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
for that elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp.
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 that
might be available in 12-team PPR leagues. I’ll also provide
a brief update on the players I covered the previous week.
Brock Purdy,
SF at Seattle – Purdy was one of the biggest surprises of Week
14, which saw interesting if not solid performances from at least
three QBs on the fantasy fringe. While he picked up an oblique
injury early, the rookie completed 16-of-21 pass attempts for
185-2-0 and added a rushing score. We’ll need to monitor his status
before Thursday's contest against the Seahawks, but it's only
Josh Johnson available behind Purdy with Jimmy Garoppolo (foot)
still out for the foreseeable future.
UPDATE: Purdy is still considered
day-to-day as the 49ers prep for the Thursday night game with
the Seahawks on what will be a very short week. Stay tuned to
the daily injury reports leading up to gametime.
Baker Mayfield, LAR at Green Bay – Mayfield led an amazing
comeback win on the Rams’ final drive and finished with
230-1-0 and rushed four times for 10 yards. The matchup with Green
Bay is a decent one and Sean McVay said he plans on starting the
journeyman QB for the team’s final four weeks.
Taylor Heinicke, WAS vs. New York Giants – The Commanders
were on a bye and Heinicke isn’t a great option, but he
might be worth a look in two-QB and superflex formats and in DFS
against the Giants.
Other QBs to consider (Week 15 opponents in parentheses):
Derek Carr,
LV (vs. NE); Ryan
Tannehill, TEN (@LAC)
UPDATE (players recommended last week):
Tyler Huntley,
BAL – Huntley left Sunday’s win over the Steelers with what was
deemed a concussion. Anthony Brown could make his first NFL start
Saturday barring a miraculous return by Huntley or Lamar Jackson
(knee).
UPDATE: Huntley was throwing
passes Tuesday during practice, so it appears he’s at least
made some progress.
Mac Jones,
NE – UPDATE: Jones completed
24-of-35 passes for 235-0-1 in the 27-13 win over the Cardinals
on Monday night. Next week promises a better matchup against a
weak Las Vegas secondary.
Russell Wilson,
DEN – Wilson was my nutty call of the week and he was one of the
better QBs to roster, but he did get concussed before he could
finish the game. He ended Week 14 with 247-3-1 and added four
carries for 57 yards. He’ll need to clear the concussion protocol
to play against the Cardinals in Week 15.
UPDATE: No concrete news
about how Wilson is advancing through the protocols at this point,
so you’d be wise to consider other options.
Running Backs
Jerick McKinnon, KC at Houston – McKinnon outplayed Isiah
Pacheco from a fantasy perspective, carrying six times for 22
yards and hauling in 6-112-2 on seven targets in Sunday’s
34-28 win over the Broncos. He’s got upside but could always
go somewhat absent given this offense and all its weapons.
J.K. Dobbins, BAL at Cleveland – Dobbins has made his way
back from a knee injury to earn the trust of the coaching staff.
He recorded 15 carries for 120 yards and a TD in the 16-14 win
over the Steelers and could have a similar workload and production
in Week 15.
Chuba Hubbard,
CAR vs. Pittsburgh – Hubbard seemed to overtake the main ball
carrier role in Carolina, rushing 14 times for 74 yards and a
TD in the 30-24 win over the Seahawks. He also caught all three
of his targets for 25 yards and appears to be a solid play against
Pittsburgh.
UPDATE: New England RBs at
Las Vegas – Rhamondre
Stevenson went down on Monday night and the Pats used Kevin
Harris and Pierre
Strong Jr. Both backs, practice squad stalwart J.J.
Taylor and Damien
Harris could all get the call if Stevenson’s ankle is a problem
in Week 15. Honestly, it will be tough to figure out the situation
given Bill Belichick’s history, denying us a clear fantasy outlook.
Isiah Pacheco, KC – Pacheco didn’t get the big scores
like McKinnon, but he carried the ball 13 times for 70 yards and
caught all three of his targets for 23 yards in Sunday’s
win. He’s an RB2 moving forward.
James Cook, BUF – Four carries for 6 rushing yards and
1-9-0 receiving. Not what we were looking for.
Cam Akers, LAR – Akers retains the edge as the lead back
in Los Angeles. He rushed 12 times for 42 yards and a TD and caught
his only target for one yard in the win over the Raiders on Thursday
night. He also lost a fumble, so there’s nothing safe about
playing him moving forward.
Zonovan Knight, NYJ – Knight did it again! He rushed 17
times for 71 yards and a TD and added 2-6-0 in the loss to the
Bills.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
Chris Moore,
HOU vs. Kansas City – With Nico Collins and Brandin Cooks out,
Moore recorded 10 receptions on 11 targets for 124 yards in Sunday’s
27-23 loss to the Cowboys. If either Collins or Cooks return in
Week 15 against the Chiefs, Moore could see a diminished role,
but he proved he can handle the targets on Sunday.
TE Evan Engram, JAX vs. Dallas – Engram blew up for 11-162-2
on 15 in Sunday’s 36-22 win over the Titans, and while he’ll
have a tougher time against the Cowboys, he’s a bona fide
TE1 now.
Donovan
Peoples-Jones, CLE vs. Baltimore – Peoples-Jones has shown
better chemistry with Deshaun Watson than Amari Cooper, and he
caught eight of 12 targets for 114 yards in the loss to Cincinnati.
He makes sense as a WR3.
Isaiah Hodgins, NYG at Washington – Hodgins now had TDs
in consecutive games after hauling in four of six targets for
38 yards and a score in the Giants’ 48-22 loss to the Eagles
on Sunday.
Nico Collins,
HOU – Collins (foot) was ruled out for Sunday's game against the
Cowboys.
D.J. Chark, DET – Chark had 6-94-1 on seven targets in
the Lions’ 34-23 win over the Vikings on Sunday, and Detroit’s
offensive juggernaut continues to make hay.
Jameson Williams, DET – Just one catch, but it was a 41-yard
TD. He’s only viable in very deep formats right now.
TE Greg Dulcich, DEN – Dulcich was mediocre in a great
matchup for just 3-42-0 in the loss to Kansas City.
TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, TEN – Okonkwo continues his emergence
as a viable low-end TE1. He recorded six receptions on six targets
for 45 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Jaguars and Tannehill
seems to love him.
