RADIO
Welcome everyone to the fantasy football Week 14 waiver wire! I’m here as always to help you make the best fantasy waiver pickups for Week 14. There are a lot of other quality players to look at adding this week on the waiver wire. This article is challenging to make relevant to all the different kinds of leagues out there. There are different league sizes, scoring settings, and roster requirements, which can make things difficult. As a general rule of thumb, I'll only be looking at players with a rostership percentage of 50% or lower, according to Yahoo! rostership percentages.
One thing I'll be adding this year is a category distinction for all players. This should help you figure out which players to add based on what your waiver wire goals are. Keep in mind that players can qualify for multiple distinctions. Those distinctions will be as follows:
- BC: Breakout Candidate – This is a player who may not be startable yet, but has a good chance of breaking out and becoming a weekly starter at some point in the season. If you do not need a starter this week, these are the players you should be targeting off the waiver wire.
- WS: Weekly Streamer – This is a player who is not a weekly starter or even someone you cannot drop, but rather they are someone you can target if the matchup is right or if you're desperate for a one-time starter. This is likely to be a quarterback or tight end.
- DP: Depth Player – This is a player who reminds me of a quote from Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners, now can they?" We'd all love to have breakout players, but it's also important to have quality depth players who can be started during bye weeks and be decent injury-replacement players.
- DL: Deep League Add – This is for competitive 12-team leagues or larger.
- IF: Injury Fill-In – This is a player who will be a weekly spot starter during the starter's absence due to injuries.
- MA: Must Add – This is a player who due to any number of circumstances, now finds himself as a weekly fantasy starter and is someone fantasy managers should be adding to their teams.
- UH: Upside Handcuff – This is reserved for our running backs who could become prominent players if the primary starter gets hurt.
All of these players are listed in the order I would advise prioritizing them by position. This includes the "others to consider" sections. If you have any specific waiver wire questions, give me a follow on X @RobFFSlayer, and don’t be afraid to reach out. I’ll be completing the waiver wire column all year here at RotoBaller and I hope to help as many of you as possible win your fantasy football league.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings – 45% Rostered
There were some whispers that Dobbs could potentially be benched out of the bye, but I don't buy that for a second. Who are they going to start over him? Nick Mullens? Nope, I'm sorry, I'm not buying it. In his first two starts with the Vikings, he scored over 24 points. Dating back to his earlier days with Arizona, he has five games with more than 23 points this season. He has five weeks as a top-10 quarterback and has another three weeks where he finished between QB11-QB16. In his third game with Minnesota, he scored 16.9 points before imploding against Chicago, finishing with just 4.5 points in Week 12.
Dobbs has been one of the best rushing quarterbacks this season. He has 400 yards and six touchdowns and it's this element of his game that gives him both a nice floor and a very high ceiling. In 11 games where Dobbs has played over half the snaps, he has eight games with more than 16 points. He's been a very dependable fantasy asset. I'd be shocked if he's benched. He's averaged 18.6 in those 11 games, which is the same PPG average as Brock Purdy, who is currently QB12 on the season.
Dobbs has a tough matchup coming out of the bye against Las Vegas. They've given up the 22nd-most points to quarterbacks this season, but he'll have had an extra week to prepare and Justin Jefferson will be back. Then in Weeks 15 and 16, Dobbs will get two of the better matchups in the first two weeks of the fantasy football playoffs. He'll play the Bengals and Lions. They've allowed the 12th- and fifth-most points to opposing quarterbacks, respectively. Barring a surprise benching, Dobbs will likely flirt with a top-12 ranking in Weeks 15 and 16.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 57% Rostered
Mayfield has had three tough games in the last three weeks. He's had to face the 49ers, Colts, and Panthers. These three teams have allowed the third, 10th, and fourth-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks this season, respectively. That is just about one of the toughest stretches any quarterback has to go through, especially since two of the three games were on the road. Not surprisingly, Mayfield struggled. He's scored under 14 points in three straight weeks. That's not good, but Mayfield isn't a weekly start. He's a streaming quarterback. We avoid him in bad matchups -- like the last three weeks -- and target him in good matchups.
