There are just five weeks to the end of the season, and while the Week 14 fantasy football waivers are thin, the pickups you choose can be more important than ever. Let’s find some waiver wire options and streamers to help you bring home a championship.
HEADS UP
- Players must be under 60% rostered on Yahoo
- Listed in order of preference — I’ll regularly prioritize potential upside over immediate replacement production
- RB backups have a separate secondary list based on only if the lead option got hurt
- No FAB suggestions: It varies wildly by league tendencies and always relative (ex: if you lost your RB1 to injury and there is a clear backup, you’re going to be more aggressive)
- Streaming QB and TE are grouped together — weekly ranking can change once projections/ranks run — DST could shift a bit too
BYES: BAL, DEN, HOU, IND, NE, WSH
WORRY REPORT
(Scale 1-5: more ducks = more worry)
- C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU — 🦆🦆🦆🦆 — Unless the Texans come out of the bye with a Bears-like plan of getting the ball out quicker and encouraging Stroud to scramble when options aren’t immediately available, no amount of practice is going to fix the offensive line protection. On top of that, the Texans have MIA, KC, BAL to close things out, and as mentioned in last week’s ranks and the podcast, the Ravens pass defense isn’t a pushover anymore.
- Breece Hall, RB, NYJ — 🦆, almost 🦆🦆 — See below with Braelon Allen. I don’t have a ton of worry, but there’s a knot in my stomach.
- Rome Odunze, WR, CHI — 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆 — This was the preseason concern. For a while, Odunze was starting to make noise, but with the new offense and a healthy Keenan Allen, it’s a D.J. Moore-Allen show. Like Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s rookie season, there’s just not enough left for Odunze.
- Cade Otton, TE, TB — 🦆🦆 — Before the bye, Otton had four straight games of 21.7% or higher TmTGT% with 10-10-11-8 targets. In the two games since the bye with Mike Evans back, it was 10.0% and 20.6%. The second mark looks good, but it was tied with Sterling Shepard, who Otton has been behind in targets as well the last two weeks. The good news is the targets were there as a percentage of the looks, and Otton did have two red zone and one end zone target(s) after zero of each in Week 12. However, that Week 12 floor and Week 13’s mediocre showing mean Otton is more of a back-end TE1 versus the Top 5 option he was. Worry? Yea. Still have to start Otton weekly? Also, yea.
STREAMING QUARTERBACKS
** QB could get replaced
Week 14
- Caleb Williams, CHI (at SF)
- Jameis Winston, CLE (at PIT)**
- Kirk Cousins, ATL (at MIN)
- Geno Smith, SEA (at ARI)
- Will Levis, TEN (vs JAX)
- Russell Wilson, PIT (vs CLE)
- Derek Carr, NO (at NYG)
- Aaron Rodgers, NYJ (at MIA)**
Week 15
- Caleb Williams, CHI (at MIN)
- Anthony Richardson, IND (at DEN)
- Kirk Cousins, ATL (at LV)
- Jameis Winston, CLE (vs KC)**
- Drake Maye, NE (at ARI)
- Bryce Young, CAR (vs DAL)
- Will Levis, TEN (vs CIN)
- Derek Carr, NO (vs WSH)
- Geno Smith, SEA (vs GB)
- Russell Wilson, PIT (at PHI)
- Aaron Rodgers, NYJ (at JAX)**
Week 16
- Jameis Winston, CLE (at CIN)**
- Anthony Richardson, IND (vs TEN)
- Caleb Williams, CHI (vs DET)
- Kirk Cousins, ATL (vs NYG)
- Russell Wilson, PIT (at BAL)
- Geno Smith, SEA (vs MIN)
- Bryce Young, CAR (vs ARI)
- Aaron Rodgers, NYJ (vs LAR)**
- Drake Maye, NE (at BUF)
- Derek Carr, NO (at GB)
Week 17
- Anthony Richardson, IND (at NYG)
- Caleb Williams, CHI (vs SEA)
- Jameis Winston, CLE (vs MIA)**
- Kirk Cousins, ATL (at WSH)
- Bryce Young, CAR (at TB)
- Russell Wilson, PIT (vs KC)
- Drake Maye, NE (vs LAC)
- Derek Carr, NO (vs LV)
- Geno Smith, SEA (at CHI)
- Aaron Rodgers, NYJ (at BUF)**
Would I Stash, SuperFlex?
