. The Bucs are one of the strongest rushing defenses in the league, which contributed to Hightower's ~3.0 YPC, but the pure volume showed that the Saints really have no problem utilizing him heavily, and also that they really, really dislike C.J. Spiller.

Christine Michael (SEA, RB)

17% owned in Fleaflicker

I can't believe I'm finally writing this, but here we are. Christine Michael is your add out of the Seahawks backfield after he ran with purpose against a crappy Cleveland defense, going for 84 yards on 16 carries. When you rush for over five yards per carry, you're going to get some positive coachspeak and have a good chance on building on this for the next week. Pete Carroll praised Michael's effort and his focus compared to his past stints with the Seahawks, and while matchups against St. Louis and Arizona aren't great spots, if he's the lead back in Seattle he needs to be owned. Choo choo.

Spencer Ware (KC, RB) 

38% owned in Fleaflicker

Spencer Ware was an "emergency only" option at running back on Sunday (he registered two snaps), so Charcandrick West got to do all of the lifting. If Ware does come back into the fold for Week 16 though, Ware is the bigger guy who can punch in the ball on the goal line, whereas West is the smaller and shiftier type who is more suited for the "between the 20s" work. As such, West should see more snaps, but Ware will still get a chance to shine and won't disappear. The Chiefs get to pick on the Browns and Raiders to finish 2015. The Browns are awful against the run, and the Chiefs are very committed to utilizing their running backs and those matchups certainly make Ware and West both viable candidates for starting during the playoffs pending Ware's injury reports and practices this week. Keep an eye on it for sure, but if things are looking good for Ware then he is a great play in a great spot.

Karlos Williams (BUF, RB)

46% owned in Fleaflicker

Mike Gillislee (BUF, RB)

1% owned in Fleaflicker

LeSean McCoy is reportedly now dealing with a torn MCL and is considered "week-to-week" with a hope that he returns for Week 17. What this means for you is that he is out for most of your championship weeks and honestly that Week 17 hope looks very doubtful. You want to pick up Karlos first, but Gillislee has run very well in these past few weeks and is not a bad option at all. He actually outsnapped Williams 19-13 when all was said and done on Sunday, but do note it was Williams' first game and he probably was eased back in a bit. Clearly Buffalo runs enough to support two running backs, and while you hate to rely on Gillislee to break off a big touchdown run each week, this is the offense and system where it can happen. Karlos Williams still averaged over ten yards a carry himself though, carrying the ball four times for 41 yards (Gillislee had 81 yards and a touchdown on four carries). Buffalo faces the tough Dallas defense next followed by a date with the Jets, so both of those defenses play the run rather well. All the same, McCoy owners are definitely making these adds and the rest of you should be as well.

James White (NE, RB) 

51% owned in Fleaflicker <-- yes I cheated a smidge to include him.

If James White is somehow still available in PPR leagues you need to get him. Even if standard though, he has proven that he is trusted by Tom Brady and the passing attack and is a reliable weapon for them. Danny Amendola went down and even without that, White is just becoming a key part of this offense. He caught seven of his eight targets for 71 yards and a touchdown where he scampered down the left side of the field just beating defenders on their angle pursuits. He has the trust of Brady and Belichick to be the passing down back. White has 27 targets in his past three games. That's really good.

With LeGarrette Blount out for the year and Brandon Bolden (39% owned)/Joey Iosefa (0% owned) grinding out the dirty work, White is the finesse and hurry up back. The Pats are reportedly signing Steven Jackson this week, but this shouldn't cut into White at all. While the Pats probably won't be falling behind like they were in Philly anytime soon, White will still see usage, just don't count on a game like the one against the Eagles for the rest of the way. As he just showed though, he can still certainly provide you with value. The Pats take on the Jets next and then finish the regular season against the Dolphins. The Jets are never beaten with the plodder, so James White should have many opportunities working out of the backfield on wheel routes and screen passes.

Jonas Gray (JAC, RB) 

24% owned in Fleaflicker

Denard Robinson sprained his left foot in Sunday's contest and with T.J. Yeldon still a question mark moving forward thanks to his own knee injury, it may very well be Jonas Gray who gets the start in Week 16. Joe Banyard isn't someone you want to chase really, at least Gray has flexed before. The Jaguars face the Saints next week, and we all know how that defense profiles. I think the gamble is absolutely worth it for a starter against the Saints defense in a Jaguars offense that usually has to score considering its defense just isn't that good. This is about opportunity more than skill or name, but that'll play.