Before these last three weeks, Mayfield had three consecutive games of scoring more than 18 points. He has scored 16 or more points in seven out of 12 games and has scored over 20 twice. Mayfield has played relatively well this season. He's on pace for 3,953 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. He has six games with multiple touchdown passes. He's played like a quality QB2 and someone fantasy managers can utilize in a good matchup, which is exactly what he has in Week 14.
This upcoming week, Tampa Bay will play the Atlanta Falcons. Through 12 weeks, they've allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. In Mayfield's first game against Atlanta, he completed 64% of his passes, threw for 275 yards, and one touchdown. He also had one turnover and finished with 16.2 points. He can't be utilized in Week 15 with a road game against the Packers, who have been very tough on quarterbacks this season, but he comes back in Week 16 with a matchup against Jacksonville. They've been even more generous than Atlanta, giving up 19.4 points to quarterbacks, which is the sixth-most.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – 54% Rostered
Stafford is coming off the two best games of his 2023 season. In Week 12, he threw for 229 yards and four touchdowns. It was just the second time this season that he's thrown multiple touchdown passes. He finished with 23.4 fantasy points, which was his best fantasy outing of the season. He followed up that performance with another gem this past weekend in a very difficult matchup. He faced off against the Browns, who have given up the fewest points to quarterbacks this season. Stafford still managed to throw 279 yards and three touchdowns en route to 22.9 points.
It'll be tough to trust Stafford in Week 14 against the Ravens, who have allowed the second-fewest points to quarterbacks. However, if you're able to hold Stafford through Week 15, he has the very best matchup for quarterbacks this season. Los Angeles will play Washington, who has allowed the most points to quarterbacks this season at 22.2. Stafford will flirt with a top-12 ranking that week.
Others to consider: Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts – 23% Rostered, Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints – 51% Rostered (left the game due to a shoulder injury and concussion. Jameis Winston would start for Carr if he doesn’t play and would become a solid option), Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons – 7% Rostered, Will Levis, Tennessee Titans – 19% Rostered
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Option
Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens – 54% Rostered (MA, WS)
Another exception will be made here for Mitchell as he’s just over our typical 50% threshold. With the Ravens on a bye in Week 13, it seems as though some fantasy managers may have dropped him. That’s a mistake. In Week 12 against the Chargers, Gus Edwards played just 27% of the snaps and finished with eight carries for 26 yards. Mitchell led the backfield in snaps, playing 46% of the time. He also finished with nine carries, which also led the Baltimore backfield and was the most efficient rusher. He ended up with 64 yards. He also had two targets, two receptions, and 25 receiving yards.
Based on his utilization in Week 12, Mitchell seems to be the 1A in Baltimore’s backfield. Edwards and Justice Hill are still going to play. By virtue of Mitchell’s size, he cannot be a workhorse back. However, it seems likely Mitchell will be the running back that plays the most and sees the most touches. That may only mean 8-12 touches per game. Edwards will probably have 8-10 touches, as well. Hill is likely to be the forgotten man here for fantasy purposes. Edwards will still be the goal line back for the Ravens, but Mitchell should be expected to be the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield moving forward.
Mitchell does not need a lot of touches to make a difference. Since Week 9, he has games averaging 15.3, 11.3, 4.1, and 7.1 yards per carry. He’s averaging 9.3 yards per carry and 11.7 yards per reception. He has carries of 60, 40, 39, 29, and 21 yards on the season. He’s also had a 32 yard reception. He’s a big play waiting to happen. Over the past four weeks, he’s scored 19.9, 13.1, 4.6, and 9.9 half-PPR points. That amounts to a 11.9 half-PPR PPG average. If he was dropped or is on your waiver wire, he’s a priority add.