- Tyrod Taylor, NYJ — Definitely. I wouldn’t be surprised if Aaron Rodgers checks out before the end of the season… from playing… or if Taylor performs better.
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson, CLE — Sure, but it would take an injury on your team to likely start him. Even when he takes over — Zac Jackson believes it’s inevitable as the Browns look to 2025 — DTR is lesser Anthony Richardson in fantasy, and the Browns have a tough remaining schedule.
NOTE: I’m making some late-season changes to the waiver blurbs. Not only are there numerous repeats, grabbing depth now comes down to backup plans with high ceilings. So, the waiver wire sections will talk about new-ish additions, since there may be questions about performances and being start- or stash-worthy.
WAIVER WIRE RUNNING BACK RANKS
- Isaac Guerendo, SF — Everything. All of it. Every FAB dollar you have — priority pickup everywhere. Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason are heading to IR, which means Guerendo has Top 20 upside… at the worst. He’s a perfect fit for the 49ers offense (as you know if you’ve followed along all year). The only other running back on the roster is Patrick Taylor, who has been on the practice squad.
- Jonathon Brooks, CAR — Chuba Hubbard had an off week, which could have opened the door — if nothing else, Brooks could be in a 50/50 split ROS.
- Braelon Allen, NYJ — Injuries added to fumbles, committee use, and Hall’s comments, make Allen a must-stash everywhere.
- Jeremy McNichols, WSH — Yes, he’s on a bye, but with Austin Ekeler on IR, McNichols has some Flex appeal in that role.
- Kendre Miller, NO — Worth stashing, as the new staff “doesn’t have a dog house.” Jamaal Williams was out with his injury, and Taysom Hill is done, which means Miller could find timeshare work before season’s end.
OTHERS OF NOTE
- Kimani Vidal, LAC — The Chargers went committee mode, and Hassan Haskins getting pass-blocking snaps just leads to a complete quagmire. Still, Vidal has desperation startability with the upside for more if given the chance to lead.
- Jerome Ford, CLE — The Browns look to be content sharing the workload for Nick Chubb the rest of the year, and Ford gets more passing game work, so he’s in that Next Man Up group below with startability.
- Jaylen Wright, MIA — Raheem Mostert is back in the backup plan again, which makes Wright droppable, but he would still have RB2+ value if De’Von Achane got hurt.
- Chris Rodriguez Jr., WSH — Garbage time production, as Rodriguez had 12 of his 13 touches in the fourth quarter when Brian Robinson Jr. and Jeremy McNichols combined for one. No more than a deep stash in case either misses time. Plus, he’s on a bye.
- Isaiah Davis, NYJ — More than anything else, concern for potential committee use hurting Breece Hall. Like Rodriguez, Davis is a stash who could timeshare if something happened to Hall or Allen.
NEXT MAN UP:
(with potential desperation startability)
- Zach Charbonnet, SEA
- Tyler Allgeier, ATL
- Tank Bigsby, JAX
- Justice Hill, BAL
- Kimani Vidal, LAC
- Ray Davis, BUF
- Antonio Gibson, NE
- Isaac Guerendo, SF
- Tyjae Spears, TEN
- Trey Benson, ARI
- Jonathon Brooks, CAR
PURELY NEXT MAN UP RANKS
(if they had the lead role)
- Tyler Allgeier, ATL
- Ray Davis, BUF
- Zach Charbonnet, SEA
- Jaylen Warren, PIT
- Braelon Allen, NYJ
- Trey Benson, ARI
- Isaac Guerendo, SF
- Blake Corum, LAR
- Kenneth Gainwell, PHI
- Jonathon Brooks, CAR
- Jaylen Wright, MIA
- Kimani Vidal, LAC
- Roschon Johnson, CHI
- Khalil Herbert, CIN
- Tyjae Spears, TEN
- Raheem Mostert, MIA
- Jerome Ford, CLE
- Tyler Goodson, IND
- Justice Hill, BAL
- Antonio Gibson, NE
- Devin Singletary, NYG
- Kendre Miller, NO
- Cam Akers, MIN
- Emanuel Wilson, GB
WAIVER WIRE WIDE RECEIVER RANKS
- Christian Watson, GB — Here if Romeo Doubs doesn’t return. Has Top 25 upside this week against the Lions. Falls behind Romeo Doubs.
- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, TEN — What I said last week holds true: Sometimes it doesn’t need to be explainable, but NWI is a weekly boom/bust WR4, and the schedule is cake… mmm.
- Adam Thielen, CAR — Already back to being Bryce Young’s No. 1 option.
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling, NO — NWI on the Saints… with a few fewer targets.
- Romeo Doubs, GB — If Doubs returns, back to WR3/4 with more WR3 value in this week’s matchup (DET).
- Elijah Moore, CLE — Even if Cedric Tillman returns, Moore looks to have potential surpassed him in value. Unless the Browns turn to DTR, Moore is in the WR4 conversation most weeks.
- Xavier Legette, CAR — Still WR4 value with Thielen back on top.
- Keon Coleman, BUF — Pure upside chasing. Coleman was on a roll before his injury, but that was also before Amari Cooper saw more work.
- Joshua Palmer, LAC — Ladd McConkey is battling injuries (plural), and if he missed a game (or more), Palmer would be startable in many leagues. If McConkey is fine, Palmer falls to the Next Man Up group (slightly behind the Blue Man one).
- Michael Wilson, ARI — Got some slot work, which helped Wilson see different coverage and a few more opportunities. The Cardinals could have unlocked a bit of WR4 value for Wilson, finally.
- Dontayvion Wicks, GB — If Doubs is out, Wicks is a WR4 boom/bust play in a heavy-bye week. If Doubs returns, Wicks is down the Next Man Up list.
OTHERS OF NOTE
- DeMario Douglas, NE — Floor option.
- Quentin Johnston, LAC — Droppable and stashable at the same time. With Johnston continuing to struggle with consistency, Palmer looks to have more of Justin Herbert’s trust.
- Ray-Ray McCloud, ATL — Deep PPR option. More inconsistent Douglas.
- Parker Washington, JAX — Not really interested with Mac Jones. If Trevor Lawrence hadn’t gotten hurt, sure, but it’s hard to use even Brian Thomas Jr. and Evan Engram with Jones.
NEXT MAN UP
(of sorts, for WR)
These wide receivers could see a boost into startability if something happened in front of them.
- Rashod Bateman, BAL
- Demarcus Robinson, LAR
- Jalen Nailor, MIN
- John Metchie, HOU
- Ricky Pearsall, SF
- Greg Dortch, ARI
- Jalen Tolbert, DAL
- Malik Washington, MIA
STREAMING TIGHT ENDS
- Tucker Kraft, GB
- Pat Freiermuth, PIT
- Cole Kmet, CHI
- Will Dissly, LAC
- Noah Gray, KC
STREAMING DST
Week 14
- TB vs LV
- NO at NYG
- TEN vs JAX
- MIA vs NYJ
- ARI vs SEA
- SEA at ARI
- ATL at MIN
- CLE at PIT
Week 15
- ARI vs NE
- NYJ at JAX
- LAC vs TB
- DAL at CAR
- GB at SEA
- ATL at LV
Week 16
- LAC vs DEN
- ATL vs NYG
- ARI at CAR
- NYJ vs LAR
- MIA vs SF
- SEA vs MIN
- TEN at IND
- IND vs TEN
Week 17
- LAC at NE
- SEA at CHI
- NO vs LV
- TB vs CAR
- MIA at CLE
- TEN at JAX
- IND at NYG
(Top photo of Isaac Guerendo: Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
