Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players who can
help your squad and may still be available in your league. I’ll
also provide a brief update on the players I covered the previous
week.
Jared
Goff, LAR – Goff seems relatively
hard to decipher on a weekly basis, but he’s among the Top 15
fantasy QBs in 2020 and he’s coming off a solid week where he
completed 37 of 47 passes for 351 yards and one TD in a 38-28
win over the Cardinals. He also carried the ball four times for
1 yard, but notched a rushing TD in the process. There aren’t
a ton of favorable matchups that jump out this week, and Goff
has a tough matchup vs. NE, but he’s in a smash spot in Week 15
against the Jets – so if you’re looking ahead to the fantasy playoffs,
he’s your guy.
Philip
Rivers, IND –UPDATE:
Rostering and playing Rivers is far from exciting, as he’s
posted only three games this season north of 20 fantasy points
in standard formats – but he has put up a 3263-18-9 passing
line this season and has a solid fantasy floor in this matchup
with the Raiders. If you’re looking for safety and a shot
at 20-25 points from your QB, he’s owned in just 25-30 percent
of fantasy leagues.
Taysom
Hill, NO – Drew Brees (ribs) has
a shot to play against the Eagles, but with the Saints running
at 3-0 since Hill took the reins, he doesn’t need to be rushed
back. Hill is coming off another solid game (232-2-0 with 83 rushing
yards on 14 carries), but he did fumble three times and turn one
over. If he gets the start again, he’s worth a look.
Kirk
Cousins, MIN – Cousins is now a
Top 10 Fantasy QB in 2020 after a third straight week of solid
production: 305 yards-3-1 in Sunday’s 27-24 overtime win over
the Jaguars. He should be owned in all formats.
Running Backs
Adrian
Peterson, DET – Peterson (owned in
just 10-25 percent of fantasy leagues) tallied 57 rushing yards
and two TDs on 16 carries during Sunday’s 34-30 win over the Bears.
He’s been getting more carries with D’Andre Swift on the shelf,
but would retain his role if Swift can’t play Week 14 against Green
Bay.
Ty Johnson,
NYJ – Johnson is universally available and has showed
promise in the past, but he broke through with a big game Sunday,
rushing 22 times for 104 yards and a TD while hauling in both
of his targets for 13 yards in the brutal loss to the Raiders.
He would likley remain the Jets’ lead back in Week 14 against
the Seahawks if veteran Frank Gore is unable to clear concussion
protocol.
J.D.
McKissic, WAS – McKissic took advantage
of the injury to Antonio Gibson, rushing five times for 8 yards
and caught 10-70-0 on 10 targets in Monday’s surprising 23-17
win over the Steelers. Gibson's status for Week 14 is up in the
air, but I expect McKissic to be heavily involved in the fantasy
playoffs regardless.
UPDATE: Gibson has turf toe, so
McKissic is an excellent add this week.
Cam Akers,
LAR – Akers rushed for 72 yards and TD to go with a 22-yard
catch on his only target, while Darrell Henderson and Malcolm
Brown combined for nine touches, 101 yards from scrimmage and
another TD. He’s a committee back who is now nursing a shoulder
injury and was listed as a non-participant in practice on Monday.
Ito Smith,
ATL – Todd Gurley was back for the Falcons and Smith
is being evaluated for a head injury. His status is up in the
air for Week 14.
Devontae
Booker, LV – Booker eventually got
going and finished with 50 rushing yards on 16 carries, adding
just one 1-yard reception on two targets in Sunday’s win over
the Jets. If Josh Jacobs (ankle) can’t go again in Week 14, Booker
is worth deploying as a RB3/flex against the Colts.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
Corey Davis,
TEN – Davis (55-65 percent owned) continued his breakout
campaign with 11-182-1 on 12 targets in Week 13 against the Browns.
He should be owned in all formats for his upside in this potent
offense.
Cole
Beasley, BUF – Beasley gets no respect,
but he went off on Monday with 9-130-1 on 11 targets in the Bills’
34-24 win over the 49ers on Monday night. The veteran slot man
needs just 203 receiving yards over his last four games to hit
the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in nine-year career, and
I’m betting he gets there.
Keke
Coutee, HOU – Looks like I was a
week off on Coutee, who caught eight of his nine targets for 141
yards during Sunday’s 26-20 loss to the Colts. Deshaun Watson
seems to really like him, and he’s owned in just 12-20 percent
of leagues.
Tim Patrick,
DEN – Drew Lock isn’t much to write home about, but he’s
on the same page with Patrick, who hauled in all four of his targets
for 44 yards and two TDs in Sunday’s 22-16 loss to the Chiefs.
He and the Broncos WRs get another favorable matchup against Carolina
in Week 14.
TE Logan
Thomas, WAS – Thomas had his best game as a pro Sunday,
hauling in all nine of his targets for 98 yards and a big TD in
Monday’s upset win over the Steelers. He’s looking like a TE1
ahead of a Week 14 matchup against the 49ers.
TE Dan
Arnold, ARI – Arnold is a deeper league add but he
did catch two of three targets for 61 yards – both for TDs in
Sunday’s 38-28 loss to the Rams. He’s worth a look.
Deebo
Samuel, SF – Samuel didn’t really
get rolling until about halfway through this one, but he finished
with 6-73-0 on nine targets and added a 3-yard run in the to the
Monday night loss to the Bills.
TE Robert
Tonyan, GB – Tonyan was a top add of Week 13 and
it paid off with 4-39-1 on five targets Sunday.
Jakobi
Meyers, NE – Meyers wasn’t needed
much on Sunday with the Pats’ running game going so well, but
he caught just two of six targets for 15 yards. The next game
against the Rams should be better, unless he’s covered by Jalen
Ramsey. Stay tuned.
Gabriel
Davis, BUF – The rookie was targeted
just four times but caught 3-68-1 in the Bills’ Monday night win.
He’s a WR4/flex with upside this week.
