Week 14 Waiver Wire: Examining Top Fantasy Football Targets

The entire fantasy football season has come down to this, and you have to make sure you are prepared.

For most leagues, Week 14 represents the start of the playoffs, so congratulations if you've made it this far. Others still have another week of regular-season play, but the matchups are still must-win events to either make the postseason or secure higher seeds.

With this in mind, you need to find anyone who can help your team win now. The time for dreaming of a turnaround is over (sorry, Cordarrelle Patterson owners), drop anyone you won't use in the coming weeks and pick up these players who can help you immediately.

Note: All players are available in at least 50 percent of ESPN leagues. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Houston Texans (owned in 4.4 percent of leagues)

Eric Gay/Associated Press

It was so easy to forget about Ryan Fitzpatrick after Ryan Mallett took over the starting job for the Houston Texans, but an injury to Mallett put the veteran right back into the spotlight.

This time around, Fitzpatrick took advantage with 358 passing yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. The offensive line protected him against the Tennessee Titans, and he responded by spreading the ball around to the talented players on the roster.

Michael Fabiano of NFL.com summed up the shock from everyone watching along:

Obviously, it would be insane to predict another six-score performance from a quarterback who was benched just a few weeks ago. However, he could still have another big showing against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that has allowed multiple touchdown passes in six of 12 games.

If you need help at quarterback, this would be a good choice.

Daniel Herron, RB, Indianapolis Colts (owned in 40.9 percent of leagues)

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Despite getting just eight carries Sunday, Daniel "Boom" Herron made a big impact with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Washington Redskins. He also added two receptions for eight yards.

While his carries might have been limited by a lost fumble, his coach still thinks highly of the young running back. 

"He's a talented, talented guy, and I think we've seen that out of him," Chuck Pagano said after the game. "He's quick, he's fast to hit the hole and once he gets outside, he's got some long speed; I think we all found that out."

The 49-yard touchdown run showcased his true talent, especially compared to Trent Richardson, who finished with just 12 yards on eight carries.

With Ahmad Bradshaw on injured reserve, the Colts need someone they can trust to get tough yards, and Herron has already shown he can do that better than Richardson.

The carries should continue to come, setting up a potential huge game against a Cleveland Browns defense allowing the 29th most rushing yards per game this season.

Stedman Bailey, WR, St. Louis Rams (owned in 4.1 percent of leagues)

While Stedman Bailey did all of his damage in the first quarter, he still finished with five catches and 100 receiving yards in Week 13 against the Oakland Raiders. With a 38-0 halftime lead, the Rams didn't need to do much throwing in the second half anyway.

This marked his second big game in a row after totaling 89 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions in Week 12. He has also led the team in targets over the two-game stretch with 15.

Bailey had a limited role to start the year but is now becoming a go-to option with Shaun Hill under center. Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com noted the increased role early last game:

Although the Rams don't have the best passing offense in the NFL, the former West Virginia star has the trust of his quarterback and can make people miss after the catch to put up bigger numbers. 

Against a suspect Washington Redskins secondary, Bailey would be a quality fantasy starter in Week 14.

Pos.	Player	Team	Percent Owned*
QB	Mark Sanchez	Philadelphia Eagles	45.6
QB	Colt McCoy	Washington Redskins	2.8
RB	Jonathan Stewart	Carolina Panthers	30.6
RB	Theo Riddick	Detroit Lions	6.2
RB	Andre Williams	New York Giants	31.9
WR	Kenny Stills	New Orleans Saints	17.6
WR	Robert Woods	Buffalo Bills	2.4
WR	Jaron Brown	Arizona Cardinals	0.1
TE	Heath Miller	Pittsburgh Steelers	39.8
TE	Jordan Reed	Washington Redskins	24.5

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