Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickup Advice

Is your fantasy team in need of new blood? Each week I’ll bring to you the best pickups to make ahead of the waiver deadline. All the players I list will be rostered in fewer than 50 percent of leagues, with the roster percentages coming from Yahoo.com.

Quarterbacks

Joshua Dobbs, Vikings (42% Rostered): It seems like the fantasy community has done a solid job this season of rostering the right QBs, but if you’re stuck this week, Dobbs can get the job done. He has a solid matchup vs. the Raiders, a defense teams can move the ball on, but most importantly Dobbs can produce on the ground. He is fourth in the NFL among QBs in rushing attempts (72), fourth in rushing yards (400), and third in rushing touchdowns (6). We certainly saw his floor in an abysmal primetime meltdown vs. the Bears, but we have also seen him score a rushing TD in five straight games prior to that bad game.

Jake Browning, Bengals (11% Rostered): Well alrighty then. Browning threw for 354 yards and a touchdown on the Jaguars in primetime, and while I wouldn’t expect too many repeat performances, he has a plethora of elite skill position players around him to elevate his play. It won’t be comfortable playing him, but we just saw the ceiling and it was vaulted.

Running Backs

Tyjae Spears, Titans (35% Rostered): Spears gave a glimpse of what he could do as the lead back last week after Derrick Henry exited the game with a possible concussion, finishing with 88 total yards against the Colts. The Titans say Henry is expected to suit up for Monday night, leaving Spears once again in a position where he’s probably not startable, even against the Dolphins who should rack up points and force Tennessee to throw. If we do get word that Henry will miss time though, Spears could light it up as the top dog. This past week’s scare should absolutely drive Henry managers to the waiver wire to secure Spears.

Ezekiel Elliott, Patriots (40% Rostered): Elliott is the ultimate paradox of talent vs. volume. Once upon a time, Zeke was an elite NFL RB, but those days are gone, and what we have now is a slow shell of a once-electric player, who is now a shifty short-yardage player. With his explosiveness gone, Elliott has been a minimal contributor, but he’ll now be the clear-cut leader in touches for the Patriots. This is when we have to mention the Patriots are the worst offense in football, and this is in a world where the Jets exist. He’ll get the Steelers on Thursday night, and they have the 15th-ranked run defense this season. All season long, playing Elliott has meant hoping for a touchdown. That hasn’t changed, except that he’ll now have more opportunities for that, but his offense has also regressed. Definitely playable, but I still view him as an emergency option.

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Commanders (0% Rostered): Rodriguez is bumped up to the No. 2 man in Washington’s backfield if Brian Robinson Jr. is forced to miss time with his hamstring injury, but remember, Washington’s on bye in Week 14. Should Robinson not be ready for Week 15, Rodriguez isn’t trustworthy to be played right away. However, Antonio Gibson lands in Ron Rivera’s doghouse regularly, so there’s a slim chance Rodriguez becomes a playoff-relevant fantasy back. Could be worth a stash, but he definitely is for Robinson and Gibson managers.

Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles (27% Rostered): Gainwell is here as a weekly reminder that the Eagles have the best run blocking line in football, and if D’Andre Swift gets hurt he becomes an automatic RB2.

Rico Dowdle, Cowboys (11% Rostered): Like Gainwell, Dowdle runs behind a strong line, plays in a great offense, and becomes an RB2 with an injury to Tony Pollard. It’s cuffing season!

D’Ernest Johnson, Jaguars (17% Rostered): Johnson does not run behind an elite run-blocking line. In fact, per PFF, Jacksonville’s line is the second-worst run-blocking unit in football ahead of only the Chargers. Still, Johnson has electric playmaking ability, and he can catch the rock, so an injury to Travis Etienne makes him very intriguing.

Wide Receivers

Noah Brown, Texans (40% Rostered): Brown returned to action after putting up 150+ yards in his previous two games and promptly provided fantasy managers a doughnut. That’s tough, but it could be a blessing as it’ll likely lower his price on waivers. He’s never been consistent, but Brown is a big play waiting to happen, and he’s now got an elite QB throwing him the ball, and increased opportunity with Tank Dell’s season ending with a broken leg. Brown is the premier add at the position, and, in my opinion, of the week.

Elijah Moore, Browns (43% Rostered): With Amari Cooper likely missing Week 14 with a concussion, Moore is set to pace the Browns in targets. That sounds good in theory, but Moore will either be catching the ball from Joe Flacco or Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who stink. He also has seen seven or more targets nine times this season, and has racked up fewer than 50 yards in six of them. He’s simply not that good, and his QB play will not elevate him. He can be played in a pinch, but know that he’s a floor play without much ceiling.

Odell Beckham Jr., Ravens (39% Rostered): On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Beckham, who is all ceiling and no floor. Beckham has only seen more than five targets twice this year, but he’s scored in two of Baltimore’s last four games, and he put up 116 yards vs. the Bengals on only four receptions. The glory days are long gone for OBJ, but he can still turn a slant into a thing of beauty, and beat defenders for contested catches. He’s playable, but don’t be surprised if he bombs your team.

Tight Ends

Gerald Everett, Chargers (39% Rostered): Everett has come alive – for a TE – the last two weeks with four receptions in back-to-back games and a touchdown vs. Baltimore. He’s still not a great play, especially with the Chargers’ offense suddenly free falling, but Denver allows the most yards per game (70.8) to TEs, so it’s likely Everett sees some action and doesn’t goose you.

Donald Parham Jr., Chargers (3% Rostered): Parham is a far riskier play than Everett, but he’s someone who has had success in the red zone at times. With a top matchup for TEs on the slate, you can try to chase TDs with him. Maybe it pays off, but the zero risk is so high that I’d rather go with Everett if I’m determined to exploit the Denver defense.

Chigoziem Okonkwo, Titans (31% Rostered): Like Everett, Okonkwo is quietly seeing an uptick in work with 11 targets across his last two games. He remains an incredibly risky play in this low-volume passing attack, but he’s the clear No. 2 best choice behind DeAndre Hopkins, and the Dolphins are going to force Tennessee into a pass-heavy game script. That doesn’t guarantee a good game for Okonkwo, but it likely means he will see some work and not give managers a big, fat zero.

Possibly Available

Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams (54% Rostered)

Antonio Gibson, RB, Commanders (56% Rostered)

Romeo Doubs, WR, Packers (54% Rostered)

Drop Candidates – HODL or Say Goodbye?  

Kareem Hunt, RB, Browns (64% Rostered): HODL. The offense stinks, and Jerome Ford’s ahead of him, but Hunt is next man up and has a knack for scoring from in close.

Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers (88% Rostered): HODL. Only because if you look at the top WRs on waivers, you’d drop them to add Godwin. But don’t play him if you can avoid it.

Josh Downs, WR, Colts (63% Rostered): Say Goodbye. Good talent, but the lows are too low. Playoffs are near, ain’t nobody got time for that.

Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders (68% Rostered): Say Goodbye. See Downs, Josh.