Jay Ajayi (MIA, RB) 

29% owned in Fleaflicker

The way the Dolphins have been playing doesn't profile well for the running game to really get any consistent usage when they always find themselves in dogfights or having to play some serious catch up. All the same, it was Ajayi who ended up with the best running line for Miami this week (he outsnapped Lamar Miller 31 to 18), rushing six times for 27 yards and a touchdown (while also tacking on a 15 yard catch on three targets). This isn't that pretty of a situation, but the Dolphins should want to see what they have in Ajayi so he'll usually get a modest amount of touches to do something with.

The majority of Ajayi's value is still 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 low-end to mediocre option with great upside if Miller goes down. For what it's worth, Miami faces the softer defense of the Colts next, and then the Patriots to end the year. You can throw Ajayi in there as a hail mary play if you'd like, but this is not recommended as of now.

Theo Riddick (DET, RB) 

32% owned in Fleaflicker

This has to be submitted before the Monday night game really gets underway so here's last week's blurb again:

The Lions resurgence really stalled out against the Rams, as Aaron Donald made the Lions' offensive line his lunch. Of course this meant that there were plenty of checkdowns to Riddick to be had as a result. Riddick finished the day with eleven targets, catching seven balls for 44 yards. He also rushed three times for 18 yards. In Week 12 Riddick caught all five of his targets for 62 yards and a touchdown. In Week 13 against the Packers he caught five of six targets for 27 yards. Ameer Abdullah does seem to be taking back the majority of snaps at running back, and Joique Bell will mix in as well, but Abdullah still wasn't getting the passing down work and it seems to be strictly Riddick's territory. They know what they've got in Theo. Available in two thirds of leagues, Riddick shouldn't be forgotten in PPR leagues. Don't forget about him as Detroit faces the Saints next (ooh la la) and then the 49ers and Bears to round out the year.

Bilal Powell (NYJ, RB) 

32% owned in Fleaflicker

It appears the Jets have finally found a really nice way to utilize Powell out of the backfield. He is showing some strength in his runs and his usually reliable set of hands in the passing game. With defenses trying their best to key in on Marshall and Decker, Powell can take advantage of the linebackers in coverage and trickle out in the face of blitzes. Powell's previous two games looked like this: 13 targets, catching eight of them for 91 yards and a touchdown, and then 46 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches (all targets were caught). This most recent game against the stingy Cowboys defense saw him rush the ball six times for 25 yards and a touchdown while catching all seven targets for 54 yards. The Jets will face the Patriots and Bills in the last two weeks. In PPR leagues he's definitely worth it if you need some help, and he's looking like a viable low end flex play in standard leagues as well. The Patriots are somewhat difficult to run over, so Powell may be called on to run some nifty routes and screen passes.

"Dammit" Donald Brown (SD, RB)

3% owned in Fleaflicker

For the uninitiated on the nickname: here you are.

Melvin Gordon went down with a knee injury and was out for the rest of the game. As of now there hasn't been any update given on the San Diego rookie, but while Danny Woodhead was out there scoring touchdowns, it was Donald Brown who rushed for 90 yards on 12 carries and caught two of three targets for 14 yards in relief of Gordon in the "north-south" rusher role. Woodhead got the goal line plunge as he was getting in the beginning of the year. San Diego gets Oakland on Thursday before dealing with Denver's defense in Week 17. If Gordon can't go then Brown makes for an intriguing low end flex dart throw for Week 16.

Cameron Artis-Payne (CAR, RB)

10% owned in Fleaflicker

He easily led the committee out of Carolina, rushing 14 times for 59 yards and catching both of his targets for 34 yards. We don't know yet what Jonathan Stewart's status will be for Week 16, but if he can't go then it looks like Artis-Payne is the add over the likes of Fozzy Whittaker and Mike Tolbert. Though it's clear that Cam Newton is still the best running back on the team right now. Carolina faces off with the Falcons and Buccaneers to end the year, with Atlanta being a much nicer matchup than Tampa Bay as far as a running back's prospects go.

 

Championship Waiver Wire Priorities - Wide Receivers

Ted Ginn (CAR, WR) 

49% owned in Fleaflicker

Two weeks ago I tried to talk about how Ted Ginn was the guy to own over Devin Funchess despite the competing reputations, and at least I can pat myself on the back for that one thing.

