The final week of byes is upon us and the NFL saved the worst for last. We won’t have use of our Broncos, Colts, Patriots, Commanders, Ravens or Texans in Week 14, when many of us are headed into must-win fantasy matchups. So the timing of this particular six-team bye is not ideal.
But don’t abandon hope, because we have a wide assortment of waiver wire options for your consideration. Each week, we highlight the top potential pickups who remain available in at least 50% of Yahoo fantasy football leagues. Add aggressively. It’s winning time, people. Let’s start with the week’s priority pickup …
Recommended FAB offer (assuming $100 budget): All of it.
Guerendo had been buried in the backfield hierarchy for the Niners as a rookie, despite flashing obvious talent when presented with opportunities. He’s suddenly headed for huge rest-of-season role after San Francisco lost both Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Jordan Mason (high-ankle) in Sunday night’s loss to Buffalo. Guerendo made a house call against the Bills, finishing with 19 yards on four carries. He’s averaging 5.9 yards per carry on his 42 attempts this season, so you can’t argue with the efficiency.
While Guerendo doesn’t posses CMC’s all-situation skill set or Mason’s wrecking ball running style, he does have 4.33 speed and cartoonish athleticism. His elite physical traits have translated to game action, without question. He’s the clear priority on the wire this week ahead of a matchup with Chicago. This is an empty-the-wallet situation, people.
We should of course be alert to the fact that San Francisco’s offense has fold-the-tents potential at all times, so let’s not pretend Guerendo is an undeniable RB1. He is, however, the clear featured runner in a Kyle Shanahan ground game. He deserves all your remaining FAB.
FAB: $11
Bigsby had a quiet afternoon in his return from injury, converting eight touches into 35 scrimmage yards against Houston. However, he did split snaps in a relatively even way with Travis Etienne (32 vs. 37) in a game in which Jacksonville fell behind by multiple scores. So that’s an encouraging development. Bigsby has been one of the league’s most elusive backs throughout the year, entering the week averaging 5.5 YPC and a ridiculous 4.3 yards after contact per attempt. He’s a solid option in the upcoming matchup with the Titans, a team that isn’t likely to force the Jaguars into negative game script. Whenever the run is in play for Jacksonville, Bigsby is a Mjölnir-level weapon.
FAB: $9
Mattison was sidelined by an ankle issue in Vegas’ previous two games, but he returned to limited practices last week, so he’s a decent bet to be available on Sunday at Tampa Bay. Let’s recall that he was routinely playing over 60% of the snaps prior to the injury, running as his team’s clear lead back. He averaged 20.3 touches per game in Weeks 5-8.
It’s unclear how the backfield touches will be distributed for the Raiders moving forward, but Mattison should retain a sizable role. The Bucs D certainly hasn’t been a stay-away matchup this season, so Mattison can be flexed as needed, assuming he returns.
FAB: $7
Kyren Williams was looking suspiciously like a third-down back for over a quarter of football on Sunday against the Saints, as Corum took five early carries for 32 yards. Williams ultimately reasserted himself, delivering 113 total yards and one spike on 16 touches, but Corum offered a solid proof-of-concept performance. The rookie finished with 42 yards on eight carries, seeing plenty of playing time throughout. He’s now firmly established as a premium understudy back, a player who would have must-start status if Williams were to miss time.
Jonathon Brooks saw his usage grow this past weekend (nine touches) while also seeing his fantasy roster percentage slip just below 50%. He’s exactly the sort of flier we need to be taking this time of year, so give the wire a quick check for his name (and be careful to select the correct “J. Brooks.”)
Ray Davis was involved early in Sunday night’s demolition of the Niners, scoring the game’s first touchdown. He also served as the closer for Buffalo when the win was beyond doubt. Davis finished with 67 yards on a dozen touches, highlighting his significant fantasy upside in the event James Cook ever misses any time.
Sincere McCormick has totaled 97 yards on 17 carries for the Raiders over the past two weeks, taking full advantage of the opportunity presented via injuries at the top of his team’s backfield depth chart. If Zamir White can’t make it back this week (and maybe even if he can), McCormick deserves touches.
This bullet will simply serve as your weekly reminder that Tyler Allgeier is good at football (4.8 YPC this season), he has a regular recurring role in Atlanta’s offense and he would be a no-doubt must-start if not for the presence of Bijan Robinson.
Jerome Ford received so much playing time on Monday night that Joe Buck seemed truly flummoxed. In fact, Ford has actually played plenty of snaps with Nick Chubb back in the mix. With a mega-bye ahead of us, he’s a better-than-nothin’ deep league flex.
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FAB: $21
Well, this is something of a gift.
Tillman was mass-dropped in Yahoo leagues last week while navigating the league’s concussion protocol, yet there’s no reason to think of him as anything less than Cleveland’s No. 1 or 1A receiving option. He was targeted 40 times in a four-game stretch between Weeks 7 and 11, delivering 302 yards and three touchdowns, breaking out in an emphatic way with Jameis Winston at the controls. Tillman was on his way to another significant target total in Week 12 against the Steelers before being removed from the game.
Simply put, Tillman belongs on someone’s roster in any league with 10 or more teams. He should be viewed as a top-30 fantasy receiver with WR1 upside when healthy. He gets a Sunday rematch this week at Pittsburgh, followed by dates with Kansas City, Cincinnati and Miami.
FAB: $9
Thielen delivered a vintage performance on Sunday, hauling in seven balls for 83 yards and a late go-ahead score. He probably caught a second touchdown, but replay officials didn’t see it that way. Nevertheless, he’s clearly reestablished himself as a volume receiver in a suddenly dangerous passing game. He gave us a catch-of-the-year candidate in overtime, too:
Bryce Young is playing the best ball of his pro career, and Thielen is clearly a prime beneficiary. He’s approved for use down the stretch, although the game ahead at Philly is gonna be a challenge.
