Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: 5 Sleepers Who May Still Be Available

With the fantasy football playoffs starting in many leagues, long-term planning should largely go out the window.  Though it would be ideal to optimize your team for the final month, the do-or-die reality means that a week-by-week approach may be more prudent.

Therefore, when looking at this week's best potential pickups, we'll be focusing on the players with the juiciest Week 14 matchups.  Even if you have been sticking with a flex or No. 2 option the entire season, playing the matchups may yield the boost needed to propel your team into the next round.

With that in mind, here are five under-the-radar players who could benefit from the ideal marriage of increased opportunity and favorable opponents.

Jonathan Stewart (30.5 percent owned)

The Carolina Panthers offense has been a mess this season, but at the very least, the running back platoon should be out of commission after DeAngelo Williams' potentially season-ending broken hand.  As such, Stewart offers upside this week against a Saints team that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Stewart himself has had a quiet bounce-back campaign even with limited touches.  The former Pro Bowler has averaged 4.3 yards per carry over 96 attempts, his highest per-carry average since 2011 (not coincidentally, his last fully healthy season).  In addition, his 20 receptions are already the second most of his career, illustrating his added value as a receiver.

Moreover, the Saints defense has had notorious tackling issues, partially the byproduct of injuries in the back seven and stunning regression from second-year safety Kenny Vaccaro.  Against the bruising Stewart, that could result in plenty of after-contact yardage.

Stewart averaged 5.8 yards per carry in Carolina's first meeting with the Saints.  Expect that success to continue at the Superdome on Sunday, making him a viable flex option in standard leagues.

Stedman Bailey (4.3 percent owned)

If you're looking for a sneaky option at receiver, Bailey and the next player on this list could be intriguing options.  The ex-West Virginia Mountaineer has caught Shaun Hill's eye, as Bailey has received 18 targets over three games since Hil's reinsertion into the lineup, compared to 11 over the previous six games.

Bailey's five-catch, 100-yard performance against the Oakland Raiders last week demonstrated the rapport he has developed with Hill, as Bailey is St. Louis' best route-runner and most versatile receiver in terms of alignment.  Though Kenny Britt exploded a couple weeks ago, some believe Bailey is the Rams' top receiving option.

This week, Bailey faces a Washington defense that Andrew Luck mercilessly torched last Sunday.  Washington has allowed the eighth-most points to opposing receivers this season, including 45 passes of at least 20 yards, seventh-most in the league, per Pro-Football-Reference.

The Rams are a bit tricky to predict—between Bailey, Britt, Tavon Austin and Jared Cook, there are plenty of mouths to feed through the air (not to mention rookie stud Tre Mason on the ground).  Nevertheless, given Hill's chemistry with Bailey, expect him to rack up a high yardage total against a depleted Washington secondary.

Donte Moncrief (1.5 percent owned)

If Bailey is the steady source of targets, Moncrief is more of a home run hitter.  That naturally makes him a risky fantasy proposition, but in deeper leagues, Indy's new No. 3 receiver is a worthy add for this week.

Moncrief rightly took over for the woeful Hakeem Nicks last week and promptly posted 134 yards and two touchdowns on just three catches.  This isn't a one-week wonder either, as the rookie had seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8 when Nicks was injured.  Quite simply, there is no comparison between the two.

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

This week, Moncrief gets to face a Browns secondary that will be missing underrated ball-hawking safety Tashaun Gipson.  With Joe Haden likely to shadow T.Y. Hilton, Moncrief should get to face undrafted rookie slot corner K'Waun Williams. 

If Dwayne Allen returns to the lineup, that could eliminate whatever red-zone targets Moncrief was going to see.  However, considering that the Colts are likely to take a deep shot or two to Moncrief, he could pay big dividends if your lineup is short on wideouts.

Jordan Cameron (36.9 percent owned)

L.G. Patterson/Associated Press

Owners will likely greet this selection with a sigh of indignation, as Cameron has been one of fantasy's biggest busts in 2014.  After a breakout Pro Bowl season in 2013, the tight end's season has been marred by shoulder and concussion woes, leading him to compile a meager 13 catches over six games.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

But position scarcity plays in his favor, as scouring the waiver wire for tight ends is a frustrating and often fruitless exercise.  Moreover, Cameron's return could coincide just in time with a matchup against the Colts, who have conceded more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than any other team in the league.

Even with Josh Gordon back, Cleveland's wide receiver stable is not a particularly impressive group.  The quarterback dilemma is an obvious wild card, but regardless of whether Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel is in the lineup, Cameron figures to represent the Browns' primary red-zone target if he returns.  Even in the midst of a disappointing season, Cameron is a must-add if healthy.

Vikings D/ST (23.1 percent owned)

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Streaming defenses is often an efficient strategy, and the Minnesota Vikings provide the best option for any league size this week.  Facing Geno Smith and the abysmal New York Jets offense, the Vikes should have plenty of opportunities for turnovers and sacks at home.

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Expecting two special teams touchdowns again might be folly, but there's a very firm ceiling on how much damage the Jets are going to do.  New York has accrued over 400 offensive yards just once in the past nine games and turned the ball over 1.7 times per game, which ranks 22nd in the league.

Indeed, there is almost no downside to playing Minnesota this week, making it an excellent streaming option.  Unless your regular defense enjoys a premium matchup (like Houston or San Francisco), the Vikings are probably worth dropping an end-of-the-bench player for.

*All points against and ownership percentage figures based on ESPN standard league scoring.