Last week Ginn saw only three targets, but the connection and timing was there and Ginn didn't drop them. He caught two of them for 120 yards and two touchdowns. This week against the horrid Giants' coverage scheme he saw 14 targets (that'll happen when the teams combine for 73 points), catching six of them for 85 yards and two touchdowns. He is burner and a boom/bust type who relies on the long ball much more often than your average wide receiver, but this week he reminded new eyes that he can run some of those intermediate routes as well. Luckily Cam Newton has no fear when it comes to chucking the pigskin and the Panthers are a juggernaut right now, so Ginn is getting plenty of chances.

Carolina gets to face the Falcons and Buccaneers now. The Buccaneers are a defense that we target for their susceptibility in the secondary, and the Falcons are trending downwards quickly. Ginn can beat all of these secondaries deep week in week out. Know what you're getting into, but Ginn should be owned.

Kamar Aiken (BAL, WR)

39% owned in Fleaflicker

Yup, we're going to be talking about this until the end of the year. He is the #1 receiver for the Ravens, and all #1 receivers should be rostered. Available in many leagues, you're going to want to find a spot for him if you need some help at wide out. Let's look at his resume lately. He did well against a strong Rams' secondary, posting five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, he then posted six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown against the soft Browns' defense, and in his worst effort of late, he caught six balls for 48 yards against the Dolphins on 11 targets. Last week he caught five balls on seven targets for 90 yards (against Seattle no less).

This week against the Chiefs he caught 8 of 12 targets for 128 yards and one gloriously broken touchdown (he caught a Hail Mary at the end of the first half when he just cut in front of the pack that had formed and strolled into the end zone). It won't be pretty but the guy is drowning in targets lately. Since the Ravens came out of their bye in Week 9 he has posted target totals of 14, 8, 10, 11, 7, and now 12. That plays.

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 40% mark, despite a string of nice games. Baltimore finishes their season against the Steelers and Bengals. Not the prettiest, but he's put up numbers against great defenses and soft ones alike at this point. Aiken might get 10 targets a week out of those and fall into a touchdown or two thanks to nothing but opportunity and volume, but it's not the best setup. PPR owners will want to pay more attention, but standard leaguers, well I couldn't blame you for wanting to just stay away but he's really showing that he deserves to be on your roster.

Tyler Lockett (SEA, WR)

45% owned in Fleaflicker

The Seahawks are on fire. Specifically, their passing game is on fire. They are missing Marshawn Lynch no doubt (and now Thomas Rawls), but they're putting their faith on Russell Wilson's arm and he is rewarding them. The past five weeks have seen the Seahawks put up 171 points and Wilson has been doing most of the damage. Most of this has gone through Doug Baldwin, but in Weeks 11 and 14 Lockett scored two touchdowns and this past weekend he scored one touchdown while catching five of seven targets for 55 yards. In their past five games Lockett has 29 targets and 25 receptions. When the ball goes his way he comes down with it. Coaches and quarterbacks notice this. The Seahawks get the Rams and Cardinals to close the year. Bonus points (and he's probably already owned) for leagues where return yards matter, but the fact that he can chip in a return touchdown any given week on top of his receiving stats only sweetens the pot a bit. Get it.

Rueben Randle (NYG, WR)

52% owned in Fleaflicker

I'll cheat again a little here just to throw in a general FYI and reminder to pick up Rueben Randle if he's out there. Odell Beckham is suspended for Week 16 as of now (he'll appeal, but I suspect this will go the way of Aqib Talib's appeal) and so Rueben Randle steps into the #1 slot for the Giants. Randle is one of the most inconsistent guys you could ever hope to find, as he is capable of taking himself out of entire games with running the wrong route or just dropping the football. That said, he has the opportunity to really put in some work against Minnesota this week. His ceiling is high and his floor is...well, zero.

Dorial Green-Beckham (TEN, WR)

39% owned in Fleaflicker

The man known as DGB caught five of his six targets for 119 yards and a touchdown in a Week 13 shootout with the Jags. He faced a tough assignment with a heavy dose of Darrelle Revis in Week 14, but still managed to catch three of seven targets for 53 yards. This Sunday he went out against the Patriots and caught six of nine targets for 113 yards. He is getting involved and the Titans are seeing what they have in him. While Marcus Mariota going down with a knee injury this weekend doesn't bode well for him, Zach Mettenberger has a strong arm and should be able to deliver DGB the ball still.

