Tag: fantasy football FAAB

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 11 free-agent forecast

A quiet week on the wire still offers plenty of help.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Bye weeks: Broncos, Rams

Fantasy football waiver wire targets

Priority free agents

1) QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers: Superman returns to Krypton, err Carolina, and is poised to start in Week 11. He came in cold Sunday and accounted for two scores. The veteran may not be the physical terror he once was, and he’s always an injury liability, but Cam’s scoring prowess on the ground and weaponry around him creates a must-own situation in 12-plus-team leagues. Carolina faces Washington and Miami in the next two games before going on bye. Following the week off, the schedule isn’t terrible (ATL, @BUF, TB, @NO, TB). It may not always be pretty, but we’re approaching the playoffs, and injuries can derail an otherwise strong roster. Newton offers insurance and matchup-based utility.

Availability: 84%
FAAB: $20-21

2) RB Wayne Gallman, Atlanta Falcons: Cordarrelle Patterson can’t do it alone, and Mike Davis has been substandard in 2021. Gallman saw 15 carries to Davis’ four in Week 10, generating 55 yards plus another 21 via his lone reception on two targets. The latter domain belongs to Patterson, but the backfield may quickly be turned over to Gallman as the bell cow. He played admirably while replacing Saquon Barkley in New York last year, and an opportunity is all it takes at the most volatile position in the game. Week 11 brings in the New England Patriots on a short week, and the remaining schedule is a mixed bag, but Gallman belongs on rosters until this picture becomes a little clearer. There’s more long-term potential here than what Rhamondre Stevenson offers, although the rookie is more gifted.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $20-21

3) RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: This one kind of stinks because of the situation and through no fault of Stevenson’s. The Patriots were without starting back Damien Harris (concussion) vs. Cleveland, creating an opportunity for the rookie to rack up 100 yards and a pair of scores on 20 totes. He has the chops to get it done, and there will be opportunities in Week 11 at Atlanta, provided Harris sits again. That said, if the Alabama product returns after only a one-game absence, Stevenson becomes unplayable in all but the most desperate of situations. He should be rostered, even though the Pats love to play games with the touches, but gamers are in a tough spot knowing how much to invest. Spend up if you’re a Harris owner.

Availability: 69%
FAAB: $19-20

4) WR Marcus Johnson, Tennessee Titans: The Titans called Johnson’s name six times in Week 10 with Julio Jones (hamstring) on IR and ineligible to play until after Tennessee’s Week 13 bye. Johnson hauled in five passes for 100 yards on the nose and did not score. He’s going to see single coverage and has no one of note but A.J. Brown to steal looks from him. The Titans may toy with fantasy owners and work in Nick Westbrook-Ikhine more than a single target some weeks, and Chester Rogers occasionally is in the mix, too, but no one aside from Brown in this receiving corps has shown the ability to get into triple digits like Johnson. He tallied an individual 100-yard performance in each of the past two seasons as a seldom-used Indianapolis Colts reserve. Johnson should have deep-league utility in the next two weeks (HOU, @NE) before Jones is able to return.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $11-12

5) TE Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings: Conklin has at least five targets in each of those games, and he was getting it done with scoreless volume until finding the end zone twice in Week 10 on just three grabs for 11 yards. In Week 11, the Vikings host the Green Bay Packers — a defense that has put the clamps on tight ends in 2021. Injuries and personnel changes at linebacker could give Conklin some utility this week, but he’s primarily included here after four straight games in PPR double figures. Minnesota’s standout receiving duo keeps defenders focused away from Conklin, and defensive attention paid to Dalvin Cook around the stripe makes him just that much more dangerous.

Availability: 70%
FAAB: $11-12

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One-week plays

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns: Aside from Week 7 vs. a strong Los Angeles Rams unit, the rookie has been targeted at least five times in each of the most recent six games (Week 9 bye). St. Brown landed four of six looks for 61 yards against Pittsburgh and continues his AFC North road stand with a trip to Cleveland. The Browns allowed WRs to average top-10 figures for receptions, yardage and scoring efficiency in the five weeks leading up to the Patriots’ unheralded cast of wideouts scoring twice and going for 157 yards on eight catches by the team’s top duo. St. Brown has a quality matchup and could be used in a pinch if you’re without one of six useful wideouts from the two bye teams.

Availability: 94%
FAAB: $5-6

TE Adam Trautman, New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles: Trautman — an offseason sleeper for many until a late-summer injury — never really clicked with Jameis Winston but has settled in nicely over the last few weeks. He has season highs in receptions each of the past two games, and Trautman’s number has been called 6.33 times, on average, in the last three contests. Philadelphia allowed ridiculously good stats to TEs over the five-week span entering Week 10, and while Denver tight ends didn’t score Sunday, they combined for 136 yards on eight grabs.

Availability: 95%
FAAB: $3-4

PK Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers: Regardless of whether Ben Roethlisberger (COVID) returns, Boswell has fared well the past two weeks. He heads on the road to face a Los Angeles Chargers group that has given up serious work to kickers of late. The team entered Week 10 as the sixth-weakest unit at limiting kickers in fantasy, and Minnesota’s Greg Joseph added two field goals as well as a trio of TD-cappers to the tally. The injury woes on Pittsburgh’s end, even if Big Ben returns could lead to increased work for Boswell.

Availability: 68%
FAAB: $0-1

PK Zane Gonzalez, Carolina Panthers vs. Washington Football Team: Gonzalez has scored 17 fantasy points twice in the last three games, including in Week 10, and he stands to benefit from Newton’s return to the offense. The Panthers face a Washington group that has given up two field goal attempts in three straight contests and at least that many six times overall this year. Carolina probably won’t be a well-oiled machine in Cam’s first start of the year, which could lead to hiccups in Washington territory.

Availability: 68%
FAAB: $0-1

Miami Dolphins D/ST at New York Jets: Regardless of which quarterback Robert Saleh decides to start, the Dolphins should make a heck of a splash in fantasy. This defense has nine sacks over the last two weeks and six takeaways, including one defensive score. The Jets are somewhere between hapless and hopeless at the moment, and even a veteran with Joe Flacco’s pedigree shouldn’t be considered a huge upgrade over Mike White, presuming Zach Wilson (knee) is unable to play.

Availability: 75%
FAAB: $0-1

Grab & stash

RB D’Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans: Getting touches but doing almost nothing with them … he could have utility down the stretch, perhaps starting this week vs. his former employer, Houston. The rest of the schedule leans in his favor, and Foreman should be rostered in deeper formats. Those in more casual leagues can treat him as a matchup-based flier.

Availability: 97%
FAAB: $2-3

Keep your eye on ’em

WR Tre’Quan Smith, New Orleans Saints: The veteran receiver likely is rostered in deep/competitive formats, but he widely available in more casual settings. That’s bound to change to a degree after he caught four of seven targets for 44 yards and a score in Week 10, his second week out of the last three with 12 or more PPR points. Ahead, however, it gets dicey against the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, so see how he performs before investing in relaxed leagues. He can be bumped into the “grab-n-stash” column for advanced leagues.

Availability: 90%

Eligible-to-return tracker

The following fantasy-relevant players are eligible to return from the Reserve/Injured list and could be on waivers, but inclusion below doesn’t guarantee coming back in the upcoming week. The date when the player was placed on IR is in parentheses.

  • PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis Colts (10/16)
  • TE Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team (10/6)

Deep diving for running backs

If you’re in a competitive league, it is unlikely running backs are just chillin’ on the waiver wire. But that doesn’t mean gamers aren’t still in need of “break in case of emergency” running backs. These players could be available for a dumpster dive:

  • Matt Breida, Buffalo Bills (apparently he’s a thing now)
  • Ameer Abdullah, Carolina Panthers (continues to see targets)
  • Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team (Antonio Gibson insurance)
  • Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals (TD flier)
  • Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers (TD flier)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 10 free-agent forecast

Fantasy owners need to make roster room for these players.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Bye weeks: Bears, Bengals, Giants, Texans

Fantasy football waiver wire targets

Priority free agents

1) WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers: Last week, Aiyuk made an appearance in the “stash” section in case Kyle Shanahan decided to come to his senses after we saw the second-year receiver get targeted a season-high seven times in Week 8. This past Sunday, San Fran looked his way eight times, resulting in a 6-89-1 line (plus one fumble lost). With several matchups ahead that suggest increased passing volume by the Niners, Aiyuk is a weekly lineup decision once again. San Francisco faces LAR, @JAC, MIN, @SEA and @CIN in the next five games — if he cannot maintain utility in that stretch, he’s not worth rostering.

Availability: 40%
FAAB: $12-13

2) WR Elijah Moore, New York Jets: Recommended in this space as a one-week play vs. Indianapolis, Moore delivered the goods to the the tune of 7-84-2 on eight targets, spanning a pair of backup quarterbacks. The Jets face Buffalo, a defense that has allowed receivers to rack up short-area catches but do little with them, this week, and then Moore takes on the Miami Dolphins — fantasy’s best PPR matchup for the position entering Week 9. Week 11 sends him to Houston for another exploitable defensive matchup. The rookie has scored at least 10 PPR points in three straight and warrants a low-end flex play even with this difficult Buffalo defense ahead. Be more skeptical of him upon QB Zach Wilson’s return from a knee injury, however.

Availability: 73%
FAAB: $11-12

3) RB Devonta Freeman, Baltimore Ravens: After the upcoming game against Buffalo, Baltimore has positive matchups for Freeman against Miami, at Houston, and vs. Philly. The way the veteran has played the last two weeks should earn him more time the field, even when Latavius Murray returns. Freeman is likely rostered in competitive circles but shouldn’t be hovering anywhere near 50 percent at this point. Play him vs. Buffalo only if necessary, due to his receiving skills, but look at him as an RB2 target for the other three matchups in the next month.

Availability: 50%
FAAB: $15-16

4) RB Ty Johnson, New York Jets: Johnson gets a bump from “only if you’re super desperate” to “must be owned in all formats” following his fourth straight game in PPR double figures. In the last month, he has scored once on the ground and twice via the passing game, averaging more than five targets per contest in the last three weeks. Buffalo isn’t an ideal opponent to face in Week 10, but the versatile back has a fighting chance of keeping his double-digit streak alive. The following three games pits him against a trio of easily exploitable defenses, creating one of the easiest schedules for running backs in that window.

Availability: 87%
FAAB: $9-10

5) WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns: No OBJ means more DPJ … and, in Week 9, it resulted in a TD. Volume won’t be on his side, because that’s not how this offense operates, but we’ll see the occasional deep shot at trying to catch defenders off-guard as they focus so much on this backfield. The Michigan product has the necessary vertical game to stretch the field, and he’s a reasonable weekly lineup option in the next trio of games heading into a Week 13 bye. Cleveland heads on the road to face New England, returns home for Detroit, and then hits the trail once again for a visit to Baltimore — all three of these defenses ranked inside of the top 11 for yards per catch allowed to the position.