Antonio Gibson, Washington Commanders – 56% Rostered (MA, UH, WS, DP, IF)
Gibson is an exception to our 50% rostership rule, but with starter Brian Robinson Jr. getting hurt this past weekend and being unable to return to the game with a hamstring injury, Gibson becomes a must-add this week. Hamstring injuries, especially for running backs, can be difficult to manage. They can linger and they're easily aggravated. Tee Higgins missed three games with a hamstring injury and Diontae Johnson was put on IR because of his. These can be multi-week injuries. That would give Gibson a chance to be the lead rusher in Washington. However, it's important to note the Commanders are on bye in Week 14, which means fantasy managers will be unable to immediately start Gibson. Not only that, but it gives Robinson an extra week to get healthy.
Gibson was the primary running back following Robinson's injury exit. Chris Rodriguez Jr. only played 11 snaps, so this wasn't much of a committee at all. If Robinson were to need to miss Week 15, Gibson would likely be a bell-cow running back. The Commanders return to action against the Rams in Week 15, who have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – 35% Rostered (MA, IF, UH, DP)
Spears has held almost zero week-to-week value, but he'd become a workhorse back in the event of a Derrick Henry injury. Spears is here because of his handcuff value, which could come into play this upcoming week. Henry took a hard hit in the fourth quarter and did not return.
Spears already routinely plays more snaps than Henry, but this week received 16 carries and finished with 75 yards. He has been an effective player this year, averaging more than five yards per carry. Henry’s injury status at this time is unknown, but Spears should be added because if Henry were to miss Week 14, Spears would be ranked as a top-24 running back. He’d handle almost all of the running back touches and would be in a full-time role.
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers – 17% Rostered (UH, DP)
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles – 27% Rostered (UH, DP)
Both of these running backs are some of the very best handcuffs in fantasy football. Both lack any weekly value. They're strictly handcuffs, but the upside in the event of an injury to one of their respective starters is that of a top-15 running back. I'd prioritize Mitchell first and then Gainwell.
We can't predict injuries, but Mitchell would become a bell-cow on one of the best offenses in the league. Gainwell's ceiling would be lower than Mitchell's. His situation is the most likely for another running back to creep into his workload, even though he'd be the primary back. We're running out of weeks to bet on an injury, but if you're looking for a lottery ticket, these two are it.
It's important to note that D'Andre Swift -- Philadelphia's starting running back -- took a huge hit late in the game. It was a clear shot to his chest that sent him flying backward. He was able to get up fairly quickly and seemed as though he just had the wind knocked out of him. However, it's possible he sustained a chest/rib injury or could develop concussion symptoms. There's no such report as of right now, but it's something to watch.
Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots – 40% Rostered (MA, WS, DP, IF, UH)
Starter Rhamondre Stevenson left early in the game with a sprained ankle. He played only 16 snaps of the team's 63. At that time, he had nine carries. Elliott finished with 44 snaps, 17 carries, and five targets. The only other running back the Patriots had active was running back/receiver hybrid, Ty Montgomery. He took just three snaps out of the backfield the rest of the game. After Stevenson left, it was the Elliott show. He finished with 52 rushing yards and had four receptions for 40 yards. He finished with 11.2 half-PPR points.
If Stevenson is out next week, which could very well be the case, Zeke would become a workhorse back. He would handle the vast majority of snaps, routes, and carries out of the backfield. The Patriots play the Steelers in Week 14 on Thursday, so a very short turnaround for Stevenson. Pittsburgh has allowed the 15th-most points to running backs this season. If Stevenson is out, Elliott would likely be ranked as a high-end RB3. If you need a starter at running back this week, he should be a priority add.
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – 21% Rostered (UH, DP)
Khalil Herbert just returned from his high ankle sprain in Week 11, which had forced him to IR. During his absence, D'Onta Foreman held down the fort and has been a fantastic running back for fantasy managers. In Week 11, however, Foreman left the contest and did not return with his own ankle injury. After Foreman left the game, Herbert played 20 snaps to Johnson's 16. Johnson played on 10 of the team's 12 third-down plays. He largely operated as the team's preferred pass-catching back and he should continue to operate in that role for the remainder of the season.
