With another wild football Sunday in the rearview mirror, it's time to assess the state of our fantasy teams and add (or cut) accordingly.
Sunday of Week 14 brought yet another terrible day for injuries to fantasy relevant players.
- QB Tyler Huntley (BAL) was placed in concussion protocol.
- WR Tee Higgins (CIN) was active but played just one snap against the Browns.
- WR Tyler Boyd (CIN) sustained a dislocated finger and could miss two weeks.
- QB Russell Wilson (DEN) was placed in concussion protocol.
- RB Dameon Pierce (HOU) suffered an ankle injury against Dallas that forced him out of the game.
- RB Jeff Wilson Jr. (MIA) sustained a hip injury against the Chargers and did not return.
- QB Mike White (NYJ) played through a rib injury but was sent to the hospital after the game. The early reports are positive for White (day to day).
- WR Corey Davis (NYJ) was placed in concussion protocol.
- QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) was placed in concussion protocol.
- QB Brock Purdy (SF) suffered an oblique injury and is listed as day to day.
- WR Deebo Samuel (SF) suffered a sprained MCL and sprained ankle but will reportedly return at some point in the regular season.
As a reminder, bye weeks are over! Happy playoffs!
Whether you need a player to replace dead weight on your roster, or just need a streamer, make sure to check out Action Network's top targets at each position — all of which are available in at least 40% of Yahoo! leagues — that you should prioritize come Tuesday night.
Note: Yahoo! roster percentages are reflected in parentheses as of Monday and fantasy rankings are exclusive of the Monday Night Football game.
Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups
Fantasy Waiver QBs to Target
Mike White, Jets (20% rostered)
White expectedly stumbled in a 20-12 loss to the Bills. He completed 27-of-44 attempts for 268 yards (no touchdowns or interceptions) and is currently the QB21 with one game left to play.
This was a difficult matchup as Buffalo's pass defense ranks seventh, per DVOA. White was banged up in the game as well, and was taken to the hospital with rib injuries after the game. The injury does not appear to be serious, though it is worth monitoring heading into Week 15.
Backup Joe Flacco came in briefly and threw three passes. He would presumably be the starter if White can't go come Sunday.
The Jets have an amazing schedule to finish out the year against four below-average pass defenses, starting with the Lions, whose defense has allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year.
Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, vs. Jaguars, at Seahawks, at Dolphins
Brock Purdy, 49ers (10%)
Purdy was solid in his first NFL start, leading the 49ers to a 35-7 rout over the Buccaneers. He completed 16-of-21 attempts for 185 yards and two touchdowns and rushed twice for three yards and a touchdown.
He did sustain an oblique injury and was briefly replaced by backup Josh Johnson. Purdy still managed to be top eight at the position with one game left to play.
Purdy is expected to be fine for a Week 15 road matchup against the Seahawks. He could be a viable deeper-league starter in the weeks to come with an enviable schedule against four defenses that are below average when it comes to fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.
Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Cardinals
Taylor Heinicke, Commanders (11%)
Heinicke had his second-best fantasy game of the year in Week 13 against the Giants. He completed 27-of-41 attempts for 275 yards and two touchdowns and finished as the QB11.
Coming off a bye, Heinicke gets to face the G-Men once again in Week 15. The Giants rank 26th in pass DVOA, and if Week 13 was any indication, Heinicke should at least flirt with QB1 numbers again.
Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, at 49ers, vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys
Ryan Tannehill, Titans (33%)
Capitalizing on a mouthwatering matchup, Tannehill turned in a decent fantasy game in the Titans' 36-22 loss to the Jaguars. He completed 25-of-38 attempts for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He added 16 rushing yards on two attempts.
Tannehill has had his moments of fantasy relevance this year and is currently the QB12 heading into Monday Night Football. He could offer streaming potential for the next week or two with the Chargers and Texans on deck. The Chargers have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Texans, vs. Cowboys, at Jaguars
Other quarterbacks to consider: Andy Dalton, Saints (7%); Sam Darnold, Panthers (5%); Mac Jones, Patriots (18%); Baker Mayfield, Rams (5%); Desmond Ridder, Falcons (4%)
Fantasy Waiver RBs to Target
Zonovan Knight, Jets (55%)
Knight performed well despite the difficult matchup against Buffalo. He was the Jets' lead rusher and logged 17 attempts for 71 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for six yards and is currently the RB11 in half-PPR scoring with one game left to play.
Following this game, Knight's schedule gets insanely easy — starting with the Lions, who rank 23rd in rush DVOA. He should be considered a fringe RB2/3 moving forward with a number of plus matchups to close the regular season.
Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, vs. Jaguars, at Seahawks, at Dolphins
Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (33%)
Hubbard had his best fantasy game of the season in the Panthers' 30-24 upset win over the Seahawks. He rushed 14 times for 74 yards and a touchdown and caught all three of his targets for 25 yards.
