Fantasy Football 2021 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 owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues, with the roster percentages coming from Yahoo.com
Quarterbacks
Taysom Hill, Saints (34% Rostered): Hill’s upcoming matchups look glorious – at Jets, at Tampa Bay, vs. Miami – but beware, Hill injured his finger on Thursday in a similar fashion to what landed Russell Wilson on IR, and has hampered him since he came back. Obviously, you’re not relying on Hill’s passing the same way you’re counting on Wilson, but as good as Hill is running the football, you do need him to be able to throw a bit. We all laughed at his four interceptions Thursday and shook our heads at how his rushing kept him productive. But we can’t ignore that he also threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns. If that passing upside isn’t present, he’s not the week-winner we’re hoping for with a pickup. His rushing gives him a low-end QB1 floor, but I’m worried that the hand injury has ruined his Top 5 ceiling.
Cam Newton, Panthers (29% Rostered): Newton was atrocious in Week 12, throwing for 92 yards, two picks and getting benched. He also only ran for five yards – with a touchdown – which got offensive coordinator Joe Bray fired. While Newton isn’t a rest of season option, I’d absolutely be willing to fire him up this week against the Falcons. Week 12 was nightmarish, but in Week 11 he hung 189 yards and two touchdowns through the air on Washington, while adding 46 rushing yards and a rushing TD. Newton is high risk, but you can’t find much more upside on waivers at the position.
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (41% Rostered): Tua is on bye this week, so he’ll definitely be free. He’s very sneaky rest of season as well, with the Jets, Saints and Titans on the schedule. He’s thrown for multiple touchdowns in two of his last three, and actually attempted 41 passes vs. the Giants on Sunday. He’s not throwing deep much, which lowers the ceiling, but he’s been incredibly accurate and has Jaylen Waddle evolving into a PPR monster. I think he’s pretty safe rest of season.
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (32% Rostered): Garoppolo may never have a ceiling game this year, but he threw 30 times last week for 299 yards and two touchdowns, damaging an otherwise solid outing with two picks. He’s unexciting, and lacks the ceiling of Hill or Newton, but he has great matchups – at Cincinnati, vs. Atlanta, at Tennessee – and he might have Deebo Samuel back as soon as this week. He’ll be a free add, so if you can’t snag Hill or Newton, Jimmy G is probably not going to murder you rest of season.
Running Backs
Tevin Coleman, Jets (41% Rostered): Coleman currently seems like a safe bet to not goose his managers. That’s frightening, and his ceiling is very very low due to the Jets pitiful offense, but he’s seen double-digit carries in back-to-back games, and this past week the Jets weren’t in an ideal game script. Chances are you’re in bad shape if you need to play Coleman, but he’s going to see work and has a shot at a touchdown.
Ameer Abdullah, Panthers (4% Rostered): Abdullah didn’t see his roster percentage rise much due to Carolina’s bye week, but he could wind up being a fairly impactful player. Chuba Hubbard is the handcuff for McCaffery, but Abdullah has gotten some run in passing down situations. This week’s matchup vs. Atlanta could be higher-scoring, and while you may understandably not want to trust him right away, there’s a shot he’s in playoff lineups. He quietly saw nearly half Carolina’s offensive snaps in Week 12.
Dontrell Hilliard, Titans (41% Rostered): Hilliard has looked like the more explosive of Tennessee’s duo since Derrick Henry’s been out, and he saw 51% of the snaps the last time we saw the Titans on the field. His 131 yards were juiced by one long run, and otherwise his usage and production are similar to D’Onta Foreman’s. Both players can be useful, but Hilliard is capable of doing more with fewer touches. Expect both players to be utilized heavily with A.J. Brown off the field.
D’Onta Foreman, Titans (41% Rostered): Foreman was on the field for slightly fewer snaps than Hilliard, but he saw more volume when he was out there. He turned 19 carries into 109 yards, and is the preferred option near the goal line. While Hilliard is a big play threat, I’d prefer to roster Foreman because I have more trust in the goal line work. Jeremy McNichols could potentially throw a wrench into this whole rotation, but both Foreman and Hilliard have done more with their opportunities sans Henry.
Latavius Murray, Ravens (33% Rostered): Murray is, at this point, purely a handcuff for Devonta Freeman. But if you’re paying attention, Freeman’s been an incredibly useful fantasy RB. Should he get hurt, that becomes Murray, and Ty’Son Williams is way off the radar as a threat. Freeman managers need to have Murray on deck, just like Dalvin Cook and Darrell Henderson managers should’ve had Alexander Mattison and Sony Michel at the ready.
Wide Receivers
K.J. Osborn, Vikings (4% Rostered): Osborn is, to me, the add of the week in the wake of Adam Thielen’s high ankle sprain. While the Vikings continue to lean heavily on the run, and Justin Jefferson is making a bid to be considered the best receiver in football, Osborn has flashed his talent repeatedly this year. With Thielen set to miss time, he’ll see his volume increase, and he proved on Sunday he could capitalize with a four-catch, 47-yard, one-touchdown showing. He isn’t going to be as reliable in the red zone as Thielen was, but I’d be comfortable FLEXing him in a pinch.
Kendrick Bourne, Patriots (41% Rostered): Bourne didn’t do anything on Monday night, but throw that performance out. The Patriots threw three times in abysmal weather, and were able to mash Buffalo into finely ground dust on the ground. Prior to this aberration, he was seeing 4-7 targets regularly, and proving to be very efficient with them. He had also scored three touchdowns in his last three games before goosing last night. Bourne is unlikely to spike because of the low-volume pass offense, but he’s discovering a knack for finding the end zone, and in normal conditions is pretty safe for a crooked number in the point total.
Russell Gage, Falcons (34% Rostered): I’m so reluctant to recommend Gage, because he has really damaged fantasy lineups in the past. However, he’s seen eight or more targets in three of his last four games, scored a touchdown in Week 12 vs. the Jaguars, and piled up 130 receiving yards last week. He’s a risk to goose at any time, but the volume suggests he’s Matt Ryan’s current go-to. I’m confused why it isn’t TE Kyle Pitts getting this volume, but we’re here. Gage is playable, preferably after this week vs. Carolina, but don’t be mad if he has a total dud. You’re warned.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers (20% Rostered): Valdes-Scantling, like Gage, could drop a big old doughnut on you in any game. But he’s seen 19 targets in his last two games, has arguably the best QB in football throwing it to him, and massive big play ability. MVS isn’t a PPR darling, but he can have a genuinely positive effect on your fantasy lineup with one catch. If you’re waffling on a FLEX play and need a home run, he may fit the bill as long as you can stomach the risk.
Tight Ends
Austin Hooper, Browns (21% Rostered): It’s slim pickings at TE these days, but Hooper is widely available, and should have a really nice game vs. the Ravens. Baltimore allows the sixth-most points to opposing TEs, and 67.7 yards per game. Hooper is the last man standing right now with Harrison Bryant injured, and David Njoku, who scored vs. the Ravens two weeks ago, placed on COVID IR. It’s been a lost season for Hooper, but this is an opportunity for him to have a memorable day.