You know the deal by now with DGB, he's a huge guy with plenty of potential that needs to be brought out and refined. He's had some ugly drops all year, but it was clear that his size and speed is just a matchup nightmare. He and the Titans get to face the Texans and Colts in the waning weeks of the 2015 regular season. His size makes him somewhat matchup proof, but obviously going against Johnathan Joseph and Vontae Davis still isn't ideal.

Markus Wheaton (PIT, WR)

45% owned in Fleaflicker

The Steelers are here to steal your significant other, eat your cookies, trash your room, and score a lot of points. Markus Wheaton's involvement is certainly surprising given where his reputation started in 2015, but we can't really just ignore it at all anymore. Wheaton had 13 targets three games ago, whereas he had seen 12 targets in the previous four games, and ever since then it's been clear that he is involved. Two weeks ago against the Colts he had six targets, of which he caught three for 50 yards and a touchdown. Last week against the Bengals he saw seven targets come his way, catching four of them for 65 yards. This week against the Broncos he saw 11 targets, catching six of them for 62 yards and a touchdown. So he's fallen in that range of five or six catches for 50-65 yards and a strong possibility of a touchdown. That'll do.

The Steelers get to tee off against the Ravens and Browns' secondaries now, so have fun with that Baltimore and Cleveland. Big Ben and company should have their way with those defenses, and it seems like Wheaton has a great chance of being a part of the festivities. There's also the added kicker that if they go up by a metric tonne, Wheaton won't come out of the game, he should step in for Antonio Brown if the situation calls for it. Just a sprinkle on the cupcake there.

Willie Snead (NO, WR) 

41% owned in Fleaflicker

This has to be submitted before the Monday night game really gets underway so here's last week's blurb again:

Willie Snead returned to action just in time to beat up the Buccaneers' secondary. He pushed Brandon Coleman back down to fourth in the wide receiver pecking order in New Orleans and stepped back into his regular duties. He actually led the Saints' receivers in snaps (60 to Cooks' 59 and Colston's 56). He caught seven of eight targets for 122 yards and looked very good out there. Now the Saints get the Lions, Jaguars, and Falcons to end the year. Snead owners shouldn't be afraid of only of those defenses, with Week 16 looking very promising against Jacksonville in Championship Week.

DeVante Parker (MIA, WR) 

25% owned in Fleaflicker

DeVante Parker was the beneficiary of some garbage time passing for the Dolphins, and he ended up with four receptions on six targets for 87 yards. The man is talented and can stretch the field. Parker has made value three of the past four weeks really, making some tremendous catches along the way where he has shown that he can "go and get it" with the best of them. With Rishard Matthews out with a rib injury, the door is open for DeVante Parker to finally see the field in earnest and show Miami why they drafted him. Parker has stepped up for them when they needed him, and they really shouldn't stop seeing what they have in him all of a sudden. He needs to be owned in all leagues, despite the apparent scaling down of the passing game out for Miami under new offensive coordinator Zac Taylor. The Dolphins get to beat up on the Colts' poor defense next week and then finish against the Patriots where they could just get trounced early and see more garbage time opportunities. He's nothing more than a flex play, but you could do worse here for sure.

Dontrelle Inman (SD, WR)

5% owned in Fleaflicker

It was nice to see Inman return to action after a scary neck injury, and he responded by catching three of his five targets for 78 yards in a spirited crushing of the Dolphins defense. Inman led all Chargers' receivers (70 snaps) despite what the target count might lead one to think. He is involved, and while you should keep an eye on Stevie Johnson's injury status, Inman is probably worth a buck considering his strong potential to get you 50-70 yards on 4-5 catches and you could get a touchdown out of it. The Chargers face off against the Raiders on Thursday night who are pretty mediocre against opposing receivers. Stevie is the key, but if he can't go on the short week then firing up Inman could really pay off.

 

Championship Waiver Wire Priorities - Tight Ends

Zach Ertz (PHI, TE) 

36% owned in Fleaflicker

The Eagles seem to be realizing that they have a great athlete in Zach Ertz who can convert for them in big opportunities. Last week he turned seven targets into five catches for 98 yards, including one big catch and run where he leveled a tackler with a hard shoulder and then stiff armed another defender for an extra ten yards or so. This week he saw 13(!) targets, catching eight of them for 78 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles take on the Redskins and Giants the rest of the way, so boy if you play into Week 17 you've got to love seeing the Giants lined up even if you don't have any real faith in this offense. The Redskins aren't great against TEs either, ranking 25th in FootballOutsiders DVOA metric. Tap him if you need him, the stars are aligning.