Availability: 87%
FAAB: $9-10

6) RB Eno Benjamin, Arizona Cardinals: Chase Edmonds sprained his ankle and could miss up to six weeks as the typical long end of a high-ankle sprain prognosis. Arizona will rely heavily on James Conner, and rightfully so, but Benjamin could be worth a sniff in deeper setups. Arizona gave him nine carries in Week 9’s blowout win vs. San Fran, and he found the end zone to help justify their efforts to get him more involved — not bad for a 2020 seventh-rounder who has a total of 11 career rushing attempts. We’re talking “warm body at a vital position” territory here, so don’t get overly excited about him. One ancillary perk: Conner is brittle, so this could turn into something even more interesting with a little misfortune.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $8-9

7) WR Olamide Zaccheaus, Atlanta Falcons: We’re at the stage of the season where you begin to see a lot of “last week we told you to keep an eye on Player X, and now he is ascending” … Zaccheaus fits the bill. He was included as a “watch list” — the entire Atlanta receiving corps was — after Calvin Ridley stepped away. Zaccheaus snagged only three passes in Week 9, but two of them were good for scores, and that should be the only reason a gamer is concentrating attention his way. Roster Zaccheaus and see how this plays out. He can be used in a pinch with four teams on bye once more in Week 10. At Dallas this week will be a decent barometer, and then he has meetings with several of the more susceptible pass defenses (NE, @JAC, TB, @CAR). There’s staying power with selective deployment ahead.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $5-6

8) WR DeSean Jackson, Las Vegas Raiders: At 35 nearly years old, Jackson still has the wheels to get over the top. And he has a quarterback who loves chucking it down field. The veteran journeyman will have utility in a pinch as he bids to fill the vertical role left behind following the release of Henry Ruggs III. The Raiders play five straight teams with varying degrees of weakness at stopping the long ball. He should maintain enough weekly utility to trot him out to cover a bye or as an injury fill-in.

Availability: 96%
FAAB: $3-4

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One-week plays

RB Le’Veon Bell, Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins: This one comes with a caveat: Only play Bell if Latavius Murray remains out. Bell has scored a TD in two of his last three games, but until Week 9, the volume wasn’t there to any worthwhile level. His 11 carries (no targets) came in a tight game vs. Minnesota and produced 48 yards with a score, but as long as Devonta Freeman is rolling as he has been, Bell is only a deep-league flier for a cheap TD vs. a defense that has given them out like candy.

Availability: 95%
FAAB: $3-4

TE Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers: Five different tight ends have scored in the eight games played by LA this year, coming at a rate of once every 8.4 receptions. The position has struggled the last two weeks, which could make Conklin even riskier than usual, but some of that is due to the teams being able to attack on the outside as the Chargers have been mired by injuries at cornerback. In the three previous games, however, each opponent had a TE score, and David Njoku went for a ridiculous 7-149-1 line. Conklin may not score a 71-yard TD, but something around 70 total yards and a score isn’t out of the question.

Availability: 84%
FAAB: $2-3

TE Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: With TDs in consecutive games, Doyle is on the radar once again. However, last week, his only grab was the one-yard shovel pass TD, and there’s always the threat of Mo Alie-Cox returning to his TD-vulturing ways. Super risky, but fortune favors the bold. Jacksonville has allowed nothing the last two games vs. TEs (Gerald Everett and Tommy Sweeney), but three scores and as many double-digit PPR showings were surrendered in the previous three games.

Availability: 84%
FAAB: $1-2

PK Greg Joseph, Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers: Kickers have averaged 2.25 field goal attempts and a trio of extra points vs. the Chargers in the last four games. Philly’s Jake Elliott failed to get into double figures last week as he was afforded only one three-point try, but five kickers have attempted two or more field goals and four have 10-plus points in 2021 against this unit in typical fantasy scoring. The offensive vs. defensive strengths suggest Joseph could kick two-plus field goals and add his name to the list of prolific fantasy outings.

Availability: 68%
FAAB: $0-1

Baltimore Ravens D/ST at Miami Dolphins: In leagues that deduct fantasy points for giving up real ones, Baltimore has scored in the red its last two games. This defense has a combined minus-two fantasy points in those outings, which spans a Week 8 bye, and its fantasy ownership has dipped accordingly. Whether Miami trots out Tua Tagovailoa or Jacoby Brissett, the future is bright for Baltimore as a one-week play.

Availability: 68%
FAAB: $0-1

Grab & stash

RB Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots: While erratic and risky, Bolden has a place on rosters in deep formats, but he’s closer to a watch lister for more casual setups. Given the concussion concerns with Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson, Bolden is a fringe lineup consideration for Week 10. His receiving skills keep him in the conversation some weeks, but a greater chance of increased playing time could make him a flex flier this week vs. Cleveland. In the event he draws more PT in Week 11, a trip to Atlanta cannot hurt his chances of relevancy. Stash him until we know more about Harris and Stevenson, because if both are healthy for Week 10, Bolden is untrustworthy in all but the deepest of settings.

Availability: 38%
FAAB: $2-3

WR T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts: The matchup for WRs is favorable over the next month or so, presuming Hilton can overcome a concussion suffered two games ago and actually stay on the field. In the next four weeks, he faces three exploitable units and one that he has thoroughly owned in his career. Even this sad, shambling carcass of a former star still should be able to make a little noise against Jacksonville and Houston. On the surface, he’s a no-go vs. Buffalo in Week 11 and a bit risky against Tampa the following game, but the way Indy defends the pass, volume could work on his side in both contests.

Availability: 72%
FAAB: $0-1

Keep your eye on ’em

RB Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers: Wilson was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform ahead of Week 9 but didn’t see a utilization, even with Trey Sermon inactive. The ground game remained firmly in Elijah Mitchell’s grasp, and Wilson’s TD-stealing ways were put on the back burner. Will he see an uptick in work going forward? Hard to say. Sermon wasn’t touching the ball the last few weeks anyway, but Kyle Shanahan was a strong advocate for Wilson in the past. San Francisco faces the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10, which is a favorable enough matchup on the ground, and a Week 11 trip to Jacksonville makes Wilson a possible TD target. If he remains underutilized or outright continues to be ignored, you know what to do with him.

Availability: 38%

Eligible-to-return tracker

The following fantasy-relevant players are eligible to return from the Reserve/Injured list and could be on waivers, but inclusion below doesn’t guarantee coming back in the upcoming week. The date when the player was placed on IR is in parentheses.

  • PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis Colts (10/16)
  • TE Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team (10/6)
  • WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (9/13)

Deep diving for running backs

If you’re in a competitive league, it is unlikely running backs are just chillin’ on the waiver wire. But that doesn’t mean gamers aren’t still in need of “break in case of emergency” running backs. These players could be available for a dumpster dive:

  • D’Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans (TD flier)
  • Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team (Antonio Gibson insurance)
  • Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals (TD flier)
  • Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers (TD flier)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 9 free-agent forecast

High-profile injuries have gamers working overtime on the wire.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Bye weeks: Lions, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Football Team

Fantasy football waiver wire targets

Priority free agents

1) Derrick Henry’s replacement: Henry (foot) has a Jones fracture, which will cost him 6-10 weeks after surgery on Tuesday. Early reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport say Tennessee is working out running back Adrian Peterson.

Peterson is a logical replacement, and despite his advanced age, he proved capable of getting the job done last year. He is now fresh as a daisy, too. Be prepared to pounce. In fact, if you’re in a competitive league and have the ability to drop someone from KC, NYG, LV or BAL ahead of Monday Night Football, go for it. Some leagues allow for first-come, first-served waivers right up to kickoff of MNF, and since none of those four teams have played yet, all of their players are eligible to be dropped.

No one player — or 10 — can directly replace Henry, so we’ll see some kind of time share. RB Jeremy McNichols should be the third-down guy. The primary backup, Darrynton Evans (knee), is on Injured Reserve.

With such a huge loss in fantasy, be aggressive. Peterson hasn’t even signed yet, so recognize the risk in being too aggressive. AD is not a lock to be signed, and this is a preemptive recommendation. The 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday trade deadline will dictate where this one heads.

Other notable options speculatively could include Todd Gurley, Brian Hill, and Frank Gore.

Availability: N/A
FAAB: TBD

2) RBs Boston Scott & Jordan Howard, Philadelphia Eagles: Let’s assume Miles Sanders returns after his three weeks on IR, which means we’ll see him in Week 11 vs. a stout New Orleans run D. Los Angeles’ weakness is stopping the run, and Denver has degraded in a serious way over the last five weeks. This defense went from the 11th-toughest unit on the season-long front to the third weakest over the last three weeks.

Two caveats: Philly rarely ran before Sanders went down, and they faced the Detroit Lions in a blowout win. Those points out of the way, both Scott and Howard saw double-digit touches and each scored a pair of touchdowns. It’s a little mystifying they didn’t give Kenneth Gainwell an earnest chance until the game was out of hand, but we should at least be happy Nick Sirianni remembered the offense is allowed to run the ball.

Availability: 80% (Scott) & 99% (Howard)
FAAB: $24-26 (Scott) & $21-23 (Howard)

3) RB Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars: A few times, Hyde has appeared in this article as a recommended handcuff for James Robinson. The second-year J-Rob has a bruised heel and could miss time … or maybe not. We just don’t know the extent of this one, and neither did head coach Urban Meyer. The opportunity to see the bulk of the carries is appealing, yet the immediate schedule is anything but with matchups vs. BUF, at IND, and vs. San Fran. Roster Hyde in the scenario Robinson misses time and bye weeks or other injuries force your hand to play him despite a tough matchup. Just don’t invest too much to make it happen.

Availability: 94%
FAAB: $13-14

4) RB Ty Johnson, New York Jets: Prior to Week 8, Johnson had averaged 8.5 utilizations over the first six games — nothing special, but every bit helps during bye weeks and at the infirmed position. While Johnson has been capped at five rushing attempts since his season-high 12 totes in Week 2, 13 total targets in the last two games shouldn’t be ignored. He has 11 catches and 13 or more fantasy points in those outings. The Jets aren’t a great team, obviously, but that helps pass-catching backs, and Johnson proved to be immune to a quarterback change. Wide receiver deficiencies have him in the mix, regardless of the matchup.

Availability: 95%
FAAB: $9-10

5) WR Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville Jaguars: Three straight games Agnew has at least six targets and five or more receptions. Although the yardage has been capped at 78 and lower than 42 in two of those three contests, the former cornerback has 10 or more PPR points in teach of those outings. He also is coming off a 12-target performance, and Trevor Lawrence clearly has faith in him since DJ Chark Jr. was lost for the year.

Availability: 98%
FAAB: $4-5

6) QB Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders: Vegas comes out of the break and faces one of the softest fantasy schedules of any team. Looking ahead, Carr battles at the New York Giants, returns home for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals, and then goes on the road for a Thanksgiving Day trip to Dallas. Afterward, a return home to face the lowly Washington pass defense, and a trip to KC in Week 14 carries us through the schedule in which bye weeks are an issue.

