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Writer's pictureMikey Henninger
Dec 5, 202210 min read

Week 14 Waiver Wire (and Wake Early Wednesday)


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Week 14 Waiver Wire (and Wake Early Wednesday)

Below are the players I'm considering adding to my rosters before week 14 kicks off. All of these players are near or below 50% rostered in Yahoo leagues and therefore likely to be available in most leagues.


Important note: I'm typically pretty frugal with my waiver priority and FAAB, usually only spending on a player that can win me the week. In other words, if they're just "depth" adds and nice-to-haves that might not even see my lineup, then I'd rather wake up early on Wednesday morning and add them for "free" instead of using a waiver claim for them.


Pro Tip: It's a little extra effort, but I have a recurring Wednesday morning "appointment" (reminder) on my calendar with a link to a Google Doc. Inside that google doc are the links to alllllll 20+ of my leagues followed by a bulleted list of who I plan to add/drop in each one. This helps me keep track without spending waiver priority for convenience, a short-sighted move.

Quarterback

As usual, there are no QBs that I'd recommend using priority or FAAB on this week. Here are a few streamers to consider after waivers clear if you're in a pinch:

  • Jared Goff - 50% rostered - Over his last 2 games, Jared Goff has 39.2 fantasy points (17.6 in week 12 and 21.6 in week 13) on 580 passing yards (240 and 340) and 4 passing TDs. In week 14, Goff gets a shootout with the Vikings—this game opened with a whopping 53 point over/under, the highest on the entire 13 game slate—a defense that entered week 13 allowing the 5th most fantasy points per game to QBs, including the most passing yards and 9th most passing TDs.

  • Derek Carr - 67% rostered - Over his last 5 games, Derek Carr is averaging 18.67 fantasy points per game on 271.8 passing yards per game with 11 passing TDs and 3 INTs. In week 13, Carr gets a Rams' defense that has allowed 5 of the last 6 QBs they've faced to score 17 or more fantasy points against them, including Geno Smith's 24.98 points last week.

  • Tyler Huntley - 1% rostered - Lamar Jackson was knocked out of week 13 and never returned, leaving Tyler Huntley to rack up 15.58 fantasy points on 187 passing yards, 1 INT, 41 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD. On Monday, it was reported that Jackson is considered week-to-week and unlikely to play week 14, which would leave Huntley to start against a Steelers defense that entered week 13 allowing the 9th most fantasy points per game to QBs, including the 3rd most passing yards and most passing TDs per game. In 6 career games where Huntley has played at least 86% of the snaps, he's averaged 16.9 fantasy points per game on 204.8 passing yards and 54.2 rushing yards per game with 3 passing TDs, 3 rushing TDs and 5 INTs. He has 3 games over 15 fantasy points with a high of 35.9, and 3 games under 12 fantasy points with a low of 8.8. He's immediately on the streaming radar in 1 QB leagues and should be a priority waiver claim in 2 QB leagues.

For the superflexers and 2QB leaguers:

  • Brock Purdy - 1% rostered - Jimmy Garoppolo was knocked out of week 13 with what turned out to be a broken foot, meaning he's done for the year. Mr. Irrelevant in this year's draft, Brock Purdy, stepped in and stepped up in a big way, scoring 14.3 fantasy points on 25 of 37 passing for 210 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. It'll be hard to truly consider a 7th round rookie in your lineups, but with Kyle Shanahan calling the shots, Purdy is at least worth a flier in 2 QB leagues with the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Commanders and Raiders left on the fantasy football schedule.

Running Back

There is 1 RB I'd consider using claim priority and heavy bidding dollars on this week:

  • James Cook - 24% rostered - In week 13, James Cook seemingly took over the Buffalo backfield (finally) in week 13, scoring 16.5 exciting PPR points on a whopping 20 touches—including 6 targets/catches—for 105 scoreless yards. There's nothing especially exciting about his remaining schedule—3 of his last 4 matchups are with top 14 RB defenses (the Dolphins, Jets and Bengals), but that might not matter with positive game script and a strong receiving ability. And as a bonus, he does get a week 16 date with a Bears defense that entered week 13 allowing the 6th most PPR points per game to RBs, including the 7th most rushing yards and 3rd most RB TDs. Cook needs to be rostered in all sized leagues.

