Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.
Bye weeks: none
Quarterbacks
1-Week Plug & Play
Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
The annual Turkey Day battle in Motown brings Trubisky for Round 2 in the last four weeks. He tossed a trio of touchdowns in that contest but managed only 173 yards. Considering his weaponry is the healthiest it has been in some time, and Trubisky looked unfazed by the hip pointer, he is a low-end starter for teams in desperation mode. Without byes, he’s more likely to be an option in two-QB leagues.
Availability: 52%
FAAB: $2-3
Grab & stash
Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Two full games into the Nick Foles tenure has resulted in a pair of noncompetitive losses and will likely have a desperate coaching staff looking hard at whether benching Minshew was indeed the right call. Purely speculative, but it’s difficult to see the Jaguars sticking with Foles — an ideal backup to a young passer. The Jaguars face one of the easiest remaining fantasy schedules with matchups vs. Tampa, the Los Angeles Chargers, at Oakland and at Atlanta in the remaining fantasy weeks.
Availability: 57%
FAAB: $1-2
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Running Backs
priority free agents
Bo Scarbrough, Detroit Lions
Simply a repeat of last week but with the caveat that he went from being a one-week play to a must-own option in all conventional formats. His availability is between 43 percent in the most casual of leagues polled and 51 percent in 12-team competitive setups. It’s worth checking just the wire for your league, regardless of its level of play.
Availability: 47% aggregate
FAAB: $18-20
Benny Snell Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
James Conner (shoulder) is back on the shelf, and Snell returned from a minor knee surgery to rush for 98 yards on 21 carries in Week 12. Jaylen Samuels carried it only twice and snagged a trio of passes — his mostly role. It’s unclear when Conner will return, and Snell belongs on rosters if for nothing but depth as we are on the cusp of the fantasy playoffs in most leagues.
Availability: 77%
FAAB: $12-14
1-Week Plug & Play
Qadree Ollison, Atlanta Falcons
I’ve resisted adding him because of Ollison having such a limited role, Brian Hill’s presence, and the likelihood of the injured Devonta Freeman reclaiming his normal role upon returning. After scores in consecutive weeks, the rookie is a worthy add in deeper setups and should be considered a fringe flex if Freeman sits again. Ollison is merely a flier for a TD vs. the Saints, which requires situational football to be on his side. Tread with optimistic caution.
Availability: 88%
FAAB: $1-2
Wide Receivers
priority free agents
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
Injuries galore thrust the talented rookie into the spotlight. He has looked every bit the part of an NFL-capable wideout from the onset of his professional career. Meyers will continue to play a large role in the offense as long as Mohamed Sanu (ankle) is out of commission — luckily they’re similar weapons. Wideout Phillip Dorsett (concussion) may return in Week 13, or at least is closer than Sanu. The issue with the Patriots is we’re never really know until we know when it comes to injuries. Meyers snagged only four of his nine targets in Week 12 but managed a respectable 74 yards. The Patriots head to Houston this week before hosting KC in Week 14. The fantasy season closes with a visit to Cincy and home game vs. the Buffalo Bills.
Availability: 79%
FAAB: $5-7
Allen Hurns, Miami Dolphins
While he isn’t necessarily a priority, gamers can roster Hurns for the remaining run. He faces Philly, at the New York Jets, at the New York Giants, and vs. Cincinnati to close out 2019’s fantasy schedule. Hurns has emerged as a reliable No. 2 target for Ryan Fitzpatrick behind DeVante Parker. The well-traveled Hurns has at least four targets in three straight games, producing four receptions in each of the last two. The six-year vet found the end zone in Week 12 for the second time in the last five games and could be in the argument for a flex every weekend the rest of the way.
Availability: 90%
FAAB: $2-3
1-Week Plug & Play
Chris Conley, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Regardless of what happens under center, Conley has the best matchup available and is a quality place to turn for a flex option. He has a higher probability than usual for a touchdown against a defense that has gifted them like Santa dishes out Christmas presents. Conley has seen 17 targets from Nick Foles in the last two games, snaring 10 for 107. Should Gardner Minshew take over, the former Chiefs receiver garnered seven looks in three consecutive games prior to Foles taking over.
Availability: 49%
FAAB: $2-3
1-Week Plug & Play/Grab & stash
Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
The second-year receiver finally is showing signs of being healthy and living up to his potential. He has yet to find the end zone in 2019 after scoring seven times as a rook, but 20 targets in the last two games — resulting in a pair of six-catch games — makes him a quality fantasy option on the wire this week. Chicago travels to Detroit in Week 13, which makes Miller almost an automatic play in any PPR format. The Lions entered Week 12 as the sixth-weakest defense of the position since Week 6. The schedule gets much tougher afterward (DAL, @GB, KC), so consider stashing him for depth.