Availability: 38%
FAAB: $4-5

7) TE Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers: Regardless of Eric Ebron’s health, Freiermuth has taken over as the TE1 of this offense. He posted 7-58-0 in Week 6 before the bye week and came out of the break with a 4-44-1 line. His touchdown grab was a masterpiece, and the season-long loss of wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster opened a weekly role for a possession weapon with a QB whose deep ball leaves something to be desired.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $3-4

8) WR DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins: He’ll be inconsistent, but coming back from injury to log 11 targets, eight catches and 85 yards — all season highs. He last dressed in Week 4 and finished with 4-77-1. In his five appearances, he has three games with at least four grabs, 77 yards and 12-plus PPR points. While we’ve see a roller coaster from Tua Tagovailoa, Parker should be universally owned as long as he’s healthy.

Availability: 65%
FAAB: $3-4

9) PK Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders: Check the wire since he is returning from a bye week. Carlson had nailed at least two field goals in five of seven outings, and he has nine or more fantasy points in as many contests. If you’re tired of rotating kickers from the wire, Carlson has staying power in an offense that will continue to provide work.

Availability: 74%
FAAB: $1-2

One-week plays

QB Davis Mills, Houston Texans vs. Miami Dolphins: This one is super risky for a few reasons … the erratic rookie’s highs have been impressive, whereas his lows have been catastrophically bad. Then there’s the looming chance of Tyrod Taylor returning this week after reportedly being close in Week 8. That said, if it is indeed Taylor under center, he’s a reasonable swap into this spot. While Mills should be given a legit chance to start the rest of the way, head coach David Culley appears to favor the veteran — perhaps that changed after this rookie’s strong Week 9 showing vs. a damning LA Rams defense. Quarterbacks have averaged the third-most fantasy points per game since Week 3 vs. the Dolphins. Granted, the competition that has exploited Miami has been stiff, but there’s still moderate upside for Mills to do some damage.

Availability: 98%
FAAB: $1-2

WR Elijah Moore, New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts: Thirteen receivers have at least four catches vs. the Colts this year, and 10 have gone for 12-plus fantasy points in PPR scoring. The short week means Mike White is likely to start once again at quarterback, and he looked to the rookie six times vs. Cincinnati in Week 8, resulting in 6-67-0. The prior week, Moore ran in a TD vs. New England, which is an added bonus to know he may be utilized in such a way. Four teams on bye means we need to dig a little deeper sometimes, and Moore makes for a worthwhile PPR flex play.

Availability: 84%
FAAB: $1-2

TE Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts vs. New York Jets: Four targets in Week 8 resulted in a big, fat zero in the receptions column. Not encouraging. However, with a season-high of three catches in any single game entering the week, don’t be turned off too much. Alie-Cox’s role isn’t to rack up volume … he’s a “play-n-pray” TD gamble in fantasy. New York has allowed three TE touchdowns in the last four games, and using data from the past three weeks shows this matchup has been 140.1 percent weaker than the league average.

Availability: 84%
FAAB: $1-2

PK Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans: The past five games vs. Houston have resulted in kickers scoring no fewer than seven fantasy points. Every kick but one extra point has been true, tallying 6-for-6 on three-pointers and 15 of 16 overall kicking attempts. The matchup is 46.4 percent better than average since Week 3. Sanders, for his part in this equation, hasn’t missed an XPA this year (14), but he has been on a wild ride when it comes to field goals with three misses in the last six tries. The offense vs. defense matchup profiles as a little bit of a struggle for Miami, which could result in more treys.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $0-1

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Grab & stash

WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers: A disastrous start to his season finally showed a bright spot with seven looks — the highest involvement of 2021 for Aiyuk — and a four-catch, 45-yard day. He added a two-point conversion. Given how limited he has been involved, and the looming prospect of Trey Lance taking over at some point this year, Aiyuk remains ultra risky.

Availability: 49%
FAAB: $2-3

WR Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills: Davis has been a total flop this year, that is until he came off the bye week and posted a 4-29-1 line — not special, but he had one more target than Emmanuel Sanders, who was blanked on his four looks. Davis has shown what he can do during a seven-score rookie season a year ago, and Sanders isn’t the future, so one has to question if we’re starting to see a transition. While I’m skeptical, Davis is worth stashing in deeper leagues to find out where this is headed.

Availability: 98%
FAAB: $1-2

TE Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders return from a Week 8 bye, and Darren Waller’s injury situation has him facing a day-to-day status. Vegas returns to face the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, and both are friendly enough opponents for tight ends. The position is a staple in this passing game, and Moreau can build on his Week 7 performance if given the same role. If you can, stash him until we definitively know Waller’s availability.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $0-1

TE Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team: A recommendation for people with extra storage space: Thomas is appearing on more and more waiver wires of late, and he’s expected to return after Washington’s Week 9. Upon his return, in Week 10, Thomas has three straight weeks vs. top-10 matchups in his favor.

Availability: 47%
FAAB: $0-1

Keep your eye on ’em

Atlanta Falcons wide receivers: With Calvin Ridley stepping away indefinitely as he focuses on personal matters, Atlanta has a sizeable target share to be seized. Last week, Russell Gage Jr. was included as a recommendation, but he wasn’t even targeted in a losing effort without Ridley. That perfectly illustrates the volatility of this passing game. Tajae Sharpe led the team in receiving Sunday, and Olamide Zaccheaus will have a chance to step up his involvement. Given the erratic nature, it’s best to watch how this shakes out vs. New Orleans. In all actuality, we’re probably looking at Kyle Pitts and Cordarrelle Patterson as the only contributors with any fantasy relevance from week to week.

TE Dan Arnold, Jacksonville Jaguars: In the last three games, following the loss of WR DJ Chark Jr., after Arnold was traded from Carolina earlier in the year, the versatile tight end has 23 targets in the last three contests. He hasn’t scored since Week 14 of 2020 two teams ago, but Arnold catches passes from a rookie QB and on a franchise with a porous defense. The opportunities should be there more often than not, and he’s worth watching in most formats but could be rostered in a pinch.

Availability: 96%

Eligible-to-return tracker

The following fantasy-relevant players are eligible to return from the Reserve/Injured list and could be on waivers, but inclusion below doesn’t guarantee coming back in the upcoming week. The date when the player was placed on IR is in parentheses.

  • PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Indianapolis Colts (10/16)
  • PK Robbie Gould, San Francisco 49ers (10/6)
  • TE Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team (10/6)
  • WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers (10/2)
  • WR Tyrell Williams, Detroit Lions (9/23)
  • WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (9/13)

Deep diving for running backs

If you’re in a competitive league, it is unlikely running backs are just chillin’ on the waiver wire. But that doesn’t mean gamers aren’t still in need of “break in case of emergency” running backs. These players could be available for a dumpster dive:

  • RB Jeremy McNichols, Tennessee Titans (PPR only)
  • RB Scottie Phillips & Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans (8 utilizations each w/o Mark Ingram)
  • RB Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team (Antonio Gibson insurance)
  • Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers (FB with an adoring coach)
  • Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts (maybe gets traded?)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 8 free-agent forecast

Can a cakewalk schedule make Jameis “Fantasy Famous” once again?

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Bye weeks: Raiders, Ravens

Fantasy football waiver wire targets

Priority free agents

1) RB Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles: Miles Sanders was carted off after suffering an ankle injury in Week 7, just at a time in which head coach Nick Sirianni decided running the football might actually help the team. The injury appeared serious enough to cost Sanders a few games or so, and initial reports call it a sprain. Gainwell, a versatile rookie, will see an uptick in touches. He had been utilized barely enough in the passing game early in the year to warrant a speculative waiver add prior to bye weeks, but his role trailed off leading up to Sanders getting hurt. Boston Scott will be factored into the backfield to a degree, but we saw last year he isn’t capable of shouldering more than a handful of touches per week. Gainwell is a must-add in all formats. His current FAAB price is based on the speculative idea we won’t see Sanders for two or three weeks.

Availability: 79%
FAAB: $29-31

2) QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints: Prior to the Week 6 bye, Winston was included in this space as a stash option, mostly due to his extremely easy schedule for the next month or so. The Week 7 game has yet to be played at publishing time, and it will be updated with any news that may affect this recommendation. Michael Thomas (ankle) could be activated over the upcoming week or two, and WR Tre’Quan Smith’s return will take some pressure off receiver Marquez Callaway. Winston’s upcoming opponents after Seattle (which is a cake matchup): TB, ATL, @TEN, @PHI, BUF, and DAL … Excluding Philly and Buffalo, we’re looking at four top-eight matchups.

Availability: 49%
FAAB: $4-5

3) RB Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots: Everyone behind Damien Harris in this backfield is a crapshoot in terms of weekly fantasy utility, so keep that in mind. In Week 6, we saw Bolden get slightly dinged up and Rhamondre Stevenson seemingly return to Bill Belichick’s good graces, only for the rookie to become a healthy scratch once again this past weekend as Bolden returned and J.J. Taylor was active. The latter scored twice on the turf in a blowout win, but Bolden has PPR staying power as long as he’s healthy.

Availability: 94%
FAAB: $8-10

6) WR Russell Gage Jr., Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons have started to come around of late as head coach Arthur Smith’s system is being digested, and we saw Gage remind us in Week 7 why he was a preseason sleeper. Landing four of six targets for 67 yards and a score is likely his ceiling, but the Falcons will have to pass a ton, and Calvin Ridley isn’t getting an inch of breathing room right now. Gage will disappear some weeks as the game plan favors throwing to the running backs, and not every contest will afford Matt Ryan the luxury of making Ridley, Gage and Kyle Pitts relevant. That said, Gage absolutely is worthy of a roster spot with upcoming meetings against Carolina, New Orleans, Dallas, New England, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Carolina again, San Francisco, and Detroit before finally heading to Buffalo in the fantasy championship week. That is one of the softest WR schedules you’ll find.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $2-3

5) WR Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots: Two Patriots in the top five … not how this was drawn up. Bourne has managed to produce at least 10 PPR points in four of his last five outings, and the defensively challenged Patriots will ask Mac Jones to throw more than desired by the coaching staff. Bourne is pacing for his best fantasy season to date, and the latter four of his next five opponents (@LAC, @CAR, CLE, @ATL, TEN) are quite pleasant matchups for the position.

Availability: 94%
FAAB: $3-4

6) RB Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals: Last week, we noted whichever Bengals back between Perine and rookie Chris Evans would be active is the worth playing vs. Baltimore, and the veteran lived up to expectations. There was chatter going into the year that Joe Mixon would lose a decent number of touches to Perine, and we’ve seen 16 and 17 touches, respectively, go Perine’s direction in his last two games (missed Week 6 on the COVID list). One game was close, the other was a blowout, so we’ll take that as a sign this team is looking to keep Mixon as fresh as possible for a likely playoff push. The Bengals face a hapless New York Jets’ run defense in Week 8, but it swings to basically the opposite end of the spectrum vs. Cleveland ahead of Cincy’s Week 10 vacation. Roster Perine at least until then as the schedule stiffens after the break.

