The final week of the fantasy football regular season is here, and there are some promising names available on the waiver wire as we get ready for the fantasy playoffs.
As a reminder, recommended adds are available in at least 60% of ESPN leagues, and the watch list consists of players worth monitoring.
The deep cuts section for running backs and receivers highlights players who are rostered in fewer than 5% of ESPN leagues, for all you “not in my league” degens.
I will not list recommended FAAB percentages for every player because there is a much better resource for researching what you need to bid, thanks to our friends at FAABLab.
Finally, I will not be ranking kickers and defenses because, frankly, I don’t care about them and would like to see them disappear from the game.
With those caveats out of the way, let’s get to it.
Contents
Best Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback
- Tyrod Taylor
- Trevor Lawrence
Best Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: Running Back
- Chris Rodriguez
- Devin Singletary
- Blake Corum
- Bhayshul Tuten
- Samaje Perine
Best Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: Wide Receiver
- Jayden Higgins
- Darius Slayton
- Devaughn Vele
- Isaac TeSlaa
- Adonai Mitchell
- Dontayvion Wicks
- Gabe Davis
- Luther Burden
- John Metchie
- Greg Dortch
Best Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight Ends
- Darren Waller
- Brenton Strange
Quarterback Waiver Targets, Week 14
1. Tyrod Taylor, Jets — Available in 95.3% of ESPN leagues
While it was not pretty as a passer, Taylor delivered a QB1 fantasy game in the first of the strong run of matchups we were targeting. This week, he gets the Dolphins, who have allowed usable fantasy weeks to Marcus Mariota and Tyler Shough in their last two games.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars — Available in 66% of ESPN leagues
I guess? It once again is not a great week for streaming, which is tough with Drake Maye, Jaxson Dart, and Brock Purdy all on bye. Lawrence has been creating fantasy points with his legs as a solid out if just looking for a floor week. Overall, Lawrence is the QB7 among qualified quarterbacks in rushing fantasy points per game this season, and he is the QB3 in that category since Week 5.
Watch List: Tyler Shough is quietly second in dropbacks among all quarterbacks the last two weeks, and the Bucs have been giving up big games. There are worse options for desperate fantasy teams…Tua Tagovailoa has not thrown for more than 175 yards since Week 9…Just when it looked like Cam Ward had turned a corner, he face-planted against the Jaguars. Now he has a very tough test against the Browns…Shedeur Sanders gets an okay matchup this week, but there is little reason to expect the Titans offense to offer much push on the other side…The Chargers continue to say Justin Herbert will play on Monday night, and the matchup is not good. Still, Trey Lance will carry some rushing upside if he gets the start.
Running Back Waiver Targets, Week 14
1. Chris Rodriguez, Commanders — Available in 87.6% of ESPN leagues
I have been bullish on Rodriguez over the last several weeks, but I had concerns based on his schedule. Well, he managed to get there against the Broncos with 41 rushing yards and a touchdown, and he was clearly the lead back over Bill Croskey-Merritt, playing 37 snaps to just 12 for the rookie. Jeremy McNichols ran 26 routes, which limits Rodriguez's overall upside, but that might not be a problem this week against the Vikings. Minnesota's run defense has been good on a per carry basis, but they have faced the most running back runs this season because their offense is anemic. Rodriguez could set a season high in carries this week, and then he gets a dream matchup against the Giants in Week 15.
2. Devin Singletary, Giants — Available in 70.6% of ESPN leagues
The Giants are on bye this week, which means Singletary is useless to any team that needs a win to get into the playoffs. We also do not know as of Tuesday the extent of Tyrone Tracy‘s injury, although he expects to be fine after the bye. For teams already safely in the playoffs, though, Singletary is a great target. The Giants get the Commanders, Vikings, and Raiders in the fantasy playoffs. As mentioned above, the Vikings have a good run defense overall, but their offensive ineptitude means they face a lot of carries from opposing running backs. The Raiders have a similar problem, and the Commanders are just bad overall. That is a great run out, and the Giants have been an at worst solid offense with Jaxson Dart at the helm. It might come to nothing if Tracy's injury checks out, but Singletary is worth stashing.
3. Blake Corum, Rams — Available in 87.4% of ESPN leagues
Kyren Williams returned to the game after his ankle injury and played 17 snaps to 2 for Corum in the second half. The Rams have also been very positive about the injury so far this week. All signs are that Williams will be fine, but Corum is at worst an upside handcuff add that could be a viable starter if Williams' injury ends up being worse than it appears right now. As a side note, Corum has been an explosive runner this season. Among 51 running backs with at least 75 touches, Corum is third in the rate of runs that gain at least five yards (42.7%) and first in the rate of runs that gain at least 10 yards (18%).
4. Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars — Available in 73% of ESPN leagues
A week after it appeared as if Travis Etienne had started to pull away in the backfield, Tuten was back in the mix. He played 18 snaps to 27 to Etienne, touched the ball 9 times to 13 for the lead back, and earned all 3 touches in goal-to-go situations, scoring a touchdown. Tuten is unlikely to become the clear lead back without an injury, but he at least has some weekly value, especially if that goal-line role sticks around, with contingency value if something happened to Etienne.
5. Samaje Perine, Bengals — Available in 95.4% of ESPN leagues
Chase Brown has been playing well as of late, so Perine is unlikely to jump him in the pecking order without an injury. Still, Perine deserves an individual shout-out as one of those handcuffs in a good offense (welcome back, Joe Burrow) who both carries contingency value and should get a solid dose of touches every week. Perine has 6, 8, 7, 10, and 16 touches in his last five healthy games.
Watch List: Corum, Tuten, and Perine got specific mention this week, but several upside handcuffs make sense as bench stashes at this point in the season. Brian Robinson Jr, Ray Davis, Tank Bigsby, and Ollie Gordon stand out among widely available players. Tyler Allgeier and Tyjae Spears remain available in too many leagues…We are not really chasing the second running back in Cleveland, but the injury to Dylan Sampson could open up more work for Jerome Ford…Arizona's backfield is in flux while we wait for the return of Trey Benson. It is possible he suffered a setback last week based on his lack of practice late in the week. If he and Emari Demercado remain out, Michael Carter should continue to have a role.
Deep Cuts: Keaton Mitchell probably deserves to be on the list above with upside handcuffs, and he is available in nearly every league…Isaiah Davis also fits that bill to some degree, but he has been phased out of the offense as of late…Jaleel McLaughlin did get 6 carries on Sunday night, but RJ Harvey is the clear lead back…Malik Davis is the No. 2 in Dallas…Ty Johnson is good for a few catches every week for desperate teams in deep leagues…If Omarion Hampton remains out, Jaret Patterson could get a decent number of carries for a Chargers team that will likely try to lean on the run with Justin Herbert injured…Zavier Scott got some carries the last time Aaron Jones missed time.
Wide Receiver Waiver Targets, Week 14
1. Jayden Higgins, Texans — Available in 63.6% of ESPN leagues
This will be the last week I mention Higgins, even if his roster rate does not spike, because I assume he is rostered in competitive leagues. Higgins has become the clear No. 2 receiver in Houston, and while we still want to see him get more routes, he logged another 5 targets in Week 13.
2. Darius Slayton, Giants — Available in 76.6% of ESPN leagues
Slayton had joined names like Kayshon Boutte and Tre Tucker, players technically eligible for the column but who I believe are rostered in most competitive leagues. Slayton's roster rate has (understandably) slipped, though, so I wanted to point out he was back to his full role in the New York offense on Monday night, running a route on 90% of the dropbacks.
3. Devaughn Vele, Saints — Available in 99.4% of ESPN leagues
I am not sure if this will be the consensus around the industry, but I am more interested in Vele than Isaac TeSlaa this week. Vele has been a consistent part of the New Orleans offense since Rashid Shaheed was traded. He has run a route on 91.4% of their dropbacks over the last three games. He had 3 targets in the first game after the trade, 7 targets in the second game, and 8 targets in his breakout this past week. The Saints have been a little more pass heavy in neutral situations the last two games, and Tyler Shough is second in dropbacks over the last two weeks. On top of those positive usage notes, the Saints close the season with the Bucs, Panthers, Jets, and Titans — a solid schedule.
4. Isaac TeSlaa, Lions — Available in 99% of ESPN leagues
While Amon-Ra St. Brown is very unlikely to play this week, it does not sound like he is dealing with a serious injury. That could mean he is back in Week 15 and that TeSlaa is just a one-week add. We also have concerns about how many targets TeSlaa will earn even with the Lions being extremely thin at pass catcher. Among 113 receivers with at least 150 routes this season, he ranks 112th in target rate per route (7.1%). Of course, most of those routes game with St. Brown and Sam LaPorta healthy. Still, with neither player available for most of last week's game, TeSlaa earned 2 targets on 30 routes (6.7%). Tom Kennedy earned 4 targets. To be clear, TeSlaa is an add in all leagues. The target opportunity paired with his athletic abilities create a high ceiling, especially in a great matchup. But there is some downside risk here, even as just a one-week flier.
5. Adonai Mitchell, Jets — Available in 97.3% of ESPN leagues
Mitchell finally had the breakout game, catching 8 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. He has been targeted on 27.8% of his routes over the last three weeks. That ranks 10th among qualified receivers during that stretch and is not surprising given the state of the Jets receiver room and Mitchell's history as a target earner. There are still real questions about this passing game overall, and Mitchell could face competition from a returning Garrett Wilson in Week 15. That makes him risky, but the usage and schedule look great.
