RADIO
If you are reading this, then you most likely are in your league's playoffs, so congrats. Now, the real work begins. There is no more "rest of season" value, as it's do or die this week. Matchups are more crucial than ever, so weigh your options carefully before pulling the trigger to spend whatever FAAB you might have left on these options.
Each week, we will advise you which players to consider picking up on waivers that are owned in approximately 35% or fewer of Yahoo leagues so that you can make an educated decision about how to improve your fantasy football team. This list is not meant to be exclusive of all add-worthy players. For a more comprehensive list, check out our weekly Waiver Wire Lightning Round by position, ordered by priority. If higher-owned players not listed here are available in your league, feel free to treat them as higher-priority pickups.
As always, keep checking back here for updated waiver recommendations and always keep tabs on our NFL Player News feed. Be sure to also check out our weekly rankings and analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all options heading into the coming week.
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
Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts - 38% owned
A disappointing loss at home to Tennessee still resulted in 319 yards for Brissett - his second-highest total of the year. The major factor when considering Brissett is the health of T.Y. Hilton, who remains out with a calf injury. There was hope he could be ready in Week 13 but suffered a setback in practice mid-week. Chester Rogers is out of the year and Deon Cain was released so the Colts are extremely thin at WR all of a sudden. If Hilton does play, Brissett will get him against the Bucs defense that is still second-worst against the QB, even after exposing the Jags last week.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants - 26% owned
We have to cut him some slack, as Jones has been without tight end Evan Engram for a month and didn't have Golden Tate the past two games. Plus, Saquon Barkley just doesn't look the same and has done no favors in the running game. While it's hard to trust Jones after a three-INT outing, he gets an Eagles Defense that just got embarrassed by the Dolphins and took a major step back after showing great improvement in the secondary.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins - 10% owned
Here we are, playoff time in fantasy leagues and your best hope to stream QB is Fitzmagic. Not only did he put up his second 300+ yard game in the past three contests, he has the best schedule of any QB over the next three weeks. In Week 14, it's the Jets who need no introduction. They just lost to the previously winless Bengals and gave the Dolphins their first win of the season back in Week 9. In that game, Fitzpatrick threw for 288 yards and three TD. It gets even better next week when they face the Giants and then the Bengals the week after.
Drew Lock, Denver Broncos - 2% owned
Are you feeling lucky? Lock came out the gate strong with a pair of touchdown passes to Courtland Sutton although he wound up with just 134 passing yards. The Broncos will keep rolling with him at QB, especially after he led them to a win over the division rival Chargers but his overall output may be wanting. His ability to scramble could come into play though, giving him upside for rushing yardage or even a score. Their Week 14 opponent, Houston, is allowing the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks but also the fifth-most rushing yards to quarterbacks. Lock is a decent play for two-QB leagues.
Others to consider: Gardner Minshew (8% owned); Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (8% owned)
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options
Adrian Peterson, Washington Redskins - 39% owned
All-Day is closer to 40% ownership but he bears mentioning because he may have been dropped in some competitive leagues after last week. Derrius Guice is asserting himself as the RB of the future for the Skins but the present still looks like a timeshare. AP has at least gotten double-digit carries the last two games and was able to turn 13 rush attempts into 99 yards and a touchdown against Carolina. That may have been a matter of opponent, as Carolina is the third-worst run defense against RBs, but guess what? Green Bay is fifth-worst, allowing 27.7 fantasy points per game to the running back. They've also allowed the second-most rushing scores to running backs (13) behind only... Carolina (19). Peterson is a sneaky RB3 play this week.
Benny Snell Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers - 34% owned
The advice here is obvious: if Conner doesn't play, put Snell in your lineup. He ran for 63 yards and a touchdown against a Browns Defense that is bottom-10 against the run so he should do just as well against the Cards. It would be nice to see him get more than 50% of the carries in this offense but he still has enough upside to make him a must-start in most leagues when he's the main ballcarrier.
Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts - 29% owned
Despite the fact that Hines was third in carries for Indy in Week 13, he was the one used at the goal-line and came away with a touchdown. Frank Reich seems to be on a mission to confuse and screw over fantasy owners who started Jonathan Williams but that's beside the point. Hines will get valuable touches and should be more of a factor in the passing game with so many Colts receivers injured.
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings - 28% owned
Mattison's usual spot under "others to consider" no longer applies; he is a must-add after Monday Night Football. This is a perfect example of why you stash high-end handcuffs for the end of the season. Dalvin Cook exited the game against Seattle after nine carries with a clavicle injury. He also fumbled twice and wasn't overly effective. Mattison isn't just next in line to get the bulk of the rushing work, he caught four passes for 51 yards and will remain active as a receiver. Although early speculation is that Cook will be ready to play in Week 14, there is talk of a reduced workload in order to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Mattison will get more work than usual in a cake matchup at home with the Lions next week.
Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 21% owned
Speaking of screwing over fantasy owners, Barber and his two touchdowns were a slap in the face to all who thought Ronald Jones was actually worth playing. Just to confuse things more, Barber took 17 carries while Jones saw just six, the same as Jameis Winston. We don't really know what Bruce Arians wants out of this offense week to week, so it's best to avoid this backfield altogether. That said, Barber now has six touchdowns on the year and obviously has some scoring upside in standard leagues.
Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers - 14% owned
Just as expected, backup RB Mostert dominated the backfield against Baltimore and ran for 146 yards while Tevin Coleman carried five times for six yards. It's clear that Mostert belongs on fantasy rosters but it's hard to predict his usage, as he hadn't even seen double-digit carries since Week 3. We could look at this as an outlier or a sign of things to come, since Coleman has been less and less effective, averaging 2.5 yards per carry through the past five weeks. The Saints have been tough against the run, allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs, so don't assume Mostert will simply do it again even though he could get significant touches.
Darwin Thompson, Kansas City Chiefs - 5% owned
It only took 13 weeks but the rookie finally has his shot at fantasy relevance in one of the top offenses in the league. Both Williamses are hurt, LeSean McCoy is being "managed" and so Thompson came in against Oakland to carry the ball 11 times. He came away with 44 yards and a touchdown in a rout of the Raiders. Thompson would seem like a must-add regardless of opponent, and he is, but be warned that next week's opponent just happens to be the Patriots and the game is in Foxboro. Add him any chance you get but give some thought as to your other options before making start/sit decisions.
Patrick Laird, Miami Dolphins - 1% owned
What better way to score an upset in your fantasy playoffs than by doing it with the Dolphins' fourth-string running back? Laird scored a touchdown late after Kalen (1.9 yards and a cloud of dust) Ballage went out with an injury. All told, he somehow managed to rush for five yards on 10 carries but he did score that TD and caught four balls for 43 yards. He'll get touches and should catch a couple of balls but the ceiling is obviously very limited.
Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins - 0% owned
Hopefully, you stashed Gaskin three weeks ago as I advised. His turn may finally be here as every other Dolphins running back has been injured, suspended, or traded. Gaskin could split carries with Laird but clearly has more upside as a rusher. This isn't the week to start him though, as we don't know whether he'll even get a shot and if he does, he faces a Jets Defense that allows 2.96 yards per carry to running backs, the lowest mark in the league. He's a stash in deep leagues where the above options are not available.
Others to consider: Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys (13% owned); Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (13% owned); Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts (3% owned)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills - 32% owned
If you read this column faithfully, you know that Beasley has been mentioned almost every single week and should have been added a long time ago. He burned his former team with his first 100-yard game of the year and scored for the fifth time in the last seven games. Add Beasley in PPR and don't think twice about it.
Darius Slayton, New York Giants - 27% owned
He continues to function as the lead receiver for Daniel Jones, catching six of nine targets for 44 yards in Week 13. It's unclear whether Golden Tate will return next week but a matchup with the Eagles gives Slayton great upside regardless.
A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans - 25% owned
After a huge Week 12, Brown predictably letdown with 45 yards in Week 13. He should get back on track in a road contest with the Raiders, who are still among the most generous secondaries around. Brown has only gone over four receptions once this season, so he has more appeal in half-PPR or standard leagues based on limited target totals because of the nature of his offense.
James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers - 23% owned
With JuJu Smith-Schuster out, Washington has finally emerged. He went for 111 yards and a touchdown in Week 13. That makes an average of four receptions and 87 yards per game over the last four, with three total touchdowns. Washington has less appeal if JuJu comes back but he seems like a strong add regardless based on the connection he's developed with Devlin Hodges.
Zach Pascal, Indianapolis Colts - 17% owned
With Hilton out, Pascal was the lone bright spot on offense for the Colts, catching seven passes for 109, both season highs. Based on matchup, he looks like a must-add anyway this week, as they travel to Tampa Bay to face the defense that allows the most points to wide receivers. Of course, that didn't work out so well for D.J. Chark and the Jags last week but that's a different team and situation. Add Pascal wherever possible.
Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears - 14% owned
Yes, Miller is worth adding. He was already trending upward as mentioned last week and exploded for nine catches and 140 yards on Thanksgiving. There is rightfully some concern that Mitch Trubisky will let us all down, especially considering the fact they face the Cowboys this week rather than the Lions. It's a legit concern but Miller's 33 targets over the past three weeks show that the floor should be high in PPR.
Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons - 11% owned
Gage wasn't expected to serve as more than WR depth for Atlanta but he's suddenly one of their top receivers. He caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown and has seen 19 targets the past two weeks. Julio Jones sat out Week 13 and will be questionable for Week 14 most likely. The matchup with Carolina isn't a bad one, so consider Gage as a WR4 with upside if Jones doesn't play.