Availability: 93%
FAAB: $3-4

7) TE Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts: With at least 8.0 PPR points to his credit in the last four games, Alie-Cox has relevance in fantasy, especially since he scored four touchdowns in that window. He has a low-volume, moderate-upside profile and will provide better than a puncher’s chance of finding paydirt as gamers navigate upcoming bye weeks and current injuries. Each of his next five opponents have allowed at least two scores to the position this year, and four of those teams rank inside of the top 10 for TE matchups.

Availability: 83%
FAAB: $1-2

8) WR Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams: Every third game Jefferson has been a worthy fantasy contributor, but patterns like that are closer to meaningless than reliable. The more important trend to note is his sheer lack of utility in the games in which he doesn’t score a touchdown. We’re talking three times with fewer than five PPR points and one that topped out at 8.2. Los Angeles has a host of weapons, but upcoming matchups with CAR, @NO, @DAL, NE, @JAC, and TB will make Jefferson a viable flier play each week as we traverse bye weeks and injuries.

Availability: 91%
FAAB: $1-2

9) WR Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers: This one is lukewarm based on the situation, but the upcoming matchups are tremendous. Green Bay faces Arizona, KC and Seattle the next three weeks, which will keep Aaron Rodgers’ right arm plenty busy. The downside concern here is two-fold: Marquez Valdes-Scantling is eligible to return to cut into Lazard’s PT, and there’s also the unpredictability of which non-Davante Adams wideout will make a difference from week to week. If you can stomach as much risk as potential reward, Lazard has a hint of utility with a short run of staying power.

Availability: 96%
FAAB: $1-2

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One-week plays

QB Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos vs. Washington Football Team: Bridgewater should get WR Jerry Jeudy back into the mix this week, and he still has a trio of capable pass-catchers in Tim Patrick, Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant. Denver’s defense continues to take injury hits, and Teddy B. has thrown an average of 40 passes in his past three games. He has north of 260 yards and two scores in four of seven appearances, which is encouraging, but the real reason for his inclusion is the extent of how much Washington stinks vs. QBs. In 2021, the position has averaged 2.71 TDs and 311.1 yards per game, making this the top matchup. Six quarterbacks have at least 27 fantasy points scored against Washington this year.

Availability: 80%
FAAB: $3-4

TE C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets: There’s definite risk in stumping for Uzomah, even with a wonderful matchup, just because this offense has so many outlets for the football. Running the risk he could be lost in the mix, understand what kind of possible peril you’re assuming. The Jets have played pretty well vs. wide receivers, which is Cincy’s strength, but running backs and tight ends have chewed them up. In the past five weeks, New York looked more like gangrene than Gang Green. TEs have averaged 18.8 PPR points on the eighth-most catches and yards per game. Two of the 30 grabs have scored.

Availability: 82%
FAAB: $2-3

TE Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers have allowed serious volume to the position — the eighth-most catches and 11th-highest yardage averages since Week 2 — but this is the seventh-best opponent to face for ease of touchdowns by TEs. One in every 7.8 grabs has found the end zone, which bodes well for a guy who … only finds the end zone. Johnson has six total grabs and three scores in 2021. The level of risk here cannot be understated, yet the appeal is obvious. With Darren Waller (injured) and Mark Andrews on bye, gamers may find themselves willing to gamble.

Availability: 94%
FAAB: $0-1

PK Chase McLaughlin, Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: The past two weeks haven’t exactly gone McLaughlin’s way, but we’re encouraged about this one. These teams always battle each other like it’s the last game they’ll ever play, and offensive injuries on Cleveland’s behalf could lead to a low-scoring affair. Some of it depends on what version of Browns defense shows up. The Steelers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to the position on the strength of 11-for-11 kicking for each field goals and extra points. Five of six opponents have at least seven fantasy points, and McLaughlin has attempted two or more FGAs in four of the past five outings.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $0-1

Cincinnati Bengals D/ST vs New York Jets: It may seem odd to have so many Bengals in one waiver article, but here we are … not to discredit the success of Cincinnati this year, we’ll chalk this one up to all that is the New York Jets offense. QB Zach Wilson has a sprained knee and will miss a few weeks, so we’re likely looking at Mike White as the Week 8 starter. Versus New England last week, coming in cold, he threw 32 times, completing a respectable 62.5 percent of them, for 202 yards, one TD and a pair of picks. QB Josh Johnson is the only other passer on the team, so he’s likely to get elevated from the practice squad. In the event he starts, this matchup play holds true. Only five teams have more sacks than the Bengals this year, and this defense is just two away from the league lead. Sacks and pressure tend to create mistakes, especially from inexperienced QBs.

Availability: 42%
FAAB: $0-1

Atlanta Falcons D/ST vs. Carolina Panthers: Sam Darnold was benched last week and replaced by P.J. Walker — an experiment that didn’t go any better — somehow worse, in fact. Even though Darnold has closely resembled the New York version of himself the last three weeks, he should return to the lineup. Atlanta’s defense doesn’t have much going for it from an accomplishment standpoint, so this one is all about banking on Darnold being awful once again. In the past five weeks, only four offenses have allowed more fantasy points per game to opposing defensive teams — and two of those squads required special teams TDs to make it happen.

Availability: 97%
FAAB: $0-1

Grab & stash

QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins: While recommending Tua as the Deshaun Watson trade winds approach hurricane speeds isn’t exactly safe, risk-averse owners see an opportunity to roster him after consecutive games with 26-plus-point fantasy days, including career-high 33.5 points vs. Atlanta. Granted, both of those performances came against easily exploitable defenses, but Tagovailoa mustering fantasy-relevant stats vs. Houston (Week 9) and Baltimore (Week 10) after Buffalo has its way with him this upcoming week isn’t out of the question. Stash him for now as by weeks pick up to four teams after only two being on the nearest slate.

Availability: 93%
FAAB: $2-3

TE Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders have a Week 8 bye, but if you have the room it wouldn’t hurt to stash Moreau through his week off in case Darren Waller’s injury situation has him out once Week 9 arrives. Don’t spend any FAAB on him, nor should you drop a player with future utility. Vegas returns to face the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, and both are friendly enough opponents for tight ends. The position is a staple in this passing game, and Moreau can build on his Week 7 performance if given the same role.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $0

TE Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team: Another recommendation for people that have extra storage space: Thomas is appearing on more and more waiver wires of late, and he’s entering the final week of his projected absence. The issue here is you’ll have to tie up a spot for two games as Washington goes on bye in Week 9. Fortunately, we have only two teams on bye this week. Upon his return, in Week 10, Thomas has three straight weeks vs. top-10 matchups in his favor.

Availability: 47%
FAAB: $0

Keep your eye on ’em

WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans: Collins went on IR with a shoulder injury and returned to the field for his first game back in Week 6. This past Sunday, rookie quarterback Davis Mills was awful, and Collins “paced” the team in yardage. Don’t laugh … okay, it’s a gut-buster … the total was just 28 yards. Woof. Collins’ five targets make him mildly attractive, and the return of quarterback Tyrod Taylor figures to help. The large-bodied rookie receiver will be worth keeping an eye on, especially if veteran wideout Brandin Cooks is traded prior to the deadline as this team is in the throes of a full-on rebuild.

Availability: 99%

WR Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions: Each week, Detroit’s receiving corps is among the toughest to predict. Raymond emerged vs. the LA Rams in Week 7, going for 6-115-0 on eight targets. He has 16 total utilizations in the last two games and six-plus in four of his last five appearances. Watch how the target distribution plays out this week vs. Philadelphia ahead of Detroit’s Week 9 bye before investing.

Availability: 99%

Eligible-to-return tracker

The following fantasy-relevant players are eligible to return from the Reserve/Injured list and could be on waivers, but inclusion below doesn’t guarantee coming back in the upcoming week. The date when the player was placed on IR is in parentheses.

  • WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers (10/2)
  • WR Tyrell Williams, Detroit Lions (9/23)
  • WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (9/13)
  • PK Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints (9/6)

Deep diving for running backs

If you’re in a competitive league, it is unlikely running backs are just chillin’ on the waiver wire. But that doesn’t mean gamers aren’t still in need of “break in case of emergency” running backs. These players could be available for a dumpster dive:

  • RB J.J. Taylor, New England Patriots (cheap TD potential)
  • RB Ty Johnson, New York Jets (averaging 8.5 utilizations)
  • RB Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team (Antonio Gibson insurance)
  • Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers (FB with an adoring coach)
  • Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars (James Robinson insurance)
  • Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts (maybe gets traded?)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 7 free-agent forecast

Six teams on bye and injuries galore make for an all-important week of waivers.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Bye weeks: Bills, Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers, Chargers, Jaguars

Fantasy football waiver wire targets

Priority free agents

1) D’Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns: No Nick Chubb (calf) in Week 6 left Kareem Hunt as the feature back, and the veteran’s day came to a premature end as he was carted off with a calf injury of his own. While it doesn’t sound season-ending in nature, Hunt will miss a few weeks and has been placed on the Reserve/Injured list. Johnson is closer to a prototypical NFL back for this smashmouth offensive system, whereas RB/WR Demetric Felton (more below) is cut from the change-up, pass-catching cloth. Cleveland was without both of its starting tackles in Week 6, which will warrant some attention before playing Johnson on this short week of rest. Ahead for Cleveland: Denver, Pittsburgh, at Cincinnati and at New England. One or both of the Chubb-Hunt duo should be back by the end of that stretch.

Availability: 98%
FAAB: $34-36

2) QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints: Reiterating from last week … It’s easy to get hung up on his Week 5 performance that was highlighted by four touchdown strikes, but it’s not easy to also forget the prior three games of utter mediocrity. The Saints return from a Week 6 bye and are eligible to get injured WRs Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith back in Week 7. Looking at the schedule, the former Tampa Bay quarterback will have a legitimate month’s worth of lineup utility. The Weeks 7-10 slate serves up the exploitable defenses of Seattle, Tampa, Atlanta and Tennessee before the schedule stiffens again.

Availability: 64%
FAAB: $4-5

3) RB Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears: A reminder from last week’s inclusion, in case your entire league passed on the rookie: Herbert remains available in 35 percent of leagues polled. Damien Williams missed Week 6 on the COVID list, but Herbert saw more attempts in Week 5 when both were on the field throughout the contest. Given the strength of Herbert’s Week 6 showing (19.2 PPR), expect him to see the lion’s share (bear’s share?) of the reps. The downside: a murderer’s row of running back defenses ahead of the Week 10 bye with matchups at Tampa, vs. San Fran, and at Pittsburgh. Chances are high someone in your league won’t think about the schedule and will overbid based on Herbert’s recent results.

Availability: 36%
FAAB: $20-22

4) RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots: It has been a tumultuous ride for the rookie as he was a preseason darling and then found himself in the doghouse after an early-season fumble. Damien Harris entered with injured ribs but managed to rush 18 times for 101 yards and a score vs. Dallas. The Pats turned to Stevenson on the goal line for a short TD on one of his five rushes. A three-target, three-catch, 39-yard showing is more intriguing, especially as 31-year-old Brandon Bolden had one target and a lone rushing attempt in Week 6. Ahead on the schedule for the Patriots: NYJ, @LAC, @CAR, CLE, @ATL, TEN and @BUF before a Week 14 bye. It may be tricky knowing when to play Stevenson. We have the benefit of a heavy dose of bye teams this week, and the Jets coming to New England is a fine time to give it a go.

