Week 14 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Football's Top Breakout Candidates and Pickups
As we round the corner on the final third of the NFL season, your chances of unearthing a hidden gem on waivers are lower and lower.
Injuries have forced fantasy managers to plumb the depths of the waiver wire frequently this season. And while it's not impossible for a rookie or lesser-known player to break out this late in the season, it's also not common, just given the vast knowledge we have about these players and how they're used in their offenses.
But there are a few players who are likely be to available in your league that you can take a look at ahead of Week 14, whether it's for an emergency injury replacement or a desire to stash the next big star on your bench.
To be considered a breakout candidate, players must have been rostered in fewer than 40 percent of leagues heading into Week 13. Scoring is based on PPR (point per reception) formats.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, New England Patriots
1 of 3
Rostered percentage: 39
Week 13 stats: 17 att, 52 rush yds, 4 rec, 40 rec yds, 13.20 pts
The New England Patriots' Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was Ezekiel Elliott's second game in three weeks with double-digit scoring figures.
The New England backfield is always tricky for fantasy managers to figure out from week to week, especially when the Patriots employ running backs who can also run receiving routes. If you had started Elliott in Weeks 2, 4 or 8 this season, he would have netted you fewer than five points.
Yet with injuries and bye weeks continuing to affect running backs' availability in the final third of the NFL season, you need to have a player on your bench available to tap in, and Elliott is one of the better candidates who's likely to be available in your league.
Xavier Gipson, WR, New York Jets
2 of 3
Rostered percentage: 0 percent
Week 13 stats: 5 rec, 77 rec yds, 12.80 pts
This is a deep cut, but if you play in a PPR format and possibly even a keeper league and are looking to keep a player on your bench in the hopes he may break out, Xavier Gipson is certainly a candidate.
The undrafted rookie had seen action in five games this season before Week 13, but he didn't make much of a dent in the box score until this week. His five receptions were the most among all Jets wideouts or tight ends. He also got some attention on social media being on the receiving end of a nervy flea flicker that resulted in a big gain.
It's unclear what is going on with the Jets offense; offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett seemed to foget about Garrett Wilson's existence in the first half of the game against the Falcons. And if Aaron Rodgers does, despite all odds, return this season, who knows what that will mean for Gipson?
But if you have some space on your bench and want to lock down a player with an unknown but possibly high ceiling, Gipson's your guy.
Jonathan Mingo, WR, Carolina Panthers
3 of 3
Rostered percentage: 6
Week 13 stats: 6 rec, 69 rec yds, 12.90 pts
Another wait-and-see candidate, Jonathan Mingo hasn't quite lived up to his billing as a second-round-pick for the Carolina Panthers this season, but in the last two weeks, he's been showing glimpses of what the future could hold.
In Week 12, Mingo posted some impressive separation statistics, as Charlotte Observer reporter Mike Kaye shared:
This week, Mingo was the Panthers' leading receiver, with three times as many receptions as D.J. Chark or Adam Thielen. While he's not a startable candidate in the immediate future, he's worth stashing on your bench (especially in dynasty leagues) as his role in Carolina's offense becomes clearer.
Rostered percentage and scoring via FantasyPros
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