After waivers run, her are several options I'd be looking to add for "free:"

  • Zonovan Knight (47% rostered) - Zonovan Knight quelled all doubts with a strong week 13 performance, totaling 16.8 PPR points on 20 touches—including 5 targets/catches—for 118 scoreless yards. His week 14 outlook is dark and gloomy in Buffalo but if he can maintain a prominent role for the fantasy football playoffs, he'll have decent game scripts and matchups with Detroit, Jacksonville and Seattle on the schedule.

  • Cam Akers - 46% rostered - Aaaaand we're back to Cam Akers. One week after playing just 30% of the snaps while Kyren Williams played 70%, Akers played a season high 72% of the snaps while Williams saw the field just 28% of the time. Because fantasy football makes sense. Akers did what he could with the opportunity, turning 18 touches—including 1 target/catch—into 60 scrimmage yards and two TDs for 19 PPR points (meanwhile, Williams had 3 carries for 9 yards). He's still stuck behind a terrible offensive line in an offense that will be in negative game script and could pivot back to Williams—or someone else—at any moment, but it's at least worth noting that Akers' remaining schedule consists of the Raiders, Packers, Broncos and Chargers, 75% of which are bottom 7 defenses when it comes to defending RBs.

  • Travis Homer (1% rostered), DeeJay Dallas (3% rostered) and Tony Jones (0% rostered) - Ken Walker was knocked out of week 13 and never returned, leaving him questionable at absolute best for a week 14 date with the Carolina Panthers. DeeJay Dallas and Tony Jones split the work evenly in a gross, ineffective committee, totaling just 8.9 PPR points on 19 touches (10 for Dallas, 9 for Jones(—including 2 catches on 5 targets—for 69 nice but scoreless yards (37 for Dallas, 32 for Jones). That said, Travis Homer was inactive with a knee injury and illness for this contest, but was running ahead of both guys prior to week 13, playing 20% or more of the snaps in 3 of the previous 4 games behind Walker. The Seahawks are entering week 14 as 5.5 point home favorites over a Panthers defense that entered week 13 allowing the 10th most PPR points per game to RBs, including the 8th most rushing yards and 6th most TDs. If Walker and his 20-21 touches per game miss week 14, one of these guys can come into flex consideration in a prime environment and matchup. Unfortunately, however, they're likely to form an ugly committee that limits any hope of true upside. If he's healthy enough to play, Homer figures to get first crack at lead back duties. If not, Dallas and Jones may form a near-even timeshare.

  • Jordan Mason - 15% rostered - As the clear backup behind workhorse Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason should be stashed on the bench if you have room for him as a possible league winner if something were to happen to CMC. The 49ers have gorgeous playoff matchups with the Seahawks and Raiders in weeks 15 and 17 of the fantasy football playoffs.

  • Jerick McKinnon - 41% rostered - Jerick McKinnon has 10 or more PPR points in 3 of the last 5 games, with 6 targets or 10 touches in 4 of the last 5. He has matchups with the Texans and Seahawks coming up—both bottom 3 defenses when it comes to defending RBs—but it should be noted that he tends to be more useful in close games as opposed to blowouts (and the Chiefs play the Texans once and Broncos twice in 3 of the next 4 games).

  • Alexander Mattison - 35% rostered - not a standalone option, but Mattison is a league-winning bench stash if something happens to Dalvin Cook.

Wide Receiver

There are not any wide receivers I'd use priority or FAAB on this week. That said, here are several WRs I'm considering adding after waivers clear:

  • Corey Davis - 13% rostered - In week 13, Corey Davis played the most snaps he's played since week 6 (81%) and made them count, catching 5 of 10 Mike White targets for 85 scoreless yards (13.5 PPR points). His next 3 games are against the Bills, Lions and Jaguars, each of which entered week 13 allowing the 12th—or more—most PPR points per game to WRs. All three teams are top 7 in WR TDs allowed.