Availability: 67%
FAAB: $6-7

5) TE Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington Football Team: A week after being included here as a one-week play for the strength of the matchup and a legitimate role, RSJ deserves to be put on rosters for the near future. He could be useful for the next few weeks while Logan Thomas is out, and the tight end position has been as volatile as ever of late. The upcoming two weeks send Washington on the road to Green Bay and Denver — trust him vs. the Packers before reevaluating his utility against Denver.

Availability: 71%
FAAB: $3-4

6) RB Le’Veon Bell, Baltimore Ravens: Latavius Murray scored a TD in Week 6 — as did both Bell and running back Devonta Freeman — before an ankle injury cut short the former Saint and Raider rusher’s day. While we don’t know the severity of Murray’s injury just yet, there’s value to speculatively adding Bell (and even Freeman). Baltimore faces Cincinnati in Week 7 before going on bye, making Bell a so-so rental with potential staying power should he show out.

Availability: 93%
FAAB: $2-3

7) PK Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons: Check for the talented kicker on the wire after his Week 6 bye likely cast him free from the clutches of your opponents. While he hasn’t been as strong of a performer as in 2020, Koo has a great chance of turning things around as Atlanta gains comfort in head coach Arthur Smith’s system and a mess of absent players return to the field.

Availability: 53%
FAAB: $1-2

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One-week plays

WR Quez Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Purely a flier for a cheap touchdown during “Bye-mageddon” Week 7. The Bucs have given up the third-most catches to WRs, but that’s not Watkins’ game. As Tampa focuses on slowing impressive rookie receiver DeVonta Smith, Watkins will see isolated coverage and has a plus-chance of breaking free against an injury-ravaged secondary. Keep in mind, though, this is an all-or-nothing type of lineup commitment.

Availability: 98%
FAAB: $0-1

TE Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals vs. Houston Texans: Ertz appeared in this spot last week and delivered on Thursday night, only to be traded to the Cardinals the next day. The former Philadelphia stud still has some juice left in the tank, and while he doesn’t have as high of a ceiling these days, Houston offers one of the softest matchups for the position in Ertz’s first game in the desert. No team has allowed more points in PPR, and it’s an excellent matchup in standard scoring, too, as the Texans have yielded the five scores over 36 receptions faced. It’s a risky recommendation due to the newness of his tenure in Arizona, but the matchup is prime.

Availability: 40%
FAAB: $1-2

RB Chris Evans/Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens: This recommendation comes with the caveat of Perine (COVID-19) could be back this week, and, if he is, substitute him for Evans. The sole purpose of playing either back is for a touchdown flier — Baltimore has yielded seven offensive scores (1 receiving) to the position at a top-10 rate of once every 20.5 touches. Whichever back is slated to be Joe Mixon’s direct backup is worthy of a desperation play in a pinch with six teams on bye.

Availability: 95%
FAAB: $1-2

TE Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: We saw signs of life from the second-year pro in Week 6 as he landed four of five looks for 49 yards. In the prior month of action, Kmet totaled five receptions for 39 yards. Justin Fields is slowly starting to settle in a little more as an NFL starting quarterback, and this week brings a trip the Tampa Bay — a defense that has granted tight ends a score every 10 grabs in 2021. Only two teams have permitted more receptions to the position, and an average of one TE per week has posted 10 or more PPR points against the Bucs. Kmet is a super risky play, but there’s ample upside.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $0-1

PK Graham Gano, New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers: Gano has averaged 2.8 field goal attempts in the past five games, connecting on 12 of the 14 tries. He has made all five of his PATs. The offensively battered Giants may have just enough fight in them to put the veteran into range enough to matter. Seven of the nine total field goals attempted vs. the Panthers have come in the last two outings, possibly an indication of a developing trend.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $0-1

New England Patriots D/ST vs New York Jets: New England’s neutrally ranked fantasy defense (16th) still manages to carry name recognition, which likely has them rostered in more casual formats than advanced, but it’s worth inspecting the wire for its presence. Other than the Week 2 trip to the Jets, when the Patriots created four turnovers and posted as many sacks, this defense has not come even close to matching that output. It has four total takeaways and nine sacks otherwise. Some of it is matchup-related, but this isn’t your older sibling’s Pats defense … that is, unless it is facing a rookie quarterback not named Davis Mills. Go back to this well once more vs. Zach Wilson and crew.

Availability: 42%
FAAB: $0-1

Carolina Panthers D/ST at New York Giants: The 18th-ranked Carolina fantasy defense is floating about on nearly half the wires polled, and it’s no wonder why after this group has two or fewer points in a pair of the last three contests. The Giants have allowed defenses to score 8.0 fantasy points in each of the past two weeks as injuries have decimated this offense. That number of points just happens to match the high point of Carolina’s defensive capabilities seen thus far in 2021, so understand there’s a fair amount of risk associated here.

Availability: 47%
FAAB: $0-1

Grab & stash

RB Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers: Wilson is eligible to return this week after being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list following offseason knee surgery. The lack of interest in utilizing Trey Sermon (two plays) in Week 5 before San Fran’s bye is telling, and Wilson has been a coach Kyle Shanahan favorite. Roster him and wait to see what kind of role he has upon returning, but it’s likely to be notable in the red zone, even if Elijah Mitchell dominates touches between the 20s.

Availability: 81%
FAAB: $1-2

Keep your eye on ’em

WR/RB Demetric Felton, Cleveland Browns: As mentioned above, Cleveland’s backfield is an infirmary. Give Felton a look in deep PPR formats if thoroughly desperate for an option during the week with six bye teams. For all other settings, it’s best to keep him in your sights as we await to hear more about Chubb entering Week 7’s Thursday nighter.

Availability: 99%

RB Travis Homer & DeeJay Dallas, Seattle Seahawks: Keep tabs on Chris Carson (neck) and Alex Collins (hip, glute) this week as Homer and Dallas will have a sizeable roles if they both must sit. The downside here, and largely why neither isn’t a true recommendation, is the matchup with the New Orleans Saints as they return from a bye week. Not only is this a dominant run defense but they’re also well-rested, which spells trouble for first-string backs, let alone third/fourth-teamers.

Availability: 99%

Eligible-to-return tracker

The following fantasy-relevant players are eligible to return from the Reserve/Injured list and could be on waivers, but inclusion below doesn’t guarantee coming back in the upcoming week. The date when the player was placed on IR is in parentheses.

  • RB Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks (10/2)
  • WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers (10/2)
  • WR Tyrell Williams, Detroit Lions (9/23)
  • QB Tyrod Taylor, Houston Texans (9/21)
  • WR Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns (9/21)
  • WR Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos (9/14)
  • QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington Football Team (9/14)
  • WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (9/13)
  • WR Tre’Quan Smith, New Orleans Saints (9/10)
  • PK Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints (9/6)

Deep diving for running backs

If you’re in a competitive league, it is unlikely running backs are just chillin’ on the waiver wire. But that doesn’t mean gamers aren’t still in need of “break in case of emergency” running backs. These players could be available for a dumpster dive:

  • RB Ty Johnson, New York Jets (averaging 7.8 utilizations)
  • RB Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team (Antonio Gibson insurance)
  • Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco 49ers (FB with an adoring coach)
  • Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars (James Robinson insurance)
  • Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts (maybe gets traded?)

Fantasy football free-agent forecast: Week 1

Which players should you check for on the waiver wire before the season starts?

Be sure to check the fantasy football waiver wire for the following players, provided your league’s settings permit acquisitions before Week 1. Depending on how early your league drafted, its bench depth, and a few other factors, the availability of these players is bound to vary.

5 fantasy football waiver wire picks before Week 1

Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

1) RB Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars: Depending upon when you drafted, Travis Etienne may have still been a factor in this backfield. With the rookie on the shelf for the year, Hyde, a former Urban Meyer rusher at Ohio State, gets thrown into the mix. While James Robinson will be the primary back, expect to see plenty of Hyde. He warrants a roster spot, even if Robinson isn’t on your team. Quality depth is hard to find at the running back position. Nab him while he remains a bargain.

Available: 56 percent
FAAB: <$8

2) WR Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills: Davis has a secure role on the team as a deep threat and also would be thrust into the WR1 role if Stefon Diggs were to miss time. The second-year receiver was Josh Allen’s favorite weapon in the last preseason game, connecting on all five targets, including a 31-yard score. The duo showed they picked up right where things left off in 2020.

Available: 37 percent
FAAB: $2-4

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3) RB Tony Jones, New Orleans Saints: Reports out of NOLA suggest Jones is right on Latavius Murray’s heels for the top backup job to Alvin Kamara. Considering Murray is 30, and Kamara has never rushed for even 200 carries in a season, the No. 2 gig has plenty to offer for fantasy purposes. Jones is more of a grab-n-stash guy at the moment.

Available: 68 percent
FAAB: $1-2

4) QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints: Sticking in The Big Easy, some leagues drafted before Jameis officially was named the starter. The availability percentage is low, but it’s worth taking a gander in case your league picked early in August or even before. He may start slowly without Michael Thomas, but as long as the turnovers are kept in check, Winston will get his chance to shine as the year unfolds.

Available: 23 percent
FAAB: $1-2

5) WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans: On any other roster, with any other quarterback, Collins probably would be a WR3 or no worse than a fourth. Fantasy gamers have been scared away from the Deshaun Watson situation, and rightfully so, since Tyrod Taylor is left as the de facto starter if Watson is indeed no longer starting for Houston. Collins brings 6-foot-4 size, adequate speed, and a presence in the red zone this team desperately needs.

Available: 65 percent
FAAB: $0-1

Next week, our typical format will return full of player recommendations of all types. Best of luck in Week 1, and hopefully your players stay healthy!

Fantasy football free-agent forecast: Week 1

Which players should you check for on the waiver wire before the season starts?

Be sure to check the wire for the following players, provided your league’s settings permit acquisitions before Week 1. Depending on how early your league drafted, its bench depth, and a few other factors, the availability of these players is bound to vary.

This week, we’ll keep it short and sweet since so many leagues either waited until the last minute this year or don’t offer a waiver period prior to Week 1. Some of the more obvious inclusions have been left out for leagues that may have drafted in July or even earlier.

In that event, a few options, such as Bryce Love, Adrian Peterson, J.D. McKissic, Steven Sims — okay, basically just current or former Washington players — may now have value they didn’t a month ago. Fortunately, and this is an obvious byproduct of having little on-field activity this summer, it was an extremely light year for injuries. Fingers crossed that trend doesn’t immediately reverse course once the real thing begins.

5 fantasy football waiver wire picks before Week 1

Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

1) RB James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars: Despite possibly being a one-week whiff, gamers should add the rookie back if for no other reason than to get ahead of the curve. Should he either have the bulk of the backfield touches or show a pulse, he’ll be rostered immediately after Week 1 by your competition. Chances are, even with a lackluster Week 1 effort, Robinson will see reps for several weeks, unless Devine Ozigbo stands out. RB Ryquell Armstead will be on the COVD-19 list for some time, his coach said.