Zach Miller (CHI, TE) 

24% owned in Fleaflicker

Zach Miller stepped up for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears in a big way last Sunday, posting five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown on six targets. He didn't catch a touchdown this Sunday, but he still caught all six of his targets for 57 yards. Martellus Bennett is on the shelf and so is Marquess Wilson. Eddie Royal continues to be nothing special. The Bears have a great group of running backs who can help in the passing game, but for the most part the Bears have Alshon Jeffery and then Zach Miller is the second best option for Cutler to throw to. The Bears now face the Buccaneers and Lions to end 2015. As we pointed out earlier, the Bucs are certainly known to struggle against the tight end so that will definitely play. Also, if Alshon Jeffery cannot go then Zach Miller is Cutler's #1 receiving target out there, especially towards the end zone when he needs some size.

Will Tye (NYG, TE) 

8% owned in Fleaflicker

The man has gained some serious momentum. Will Tye has now either broken 50 yards or scored a touchdown in each of his past five games. The Giants simply do not have a running game despite what Rashad Jennings is trying to do, and after Odell Beckham the Giants don't have any real consistent "#2" type receiver. Any given week it might be Dwayne Harris, Rueben Randle, Will Tye, or even Shane Vereen. Or as this past week showed, three out of the four can contribute. The Giants are an inconsistent bunch, but having a big target in Will Tye out there is nice for Manning and when the Giants' passing game is clicking you can believe that Tye has a good chance at getting you 5-8 points and if he scores a touchdown, well then bully for you. It only helps that the Giants have such a poor defensive unit that can set up the Giants passing game well for needing to get to work. Now the Giants get Minnesota (24th in DVOA against TEs and quite injured) in Week 16 and then finish up against Philadelphia (13th in DVOA against TEs but this isn't the same defense that started the year in body count or in spirit) in Week 17.

Heath Miller (PIT, TE)

39% owned in Fleaflicker

Heath Miller returned to action in Week 14 with ten targets coming his way, catching all ten of them for 66 yards. Unfortunately Week 15 wasn't as kind, as he only saw five targets and caught three of them for a paltry 12 yards. He still is good for usually 5-7 targets from Ben Roethlisberger in a potent Pittsburgh offense. Big Ben knows he has a trustworthy checkdown safety valve type of guy in the grizzled veteran. Pittsburgh now gets to pick on Baltimore and Cleveland to finish out 2015, so no one should really afraid of firing up Heath and trying to catch a piece of the action through Miller as Big Ben airs it out for the Steelers in their quest for a playoff berth.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Mason Miller7 hours ago

Could Spark Bidding War At Trade Deadline
Justin Lawrence7 hours ago

Headed For Paternity List
DJ Chark Jr.7 hours ago

Signs With Chargers
Kadarius Toney8 hours ago

Chiefs Decline Kadarius Toney's Fifth-Year Option
Matt McLain8 hours ago

Due For A Checkup
Braxton Garrett8 hours ago

Sharp In Rehab Start
Khris Middleton8 hours ago

Can't Lift Milwaukee To A Win
Brooks Raley8 hours ago

Mets Fear Brooks Raley Could Miss Rest Of 2024
Damian Lillard9 hours ago

Plays Well In Return
Merrill Kelly9 hours ago

Transferred To 60-Day Injured List
Jarrett Allen9 hours ago

Officially Questionable For Friday
Tim Hardaway9 hours ago

Jr. Still Out For Game 6
Gerrit Cole9 hours ago

Now Targeting Mid-June Return
Terance Mann9 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Game 6
Kawhi Leonard9 hours ago

Remains Out On Friday
Mitchell Robinson9 hours ago

Will Play In Game 6
Joel Embiid9 hours ago

Ready For Action Thursday
Jordan Hicks11 hours ago

Set To Start Friday Against Phillies
Juan Soto11 hours ago

Extends Hit Streak To 10 Games
Max Scherzer11 hours ago

Likely To Make Rehab Start Next Week
Edward Cabrera11 hours ago

Strikes Out Nine In No-Decision
Tyrese Haliburton12 hours ago

Officially Available On Thursday
Patrick Beverley12 hours ago

Ready For Action Thursday
Khris Middleton12 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
Giannis Antetokounmpo12 hours ago

