Fantasy Football 2014: 8 Players/Defenses to Pick Up for Your Playoff Games

If you are reading this column, it probably means you have safely made it to your fantasy football league’s playoffs. Congrats! Put your fantasy hockey and hoops leagues on the backburner for next week or two.

Some fantasy football leagues do not allow any waiver-wire pickups once the playoffs are underway. For those leagues that do, though, there are still players and defenses out there who could be the difference between your fantasy squad winning and losing over the next two weeks.

So here are eight players/defenses to pick up for your fantasy playoff games:

Stedman Bailey, St. Louis Rams (WR)

Forget about Tavon Austin being the best receiver on the Rams. He is not even the best West Virginia Mountaineer receiver on the Rams.

Bailey has become the top target of quarterback Shawn Hill since Hill took over the offense a couple of games ago. After having just 86 receiving yards in his first eight contests, Bailey has piled up 236 receiving yards and a touchdown over his last three outings.

Bailey has back-to-back home dome games coming up against the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants, so he could help fantasy owners out as a WR or flex option during their crucial playoff weeks.

Michael Floyd, Arizona Cardinals (WR)

Please keep your screaming to a dull roar, fantasy owners. I know Floyd has been more frustrating this season than a mother-in-law who criticized everything you do.

You use Floyd, and he has no-catch or one-catch games that kill your fantasy weeks. You do not put him in your lineup, and he scores a touchdown or has an 85-yard game that could have helped.

Arizona’s end-of-the-season schedule is extremely daunting as the Cardinals face all of the tough teams and defenses from their NFC West division, but Floyd looked like he finally got on the same page as quarterback Drew Stanton this past Sunday, and with Larry Fitzgerald limping around as a decoy, it should be Floyd who is targeted the most down the stretch.

Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers (RB)

Stewart rolls his ankles more often than Dirk Nowitzki, but during those two weeks a year when he is 100 percent, he can really rack up some rushing yards.

Stewart has rushed for 240 yards over his past two games and faces two below-average run defenses in Tampa Bay and Cleveland the next two weeks. He can be fantastic flex player for fantasy teams in the postseason if he does not twist or sprain something again.

Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns (TE)

The oft-concussed tight end was probably dropped in many fantasy leagues after he missed several games with his latest concussion, but he returned this past weekend and caught four passes for 41 yards.

The Mitch Williams of quarterbacks, Brian Hoyer, has done Cameron no favors this year, but with Josh Gordon distracting defenses and Cameron a week healthier, the injury-prone tight end could finish the season strong.

Cameron is an upgrade if you own the suddenly slumping Larry Donnell of the New York Giants or a slumping veteran like San Francisco’s Vernon Davis.

Kansas City Chiefs Defense

Kansas City’s defense has not been as sack-happy as it was last year and has been low on the turnover scale (four interceptions?), but the Chiefs are dying to avenge their embarrassing loss to the Oakland Raiders this weekend at home against David Carr and Co. in KC.

With Kansas City desperate for a win to stay in playoff contention, look for Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and the Chiefs defense to pull out all the stops this week. And they will probably bring extra energy in the wake of safety Eric Berry’s recent cancer diagnosis as they attempt to win for him.

Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars (WR)

Lee has taken his sweet time getting acclimated to the NFL, but it looks like he is finally grasping everything. He has had his best two games of the season over the past two weeks, going for 11 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown.

Next up for Lee are the Baltimore Ravens (31st in pass defense) and the Tennessee Titans (19th), so look for his improvement to continue as he will not be matched up against any lockdown corners in those contests.

Juwan Thompson, Denver Broncos (RB)

It has never mattered over the past couple of decades who Denver plugs in at running back. Whomever the lucky duck is is bound to get 100 yards and a touchdown each week.

But lately Denver running backs have been falling faster than Spinal Tap drummers. With Ronnie Hillman, Montee Ball and now C.J. Anderson all banged-up, Thompson could be the next man up as the main man in the Broncos’ running attack.

It is too early to know for sure if Anderson will be able to play and start this week after turning his ankle against the Buffalo Bills. Regardless, Thompson is a wise pickup, especially if you own Anderson, just in case Thompson does get some extra touches.

Marquess Wilson, Chicago Bears (WR)

Picking up a guy and starting him during your playoff week when he has had a not-so-grand total of seven catches for 53 yards in two seasons may sound maniacal, yet Wilson has deep sleeper potential.

With ball hog Brandon Marshall out for the season due to his rib and lung injuries, the explosive Wilson will be slotted into Chicago’s starting lineup and should receive plenty of opportunities to put up nice numbers.

Jay Cutler, Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte have all been able to quietly load up on yards and fantasy points during the fourth quarters of Chicago’s blowout losses. Their production late in meaningless games has been very meaningful to fantasy owners, and Wilson should be able to benefit from it as well.