Available: 76 percent
FAAB: <$15

2) WR Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders: The shoulder injury suffered by veteran receiver Tyrell Williams means he’ll need season-ending surgery. This move likely forces Jon Gruden to play rookie first-round pick Henry Ruggs III on the outside rather than in the slot, thus freeing up more work for Renfrow. Ruggs is expected to play flanker, which allows him to move around the field, and he could rotate at times into the slot, pushing Renfrow outside. The second-year Clemson product is the elder statesman of this receiving corps and deserves a look in PPR leagues after a strong closing of his rookie campaign.

Available: 44 percent
FAAB: $2-4

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3) TE Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings: The veteran has a history of posting fantasy stats in spurts, often making him a frustrating player. In 2020, the offense, at least early on, could ask more of him than usual. Gary Kubiak takes over as the new playcaller and has a history of involving the position. Rookie WR Justin Jefferson has to learn a pro system on the fly after the pandemic destroyed the normal offseason routine. The Green Bay Packers lost linebacker Blake Martinez in the offseason, and Pack rated as a neutral defense vs. the position prior to seeing their best coverage ‘backer defect. Rudolph has a chance at sneaking into the end zone this week and is an intriguing flier if your normal starter has a tough matchup.

Available: 67 percent
FAAB: $1-2

4) QB Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jags have no running game to speak of entering the year, and the second-year quarterback could be forced into plenty of pass-heavy scripts. He’s a fringe QB1 based on volume alone, but it won’t be pretty some weeks, so treat him as a matchup play. Versus the Indianapolis Colts this week, Minshew is best left in reserve. In the off-chance he exceeds expectations, Minshew will cost a little more next week.

Available: 48 percent
FAAB: $1

5) RB Lynn Bowden Jr., Miami Dolphins: The Las Vegas Raiders spent a third-round pick on Bowden and still opted to trade him a few months later, which doesn’t sound great, but he has a chance to contribute in Miami. The Dolphins have a fragile Matt Breida and an underwhelming Jordan Howard leading the way, so Bowden could be used as a satellite player if something happens to Breida. In leagues that have deep benches, he’s worth a look for a few bucks as a stash-and-hold speculative buy.

Available: 89 percent
FAAB: $0

Next week, our typical format will return full of player recommendations of all types. Best of luck in Week 1, and hopefully your players stay healthy!

Free-agent Forecast: Week 17

The regular-season finale still offers fantasy football fun, and one-week plays can be found on the waiver wire.

Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Bye weeks: none

(Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterbacks

1-Week Plug & Play

Daniel Jones, New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Jones returned from an ankle sprain to thoroughly destroy the Washington Redskins, and now he has a chance to join the ranks of quarterbacks who’ve bombarded the Eagles in 2019. Seven signal callers have posted at least 23.7 points vs. this defense, and Eli Manning mustered a line of 203-2-0 in the Week 14 contest. As Philadelphia focuses on a clearly healthy Saquon Barkley, Jones has a full complement of wideouts and a rising tight end in Kaden Smith.

Availability: 37%
FAAB: $7-8

Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

Brissett began the year with 10 touchdown strikes in the first four games and has just eight over his remaining nine full outings, including none in the last two weeks. The Jaguars have given up at least 23.8 fantasy points six times to the position in 2019, and half of them have come in the last five contests. Brissett went for 18.6 points in the Week 11 meeting, although he was freshly returning from missing Week 10 with a knee sprain. Risk vs. reward is the cruz of his inclusion.

Availability: 50%
FAAB: $3-4

Robert Griffin III, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Baltimore has nothing at stake in Week 17, and it seems unlikely we will see Lamar Jackson make the start. Even if he does, the leash should be short. Griffin faces a mostly unfavorable matchup but deserves a nod in leagues that allow or require two quarterbacks making a starting lineup. Just one QB since Week 9 has posted more than 20 fantasy a points against the Steelers, but three starting-worthy options are unlikely to play in meaningless Week 17 games, so someone like RG3 enters the conversation.

Availability: 100%
FAAB: $0-1

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(Matt Kartozian, USA TODAY Sports)

Running Backs

1-Week Plug & Play

Travis Homer, Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

Note: This one comes with a caution of reports suggesting Marshawn Lynch could be in play to return to Seattle. Add Homer anyway, since it should take some time for Beast Mode to get up to speed. Lynch also is worthy of an add.

Chris Carson (hip) and C.J. Prosise (arm) join Rashaad Penny (knee) has injured, unavailable Seattle running backs, making Homer the primary ball carrier. The rookie has a little bit of juice and is a capable pass-catching option out of the backfield. Homer has decent enough size (5-foot-10, 201 pounds) and will see enough opportunities to warrant a flex play, despite a tough matchup. Three rushing scores have come against the Niners in the last two games, and Carson was good for 19.1 PPR points in the Week 10 meeting.

Availability: 96%
FAAB: $10-12

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Mark Ingram (calf) left early last week and will have two weeks to recover before the postseason since the Ravens have a bye and nothing for which to play in Week 17. Hill has an explosive nature that will help exploit the Steelers on the perimeter and in the passing game. Pittsburgh hasn’t given up a rushing score since Week 5 when Ingram visited the end zone, although a pair of aerial scores have come from the backfield in the past month. Hill’s best way of attacking will be via the screen game.

Availability: 75%
FAAB: $4-5

DeAndre Washington, Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

Denver has granted one rushing and a receiving score to RBs since Week 8, and only two backs have produced 100-yard games vs. the Broncos in 2019. One of them was Leonard Fournette’s 225-yard outburst. In Week 17, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is a long shot to play after missing two of the last three games with a fractured shoulder. Oakland has a puncher’s chance at the postseason, so expect the offense to swing for the fences, and Washington is a decent bet for fantasy production in the mid-teens in PPR.

Availability: 50%
FAAB: $4-5

T.J. Yeldon, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

Buffalo has nothing at stake this week, making Yeldon the likely No. 1 back. While the situation is fluid, and the matchup isn’t exactly ideal, he has an opportunity in PPR. The Jets have given up four offensive scores in the last five weeks to RBs, including two via the passing game. These teams last met in Week 17, and Devin Singletary caught five passes. Yeldon has flex utility as five of the last six backs to face this group have managed double-digit PPR returns.

Availability: 87%
FAAB: $2-3

(David Kohl, USA TODAY Sports)

Wide Receivers

1-Week Plug & Play

Justin Watson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons

With so many injuries to the receiving corps in Tampa, Watson is a must-play, even with a fairly difficult matchup. The Falcons have stiffened greatly in the last six weeks vs. WRs. Back in Week 12, Chris Godwin (hamstring) had his way with this defense, going for 184 yards and two TDs on seven grabs. The results since have favored Atlanta, however, and Watson is no Godwin. The former has, though, managed double figures in PPR over two of his last three appearances, and he’s in a prime situation to see enough looks from Jameis Winston to matter.

Availability: 78%
FAAB: $13-15

N’Keal Harry, New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins

The rookie has started to show signs of getting up to speed both physically and mentally. Harry has 11 utilizations in the last two games, scoring once in that time. New England has to find some other than Julian Edelman and James White who is trustworthy for Tom Brady, and we’ve seen major limitations from the rest of the weaponry. Miami has given up 11 receiving TDs to the position in the last five games alone, and only two teams have yielded more receiving yards in that window.

Availability: 53%
FAAB: $5-6

Greg Ward, Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

With target counts of nine, nine and five in the last three games, Ward has corralled no fewer than four grabs for totals of 34, 61 and 71 yards, with one score in Week 15. The Giants allowed him a 4-34-0 line a few weeks back, and New York’s secondary no longer has CB Janoris Jenkins since that meeting. Ward is a risky option, but given his number of targets and the matchup with a defense that has yielded four wideout TDs in the last two games, he’s a fantasy flex consideration.

Availability: 84%
FAAB: $3-4

Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

Opportunity and a plus matchup tend to equal success in fantasy, but this one will take two huge leaps of faith to pan out. One being McKenzie himself, and the other being Matt Barkley proving capable of moving the ball. Buffalo has nothing at stake this week, so guys like John Brown and Cole Beasley are unlikely to see much, if any, action. The explosive McKenzie has some utility vs. a defense that has permitted wideouts a quartet of touchdowns in just the past two games.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $1-2

(Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports)

Tight Ends

1-Week Plug & Play

Hayden Hurst, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

In a running theme this week — players who tend to see limited action but could be of worth due to increased playing time — Hurst will benefit if the Ravens rest primary skill guys. There’s nothing on the line for the playoff seeding this week, and Hurst is a former first-round talent who has been lost in the shuffle after Mark Andrews emerged. Quarterback Robert Griffin III would assume the mantle for one game, and his limited skills as a passer (as well as substandard WR corps) makes Hurst a bona fide fantasy option vs. a Steelers defense that has permitted a trio of TE scores in the last five games and six over the last 10 games.

Availability: 74%
FAAB: $4-5

Jordan Akins, Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans

This one is an admitted stretch simply because it’s tough to know how much Houston values Darren Fells. The Texans have nothing of consequence at play this week, and Fells has been a pleasant surprise in 2019. He skirted the injury report last week with a hand issue, and it could make for an opportune time to give him a break, even though he played in Week 16. Head coach Bill O’Brien says he will not rest starters, which makes little sense, but this could be an exception. Even if Fells plays, Akins has a larger role ahead with WR Will Fuller out. Akins would be the next man up and faces Tennessee unit that has conceded five touchdowns to the position in the last six games (nine on the year).

Availability: 77%
FAAB: $2-3

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Kickers

1-Week Plug & Play

Stephen Hauschka, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

In the five weeks entering Week 16, no team had given up more field goal attempts than the Jets. This one could go either way, however, because only one has been attempted in the last two games combined, and Miami’s Jason Sanders booted seven of eight kicks in Week 14 to up the average. Kickers have tried at least two three-pointers in eight contests this year vs. the Jets, and if the Bills indeed rest theirs starters, field goals may be the most they can hope for against New York.

Availability: 81%
FAAB: $0-1

Matt Gay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons

The rookie has averaged a pair of field goals in the last five weeks and tried 19 kicks in the last nine games. The decimation of the receiving corps helped contribute to Gay attempting three tries in Week 16, in addition to a pair of TD-capping kicks. The Falcons have given up 12 field goal attempts in the last five games, and in nine of the last 11 games, kickers have tried two or more treys.

Availability: 36%
FAAB: $0-1

Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

Sanders has been busier of late, kicking two or more field goal attempts in three straight contests, including a monster eight-field goal effort in Week 14. Sanders has kicked two or more times in seven games and has eight games with one or no attempts, making him a risky proposition. The Patriots have yielded 11 three-point attempts in the last six games. Miami didn’t attempt a field goal way back in Week 2 vs. the Patriots, but much has chanced in the four months since that one.