FAB: $7
OK, fine, we give. We are late to the Westbrook-Ikhine party. His name has been buried in the “Additional WRs” bullets for several weeks, but it’s past time to give this man credit for one of the wildest receiving seasons in recent memory. After Sunday’s three-catch, two-TD performance at Washington, he’s up to 20 receptions and eight scores on the season. Obviously, that’s a ridiculous ratio, and this scheduled-weekly-touchdown thing should be unsustainable.
And yet, well … these things just keep happening:
It’s time to simply accept that which we cannot explain.
Westbrook-Ikhine played every snap on Sunday and he’s actually seen 19 targets over his last three games, so the usage is not a problem. Ideally, you will not need to tie your fantasy fate to a Will Levis-led offense, but tough decisions must be made when six teams are on bye. The Titans have a series of friendly matchups on deck, for what it’s worth (JAC, CIN, at IND).
Another week, another two-catch, one-TD performance from Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Apparently MVS needed Derek Carr to unlock his vast, untapped touchdown-scoring potential.
Parker Washington saw a dozen targets in a six-catch, 103-yard breakout performance for the Jags on Sunday. Unfortunately, it seems likely he’ll be catching passes from Mac Jones next week and perhaps beyond. He’s only a desperation PPR option for Week 14.
Will Dissly didn’t play his way into the box-score in Week 13, going receptionless while drawing only one target. He still played 63% of the snaps against Atlanta, however, and he’d caught at least four passes in each of his previous three games. Dissly has a matchup ahead with a Chiefs defense that’s allowed the most catches (80) and receiving yards (942) to opposing tight ends, so he remains squarely on the fantasy radar.
Cole Kmet has reemerged as a useful piece of the Bears passing game over the past three weeks, benefitting from the OC change like all other Chicago skill players. In a week with a bunch of quality tight ends on bye, Kmet is a viable starter in all formats.
Dawson Knox had a quiet two-catch, 56-yard performance on Sunday night, but his receiving services weren’t necessarily required, given Buffalo’s complete and utter command of the game. If Dalton Kincaid (knee) remains out of the mix, Knox deserves consideration.
FAB: $9
Russ was dealing on Sunday at Cincinnati, passing for 257 yards and two scores in the game’s first-half. He tossed a pick-six as well, but the turnover was more the result of a curious non-call by the officials. Wilson eventually finished with 414 yards and three touchdown passes, connecting with 10 different receivers. He went 6-for-7 for 164 yards and two scores on throws traveling 15-plus yards according to PFF, so the moonball was activated.
Also, Wilson benefits from the fact that George Pickens is occasionally unfair:
(At other times, Pickens makes things pretty weird. Every game is a journey for No. 14.)
Wilson gets a beatable home matchup this week with Cleveland, a middle-of-the-pack pass defense that’s intercepted only two passes on the season. If his team can manage to contain Myles Garrett (at least partially), Wilson should deliver his fourth multi-touchdown performance of the year. He then has another favorable matchup ahead with Baltimore in Week 16, so consider keeping him on the roster through the fantasy semi-finals.
Jameis Winston just put up the sort of ludicrous stat line on Monday night that perhaps only he is capable of producing, complete with multiple touchdown passes to his own team as well as the opponent. He finished with nearly 500 passing yards against Denver while accounting for six TDs (four for the Browns, two for the Broncos). It was magnificent. Winston clearly has plenty of quality weapons at his disposal and the greenest possible light to target them; he’s averaging 43.6 pass attempts per game in his five starts for Clevelend and ranks among the NFL leaders in average depth of target. He’ll face the Steelers on Sunday, a defense he recently beat in that delightful snow globe game back in Week 12. Embrace the chaos and fire him up.
Aidan O’Connell kinda had his way with the Chiefs defense on Black Friday, passing for 340 yards and a pair of scores. He’s heading into a stellar matchup at Tampa Bay, plus he’s the guy who gets to throw to Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. Desperate times call for desperate sit-start measures, folks; O’Connell deserves a look if you have QB needs.
Will Levis absolutely terrifies me, as he must terrify all fans of the Titans. But the schedule ahead for Tennessee’s offense is unreasonably friendly (JAC, CIN, at IND, at JAC), so he’s going to rank as a playable deep-league option.
Improbably, Cooper Rush has directed back-to-back Dallas wins, looking competent enough in the process. The team has a string of friendly matchups ahead (CIN, at CAR, TB), which elevates Rush into the deep-league streaming conversation. His ceiling is of course tied to the health of CeeDee Lamb who aggravated his shoulder issue on Thanksgiving, so we’ll need to keep an eye on that situation.
FAB: $2
After a less-than-ideal start to the season, Arizona’s defense has truly played well over the past month. This group has delivered 19 sacks over its last four games, allowing only 13.5 PPG during that stretch. The Cards are headed into a critical home matchup with Seattle’s high-volume passing attack, so there are plenty of dropbacks ahead. Arizona will then face the Patriots and Panthers in Weeks 15-16, so this is a D you can comfortably use as we reach the can’t-lose portion of our fantasy schedule.
FAB: $1
Whatever else you may think about the Titans, please know this team’s defense had actually played reasonably well over the season’s first three months — at least until Washington picked them apart on Sunday.
Tennessee entered Week 13 ranked ninth against the run and first overall against the pass, allowing only 276.4 total yards per game. The Titans still have both matchups ahead against Jacksonville — including a home date in Week 14 — plus they face the Colts in the fantasy semis. This unit should provide a satisfactory number of sacks and takeaways over the next four weeks, with a decent chance of a defensive TD or two along the way.
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