Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Wire: Ezekiel Elliott and More Free-Agent Pickups
The final week of the fantasy football regular season is here, and with it comes the last opportunity for managers to shore up their rosters before embarking on their playoff runs. With many teams already eliminated from postseason contention, this is an ideal time to score some quality depth and even a potential starter to use in the weeks ahead.. Those left in the hunt will have decreased competition on their waiver-wire claims and can do some significant tweaking if need be.
Although there are no slam-dunk stars available heading into Week 14—there rarely are at this point in the season—there are quite a few intriguing pickups who have plug-and-play potential. If you are dealing with any scheduled absences (Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals players won't be available during this final slate of byes) or an injury to one of your regular starters, there are free-agent options who are ready to help you lock up that first-round bye or make the playoff field.
With that in mind, here are five of the top waiver-wire targets for Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season. All suggested pickups are rostered in 50 percent or less of Yahoo! leagues.
Fantasy points and rankings are based on FantasyPros.com PPR data.
Noah Brown, WR, Houston Texans (40 Percent Rostered)
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Noah Brown may not have done anything of note this past weekend, but the Houston Texans wide receiver should still be one of your top priorities on the waiver wire. Although he failed to reel in either of his two targets against the Denver Broncos, Brown should see a major spike in usage and production over the final weeks of the campaign following a season-ending injury to fellow wideout Tank Dell.
Brown has answered the call when he's been elevated into a more prominent role in recent weeks. During Nico Collins' absence in Week 10, Brown secured a No. 6 finish by catching seven of eight targets for 172 yards. The 27-year-old also had another sterling when Robert Woods was sidelined in Week 9, earning a No. 3 finish at his position by hauling in all six looks for 153 yards and a score.
Given rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud's propensity to spray the ball around and get all his top receivers involved, Brown has a great outlook going forward. While a Week 14 battle against the stingy New York Jets defense isn't ideal, he has two impending fantasy playoff matchups against the Tennessee Titans—facing them in both the opening round and championship week—and should be an excellent start given the Titans rank a meager No. 27 in fantasy points conceded to wide receivers.
Jalin Hyatt, WR, New York Giants (4 Percent Rostered)
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The New York Giants have one of the league's most dynamic rookie receivers in Jalin Hyatt. While he hasn't found a way to get consistently involved in the offense, there's a chance he could explode over the final weeks of the fantasy season. He went into the club's Week 13 bye with plenty of momentum following a career-best outing and should only improve down the stretch.
Hyatt may be be emerging as quarterback Tommy DeVito's favorite target. The Tennessee product was DeVito's top option in a 10-7 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 12, securing five of the six passes that came his way for 109 yards. While he still hasn't breeched the end zone as a professional, it's only a matter of time before Hyatt finds some pay dirt with that type of usage.
While managers who desire a receiver with a safe floor should probably look elsewhere, those seeking a potential week-winner with a high ceiling won't find a better free agent to roll the dice on. If you can afford a bench spot now, it's worth picking Hyatt up and holding him in the hopes that he builds on his recent performance.
Hyatt's impending matchups with the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints aren't great—but volume could help offset that—but he has some real potential to make an impact come the fantasy playoffs. Managers will certainly want to consider him in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles and their defense that ranks dead-last against the receiver position.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tenneseee Titans (35 Percent Rostered)
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The Tennessee Titans could get a preview of what the Tyjae Spears era will look like after starting running back Derrick Henry exited the team's loss to the rival Indianapolis Colts with an apparent concussion. Spears didn't get much of a chance to show what he could do in a feature role given Henry's injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the Week 13 matchup, but he did finish the overtime contest with a season-high 16 carries for 75 yards and four receptions for 13 yards.
Spears, a third-round rookie out of Tulane, looks to be the heir to King Henry's throne. With the aging running back playing out the final year of his contract, Spears could be Tennessee's RB1 as early as next season. He's shown flashes of greatness in his limited usage this season, but hasn't seen enough volume to make a tangible impact in fantasy. That changed on Sunday when he posted a No. 14 finish and there's now a chance he will get to build on that.
Spears is a dynamic running back who can contribute as both a rusher and a pass-catcher. He should see heavy usage in both aspects of the game if Henry is not be able to go against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. Tennessee has not been carrying a third-string running back on its active roster, and while a depth option like Julius Chestnut or Hassan Haskins would likely be activated, Spears figures to get the lion's share of backfield touches.
Adding Spears will likely only benefit managers for a single game, but he could be a difference-maker for rosters starved for running back talent. Keep an eye out for Henry updates and deploy him with confidence if the starter is ultimately sidelined.
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Ezekiel Elliott, RB, New England Patriots (40 Percent Rostered)
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The anemic New England Patriots offense hit a new low on Sunday when they failed to put a single point on the board in an embarrassing 6-0 defeat against the Los Angeles Chargers. The once-proud franchise was dealt a tough blow early in that contest when starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a sprained ankle, an injury that left veteran backup Ezekiel Elliott as the next man up.
While most Patriots skill position players have generally been a stay-away for fantasy purposes, Elliott could be a decent flex play in any contest Stevenson misses. He had his best showing in a New England uniform filling in for the starter this past weekend, posting a No. 13 finish by rushing for 52 yards on 17 totes and reeling in four of his five targets for 40 yards. Given New England didn't score in the game and had just 257 yards of total offense, Elliott's 13.2 fantasy points weren't too shabby.
Elliott figures to be a big part of the offensive gameplan when the Pats take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. New England just rushed on 56 percent of its offensive snaps against a Los Angeles defense that ranked dead-last against the pass coming into the game and that percentage should increase against a Steelers foe that has fared far better against opposing aerial attacks.
It's also worth noting that Ty Montgomery II was the only other Patriots running back to log a carry against the Bolts and he only had a single carry that went for two yards. With almost no competition for totes and backfield receiving duties, Elliott will be a volume-based fantasy starter for as long as Stevenson remains sidelined.
New Orleans Saints, Defense (42 Percent Rostered)
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Defenses are generally an afterthought for fantasy purposes, but having the right one in place could be the difference between an early playoff exit and a championship run. The New Orleans Saints may be the right one for fantasy managers seeking an edge at this pivotal point of the season. Not only do they offer a great outlook for the impending regular-season finale, but they also start the postseason with a premium matchup.
The Saints are set to take on the hapless Carolina Panthers this coming Sunday, a game that New Orleans' defense could easily achieve some season-high fantasy production during. While they already faced this divisional rival back in Week 2 and only posted a modest No. 14 finish during a 20-17 victory, the Panthers look more vulnerable than ever. Carolina started off interim head coach Chris Tabor's tenure with a disheartening 21-18 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay's defense notched just its third top-eight finish of the year after securing four sacks, three pass defenses and an interception.
Expect the Saints to be the next fantasy defense to feast against the mistake-prone Bryce Young and his Carolina offense that averages a pitiful 15.9 points per game. They'll then get a chance to build on that when the New York Giants and their No. 31-ranked offense come to town in Week 15. While veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor could be back in Big Blue's lineup for that clash, the G-Men are still a team to target in fantasy given they average an awful 13.3 points per game and have allowed 69 sacks on the year.
Managers who have been streaming defenses or staring down a tough matchup from their usual option should make it a priority to pick up the Saints. They'll get you through these next two weeks with some great production while saving you key waiver priority in the opening round of the playoffs.
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