Availability: 93%
FAAB: $0-1

Defense/Specials Teams

1-Week Plug & Play

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills

The Bills have permitted 16 sacks in the last six contests. There’s nothing at stake this week, which means we’re likely to see Matt Barkley for some or all of the game. The Jets become a much more favorable option in this scenario, especially since the best fantasy outing for a defense against Buffalo in 2019 came from the Jets, albeit way back in the season opener.

Availability: 57%
FAAB: $1-2

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It has been an all-or-nothing deal from this defense in recent times, with the Falcons having generated three or more sacks in a trio of the games and one or none in the other three contests over the last six weeks. The Buccaneers are a shell of their 2019 self at wide receiver, and this has been one of the best matchups of the year for fantasy defenses. However, in Week 12, Atlanta managed only two takeaways and no sacks, which was the worst fantasy effort against this unit. There’s hope but also plenty of downside.

Availability: 82%
FAAB: $1-2

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

The Texans have nothing at stake in Week 17, and while head coach Bill O’Brien says the starters will play, we could see AJ McCarron at quarterback during the game. In the last six weeks, Houston has granted 20 sacks. That kind of pressure alone has to make Tennessee a worthwhile consideration, despite this defense managing just three fantasy points vs. the Texans only two weeks ago. The Titans sacked Deshaun Watson only once and managed a pair of INTs but gave up 24 points.

Availability: 61%
FAAB: $1-2

Free-agent Forecast: Week 16

Championship week is here for the vast majority of fantasy football leagues. Don’t give up waiver plays just yet!

Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Since we are so late in the season, most recommendations will be one-week plays from this point forward.

Bye weeks: none

(Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterbacks

1-Week Plug & Play

Drew Lock, Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions

Lock is best utilized in leagues that allow gamers to flex a second quarterback into the starting lineup. And as with some of the deeper dives this year, his utility crosses over to DFS action. For Week 16, the rookie gets a fresh slate after a tough go last week in a snowy battle at Kansas City. The incoming Lions have given up 29-plus fantasy points in three of the last five games. The two games without lofty totals featured rookie Dwayne Haskins, whose game has yet to mature at any fantasy-worthy pace, and Kirk Cousins as the Minnesota Vikings’ running game steamrolled. Jameis Winston was down to his fourth and fifth receivers and still lit it up in Week 15. Lock has plenty of upside vs. a defense that appears to have given up.

Availability: 71%
FAAB: $3-4

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(Sergio Estrada, USA TODAY Sports)

Running Backs

1-Week Plug & Play

Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos

The second-year back is poised to return from a knee injury suffered in Week 7. Detroit, provided the coaching staff will indeed return next year, needs to see what they have in Johnson in an “every snap counts” kind of way. He has flashed a few times in his two injury-ravaged seasons (16 games), but it’s a crapshoot as to whether he will enter 2020 as “the guy” in Motown. There’s always the concern of rust from Johnson, although he received praise from Matt Patricia for Johnson’s recent practice efforts. While Denver is not a statistically ideal test, we’ve seen Bo Scarbrough and Wes Hills produce for the Lions in recent weeks, so consider Johnson a viable PPR flex in Week 16.

Availability: 70%
FAAB: $10-12

Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys

Regardless of whether RB Jordan Howard (shoulder) plays, the Eagles have a desperate need for a pass-catching option out of the backfield. Scott has proved himself worthy of attention over the last two games, and he flashed potential in limited action way back to his time with the New Orleans Saints. Dallas gave up the sixth-most receptions to the position heading into Week 15, and while Todd Gurley caught only three passes in that game, he found the end zone — the second back to do so in the last three weeks. Scott is a fine flex play in PPR setups.

Availability: 83%
FAAB: $4-5

Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins vs. Cincinnati Bengals

This one is more of a shot in the dark than one gamers should be crazy about jumping on. The rookie saw nine carries in Week 15 for 43 yards — the most efficient showing by a Miami back in ages. Gaskin added 29 yards on a pair of catches vs. the New York Giants and may have earned himself more touches. The Bengals have yielded the fourth-most rushing yards (118/game) in 2019, and 11 ground touchdowns have been scored. Toss in four more aerial TDs and we’re talking about more than one per game, on average. The upside is obvious, but the risk is, as well. It all comes down to whether the Dolphins give him the ball enough to matter (roughly 15 touches).

Availability: 87%
FAAB: $2-3

(Raj Mehta, USA TODAY Sports)

Wide Receivers

1-Week Plug & Play

Breshad Perriman/Justin Watson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Houston Texans

Perriman is the obvious must-own option of the two, and we recommended him entering Week 15, so hopefully he is already on your team. If not, you know what to do! Watson also warrants a lineup spot this week after the Bucs lost Chris Godwin (hamstring) a week after a bum hammy shut down Mike Evans. They say things come in threes, and WR Scott Miller gets tossed on the scrap heap, as well, after aggravating a hamstring injury of his own. Watson was quiet vs. Detroit (2-17-0) but enjoyed a 5-59-1 day the prior week. This one is not only about the opportunity but Houston as an opponent. The Texans have allowed three receivers to catch at least five balls in the last three weeks, and two of those players went for at least 106 yards and a score. Seventeen receivers in 14 games this year have posted double-digit PPR points against this defense. Do not hesitate to burn whatever remaining FAAB money you have to ensure landing Perriman.

Availability: 74% (Perriman); 84% (Watson)
FAAB: $15-18 (Perriman); $3-5 (Watson)

Josh Gordon, Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals

Feeling frisky? A week after Gordon laid out for one of the prettiest catches of 2019, Seattle hosts the woeful Cardinals defense. Ignore whatever it was Cleveland called a passing game last week and focus on the body of work against this defense in its totality. Arizona has yielded 21 fantasy efforts of 10-plus PPR points and a touchdown per game in 14 contests. This matchup is among the best of the championship week, regardless of the scoring format, and Gordon should often face rookie corner Byron Murphy in isolated coverage. There’s potential for Gordon’s biggest day of the year to come at the perfect time for fantasy purposes.

Availability: 32%
FAAB: $2-3

Greg Ward, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys

How much of a gamble can one stomach? Philly has suffered so many injuries at wide receiver that Ward has emerged as a viable fantasy option, and he came through in Week 15 with a 7-61-1 day on nine targets vs. Washington. The Dallas defense has been battered of late, yielding a WR high score of 16.1 (PPR) or more in five straight contests. With 18 targets in the last two games, look for Ward to lead the Philadelphia wideouts in targets and have a reasonable strong PPR day as a flex option.

Availability: 97%
FAAB: $1-2

John Ross, Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins

Purely a flier based on the matchup, Ross could be a deep-league gamble as a flex play. He’s an all-or-nothing play for gamers seeking a cheap touchdown option. Miami has given up a league-high 27 touchdowns to receivers through 14 games this year, and even the Giants managed to produce a trio of double-digit scorers in PPR his past weekend. The Dolphins have yielded at least two touchdowns to the position in five consecutive outings.

Availability: 57%
FAAB: $1-2

Kelvin Harmon, Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

The matchup is among the finest in the league this week as we’re talking about a defense that has conceded 22 touchdowns in 14 games to wideouts this season. New York cut CB Janoris Jenkins prior to Week 15, and rookie DeAndre Baker has been a major liability all year. Harmon, a fellow rook, should continue to see a little more action with Paul Richardson on IR, and Trey Quinn (concussion) uncertain after missing consecutive weeks after not catching a pass in the prior two games. Harmon has four or more targets in four of his last five contests. There are few better matchup opportunities, although his risk is through the roof based on such limited production in a low-volume passing game.

Availability: 83%
FAAB: $1-2

(Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)

Tight Ends

1-Week Plug & Play

Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals

There’s potential for Hollister to return to fantasy relevance after being awfully quiet in three of his last four showings. He has seen nine total targets over the past two games, just one more than he saw in Week 13. He wasn’t a factor vs. the Cardinals in Week 4 due to Will Dissly enjoying a strong showing (7-57-1). The point being, Seattle obviously was intent upon utilizing the position with eight targets sent Dissly’s way. The Cardinals have yielded an insane 17 touchdowns to tight ends in 14 games this year, including two last week to Ricky Seals-Jones.

Availability: 34%
FAAB: $2-3

Noah Fant, Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions

Depending on the depth of your fantasy league, Fant could be on the wire. The rookie has erratically stepped it up in recent weeks, and he even managed 56 yards in a snow globe vs. KC in Week 15. Quarterback Drew Lock has targeted him 10 times in the past three contests, with a pair of three-look games surrounding a line of 4-113-1 on four targets. The Lions have given up three of the five touchdowns allowed in the last five weeks, including one-catch, one-score efforts by a pair of Chicago tight ends in separate games. All five of those TDs have come in the last seven games. Volume is unlikely to be on Fant’s side, so the idea here is a touchdown will draw the line between boom and bust for his utility.

Availability: 35%
FAAB: $2-3

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Kickers

1-Week Plug & Play

Kai Forbath, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

The matchup rating isn’t actually all that favorable from a statistical perspective. There’s a factor of familiarity working in Dallas’ favor, and the closest quantifiable metric to point toward is former Cowboys kicker Brett Maher going for 13 fantasy points (3 FGAs, 4 XPAs) in the Week 7 meeting. Forbath was good for all three of his field goal kicks and five point-after tries in his Dallas debut. Philly has yielded at least one field goal in five straight, including two games with multiple kicks in that time, and no kicker has posted fewer than five fantasy points since Week 9 vs. the Eagles.

Availability: 98%
FAAB: $0-1

Randy Bullock, Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins

The Bengals head south for a battle that affects nothing but draft placement. Miami has given up three or more field goal attempts in four of the last five games, and kickers have been granted four or more PATs in three of those outings. Bullock has been afforded multiple field goals in each of the last three weeks, making nine of his last 10 tries.

Availability: 94%
FAAB: $0-1

Defense/Specials Teams

1-Week Plug & Play

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

It’s unclear whether Eli Manning will start again this week, so keep that in mind, but it’s not like Daniel Jones (ankle) wasn’t making plenty of mistakes prior to his injury. Manning played a clean game in Week 14 but turned it over three times vs. Miami last weekend. He has been sacked three total times in those games. The Redskins have picked off a ball in five straight, and the last four weeks have produced 19 total sacks and 2.25 takeaways, on average, by this defense. Don’t be afraid to spend up.

Availability: 91%
FAAB: $2-3

Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions

David Blough’s honeymoon ended after one quality game. He has thrown four picks vs. only one scoring strike in the last two weeks, and the Lions have averaged 12 points in that time. Blough has taken three sacks, on average, since assuming the starting role. Denver has generated a trio of sacks in each of the last three weeks, and the defense has tallied at least that many in four of the most recent five games Since Week 10’s bye, the Broncos have created nine takeaways and a defensive touchdown.

Availability: 76%
FAAB: $1-2

Free-agent Forecast: Week 15

At this stage of the fantasy football season, most waiver wire recommendations are one-week plays.

Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.

Since we are so late in the season, most recommendations will be one-week plays from this point forward.

