We've put a bow on Week 13 of the 2022 NFL season and as head coach Bill Belichick would say, "We are onto Week 14." Now it's time to gaze into the crystal ball and see which players we should target on the waiver wire now for a big payoff later.
Reminder: Week 14 is Bye-Nado 2.0. The Falcons, Bears, Packers, Colts, Saints and Commanders are all on bye in Week 14, meaning you will need to find replacements for Marcus Mariota, Cordarrelle Patterson, Drake London, David Montgomery, Justin Fields, Cole Kmet, Aaron Rodgers, Christian Watson, Allen Lazard, Aaron Jones, Matt Ryan, Michael Pittman Jr., Jonathan Taylor, Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, Taylor Heinicke, Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson, Brian Robinson Jr. and more.
Week 14 Early Waiver Wire Targets
QB Mike White, Jets (16% rostered)
White was picked up in a number of leagues after waivers ran this cycle, but still remains widely available.
After watching Zach Wilson flail for the last few weeks, White was a breath of fresh air and led Gang Green to a 31-10 victory over the Bears. He completed 22-of-28 passes for 315 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions and was the QB6 for the week. He connected with 10 pass-catchers and demonstrated a strong rapport with rookie Garrett Wilson and disgruntled Year 2 wideout Elijah Moore.
In my opinion, it would be coaching malpractice for Robert Saleh to let Wilson play again this year, especially as the team sits at 7-4 and would be the 7-seed for the playoffs if the season ended today.
Depending on how White looks this week against the Vikings' No. 27-ranked pass defense according to DVOA, he could be a potential streaming option for the playoffs. The Jets have perhaps one of the softest fantasy playoff stretches against the Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks and Dolphins (if you happen to play into Week 18) — all of which have defenses that are below-average against the pass.
WR Van Jefferson, Rams (27%)
With Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson sidelined, Jefferson saw a season-high (and team-high) seven targets against Kansas City. He caught three passes for 29 yards and a touchdown and was the WR34 for the week in half-PPR scoring.
I anticipate Jefferson to continue to play an augmented role in this offense (and potentially be the team’s WR1) with Kupp (ankle surgery) out for at least a couple more weeks and Robinson (foot stress fracture) out for the year. Jefferson could flirt with WR3/flex numbers this week against the Seahawks and especially in Week 14 against the Raiders that ranks dead-last in pass DVOA.
WR Jameson Williams, Lions (38%)
Williams has been designated to return from injured reserve and while he could make his debut for Detroit as soon as this weekend. We last saw him in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game, playing for Alabama against Georgia in a game that saw him tear his ACL.
Williams, who played for Ohio State before transferring, had a historic campaign with Alabama in his final collegiate season. He caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns over 15 games. He was a first-team All-American in 2021 and was selected 12th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft despite the injury. He did not participate in the NFL Combine, but he is estimated to possess 4.3-speed.
Williams could make an immediate impact on the Lions, who have a need for pass-catchers with star tight end T.J. Hockenson no longer on the team.
The Lions have a soft two-week schedule coming up against the Jaguars and Vikings, both of which rank bottom six in pass DVOA and bottom eight in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. I would roster Williams — especially if you have a free IR spot — as a potential lottery ticket for the fantasy playoffs. The Lions face the Panthers and Bears in Weeks 16 and 17.
RB Zonovan Knight, Jets (40%)
Knight was both featured heavily against the Bears with Michael Carter becoming MetLife Field's latest victim. He rushed 14 times for 69 yards, caught three passes for 34 yards and was the RB24 in half-PPR scoring for the week.
Carter will likely miss time with his sprained ankle, meaning this could be more than a one-week flash-in-the-pan. Knight out-snapped Ty Johnson by a count of 30 to 15 and saw significantly more touches, so he would be my preferred add of the two, though I would expect James Robinson — a surprise healthy scratch last week — to also be in the mix.
The Jets have an unfavorable Week 14 matchup in Buffalo. Things get much easier after that against the Lions, Jaguars, Seahawks and Dolphins to close out the year. Knight could be a valuable asset in the fantasy playoffs if Carter misses extended time.
RB Dontrell Hilliard, Titans (13%)
Hilliard is the clear-cut No. 2 on the Titans' running back depth chart behind Derrick Henry. He has had moments of fantasy-relevance, however, including against the Packers in Week 11, the Texans in Week 8, the Commanders in Week 5 and the Giants in Week 1. After this week against the Eagles, the Titans' schedule softens significantly. They face the Jaguars, Chargers, Texans, Cowboys and Jaguars again. At least three of these games should lend themselves to positive, run-friendly game scripts. Hilliard is worth rostering, especially if the Titans opt to rest Henry a bit down the stretch in preparation for the playoffs.