In Week 12, Johnson played 50 of the team's 67 snaps. Herbert played just 15 snaps in a game Foreman was inactive. Johnson finished with 10 carries to Herbert's six. Johnson also ran 21 routes and had four targets. Herbert ran seven routes and had two targets. Johnson finished with 35 rushing yards, five receptions, and 40 receiving yards en route to 10.0 half-PPR points.
Foreman should be back in Week 13, so it's unknown how the backfield shakes out. Based on Week 12, Herbert may be the odd man out. I'd expect Foreman to handle the majority of the early-down work, while Johnson works as the primary pass-catcher. Herbert would likely provide breathers to both backs. It's possible as the season moves along that Johnson will earn more work as the potential starter of Chicago's backfield in the future.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings – 22% Rostered (UH, WS, DP)
Starting running back Alexander Mattison left their Week 10 game early due to a concussion. This put Chandler in the driver's seat of Minnesota's backfield. He finished with 32 of the team's 73 snaps. The No. 3 running back, Kene Nwangwu, played just three snaps. Chandler was a workhorse following Mattison's exit. He finished with 15 carries, 45 yards, and one touchdown. He also ran 13 routes but did not receive a target.
Chandler was effective in Week 11. He was given 10 carries and ran for 73 yards. He also chipped in with four receptions and 37 yards. Chandler struggled in Week 12 against the Bears, but the entire Vikings team was terrible. Not only that, but Chicago has been playing great defense as of late. Chandler is not only one of the better running back handcuffs in fantasy football but should continue to mix in for 7-12 touches moving forward. He should have RB3 value in PPR-scoring leagues with high contingency value.
D'Ernest Johnson (1% Rostered) – Jacksonville Jaguars (UH, DP)
In recent weeks, Tank Bigsby's hold on the primary backup job became less secure. However, it was hard to know if that was actionable. That's because the Jaguars cruised to an easy 20-point win last week against the Titans and were destroyed by the 49ers the week prior by 31. Was Johnson more involved due to the blowout nature of the games? We couldn't really say for sure.
We got our answer last week in a 24-21 win over the Texans in Week 12. Travis Etienne Jr. left the game briefly, which helped answer the question of which Jacksonville running back would be the biggest beneficiary if Etienne were to miss time. Johnson played 30 of the team's 76 snaps. Bigsby played just two. Johnson had seven carries to Bigsby's one. Johnson also was far more involved in the passing game. He ran 17 routes. Bigsby had zero and Etienne had 21.
Based on the utilization from Week 12, fantasy managers should prioritize Johnson over Bigsby. However, I would still anticipate this backfield being somewhat of a committee if Etienne were to go down. At this time, Johnson should be viewed as the 1A and Bigsby the 1B and because of that, he should be the running back fantasy managers look to add behind Etienne. Etienne practiced on a limited basis leading up to their game tonight with a chest/rib injury. He's expected to be active tonight, but one wrong, big hit could lead to an increased role for Johnson.
Others to consider: Latavius Murray, Buffalo Bills – 13% Rostered (UH, DL) Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys – 12% Rostered (UH, DL), Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints – 16% Rostered (UH, DL), Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs – 27% Rostered (UH, DL), Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders – 2% Rostered (UH, DL), Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals – 3% Rostered (UH, DL), Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos – 12% Rostered (DL, UH), Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints – 5% Rostered (UH, DL), Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers – 15% Rostered (UH, DL), Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs – 5% Rostered (DL), Chase Edmonds, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 3% Rostered (UH, DL), Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals – 37% Rostered (DL)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Noah Brown, Houston Texans – 40% Rostered (MA, IF, WS, DP)
Brown wasn't active in either of the last two weeks, but star rookie Tank Dell is going to end up on IR after breaking his leg this past weekend. That'll make Brown a starter in three-receiver sets full-time. He'll likely have a 70% snap share and route participation rate for the rest of the season. From Weeks 8-10, the last three games where Brown was active, he played 72% or more of the snaps in all three contests. He finished with 19 targets, 16 receptions, and 382 yards. He racked up 7.2, 24.3, and 20.7 half-PPR points in those three contests. He didn't do anything this past weekend, but he's still a must-add with his new role moving forward.