To Remain Out On Thursday
Damian Lillard13 hours ago

Back For Bucks On Thursday
Cristian Javier13 hours ago

To Start Rehab Assignment This Weekend
Steven Stamkos13 hours ago

Begins Contract Talks With Lightning
Gary Harris13 hours ago

A Game-Time Decision For Friday
Brett Pesce13 hours ago

A Potential Option For Round 2
Sam Bennett13 hours ago

Should Be Good For Round 2
Adam Fox13 hours ago

Doesn't Skate Again On Thursday
Luke Schenn13 hours ago

Hopeful For Game 6
Auston Matthews13 hours ago

Out For Game 6
Nathan Eovaldi13 hours ago

Leaves Thursday's Start With Groin Tightness
Vaughn Grissom14 hours ago

Ready To Return Friday
Masataka Yoshida14 hours ago

Could Be Facing Surgery
Justin Fields14 hours ago

Steelers Decline Fifth-Year Option On Justin Fields
Paul Skenes14 hours ago

To Make Another Triple-A Start On Sunday
Najee Harris14 hours ago

Fifth-Year Option On Najee Harris Declined By Steelers
Zac Gallen14 hours ago

In Line To Pitch Tuesday
Christian Scott14 hours ago

To Make MLB Debut On Saturday
Alex Caruso14 hours ago

Wins NBA's Hustle Award
Jarrett Allen15 hours ago

Misses Practice Thursday
Damian Lillard15 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable For Thursday
JuJu Smith-Schuster16 hours ago

Could Be On His Way Out
Khalil Herbert16 hours ago

A Trade Candidate?
T.J. Hockenson16 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule In His Rehab
Nick Chubb16 hours ago

"Progressing Nicely"
Walker Buehler17 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Monday
Francisco Lindor18 hours ago

Out Sick Again Thursday
Alex Verdugo18 hours ago

Back From Paternity List
Ivica Zubac20 hours ago

Enjoys Great Start In Game 5
Russell Westbrook20 hours ago

Continues To Struggle Wednesday
James Harden20 hours ago

Anonymous In Blowout Loss
Paul George20 hours ago

Cools Off In Game 5
Caio Borralho21 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC 301
Vitor Petrino21 hours ago

Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC 301
Anthony Smith21 hours ago

A Massive Underdog At UFC 301
Jonathan Martinez21 hours ago

Faces A Legend At UFC 301
Jose Aldo21 hours ago

Returns At UFC 301
New York Giants1 day ago

Giants Could Sign A Veteran Running Back
Dallas Cowboys1 day ago

Trevon Diggs Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Daniel Jones1 day ago

Has Been Cutting, Plans To Be Ready For Camp
Malik Nabers1 day ago

To Be No. 1 Receiver Immediately
Trey Lance1 day ago

Cowboys To Decline Trey Lance's Fifth-Year Option
Tyler Boyd1 day ago

To Meet With Chargers, Titans
Jonathon Brooks2 days ago

On Track For Training Camp
Zach Wilson2 days ago

Broncos Not Picking Up Zach Wilson's Fifth-Year Option
Anthony Richardson2 days ago

Looks To Be Fully Healthy
Deebo Samuel2 days ago

Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel Likely To Stay With Niners In 2024
Taylor Pendrith2 days ago

A Volatile Option For CJ Cup
Seamus Power2 days ago

Rounding Into Form Ahead of CJ Cup
Davis Thompson2 days ago

A Player To Watch At CJ Cup
Aaron Rai2 days ago

Lacks Upside At TPC Craig Ranch
Min Woo Lee2 days ago

A Dangerous Pick For CJ Cup
Tom Hoge2 days ago

Seeking Second Tour Victory At CJ Cup
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Collects Two Apples In Game 5 Win
Juuse Saros2 days ago

Comes Through For Predators In Game 5
Nathan MacKinnon2 days ago

Posts Two More Points In Series-Clinching Win
Mikko Rantanen2 days ago

Helps Finish Off Jets With Three Points
Joseph Woll2 days ago

Excellent In Series-Saving Win
Matthew Knies2 days ago

Bangs In Overtime Winner In Game 5
Evgeny Kuznetsov2 days ago

Posts Goal And Assist In Game 5
Seth Jarvis2 days ago

Puts Up Three Points In Series-Winning Game
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Will Return To Mediocrity At TPC Craig Ranch
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Putting History In Texas Makes Him A Hard Sell
Nate Lashley2 days ago