6. Dontayvion Wicks, Packers — Available in 99% of ESPN leagues
I felt compelled to include Wicks on this list after his big game on Thanksgiving because I assume people will be looking for his name, but I am not that excited about adding him. Wicks earns targets when he is on the field. That has been the case throughout his career. Getting on the field has been a bigger concern, and that will likely be true moving forward with both Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed nearing a return from injury. Even with the big game, Wicks ran a route on 68.8% of the dropbacks on Thursday. Perhaps this is the time Wicks cements his place atop the depth chart, but we have been burned before.
7. Gabe Davis, Bills — Available in 99.3% of ESPN leagues
Khalil Shakir should lead the receivers in routes most weeks — the Bills leaned into heavy formations against the Steelers — and Dalton Kincaid will likely be back this week. Still, it is notable that Davis led the receivers in route participation in Week 13 (70.4%) even with Keon Coleman back active and Brandin Cooks in the fold. Since his return to the team, Davis' route rate has climbed from 45.5% to 60% to that 70.4% rate on Sunday. The Bills need a reliable outside receiver. Davis has been that for Josh Allen in the past. There are worse ways to spend a bench spot.
8. Luther Burden, Bears — Available in 92.4% of ESPN leagues
There is not much new to add for Burden. His climb up the depth chart has seemingly hit a ceiling, which means he likely needs an injury to D.J. Moore or Rome Odunze to really be a viable fantasy option. Still, he is getting targets when he is on the field, and he is on the field a lot more now than he was earlier in the season.
9. John Metchie, Jets — Available in 89.9% of ESPN leagues
Mitchell continues to be my top play for the Jets, but Metchie got another 8 targets in Week 13 and had been more productive than Mitchell before this past week. He is getting enough weekly targets to be a factor in deeper leagues.
10. Greg Dortch, Cardinals — Available in 94.2% of ESPN leagues
Marvin Harrison Jr. suffered a heel injury in Week 13, which could once again open up targets for Dortch behind Trey McBride and Michael Wilson. Though Xavier Weaver ran more routes overall in Weeks 11 and 12 than Dortch, the slot receiver was third on the team with 15 targets and found the end zone twice. The Cardinals are No. 1 in neutral dropback rate over the past five weeks.
Watch List: Parker Washington suffered an injury in Week 13 that seemingly could keep him out for a while…With Chris Godwin getting back into form and the potential return of Mike Evans, Tez Johnson‘s time in the fantasy sun might have come to an end…Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor face-planted with the rest of the Titan passing game in a good spot…Assuming Tee Higgins is able to return this week, Andrei Iosivas and Mitchell Tinsley should return to the waiver wire.
Deep Cuts: Kalif Raymond would be an outright target this week if he were healthy, and we perhaps should be treating Tom Kennedy the same way…Darius Slayton got back his usual role, but Isaiah Hodgins still ran a route on 86.7% of the dropbacks…Jalen Coker had a great game against the Rams, but it is always scary chasing a spike week from that passing attack. That said, his usage has been consistent since Week 8, so it is fair to bet on at least 4 targets each week…Pat Bryant jumped ahead of Troy Franklin with a 77.1% route rate and was second on the team with 7 targets. That is a situation to watch…Treylon Burks had an amazing touchdown grab and ran a route on 70.9% of dropbacks, but it is tough to imagine him commanding enough targets with Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel healthy.
Tight End Waiver Targets, Week 14
1. Darren Waller, Dolphins — Available in 80.1% of ESPN leagues
I do not have a strong lean either way for Waller over Brenton Strange, but I have Waller a little higher based on the schedule (Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Bucs). While it ended with just 3 targets, Waller got the usage we wanted coming off his injury, running the second-most routes on the team. He also earned an end zone target.
2. Brenton Strange, Jaguars — Available in 78% of ESPN leagues
Even with Brian Thomas Jr. back in the fold, Strange remained a big part of the passing offense in Week 13, and the injury to Parker Washington should mean that sticks moving forward. Over the last two weeks, Strange has run a route on 74.6% of the dropbacks and has 9 targets. He also got his first touchdown on his first end zone target of the season against the Titans.
Watch List: It is tough to chase given the matchup against the Ravens and the state of the offense, but it is notable that Darnell Washington ran a route on 80% of the dropbacks in Week 13. Of course, that was still just 20 routes, and there is a decent chance it was just a game-plan specific change. We have seen Washington's route rate spike at other points this season. Either way, it is worth watching this week…Overall passing volume is always the concern for A.J. Barner, and a matchup against the Falcons is not one where we would expect Seattle to be forced to throw…The emergence of Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie has taken the steam out of Mason Taylor despite the good rest of season schedule…Isaiah Likely is coming off a good game, but it was a great matchup, and he still ran a route on just 57.9% of the dropbacks…Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm continue to share routes in a bad passing offense…Thanks for nothing, Mike Gesicki…Brock Wright would be in a great spot this week if he were healthy, but it sounds like he is going to miss more time. Ross Dwelley and Anthony Firkser were the top tight ends for the Lions against the Packers.
