December 6, 2016

Tony Peters identifies deeper 2016 fantasy football PPR sleepers & Week 14 NFL waiver wire pickups. These PPR RBs, WRs & TEs should be added off the waiver wire as fantasy football sleepers.

It's playoff time, RotoBallers. Below is my deeper PPR league sleepers column for Week 14 of the NFL season.

In this weekly article, we are going to take a look at some deeper waiver wire options for PPR leagues and target players who could help out your team in the upcoming week.

The following waiver wire suggestions for Week 14 of the NFL season are all owned in 17% or less of Fleaflicker leagues.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 14 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

PPR Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Adds

Brandon LaFell (WR, CIN) - 17% Owned

Following A.J. Green's injury, Brandon LaFell has seen a steep increase in targets, which led to his solid Week 12 performance against the Eagles. In that game, he caught 5-of-7 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown. Over the past three weeks, LaFell has averaged over 8 targets a game, something that won't change until Green's return. While there are rumblings that return could come as soon as this week, the Bengals are in no position for the playoffs and would only be hurting themselves bringing Green back at anything less than 100%. That should give LaFell plenty of opportunities Sunday against the winless Browns and their pass defense that ranks sixth in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers this season.

Breshad Perriman (WR, BAL) - 2% Owned

Though it took awhile, it appears as if Breshad Perriman is beginning to carve himself out a place on the Ravens' offense. After catching 2-of-3 targets for 59 yards and a touchdown Week 13 against the Dolphins, he now has a touchdown in three straight games and at least 59 in two of his last three. The Patriots welcome the Ravens into Foxborough Week 14, which isn't likely to bring the Ravens a win but also isn't a curse to fantasy production. Over the past four weeks, the Pats are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Perriman only receives 3-4 targets a game to work with, so he's a true boom-or-bust for any who contemplate taking that leap.

Chris Hogan (WR, NE) - 15% Owned

Hogan may have fallen behind Malcolm Mitchell as the hot new toy of Tom Brady, but he was on the receiving end of five targets for the second week in a row Sunday. He caught four of those for only 23 yards, but he made up for that by scoring his first touchdown since Week 8. With Rob Gronkowski out for the season after getting placed on the IR this past weekend, those targets have to go somewhere (and apparently Martellus Bennett isn't an option). Five targets from a lesser quarterback wouldn't mean too much, but when they come from Brady and against a Ravens' team that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, Hogan keeps his deep league PPR value for another week.

Josh Bellamy (WR, CHI) - 0% Owned

How desperate are you? The shaking and pleading kind? Well, in that case, why not take a gander in this dumpster over here I call the Bears' passing game. Everything is free here and no worries, you're the only one to look into here in a good while. On the top, we have Joshua Bellamy, the newest Bear to top their receiving charts who has performed decently over the past two weeks. After catching 4-of-6 targets for 93 yards Sunday--leading the team in targets and yards--he's caught 8-of-15 targets for 134 yards in Weeks 12 and 13 combined. Please keep in mind if you take him home, it's just as likely this other rugrat in Marquess Wilson (12% owned) will be the bread winner Week 14 against the Lions. If you flip a coin, I won't tell. It's bad enough you are even here in the first place, right?

Paul Turner (WR, PHI) - 0% Owned

Undrafted rookie Paul Turner made a large impression in his second career NFL game Sunday against the Bengals. With fellow receiver Jordan Matthews out with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 12, Turner took over at the slot position and caught 6-of-8 targets for 80 yards, which was tops for the Eagles on the day. With many of his receiving teammates banged up or struggling, there is a small chance Turner's fantasy window won't be shut tight atop any fantasy owners' hands who attempt to reach for him. The Eagles are hopeful Matthews will be ready to play in Week 14 along with Dorial Green-Beckham (contusion) and running back Ryan Mathews (MCL sprain). But as the remains to be seen, Turner is a WR4 dart throw to keep an eye on.

PPR Running Back Waiver Wire Adds

Rex Burkhead (RB, CIN) - 5% Owned

The new Giovani Bernard, running back Rex Burkhead, is doing a decent job of filling in for the injured back and giving deep PPR players a new name to consider. Against the Eagles in Week 13, he rushed eight times for 38 yards (out-rushing starter Jeremy Hill despite receiving 15 less touches) while catching 4-of-5 targets for 28 yards. The Bengals take on the Browns Sunday, a team that, despite having a bye in there, have allowed the sixth-most receptions to running backs over the past four weeks with 21. Burkhead isn't going to take over as the feature back but there is enough wiggle room in this great matchup to give him a chance at that sweet, sweet deep PPR honey.

PPR Tight End Waiver Wire Adds

Ryan Griffin (TE, HOU) - 0% Owned

The Redskins aren't the only team finding success running out two offensive tight ends as the Texans have been doing the same with starter C.J. Fiedorowicz (an old friend of this column) and backup Ryan Griffin. Over the past three weeks, Griffin has averaged five targets, four catches and 34 yards per game. He even included a touchdown Week 13 against the Packers, his first since Week 10 at Jacksonville. The Texans will draw the Colts in Week 14, a team allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. The ceiling is admittedly low for fantasy points here but there's a ground floor, which is more than other players can claim.

Jermaine Gresham (TE, ARI) - 3% Owned

I've been unsure if Jermaine Gresham's rise through the Cardinals' receiving ranks was real at first, but it appears that now is the time to change my tune. Despite playing with better receivers than he, Gresham has been steadily gaining more traction thanks to Carson Palmer's need to adapt to his aging body and the David Johnson era. Though he wasn't able to push his touchdown streak to three straight games in Week 13, he did haul in 5-of-6 targets for 52 yards. Gresham now has at least 32 yards per game for five straight weeks, a streak he'll have little trouble bringing to six against a Dolphins' team allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to tight ends on the season.