Looking To Rebound At Byron Nelson
Kevin Yu2 days ago

A Flier Pick With Likeable Upside At Byron Nelson
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Playing Well Heading To TPC Craig Ranch
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Withdraws From CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Luke List2 days ago

In Solid Form Heading To TPC Craig Ranch
Tom Kim2 days ago

A Safe Option With A Questionable Ceiling At Byron Nelson
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Searching For Form At TPC Craig Ranch
Jason Day2 days ago

To Defend Title At TPC Craig Ranch
Adam Scott2 days ago

Returns To Action At TPC Craig Ranch
Bo Nix2 days ago

Broncos Won't Rush Bo Nix
Boston Scott2 days ago

Reaches Agreement With Rams
PGA2 days ago

Sungjae Im As Good Of A Pick As Any At TPC Craig Ranch
PGA3 days ago

Alex Noren Looks To Take Another Step At TPC Craig Ranch
Mackenzie Hughes3 days ago

Brings Hot Putter To TPC Craig Ranch
Cole Perfetti3 days ago

To Make NHL Postseason Debut Tuesday
Si Woo Kim3 days ago

Trendy Si Woo Kim Heads To Byron Nelson
Connor Hellebuyck3 days ago

Looking To Get Right Tuesday
Jeremy Swayman3 days ago

Back In Action On Tuesday
Matt Martin3 days ago

Out Again Tuesday
Vladislav Namestnikov3 days ago

Brenden Dillon, Vladislav Namestnikov Out Tuesday
Matt Grzelcyk3 days ago

Likely Back In Tuesday
T.J. Oshie3 days ago

Facing Uncertain Future
J.K. Dobbins3 days ago

Says He's 100 Percent Healthy
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Notches Another Top-Five Finish At Dover
Alex Bowman4 days ago

Frustrated After Finishing Eighth At Dover
Matheus Nicolau4 days ago

Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 91
William Byron4 days ago

Botched Pit Stop and Crash Eliminate William Byron From Contention at Dover
NASCAR4 days ago

Martin Truex, Jr. Faded to Third at Dover, but Remains Fastest Driver of 2024
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Late-Race Charge at Dover Comes up Short
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Takes Checkered Flag at Dover for Third Win of Season
Alex Perez4 days ago

Scores Second-Round Knockout Win At UFC Vegas 91
MMA4 days ago

Ariane Lipski Loses A Decision At UFC Vegas 91
Karine Silva4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Jonathan Pearce4 days ago

Suffers Decision Loss
David Onama4 days ago

Wins Second Fight In A Row
Brad Keselowski4 days ago

A Tire Issue On Lap 118 Impacts Brad Keselowski's Day At Dover
Ryan Blaney4 days ago

Finishes Seventh At Dover
Noah Gragson4 days ago

Nabs A Quality Top 10 Finish At Dover
Kyle Busch4 days ago

Scores His Second Top-10 Finish Of The Year At Dover
Daniel Hemric4 days ago

Ends Up Ninth At Dover
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Sneaks Into Tenth At Dover On Sunday
Martin Truex Jr5 days ago

. Is One Of The Top DFS Plays At Dover
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Will Start Fourth At Dover
Michael McDowell5 days ago

Fade Michael McDowell For the Wurth 400 At Dover
Joey Logano5 days ago

Will Not Cause Much DFS Excitement At Dover
Noah Gragson5 days ago

Is Noah Gragson A Sneaky Tournament Play At Dover?
Uros Medic5 days ago

Returns To Win Column At UFC Vegas 91
Tim Means5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 91
Austen Lane5 days ago

Winless In The UFC
Jhonata Diniz5 days ago

Wins UFC Debut
Ryan Spann5 days ago

Suffers Third Straight Loss
Bogdan Guskov5 days ago

Gets Upset Win At UFC Vegas 91
Kyle Larson5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at Dover Despite Qualifying 21st
Chase Elliott5 days ago

a Core DFS Play at Dover
Alex Bowman5 days ago

Always Strong at Dover
Chris Buescher5 days ago

Has DFS Place Differential Upside at Dover
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Value Plays: Week 6 Bargain Bin for DraftKings Including Danny Etling, Matt Colburn, Jace Sternberger, More