Bye weeks: none

(Harrison Barden, USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterbacks

1-Week Plug & Play

David Blough, Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Entering Week 14, Tampa was the weakest opponent at limiting quarterbacks in the five weeks prior. The position had averaged 299.2 yards (3rd most) and a touchdown every 10.4 completions (4th-highest frequency), all while picking off only one of every 54.5 passes (14th). Indy QB Jacoby Brissett was good for a line of 251-2-0 in Week 14. Blough has flashed but also has looked the part of an undrafted rookie through two starts. The ceiling here is not particularly high, although so much lines up for a quality showing: Detroit is at home, and Tampa is pathetic at covering receivers (Detroit’s strength). Blough has another weapon in Jesse James, since tight ends have owned Tampa Bay in 2019. The Bucs have stifled the ground game all year, which should force Detroit into the sky. How brave are you feeling? The wise advise is to keep him out of single-year playoff lineups but utilize him in DFS and two-QB settings.

Availability: 89%
FAAB: $1-2

Eli Manning, New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins

This writeup comes before Manning faces Philadelphia in Week 14’s Monday Night Football action. Daniel Jones (ankle) is expected to miss the rest of the way, or at least Week 15 without a miraculous recovery. Manning, unless he is completely inept vs. the beatable Eagles, is a reasonable fantasy option in two-QB setups for Week 15. The Dolphins have allowed quarterbacks to average 28.7 points over the past four games, and the worst showing was Sam Darnold’s 270-2-1 line.

Availability: 83%
FAAB: $1-2

Grab & stash

Drew Lock, Denver Broncos

The rookie was dropping bombs on Houston’s secondary in Week 14, and he now has five touchdown strikes vs. just two interceptions in his two starts. While it may have seemed shocking since the Texans had just come off of a manhandling of the New England Patriots, but Lock’s opponent has been a favorable matchup most of the way. The Week 15 opponent is KC, and there’s really no upside in playing Lock, but if you make it through to Week 16 and play in a two-QB setup, he has starting appeal against the Detroit Lions.

Availability: 78%
FAAB: $1-2

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(Stan Szeto, USA TODAY Sports)

Running Backs

priority free agents

DeAndre Washington, Oakland Raiders

Running back Josh Jacobs has been playing through a fractured shoulder and was forced to sit last week. The Raiders are a long shot to make the postseason, and there seems to be little incentive to chance it with their promising workhorse. Washington showed up vs. the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, going for 53 yards and a touchdown on the ground in addition to six catches for 43 yards out of the backfield. The Jacksonville Jaguars come to Oakland in Week 15, and the Raiders head to the LA Chargers in the fantasy finale. Both are quality matchups for PPR backs, and Washington is a must-add in all formats.

Availability: 86%
FAAB: $15-18

C.J. Prosise, Seattle Seahawks

Running back Rashaad Penny’s season is over with a sprained ACL, and the Seahawks sprinkled in Prosise to help Chris Carson. He is not going to solve any fantasy woes, although there is a hint of utility in Week 15 for PPR gamers. The Seahawks travel to Carolina to face a defense that has been laughably weak vs. the position in 2019. In the past six weeks, this unit has yielded two touchdowns per contest (11 rushing) and four catches a game out of the backfield.

Availability: 89%
FAAB: $2-3

(Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Wide Receivers

priority free agents

Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons

A core injury has WR Calvin Ridley on the shelf for the rest of the year, and Julio Jones is playing through a partially separated shoulder. The Falcons pass with a greater volume than all other teams (42.2 attempts/game), and Gage has flashed enough since the trade of WR Mohamed Sanu to earn the benefit of the doubt. Gamers should consider him as a playable option, depending upon what else is available, vs. the Richard Sherman-less Niners in Week 15.

Availability: 70%
FAAB: $5-6

1-Week Plug & Play

Marcus Johnson, Indianapolis Colts at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

We recommended Johnson as a one-week play last week, and we’re dipping into the well once again. He has an absolutely awesome matchup to exploit, and it’s still a huge question mark whether T.Y. Hilton (calf) will be ready to go (or even capable if he does). Johnson has posted a pair of scores in his last three outings in which Hilton didn’t dress. The lone game without a TD resulted in 9.5 PPR points. Tampa has yielded two wide receiver scores a game in the last six contests.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $2-3

Breshad Perriman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions

Mike Evans’ hamstring injury is expected to cost him a few games, and the veteran deep threat Perriman will be asked to step up his game. He caught three of his five targets for 70 yards and a score in Week 14. Expect a limited target share, since Chris Godwin and the tight ends, possibly along with second-year WR Justin Watson, will eat into his action. Perriman is the preferred addition over Watson mostly based on familiarity — we have no clue what to expect from the completely untested Watson. Perriman has his limitations, but he has shown chemistry with Jameis Winston and stepped up of late. Winston has a slight fracture in his throwing thumb, which isn’t currently expected to sideline him.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $2-3

Willie Snead, Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Jets

The Jets entered Week 14 as the second-softest defense at limiting wide receiver touchdowns in the five weeks leading up to facing Miami. The Dolphins failed to put one into the end zone in the hands of a receiver, but two players posted double-digit PPR results on the day. Snead entering a lineup is solely for a gamble of finding the end zone, and the Ravens clearly are more capable of racking up points than Miami, so consider that performance an anomaly working in NYJ’s favor on paper. Snead has scored three times in the last trio of contests and has a career-best five on the year.

Availability: 70%
FAAB: $1-2

Isaiah Ford, Miami Dolphins at New York Giants

Entering Week 15, no team had allowed wideouts to score a higher frequency than the Giants. Ford, standing 6-foot-2, offers another lanky weapon for Ryan Fitzpatrick. We saw the slightly larger Preston Williams perform well opposite DeVante Parker, and there’s enough reason to give Ford the benefit of the doubt with such a fine matchup. He landed six of his nine targets in Week 14 for 92 yards. Parker suffering a concussion should make Ford a viable option, presuming the resurgent veteran doesn’t clear the league’s protocol. New York has allowed a touchdown every 6.9 catches entering their Monday Night Football tilt with Philly.

Availability: 99%
FAAB: $1-2

Grab & stash

John Ross, Cincinnati Bengals

We recommended Ross as a pickup last week with his return to action, and he saw three targets, catching two for 28 yards vs. the Cleveland Browns — a strong pass defense. The speedy receiver used that game to help get his football legs back under him, and the Week 15 matchup brings the New England Patriots to town (on to Cincinnati indeed). The matchup is unkind, despite New England’s recent struggles, but the idea here is to stash Ross for Week 16 vs. the Miami Dolphins. That will give him consecutive weeks to get the motor tuned up.

Availability: 66%
FAAB: $1-2

(Tommy Gilligan, USA TODAY Sports)

Tight Ends

priority free agents

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

As long as Gerald Everett (knee) is out of commission, Higbee belongs in the fantasy lineup conversation. The Rams face Dallas in Week 15, which makes him a fringe starting option. The Cowboys have given up just two scores to the position in the last six games, and nine of the weeks have resulted in no trips to the end zone. Evan Engram is the only TE in 2019 to post double-digit fantasy points in PPR vs. the ‘Boys without going in for six. Add Higbee and consider him a flex option or a desperation play as a starting TE if there isn’t a clearer choice.

Availability: 66%
FAAB: $3-4

1-Week Plug & Play

Cameron Brate/O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions

Brate is the preferred addition here due to a stronger rapport with his quarterback and being a better fit for the offense. The expected loss of WR Mike Evans (hamstring) opens the door for more looks, and the matchup is among the best for touchdown efficiency. The Lions gave up the second-fewest catches over the most recent five-game span entering Week 14, yet this unit surrendered the highest frequency of touchdowns in that time. One in 4.3 grabs went for six. The Minnesota Vikings didn’t put one into the end zone last week, but the overall body of work illustrates the Lions are awful at preventing the position from exploiting this defense.

Availability: 60% (Brate); 36% (Howard)
FAAB: $2-4; $2-4

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals

Njoku returned last week after missing the majority of the year, and now he draws the Arizona Cardinals after getting a week to find his football bearings. There is one mission here: Scoring a touchdown. He isn’t going to rack up enough work to matter without a trip into the end zone, and Njoku’s athleticism easily can exploit the weakest defense of the position in 2019. Recommending just about any tight end vs. the Cardinals is in play. It didn’t work out with Vance McDonald last week, but the offense passed 19 times. With a defense that has yielded 13 TDs in 2019, the reasoning still holds water.

Availability: 69%
FAAB: $2-3

Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals vs. New England Patriots

New England happily allows defenses to operate underneath, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Eifert come alive with Andy Dalton in Week 15. The Patriots granted three receiving scores in the four games leading up to Week 14, and a rushing TD to Travis Kelce added to the fun. This is a risk-reward decision.

Availability: 54%
FAAB: $1-2

Jesse James, Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay has been feeble at limiting touchdowns by tight ends in 2019, especially of late. Despite giving up just the third-fewest catches per game in the five weeks leading up to Week 14, the Bucs had permitted the second-highest frequency of touchdowns scored. Indianapolis chose to attack on the ground and via the wide receiver position in Week 14, but make no mistake, this defense struggles vs. James’ positional mates. T.J. Hockenson being out for the year makes the well-paid James a viable flier for six points.

Availability: 90%
FAAB: $0-1

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Kickers

1-Week Plug & Play

Aldrick Rosas, New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins

Every kicker vs. Miami in the last month has attempted at least three field goals, and 13 total PATs were attempted in that window. Extending the view back to Week 7, this defense has faced three-plus FGAs in all but one of the eight games.

Availability: 89%
FAAB: $0-1

Josh Lambo, Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Raiders

Oakland has allowed at least six fantasy points in five of the past six contests, affording an average of only 1.5 field goal tries. The meat of the matchup comes via extra points after permitting 3.67, on average, since Week 8. The idea here is Jacksonville is struggling on offense to punch it in to the end zone and may have to settle for field goals on the road. This is even more likely if wideout D.J. Chark (ankle) is unable to go.

Availability: 47%
FAAB: $0-1

Defense/Specials Teams

1-Week Plug & Play

Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers

In the past four weeks, Kyle Allen has taken no fewer than four sacks in each game and as many as seven. The young passer has tossed seven INTs in that time frame, and the offense has coughed it up four times. Seattle has its own issues, but there should be little trouble in exploiting Carolina this week.

Availability: 62%
FAAB: $1-2

Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Raiders

This is a risky streaming option given Jacksonville’s inconsistencies and Oakland’s similarly erratic play. Over the course of 2019, this has been one of the better offenses at limiting turnovers. The last five weeks has been a a different tale with turnovers in four of those games, and multiple mistakes in three of the contests. More importantly, Oakland has given up a defensive touchdown in three straight outings.

Availability: 55%
FAAB: $1-2

Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kind of like the “play any tight end vs. Arizona” mantra, this one is in the same vein. The Lions offer little to nothing on their own, but having Jameis Winston (thumb) turning it over like no other, and an offense likely without Mike Evans (hamstring), makes Detroit a viable fantasy gamble. Winston has thrown 11 picks in the last five games, and the offense has turned it over three other times in that span. A pair of those errors went the other direction, and Winston has been sacked two or more times in three of the past five games.

Availability: 80%
FAAB: $0-1