Don’t quit the waiver wire now.
The fantasy football season is almost over, but the waiver wire is producing a few gems for your final push into the playoffs. There are top-tier quarterbacks and defenses on the waiver wire in most leagues. And a few younger players are benefitting from fatigue and attrition. It’s not time to stop paying attention to the waiver wire, even it’s easy to feel set with the players you have (especially if you’ve been winning).
Make sure you find the piece that gets you into the playoffs or, even better, gets you into the championship game. Here are six waiver wire targets to consider after Week 12 of NFL and fantasy football action.
6. New York Jets defense
ESPN: 27%. Yahoo! 23%.
The Jets see the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 and the Miami Dolphins in Week 14. It’s a nice schedule as folks close out their regular season, and perhaps begin their playoff run. The issue is that the Jets get the Ravens in Week 15, which is when you’d want to get a different streamer. But the Jets defense shouldn’t really be a streamer. They’ve been a top scorer in standard with the fourth-most point.
5. Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks
ESPN: 29%. Yahoo! 19%.
You can’t expect him to replicate his Week 12 stat line with regularity. He had 14 carries for 129 yards and a touchdown. Chris Carson is, of course, the top back. But perhaps Penny can compete for more touches if Carson continues to have fumbling issues. Penny is worth owning, though I’m not sure he’s been consistent enough to feel good about starting.
4. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans
ESPN: 15%. Yahoo! 26%.
He’s the rare case of a bad real-life quarterback being a good fantasy quarterback. (Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is another obvious example.) Tannehill has averaged almost 24 points per game over the last for weeks. That has made him QB4 during that span. He had his best performance in Week 12 with 259 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns.
3. Benny Snell, RB, Steelers
ESPN: 3%. Yahoo! 5%.
Snell has been an opportunist in 2019, with a few games as a starter and, in turn, a few fantasy-relevant performances. He had 21 carries for 98 yards and a reception for 10 yards. Without a touchdown, Snell didn’t turn many heads from a point total. But he was solid in relief of James Conner, whose shoulder injury seems to be a significant issue after he made things worse by playing a few weeks ago. Snell might take a big role in the next few games.
2. A.J. Brown, WR, Titans
ESPN: 16%. Yahoo! 16%.
He finished with four catches for 135 yards and a touchdown. With a merely competent quarterback, Brown can clearly be a star. Marcus Mariota wasn’t putting together enough passing production for Brown to thrive. But Tannehill — and I can’t believe I’m writing this — has been crucial in making Brown a playable option in fantasy football. He’s still a risk, but it’s clear he’s a big play threat that the Titans want to feed.
1. Bo Scarbrough, RB, Lions
ESPN: 45%. Yahoo! 43%.
After tinkering with running backs Ty Johnson and J.D. McKissic over the last few weeks, the Lions signed Scarbrough, a move which has not disappointed. In fact, Detroit seems to have found its new lead back, with Kerryon Johnson on IR. Scarbrough finished with 18 carries for 98 yards. He didn’t manage to get into the end zone, but in a way, that might be a blessing in disguise. That’ll make him easier to get off waivers. He’s a rare workhorse, who seems to be running well. He’s must-own, and a likely flex-play.