Welcome to the Week 6 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 6 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings'... Read More


Wide Receiver Winners and Losers for 2024 Fantasy Football

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books and we're looking ahead to which Wide Receivers come out of the draft as the biggest winners and losers for 2024 Fantasy Football. RotoBaller's David Rispoli digs into some of the notable changes at the Wide Receiver position following the 2024... Read More


Running Back Winners and Losers for 2024 Fantasy Football

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books and we're looking ahead to which Running Backs come out of the draft as the biggest winners and losers for 2024 Fantasy Football. RotoBaller's David Rispoli digs into some of the notable changes at the Running Back position following the 2024... Read More


Javon Baker - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Draft Sleepers – Best Value Picks At QB, RB, WR, and TE

The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books. While everyone wants to drool over their team’s first-round draft pick, there were six more rounds after Day 1. Every NFL team will look at their 2024 draft class three years from now and determine whether it was a hit or miss. While the first-round pick will... Read More


Early 2024 Best Ball Rankings Analysis - QB

Over the last few years, Best Ball formats have become increasingly popular among fantasy gamers. Admittedly, I have fallen victim to this trend as I prefer this format over others now. If you're unfamiliar with Best Ball, it takes the headache out of setting a weekly lineup. Instead of individually starting and sitting your wide... Read More


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Bears Clash - Keenan Allen vs. DJ Moore vs. Rome Odunze in Fantasy Football

The Chicago Bears have revamped their receiving corps over the past couple of seasons. Go back to 2022 and you'll find that the leading wide receiver was Darnell Mooney with Dante Pettis and Equanimeous St. Brown as the main backups. In 2023, the team added D.J. Moore in a trade with the Panthers. Then this... Read More


Colston Loveland - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

An Early Look at the 2025 NFL Draft: Top 30 Prospect Big Board

Alright, team, soon we'll be cruising into the sunny days of summer, and it’s prime time to lay down my Top 30 Big Board for the 2025 NFL Draft. For all you draft junkies who’ve been riding shotgun with me through the mock drafts and scouting reports this season—a huge shoutout to you! Now that... Read More


Jermaine Burton - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 Fantasy Football Rookie Draft Sleepers and Values

The NFL Draft is now in the rearview mirror. We can fully turn our attention to fantasy football rookie draft season. While the early picks in rookie drafts are fairly straightforward, the later rounds can be tricky to navigate. There are sleepers in the draft every year. If you can identify a few, it can... Read More


Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Updated 2024 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Post-NFL Draft

What's up RotoBallers! It's always football season here, so let's have some fun now that the 2024 NFL Draft is officially in the books! In this article you'll find our NFL team's updated 2024 fantasy football rookie rankings -- the post-NFL Draft edition. Use these fantasy football rookies rankings for your rookie drafts, dynasty drafts, and... Read More


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Post NFL Draft Dynasty/Redraft Rookie Rankings

Michael F. Florio runs down each position QB, RB and WR giving you his rookie rankings for both dynasty and redraft leagues. He breaks down why he ranks the players this way and how the order changes in dynasty leagues. Plus, Florio breaks down his what his ideal round one would look like in both... Read More


James Conner - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

2024 NFL Draft - Fantasy Football Veteran Winners and Losers

While the NFL Draft is a fun time for casual fans, hardcore dynasty fantasy football managers sit on the edge of their seats. With veteran players' fantasy outlooks potentially changing after any pick, it’s a white-knuckle ride not for the faint of heart. Like every other year, the 2024 NFL Draft delivered blows to certain... Read More


Nick Chubb - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

2024 Fantasy Football - Five Injured Players to Buy in Dynasty Leagues

We might be a few months away from fantasy football season, but it is never too early to start researching and determining players' value.  This article explores five injured NFL players set to impact the upcoming season. Despite setbacks, these players offer potential value for fantasy managers, especially in dynasty-orientated leagues. From dynamic running backs to... Read More


Keon Coleman- Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Draft: Fantasy Football Rookie Winners and Losers From Rounds 2 and 3

The draft has ended, and teams and fans are the most excited they will be until the season starts in September. While the draft does not make or break an NFL team, it can have a major effect on the future. Where would the San Francisco 49ers be had they not traded three first-round picks... Read More