He was more effective than D'Onta Foreman, who out-snapped Hubbard by a count of 34 to 23, and had 21 carries for 74 yards with one reception for one yard.
Heading into Monday night, Hubbard is the RB9 in half-PPR scoring while Foreman is RB24. Hubbard's usage in the passing game intrigues me, especially on a team that plays from behind more often than not.
This could be developing into an even time-share situation that could favor Hubbard in the right game scripts. He should be considered a RB3/flex play down the stretch.
Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, vs. Lions, at Buccaneers, at Saints
Gus Edwards, Ravens (49%)
Edwards was passable in the Ravens' 16-14 win over the Steelers. He rushed 13 times for 66 yards and is currently the RB27 in half-PPR scoring.
The big story, however, was J.K. Dobbins, who stole the show in his surprise return from the injured reserve. He was activated on Saturday and had 15 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown (currently the RB8). Dobbins also edged out Edwards in snaps by a count of 26 to 21.
I expect Dobbins to lead this backfield, assuming the young running back can stay healthy. Edwards will likely continue to play a role with Lamar Jackson sidelined and Tyler Huntley's status up in the air (concussion protocol).
The Ravens have a sweet two-game stretch against bottom-five run defenses, according to rush DVOA, which could keep both Edwards and Dobbins fantasy relevant.
Remaining schedule: at Browns, vs. Falcons, vs. Steelers, at Bengals
Jordan Mason, 49ers (13%)
Christian McCaffrey dominated the Buccaneers with 16 touches for 153 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. Mason was also involved and had 11 carries for 56 yards; he is currently the RB29 in half PPR with one game left to play.
McCaffrey is undoubtedly the alpha in this backfield by a country mile, but Mason will continue to play a role, especially with Brock Purdy under center and Elijah Mitchell back on injured reserve.
Mason could vault his way into the RB3/flex tier next week against the Seahawks, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to running backs and rank 26th in rush defense DVOA.
Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Cardinals
Dare Ogunbowale and Rex Burkhead, Texans (0% and 3%)
You know the waiver wire is lean when Dare Ogunbowale, who tallied — checks notes — -3 rushing yards, has made it onto this report. He and Burkhead do not exactly spark joy, but the ankle injury to Pierce gives me pause.
If Pierce were to miss any time, either one of them could theoretically step up in his absence.
Ogunbowale out-snapped Burkhead by a count of 18 to 5, so I suppose I would be slightly more partial to him if I were desperate in a deeper league.
Remaining schedule: vs. Chiefs, at Titans, vs. Jaguars, at Colts
Other running backs to consider: Marlon Mack, Broncos (3%); Damien Harris, Patriots (50%); Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (38%); Travis Homer, Seahawks (37%); Ameer Abdullah, Raiders (4%); Joshua Kelley, Chargers (4%)
Fantasy Waiver WRs to Target
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns (58%)
Peoples-Jones could be a fantasy league winner. He was Cleveland's best offensive player in a 23-10 loss to the Bengals, catching 8-of-12 targets for 114 yards.
Peoples-Jones is currently the WR14 in half-PPR heading into Monday night and will finish as a top-36 fantasy wideout for the seventh time in 10 games. He has double-digit fantasy points in four of the last five and needs to be taken seriously as a high-end WR3/flex option.
Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, vs. Saints, at Commanders, at Steelers
Zay Jones, Jaguars (51%)
Jones had yet another phenomenal game in the Jaguars' win over the Titans. He caught 8-of-12 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown and is currently the WR8 in half PPR with one game left to play.
This will be Jones' second game since the Jaguars' Week 11 bye in which he will likely finish top 12 at the position. He is averaging just shy of 11 targets per game since Week 10 and he should be regarded as a WR3 or better moving forward — even with two tough matchups coming up against the Cowboys and Jets.
Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Jets, at Texans, vs. Titans
Alec Pierce, Colts (14%)
Pierce had a lovely game in the Colts’ epic meltdown against the Cowboys in Week 13. He led the team in all receiving categories (likely because he was not drawing No. 1 coverage) and caught 4-of-8 targets for 86 yards and a touchdown. He finished as the WR14 in half PPR, while Parris Campbell and Michael Pittman Jr. were the WRs 51 and 75, respectively.
Pierce was an intriguing prospect in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-3, 211-pound second-round pick from Cincinnati ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and is an impressive, big-bodied athletic specimen.
His pedigree, combined with the Colts’ pass-happy offense, could give him just enough opportunity for a late-season breakout after Indy’s Week 14 bye. The Colts face the Vikings in Week 15, whose defense ranks 27th in pass DVOA and has allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers.