Availability: 60%
FAAB: $2-4
Tight Ends
priority free agents
Ryan Griffin, New York Jets
Replay of last week’s inclusion: Griffin is a must-own in all formats right now. The Jets are hitting their stride on offense, and the former Houston Texan is a large reason why the passing game has stepped up. He served up two total duds in the last seven weeks but cobbled together five efforts with at least 11 PPR points in that time. Cincinnati is the Week 13 opponent, and entering Week 12, this was the sixth-easiest matchup to exploit over the prior five weekends of play.
Availability: 49%
FAAB: $8-10
Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts
Eric Ebron is heading to IR and will miss the remainder of the season. The position offers low-end TE1 viability with the right matchups, in part because Doyle displayed tremendous chemistry working with quarterback Jacoby Brissett in 2017. Tight ends have been a viable bunch in 2019, and if nothing else, the veteran is worthy of depth as we march into the fantasy postseason. Tennessee, at Tampa Bay, at New Orleans and Carolina are ahead: All but the last offer a lineup-worthy fantasy matchup, and even the Panthers had given up a strong game in Week 12 to Saints TE Jared Cook.
Availability: 41%
FAAB: $5-7
Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
He was included a few weeks back as a watch list guy, but after seeing six or more targets in four straight contests, the Penn State product belongs in the weekly conversation for PPR gamers. He finally found the end zone in Week 13, and while only two of those games resulted in more than six PPR points, we’re starting to see consistent involvement and some sense of reciprocation from the second-year pro. Miami needs all the help it can get from the skill guys, and the defense forces the offensive side to sling it around the playground most every week. It won’t always be pretty, but the point here is finding a serviceable option. Ahead: CIN, at NYJ, at NYG, CIN.
Availability: 57%
FAAB: $2-3
1-Week Plug & Play
Rhett Ellison, New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers
Major caveat: If Evan Engram (foot) doesn’t return and Ellison (concussion) does, get him into a lineup. The Packers are among the weakest teams vs. tight ends, ranking worst in yardage and catches allowed per game in the five weeks leading up to George Kittle smacking them down in Week 12. The upside here is gamers have to invest nothing but a roster spot in Ellison, which also means you can wait until late in the week to find out what’s up with he and Engram … low risk, high reward, but utilizing him is probably better served for DFS action.
Availability: 99%
FAAB: $0
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Kickers
1-Week Plug & Play
Josh Lambo, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lambo has been awfully quiet in recent weeks, and it has directly coincided with the struggles of this offense in the last three games. We saw a little more life from the offense in Week 12, although the kicking game essentially gets abandoned when your defense creates such a deficit on the scoreboard. No team provides a better opportunity for fantasy kickers than the Bucs.
Availability: 48%
FAAB: $0-1
Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles at Miami Dolphins
The Philly offense has crash landed, and it has been no different for Elliott. He has just one game with more than two field goal attempts an only two others with more than one. Elliott has generated at least eight fantasy points only once this year. Injuries to the backfield, receiving corps and offensive line should help even the playing field for these rosters, making the No. 2 matchup for fantasy kickers even more appealing than usual.
Availability: 76%
FAAB: $0-1
Defense/Specials Teams
1-Week Plug & Play/Grab & stash
New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals
New York has two defensive scores in the past three weeks and have allowed only 20 offensive points in the last two outings. With 17 sacks to their credit in the past four appearances, the Jets have generated five takeaways and take on a rookie quarterback who has five turnovers and been sacked 11 times over the last three starts. New York has some staying power with a Week 14 meeting against Miami.
Availability: 57%
FAAB: $1-2
1-Week Plug & Play
Philadelphia Eagles at Miami Dolphins
The Philly defense has posted exactly two games in 2019 with more than seven fantasy points, and one of them was in Week 12 vs. the Seahawks. Six sacks and a pair of takeaway later, it couldn’t have come at a better time to give gamers some sense of hope that this defense can exploit a Miami offense that has turned it over 11 times and yielded 23 sacks in the last six games.
Availability: 61%
FAAB: $1-2
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
Even though LA hasn’t posted squat for fantasy points in 2019, with just two contests in double figures, the matchup is too tempting, especially with the Chargers returning from a bye week. Denver gave up 17 points to Buffalo in conventional fantasy scoring in Week 12, mostly fueled by allowing four sacks and a turnover. Should your league reward for limiting offensive points, Denver has scored just 26 offensive points in the last two games combined.
Availability: 65%
FAAB: $0-1