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers - 5% owned
Lazard absolutely needs to be owned in dynasty leagues everywhere but his redraft value is less clear. He looks like the WR2 in Green Bay, which carries a lot of weight. However, he isn't yet what we would consider dependable from a fantasy standpoint. He enjoyed a career-best 103 yards with a touchdown last week but the previous two weeks he had a combined 34 yards and it was just the second time all year he went over 50 yards. The big performance coupled with an upcoming matchup with Washington will make him a popular add but it's one that still carries risk.
Others to consider: Randall Cobb, Dallas Cowboys (36% owned); Mecole Hardman, Kansas City (29% owned); Kenny Stills, Houston Texans (17% owned);Demaryius Thomas, New York Jets (8% owned); Auden Tate, Cincinnati Bengals (10% owned); Albert Wilson, Miami Dolphins (1% owned); Allen Hurns, Miami Dolphins (1% owned); Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots (1% owned); Kelvin Harmon, Washington Redskins (0% owned)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Darren Fells, Houston Texans - 38% owned
Fells scored his seventh touchdown of the year against New England and remains a top red-zone threat among streamable tight ends. He hasn't caught more than two passes in a game since Week 8 though. If you are looking for TD upside without concern for reception totals in a standard league, Fells is a great choice.
Noah Fant, Denver Broncos - 34% owned
Fant didn't get a lot of love from his latest QB, Drew Lock. He saw three targets, catching one for five yards. That's not encouraging, especially considering how successful he was with Brandon Allen behind center. Give it another week though. His matchup with Houston is better and Fant has big-play ability that other tight ends lack.
O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 32% owned
Why? Why does Howard have to keep tantalizing us with his talent only to disappoint time after time? He caught a season-high five passes for 61 yards in Week 13 and keeps showing up just when we've forgotten him. He is a big question mark each week and has a decent but not great matchup this week, so he should be reserved for those desperate at the position.
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns - 29% owned
The story remains the same. He hasn't played in a game yet and is waiting to be activated officially from Injured Reserve. Even if he plays in Week 14, it's way too risky to start him, even against Cincinnati. Keep him stashed if you think you'll need TE help for Week 15 or 16.
Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins - 15% owned
This is what dynasty owners and Dolphin fans have been waiting for! Gesicki caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in the team's upset over Philly. Even though the output will be inconsistent, he's seen at least six targets for five straight games and that's the kind of floor you want in fantasy. The best news is that his Week 14 opponent is the team he posted his season/career highs against just five weeks ago - the Jets. He looks like a solid TE1 this week and possibly the next too.
Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams - 11% owned
The Cardinals really are that bad against tight ends this year. They allowed Higbee to go for career highs in receptions (seven) and yards (107) along with a score in Week 13, while Gerald Everett sat out with a knee injury. We could just forget about Higbee now except that Seattle is the second-worst against the tight end this year and comes next on the schedule. If Everett remains out, Higbee is one of the best pickups of the week.
Kaden Smith, New York Giants - 1% owned
Let's talk about rookie Kaden Smith tying for the team lead in receptions with six and leading the Giants with 70 receiving yards. That makes 11 catches on 14 targets the past two weeks. It doesn't seem like Evan Engram is coming back soon, so Smith becomes an intriguing add in 14+ team leagues wherever Gesicki and Higbee are unavailable.
Others to consider: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles (19% owned); Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills (6% owned)
Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options
Dallas Cowboys Defense - 39% owned
I guess since the Bears won't be a playoff team this year, the Cowboys have a chance to win, right? Dallas has done their best work against inferior opponents and when it comes to the Bears offense, I think that still holds true despite last week's results. Despite their modest two-game winning streak, the Bears are still scoring just 17.6 points per game this year and 16.6 PPG over their last three. The Boys should be a fine play, even on the road.
Indianapolis Colts Defense - 27% owned
The Colts got to Ryan Tannehill six times, increasing their sack total to 32 on the year. That places them squarely in the middle of the pack, the same of which can be said for their ability to force turnovers and allow points. This is a middling defense that happens to have a matchup with a turnover-prone QB in Jameis Winston this week. They'll allow plenty of points but if you're looking for turnovers alone, this is the place to turn.
Atlanta Falcons Defense - 9% owned
You could call the past two weeks a reality check for this defense that had been playing lights out the previous two weeks, but to be fair it was the Saints and Bucs they were up against. The Falcons didn't register a sack or turnover in their Thanksgiving night loss and have now allowed 55 points in their last two games. They should turn things around this week as they stay home to face Carolina. Kyle Allen has thrown 10 INT over the past six games and was just sacked seven times by the Redskins. If your league doesn't count points allowed too much, the Falcons are a decent option.