Remaining schedule: at Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Giants, vs. Texans
Jahan Dotson, Commanders (15%)
Bouncing back from a Week 12 bagel against the Falcons, Dotson had a strong game — 5/54/1 — in the Commanders' 20-20 tie with the Giants in Week 13.
He saw more targets than Curtis Samuel (6-of-7 for 63 yards), but definitely took a backseat to Terry McLaurin. McLaurin had a huge day and caught 8-of-12 targets for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Dotson has been banged up for much of the season, though in the eight games he's played in, he has scored double-digit fantasy points and finished as a top-24 receiver four times. Dotson will be well-rested off of the Commanders' Week 14 bye to again face the Giants, who rank 26th in pass DVOA.
Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, at 49ers, vs. Browns, vs. Cowboys
DJ Chark and Jameson Williams, Lions (40% and 36%)
Chark had a phenomenal day in the Lions' 34-23 win over the Vikings. He caught 6-of-7 targets for 94 yards and a touchdown and is currently the WR5 in half-PPR scoring. He even outperformed Amon-Ra St. Brown, who caught 6-of-9 targets for 68 yards.
Williams was used sparingly — expected given his injury history — and caught just one pass for a 41-yard touchdown. He is a superstar in the making, though it may take until next year to see him fully develop into that. For now, Chark would be my preferred add on an offense that scores a ton of points.
Remaining schedule: at Jets, at Panthers, vs. Bears, at Packers
Elijah Moore, Jets (27%)
It has been quite the roller-coaster this season for Moore, who appeared to be on his way out of the Jets' organization around the NFL trade deadline.
The trade deadline came and went and Moore's role has increased, especially with Zach Wilson benched for the foreseeable future. He caught six of a season-high 10 targets for 60 yards and is currently the WR35 in half PPR with one game left to play.
Next week, it will either be Mike White or Joe Flacco starting against the Lions, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers and rank 21st in pass DVOA. Things get even easier in the following week against the Jaguars' 30th-ranked pass defense, which could be enough of a catalyst to spark a late Year 2 breakout for Moore.
Remaining schedule: vs. Lions, vs. Jaguars, at Seahawks, at Dolphins
Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek and Tutu Atwell, Rams (25%, 3% and 0%)
All three tried to fill the void left by Cooper Kupp (and Allen Robinson) in the Rams' 17-16 win over the Raiders on Thursday night.
Skowronek was the most successful, reeling in 7-of-8 targets for 89 yards, but it was Atwell — 5/50 — who saw the most targets (nine). Jefferson was the only one to find the end zone with two catches on four targets for 44 yards.
If I had to pick one, I would probably lean Jefferson, though it is difficult to get excited about anyone on a team that was saved by Panthers hand-me-down, Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield looked decent in his L.A. debut, perhaps due to the surprise factor and the matchup against a Raiders defense that ranks 32nd in pass defense according to DVOA. Caveat emptor applies to adding any one of these guys.
Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Broncos, at Chargers, at Seahawks
Other wide receivers to consider: Noah Brown, Cowboys (2%); Marquise Goodwin, Seahawks (2%); Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans (5%); Robert Woods, Titans (42%); Chris Moore, Texans (2%)
Fantasy Waiver TEs to Target
Evan Engram, Jaguars (56%)
Engram had a career game in Week 14. He caught 11-of-15 targets for 162 yards and two touchdowns and is currently the TE1 in half PPR.
This will be Engram's second top-five finish in a row and fifth top-9 finish in the last nine games, which is quite impressive at a position known for volatility.
I do not know how many 368-yard games we expect Trevor Lawrence to have moving forward, but Engram should continue to garner a significant target share down the stretch. He is, by far, my top tight end waiver add this week who offers more than just flash-in-the-pan upside.
Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Jets, at Texans, vs Titans
Chigoziem Okonkwo and Austin Hooper, Titans (14% and 16%)
On the other side of this game, Okonkwo and Hooper were both impressive as well.
Okonkwo caught all six of his targets for 45 yards and a touchdown and Hooper caught all five of his targets for 65 yards.
Hooper edged out Okonkwo in snaps by a count of 36 to 33, though I am more intrigued by Okonkwo rest-of-season. This will be the rookie's second straight top-10 finish in half-PPR scoring and second game in a row with five or more targets.
The Titans face the Chargers in Week 15, whose defense has allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to tight ends. Okonkwo and Hooper both find themselves in the deep-league streaming conversation.
Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Texans, vs. Cowboys, at Jaguars
Other tight ends to consider: Hunter Henry, Patriots (51%); Tyler Conklin, Jets (26%); Cade Otton, Buccaneers (9%); Noah Fant, Seahawks (29%); Taysom Hill, Saints (44%); Kylen Granson, Colts (0%); Jelani Woods, Colts (2%)