Brown is a must-add this week. Moving forward, the Texans will use Nico Collins, Brown, and veteran Robert Woods at receiver. Brown has been significantly more productive and efficient than Woods, so fantasy managers should expect Brown to operate as the team's No. 2 or No. 3 target most weeks. Brown will likely share that role with tight end Dalton Schultz; however, he missed Week 13 with a hamstring injury. Brown should be viewed as a WR4 moving forward with weekly WR3 value. The Texans are a pass-heavy offense with rookie sensation C.J. Stroud, who is playing lights out.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders – 38% (WS, DP)
Samuel's rostership has dropped quite a bit after five weeks between Weeks 7-11, including one week where he was inactive and a couple of other weeks where he was injured and left early. In Weeks 1-6, Samuel played between 62% and 74% of the team's snaps in every game. From Weeks 7-11, due to injuries, Samuel played between 16% and 55%.
That explains why his scoring dropped significantly. His playing time picked up in Week 12 and so did his fantasy production. He had 12 targets, nine receptions, and 100 yards en route to 14.5 half-PPR points. While his production this past weekend wasn't quite as good, he did end up as Washington's No. 1 receiver. He finished with five targets, four receptions, and 65 yards.
If we eliminate this stretch of injury-shortened contests and only look at Weeks 1-6 and Weeks 12-13, Samuel is averaging 10.6 half-PPR points per game. Of those eight games, he has three with seven or more targets and four with five or more catches. When he's been healthy, he's been more productive than Jahan Dotson and should be viewed as a decent WR3. Washington is the most pass-heavy offense in the NFL and their defense is one of the worst. This combination will ensure that there will always be good weekly passing volume.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots – 26% Rostered (WS, DP)
Since Week 7, Douglas has operated as the Patriots' best receiver. Since that time, he has had five straight games with six targets or more and four or more receptions. He was ruled out of their Week 12 game early, but that didn't stop him from racking up nine targets, his second game in as many weeks with nine targets. He finished Week 12 with six receptions and 49 yards. He's averaging 7.6 targets per game since Week 7 and 5.2 receptions. He's a very solid PPR asset to have on your bench.
Since Week 7, Douglas has had just one game over 55 yards receiving and he has yet to find the end zone. Due to his average depth of target, which is low, Douglas is unlikely to have high yardage outputs and due to New England's limitations on offense and at the quarterback position, he's unlikely to find the end zone with any sort of regularity. Douglas won't be a league-winning addition, but he can be a decent WR3 in PPR scoring leagues who will likely score between 7-12 points. He was inactive this past weekend due to a concussion, but hopefully he should be able to return this week.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers – 29% Rostered (WS, DP)
Mike Williams tore his ACL in Week 3. In Weeks 3-7, until Palmer suffered his own knee injury in Week 8, he had seven or more targets in all four contests. During this four-game stretch, Palmer averaged just over seven targets, four receptions, and 84 yards per game. He's currently on IR with a knee sprain but was eligible to return in Week 13. He did not return to practice last week and there's been little information about when he might return.
With the up-and-down (mostly down) performance from Quentin Johnston, Palmer will certainly slot right back in as the team's No. 2 receiver behind star Keenan Allen. In that role, Palmer averaged 11.4 half-PPR PPG. With the Chargers' electric offense, Palmer should be viewed as a weekly WR3 with WR2 upside. It's unknown if he'll return in Week 13, but he'll be eligible to, and if he comes back, he'll immediately slot back in as a WR3 with WR2 upside.
Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns – 43% Rostered (DP)
Moore's fantasy appeal took a big hit with Deshaun Watson's injury. However, he's still worth an add in any PPR-scoring league. He has seven or more targets in nine out of 12 games. He also has racked up four or more receptions in seven games this season. Quarterback Joe Flacco started for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Flacco targeted Moore 11 times. He finished with four receptions and 83 yards. It was just the third time that Moore had gone over 50 yards. His ceiling is limited by the lack of receiving yardage and the fact that he has just one touchdown on 84 targets, but he comes with a decent floor and is a solid enough PPR asset.
He's scored over 7.0 half-PPR points in six out of 12 games. He has just two games with more than 10 half-PPR points, but he eclipsed that with Flacco. It'll be interesting to see what Cleveland does at quarterback moving forward. Fantasy managers should hope that it's Flacco moving forward. They have a history and chemistry dating back to their time with the Jets. Flacco is a better passer than DTR and should increase Moore's value. In either case, Moore is a starting receiver who is playing a high number of snaps, running a high number of routes, and earning a high number of targets. When it comes to depth players, you can do far worse than the opportunity that Moore has.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints – 43% Rostered (DP)
It's unknown if Shaheed will return in Week 14. He missed Week 13 with a quad injury. With Michael Thomas on IR, Shaheed becomes the undisputed No. 2 receiver to Chris Olave. He's a boom-or-bust option for fantasy managers. He has three games with more than 17 half-PPR points and three games with less than four points, which does not include Week 12 when he scored 1.9 half-PPR points, but only played 26% of the team's snaps. If he's able to return in Week 14, he'll be a full-time player on an offense desperate for pass-catchers behind Olave and Kamara. He'll be a decent dart throw for as long as Thomas remains out. Fantasy managers will need to track Shaheed's injury status because based on reports following Week 12, it seemed as though Shaheed's quad injury could be a multi-week injury.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens – 16% Rostered (DP)
In Week 12, Bateman played 57 of the team's 71 snaps. Odell Beckham Jr. played on just 23. Bateman ran 29 routes on 36 dropbacks. OBJ ran 12 routes. Nelson Agholor played 29 snaps and ran 20 routes, so he was even ahead of Beckham. However, OBJ had five targets to Bateman's two. This snap share has been a trend in recent weeks. In Week 11, he played 50 of the team's 65 snaps. OBJ and Agholor played on just 23 and 25 snaps, respectively. Bateman ran 25 routes on the team's 33 dropbacks. OBJ and Agholor ran 17 and 15 routes, respectively.
From a snap share and route participation perspective, Bateman is the clear No. 2 for the Baltimore Ravens. The problem is that Bateman has done very little with that opportunity since Week 10. Since becoming the clear No. 2 starter opposite Zay Flowers, Bateman has just 11 targets, five receptions, and 56 yards across three games. The Ravens were on bye in Week 13, but his playing time and routes run in the three weeks prior make him a fine dart throw. The playing time is there.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills – 12% Rostered (WS, DP)
Starting tight end Dawson Knox being on IR with a wrist injury had a butterfly effect on the rest of the Bills' offense in Week 8. This shifted rookie Dalton Kincaid from the slot position where he had typically been playing to a full-time, traditional in-line tight end role. That meant Shakir shifted into the starting lineup as the slot receiver and he gave the coaching staff something to think about.
Since that time, Shakir has been consistently on the field and has been a primary option in the team's passing attack. He's shifted into being the Bills' primary slot receiver. His production has been decent enough for a bench option. He's scored 12.2, 7.7, 2.9, 19.0, and 6.2 half-PPR points since his promotion. He has four or more targets in four out of those five games, but never more than six. What makes him a viable streamer is Josh Allen's excellence, the high pass volume in the Buffalo offense, and the dreadful Bills defense. He should be viewed as a WR4/5. The Bills were on bye last week, but they’ll return to action this week. There’s been no news on the return of Knox, which keeps Shakir on the streamer list in deeper leagues.
Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens – 39% Rostered (DP)
The Ravens were on bye in Week 13, but before that, Beckham had back-to-back-to-back good games. He had seven targets, five receptions, 56 yards, and a touchdown in Week 9 en route to 12.1 half-PPR points. In Week 10, he had just two targets and one reception, but it was a 40-yard touchdown catch. He finished with 10.5 half-PPR points. OBJ had seven targets, four receptions, and 116 yards in Week 11. He finished with 13.6 half-PPR points. In Week 12, he had five targets. He caught three of them for 34 yards, finishing with 4.9 half-PPR points.
Zay Flowers is going to continue to operate as the No. 1 option in Baltimore's passing game with Mark Andrews lost for the season. Who the No. 2 is on any given week will be anyone's best guess. However, Beckham has been the most productive player of this group of role players. Isaiah Likely should be expected to somewhat operate in the role Andrews had, but he shouldn't be expected to handle the same volume with the same efficiency.
In that regard, there could be additional volume up for grabs. Based on how these secondary options between Beckham, Nelson Agholor, and Rashod Bateman have performed this season, OBJ has been the best out of the bunch. If I were betting on one of these three players, it'd be him. It should be noted Bateman's snap share has continued to grow and he's now playing considerably more than OBJ. Fantasy managers should be adding OBJ and Bateman, stashing them on their bench, and hoping they separate from the other and settle into a more regular role.
Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers – 7% Rostered (DP)
Mingo is trending up. In the past two weeks, he has 16 targets, 10 receptions, and 129 yards. He's coming off two of his better fantasy outings on the season, scoring 8.0 half-PPR points in Week 12 and 9.9 this past weekend when he had 10 targets, six receptions, and 69 yards. The past couple of weeks, Mingo has been leading the receivers in snaps played and routes run. The opportunity has been there and in the past two weeks, Mingo is starting to make good on the volume. He has five or more targets in nine out of 12 games this season. The volume hasn't been a problem, but the production has been. He's been playing better as of late and he's worth an add in deeper leagues.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions – 24% Rostered (DL)
From Weeks 8-10, Williams saw his snap share and route participation rate increase each week. It seemed as though Williams was finally working his way into being a full-time player. In Week 11, he played on 65% of the snaps and ran a route on 66% of the team's dropbacks. Unfortunately, it seems as though his role has been solidified to some extent. He played 63% of the snaps against the Packers on Thanksgiving and ran a route on 62% of the dropbacks, so it seems as though his increased role has reached its ceiling. This past weekend, his snap share was 57% and his route participation was 63%.
In Weeks 8-12, Williams has registered three targets and two receptions in each contest. This past weekend, he caught his lone target for 11 yards but found the end zone with his one rushing attempt. He scored on the ground from 19 yards out. While he may make a slash play here or there, it's going to be virtually impossible to predict when that is. He's not all that different than Marquez Valdes-Scantling in that regard. The playing time, route participation rate, and target share are very similar. The one thing Williams has is his draft pedigree, which if you have a bench spot available in a deep league, I'm okay betting on. However, he shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a boom-or-bust WR5.
Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams – 26% Rostered (DL, IF)
Atwell's season can be broken up into two halves. The first being Weeks 1-4 when Cooper Kupp was on IR. During this time, Atwell averaged 8.7 targets, 5.5 receptions, and 67.5 yards per game. He also had one touchdown during this four-game stretch and averaged 11.7 half-PPR points per game. Once Kupp returned, Atwell moved back down the target hierarchy. From Weeks 5-12, he averaged 3.5 targets, 2.0 receptions, and 28.1 yards per game. The production could not be any different. He averaged 5.8 half-PPR points per game.
Puka Nacua left their game this past weekend with what was defined as a rib injury. He would later return in the second half and did not show any lasting effect. Nacua's practice availability is at least worth tracking this week, just in case there are any lingering effects. If Nacua is good to go, Atwell can go on being ignored.
