Week 14 Waiver Wire: Colt McCoy, Kenny Stills Highlight Pickups to Know

Now isn't the time to fool around with standard waiver-wire fodder. With the playoffs set to begin in most fantasy football leagues, only the true potential difference-makers warrant consideration heading into Week 14.

One might think no serviceable options remain available this late in the game, but ownership rates suggest otherwise. A few Week 13 breakouts vaulted into must-own status, and others at least deserve a speculative look as high-ceiling roster depth.

At this point in the season, however, a waiver-wire candidate is only as good as the remaining schedule.

If you can't look at any of a player's four remaining games and say, "I can see myself starting him in this matchup," why waste a roster spot?

These guys have the promising schedule and/or massive upside to merit a claim.

Colt McCoy, QB, Washington Redskins (2.8 percent owned)

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Nobody saw this coming, and nobody knows when Colt McCoy's magic will run out. This late in the game, the red-hot quarterback deserves a speculative add.

In a fair, but unspectacular matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, the 28-year-old understudy went off for 392 passing yards and three touchdowns. Sorry, Robert Griffin III, but you're not getting your starting job back this season.

Head coach Jay Gruden confirmed the obvious on the team's official Twitter page:

During a three-game sample size, McCoy has notched a ridiculous 75.3 completion percentage on 9.20 passing yards per attempt. Is he playing over his head? Of course? Could he follow in Kirk Cousins' footsteps and ruin some fantasy lineups? Definitely.

But Cousins never held a 75.3 completion percentage, let alone one above 67 percent in any game all season.

Even if he's a flash in the pan, McCoy's schedule makes it possible to keep rolling during December. After facing the scorching St. Louis Rams, he makes the rounds against the NFC East.

The New York Giants needed to face Blake Bortles to no longer serve as a bottom-10 passing defense. The Philadelphia Eagles allow 19.5 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.

Even though he only scored one touchdown while upsetting the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night, McCoy turned in an efficient performance, going 25-of-30 with 299 passing yards and 16 rushing yards. 

Even if he can't parlay this hot hand into a full-time gig next year, McCoy could join Billy Volek as an obscure backup you see on the sideline years from now and proudly recall that time he helped win you a fantasy title.

Johnny Manziel, QB, Cleveland Browns (2.6 percent owned)

It's impossible not to address the partying elephant in the room. The media is drooling over the brief glimpse of Johnny Manziel seen in the fourth quarter on Sunday.

A week after the Cleveland Browns salvaged a miraculous Week 12 win in spite of him, Brian Hoyer's two interceptions and a 20-3 deficit caused the change. ESPN Stats & Info reveals it's easy to see why Mike Pettine had enough:

The rookie responded by going 5-of-8 with 63 passing yards, 13 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Let the uncontrollable hype begin, even though Cleveland has not committed to either quarterback starting against the Colts this Sunday.

After witnessing McCoy decimate Indianapolis, Manziel would make a tantalizing spot start, albeit an extremely risky one during the fantasy playoffs. His rushing prowess gives him a higher fantasy ceiling than other available quarterbacks, but don't go beyond stashing the newcomer with an extra bench spot this Sunday.

Daniel Herron, RB, Indianapolis Colts (40.9 percent)

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In a competitive league, Daniel Herron is already long gone. Most gamers out there know what they're doing, so someone scooped him up the second the Colts tabbed him to start in Week 12. Or maybe even the second Ahmad Bradshaw went on the injured reserve.

Herron has masterfully filled Bradshaw's void, gaining 191 total yards through two games on 27 touches.

In those pair of contests, the second-year pro has worked a near 50-50 rushing split with Trent Richardson, gaining 20 carries to his peer's 21. 

Date	OPP	Rush	Rush YDs	Rec.	Rec. YDs	TDs	Fum. Lost
Nov. 23	JAC	12	65	5	31	0	1
Nov. 30	WAS	8	88	2	8	1	1

Just like Bradshaw, Herron has run circles around Richardson, amassing 7.7 yards per carry while Richardson averages a lousy 3.3.

The stubbornness to keep using a player who cost the team a first-round draft pick prevents Herron from reaching top fantasy back status, but he remains a stout No. 2 going forward. 

His next opponent, Cleveland, allows 4.4 yards per carry. Jump ahead to Week 16, the matchup that decides most fantasy championships, and he plays a slumping Dallas defense that surrenders 4.5 yards per rush.

If Herron is still available for some reason, what are you waiting for?

Kenny Stills, WR, New Orleans Saints (17.2 percent)

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With Brandin Cooks out of the picture, Kenny Still has emerged as Drew Brees' go-to wide receiver.

The sophomore led all New Orleans Saints receivers with six targets, but he only needed one 69-yard touchdown grab to light up the scoreboard. That gives him 17 receptions, 292 yards and two touchdowns over the last three contests:

Date	OPP	Rec.	Tar.	Rec. YDs	TDs
Nov. 16	CIN	4	4	32	1
Nov. 24	BAL	8	9	98	0
Nov. 30	@PIT	5	5	162	1

Sweetening the pot, all four of New Orleans' remaining opponents rated among the bottom-10 passing defenses before Sunday. Facing the NFC South and Chicago Bears gives Stills a quadrant of plus matchups with an all-time great passer feeding him the football.

In leagues where he's still unowned, that long touchdown grab will make Stills the object of everyone's desires. He makes a great No. 3 wide receiver to close out the season.

Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers (6.9 percent)

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Unlike Stills, Davante Adams functions as a high-risk, high-reward wideout on an NFC juggernaut. The rookie is firmly entrenched below Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb on the Green Bay Packers' depth chart, but anyone will have his moments catching passes from Aaron Rodgers.

Against the formidable New England Patriots, Adams led the Packers with 121 yards on six receptions, tying Cobb with a team-high 11 targets.

Unfortunately, he also dropped an easy touchdown that could have capped off a career day.

Adams drew some fantasy consideration earlier in the season, but he burned any good will with a combined four catches and 33 yards from Weeks 10-12. Such danger exists with young receivers. Then there's also the probability that Rodgers simply eyed someone positioned away from Darrelle Revis.

Tom Lynn/Associated Press

So why is he worth the hassle despite the inconsistency?

Next week, Green Bay gets the Atlanta Falcons, an opponent Rodgers should shred to pieces. Following a tough bout with the Buffalo Bills, he'll get the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with championships on the line.

Adams is far from essential in a standard 10- or 12-team league, but any active component of Green Bay's passing offense is tough to ignore.

Honorable Mentions

Player	Pos.	Team	Percent Owned*
Ryan Fitzpatrick	QB	Houston Texans	4.4
Doug Martin	RB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	42.6
Donte Moncrief	WR	Indianapolis Colts	1.4
Harry Douglas	WR	Atlanta Falcons	1.3
Nate Washington	WR	Tennessee Titans	0.7
Jordan Reed	TE	Washington Redskins	24.6
Kyle Rudolph	TE	Minnesota Vikings	18.3
Minnesota	D/ST	Vikings	23.1

Fantasy information courtesy of ESPN.com.