  • Jahan Dotson - 15% rostered - Watch out, y'all. Jahan Dotson played 79% of the Commanders' snaps in week 13, his highest clip since he played 87% of the snaps back in week 3. He used the opportunity to rack up 16.4 PPR points on 9 targets, 5 catches, 54 yards and 1 TD. Unfortunately, there's nothing special about his remaining schedule—he's on bye this week and finishes the fantasy season with the Giants, 49ers and Bears who are all top 16 defenses at defending WRs—but the natural-born TD scorer should be on rosters for those who need help at WR.

  • Nico Collins - 29% rostered - There's admittedly nothing sexy about it, but Nico Collins has 10 or more PPR points in 5 of the last 6 games, and 5 or more targets in 7 of the last 8. The Texans are in for some supremely negative game script at Dallas in week 14 and then hosting Kansas City in week 15, so there will likely be plenty of targets to go around. He also has some strong matchups in his last 3 games of the season (Kansas City, at Tennessee, Jacksonville) which should provide good opportunities for the 2nd year, 3rd round receiver to keep making a name for himself.

  • Elijah Moore - 31% rostered - Elijah Moore played 68% of the snaps in week 13, his most since he played 90% in week 4. He didn't do much with it, catching just 2 of 6 targets for 7 scoreless yards, but he's a talented WR with a growing role in a Mike White offense. His next 3 games are against the Bills, Lions and Jaguars, each of which entered week 13 allowing the 12th—or more—most PPR points per game to WRs. All three teams are top 7 in WR TDs allowed.

  • Isaiah Hodgins - 0% rostered - For the super deep leaguers, Isaiah Hodgins played a season high 80% of the Giants' snaps in week 13, 2nd in the WR room behind only Darius Slayton. The former Bills practice squader—Head Coach Brian Daboll's former team—has played 59% or more of the Giants snaps in each of the last 4 games and has 10 targets in the last 2 weeks.

  • Jameson Williams - 45% rostered - Jameson Williams played only 8 snaps in his NLF debut and candidly, it's unlikely a rookie receiver coming off a torn ACL and beginning his season this late makes significant fantasy noise. But he is an explosive receiver—the 12th overall pick in this year's draft is one of the best prospects in the class—and has some really good matchups coming up including the Vikings (3rd most) and Panthers (9th most) in 2 of the last 4 games.

Tight End

As usual, there are no tight ends I would use waiver priority on. Here's who I'd consider in a week 14 pinch however:

  • Greg Dulcich - 37% rostered - Greg Dulcich got back on track in week 13, scoring a career high 14.5 PPR points on a career high 8 targets, catching 6 of them for 85 scoreless yards. With 11 or more PPR points in 4 of 7 career games, Dulcich could rack up targets in supremely negative game script as 9.5 point underdogs against the division rival Chiefs. It certainly doesn't hurt that the Chiefs entered week 13 allowing the 5th most TD catches per game to TEs.

  • Hunter Henry - 35% rostered - Hunter Henry has 5 targets in each of the last 2 games, not to mention 15.3 PPR points in week 12. I recognize I'm grasping for straws here, but welcome to the 2022 TE landscape. The real reason Henry is on the list is that he's playing the Cardinals in week 14, a defense that entered week 13 allowing the most PPR points per game to TEs, including the most catches, most yards, and most TDs. He's still TD or bust, but at least he's a decent(ish) bet for a score this week.

Team Defenses

I'll never use waiver priority on a defense, but there are several defenses I'd be looking to stream in week 14 if I can find them. Assuming I can't get the Cowboys (96% rostered), 49ers (95% rostered), Bills (99% rostered), Eagles (94% rostered) or Ravens (95% rostered): I'd be going for the:

  • Kansas City Chiefs - 66% rostered - their opponent, the Denver Broncos, have an implied total of just 17 points, the 2nd fewest on the entire 26 team slate.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers - 28% rostered - their opponent, the Baltimore Ravens, have an implied total of just 18.5 points, the 5th fewest on the entire 26 team slate.

  • Tennessee Titans - 31% rostered - their opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, have an implied total of just 19 points, the 6th fewest on the entire 26 team slate.

  • Las Vegas Raiders - 11% rostered - their opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, have an implied total of just 19 points, the 6th fewest on the entire 26 team slate.

  • Seattle Seahawks - 73% rostered - their opponent, the Carolina Panthers, have an implied total of just 19.25 points, the 8th fewest on the entire 26 team slate.

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