Others to consider: Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers — 20% Rostered (DL), Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – 20% Rostered (DL), Robert Woods, Houston Texans – 6% Rostered (IF, DL), Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers – 1% Packers (DL), Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals – 7% Rostered (DL), Justin Watson, Kansas City Chiefs – 5% Rostered (DL), DeVante Parker, New England Patriots – 3% Rostered (DL), Jalen Guyton, Los Angeles Chargers – 5% Rostered (DL), Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals – 15% Rostered (DL), Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals – 13% Rostered (DL), Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans – 11% Rostered (DL), Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys — 1% Rostered (DL), Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears – 11% Rostered (DL), Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos – 8% Rostered (DL), Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants – 4% Rostered (DL)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens – 35% Rostered (MA, WS)
From 2022-2023, Mark Andrews has missed three regular season games. In those three contests, Likely has been the starting tight end. He's averaged 6.3 targets, 3.3 receptions, 43.6 yards, and 0.33 touchdowns per game. He averaged 8.0 half-PPR PPG. That would rank as the TE10 this season, tied with Dallas Goedert. His per-game averages in those three games would result in 108 targets, 57 receptions, 742 yards, and six touchdowns over 17 games.
In his first game since the injury to Mark Andrews, Likely finished second on the team with six targets. He caught four of them for 40 yards. He should be considered a weekly starter moving forward and will often find himself ranked between TE8-14 for the rest of the season. The Ravens were on bye in Week 13, but if he's hanging around your waiver wire, he's a must-add.
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos – 7% Rostered (DL)
Dulcich has barely seen the field this season. He injured his hamstring in the very first game of the season and was subsequently placed on IR. After being out for four games, he returned in Week 6 and immediately re-injured the same hamstring. Once again, Dulcich was put on IR. He was eligible to return in Week 13 and started working off to the start before last weekend's game. Hopefully, a return is in sight.
This isn’t the first time he’s struggled with this same hamstring injury. He was on IR last year to start the season before first appearing in Week 6 after having missed the first five games. His rookie season ended early to you guessed it, a hamstring injury. All of that certainly makes him a gamble, but how he performed in 10 games last year as a rookie makes him worth the gamble. This is true primarily for teams who are streaming tight ends and are looking for a consistent starter. Dulcich, theoretically, has that level of upside.
| Route Participation | Routes Run Per Game | Target Share | Target Per Game | Receptions Per Game | Yards Per Game | Half-PPR PPG |
| 84.1% | 28.5 | 17.2% | 5.5 | 3.3 | 41.1 | 7.0 |
As you can see from the numbers above, Dulcich was very good as a rookie. An 84% route participation rate is elite. A 17% target share is very good as well. His per-game averages, over 17 games, equals 94 targets, 56 receptions, and 699 yards. He did that as a rookie while Russell Wilson was doing his best Zach Wilson impersonation, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett was doing his Urban Meyer impersonation, and the Broncos were one of the very worst offenses in the NFL. Pretty impressive stuff!
With Dulcich’s rookie performance and the bleak play Denver has received from their tight ends so far this year, he could walk into a sizable role upon return. Jerry Jeudy has struggled mightily this season and it’s certainly possible that Dulcich could find himself as Wilson’s No. 2 target behind Courtland Sutton. There’s an upside here and because of that, he’s worth a speculative add.
Others to consider: Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers – 39% Rostered (DL), Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 49% Rostered (DL), Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans – 31% Rostered (DL), Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers – 6% Rostered (DL), Zach Ertz, Free Agent – 11% Rostered (DL), Brevin Jordan, Houston Texans – 15% Rostered (IF, DL), Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders – 7% Rostered (DL), Hunter Henry, New England Patriots – 26% Rostered (DL), Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints – 23% Rostered (DL), Tyler Conklin, New York Jets – 20% Rostered (DL), Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants – 1% Rostered (DL),
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Win More With RotoBaller
Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:More Waiver Wire Pickups and Advice
