Week 14 Fantasy Football Projections: Streaming Options Likely on Waiver Wire

Fantasy football managers won't want to disrupt success as the fantasy postseason begins in Week 14. Players will naturally prefer sticking to a winning formula.

Then again, streaming is that formula for many opportunistic folks who mixed and matched their way into the playoff picture. Why stop now?

There's no reason to ever swear fealty to a defense, and kickers are always interchangeable. However, it won't be easy to locate a widely available quarterback or tight end with an advantageous Week 14 matchup.

In order to qualify for streaming consideration, a player must be available in over 50 percent of Yahoo Sports leagues. Many of the recommendations—accompanied by projected stat lines in italics—are better served for deeper leagues or desperate managers, which shouldn't be the case for anyone strutting into the postseason's opening round.

Quarterback

1. Josh McCown, Jets (at Broncos): 260 Pass YD, 2 TD, 1 INT

2. Jameis Winston, Buccaneers (vs. Lions): 290 Pass YD, 2 TD, 2 INT

3. Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers (at Texans): 235 Pass YD, 2 TD, 1 INT

4. Eli Manning, Giants (vs. Cowboys): 240 Pass YD, 1 TD, 1 INT

Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Jameis Winston (49 percent owned) are Josh McCown (42 percent) should only be available in shallow, casual leagues. Even if still unclaimed, neither is a top-10 option to use with confidence.

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback should stockpile plenty of yards against the Detroit Lions' No. 27 passing defense, a turnover-reliant defense could pressure the turnover-prone quarterback into mistakes.

Streaming a quarterback at Denver would have been considered fantasy heresy earlier this season. Yet the Broncos have allowed at least two passing touchdowns to each of their last five opponents. McCown, meanwhile, has 638 passing yards and six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) in the last two games.

The New York Jets quarterback has reached the end zone as a runner more times (five) than LeSean McCoy, Carlos Hyde, Lamar Miller, and Kareem Hunt this season.

After ending Eli Manning's streak of consecutive starts at 210, the New York Giants are on the verge of abruptly reversing course. On Monday, they announced the firing of head coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese. Per ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan, they plan on putting their longtime quarterback back under center:

The Dallas Cowboys have yielded the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, but they held Manning without a touchdown in Week 1. Averaging 178.8 passing yards per game over his last six starts, he's better saved for leagues that start two quarterbacks.

The week's most interesting under-owned streamer is Jimmy Garoppolo, who went 26-of-37 for 293 passing yards and a fluky interception in his San Francisco 49ers debut. After orchestrating a game-winning drive in their 15-14 victory over the Chicago Bears, he drew high praise from teammate Carlos Hyde.

"To me, it's like he really learned from Tom Brady," Hyde said, per the Mercury News' Cam Inman. "That's what he reminded me of: just a young Tom Brady out there. How Brady is late in the game, where you give him like 30 seconds to go, yo, he can still win the game for his team."

Hyperbole aside, Brady's old understudy gets a Houston Texans defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game (behind San Francisco) to quarterbacks. He developed instant chemistry with Marquise Goodwin and Trent Taylor, as they combined for 14 targets.

Garoppolo could deliver a huge encore with better red-zone efficiency. On the other side of this matchup, those in two-quarterback leagues should give more than a passing glance to Tom Savage against a weak 49ers defense after amassing a career-high 365 passing yards in Week 13's loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Tight End

1. Julius Thomas, Dolphins (vs. Patriots): 3 REC, 5 TAR, 40 YD, 1 TD

2. Stephen Anderson, Texans (vs. 49ers): 4 REC, 7 TAR, 55 YD

3. Ricky Seals-Jones, Cardinals (vs. Titans): 3 REC, 4 TAR, 50 YD

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

As announced Monday by vice president of football communications Michael Signora, the NFL suspended Rob Gronkowski for a late hit on Tre'Davious White. Rather than looking down the New England Patriots' depth chart, everyone scrambling for a replacement should turn to their Week 14 opponent.

The Dolphins' Julius Thomas has scored three touchdowns in Jay Cutler's last four starts. He caught five of six targets for 52 yards when facing New England with Matt Moore at QB in Week 12. Although far from glamorous, the Miami tight end is probably the best that Gronkowski investors without a backup can do on short notice.

Stephen Anderson had a coming-out party with five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Banking on a one-week wonder is especially dangerous during the fantasy playoffs, but anyone pillaging this deep down the food chain may feel inclined to roll the dice.

Gamers who took a similar gamble on Ricky Seals-Jones received two catches for 44 yards in Week 13. The rookie has 170 yards and three touchdowns over the last three games, so he narrowly secures top-20 positioning in the upcoming slate's position rankings.

Note that Cameron Brate narrowly missed the cut with a 55 percent ownership rate. After collecting one catch in each of Tampa Bay's three games without Winston, he snagged two touchdowns in the starter's return. 

He's easily the best option if available.

Defense

1. Green Bay Packers (at Browns): 16 PA, 4 SCK, 1 INT, 1 FR 

2. Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Bears): 12 PA, 2 SCK, 1 INT

3. Buffalo Bills (vs. Colts): 17 PA, 2 SCK, 1 INT, 1 FR

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

The first step to streaming a defense is easy. Check the Cleveland Browns' schedule to see if their opponent is readily available. 

Their opponent at home is the Green Bay Packers, whose unit is owned in just one-third of Yahoo leagues but has produced 17 sacks and 37 fantasy points (in Yahoo standard scoring) over the last four weeks. While a returning Josh Gordon will bother a subpar secondary, they're still a fine one-off option.

Mitchell Trubisky won't do much against the Cincinnati Bengals' No. 8-ranked passing defense, so the Chicago Bears probably will not exceed their microscopic 15.9 points per game scoring average on the road. With only 11 takeaways the season, the Bengals (also 33 percent owned) represent a conservative, but low-ceiling choice.

With 20 takeaways, the Buffalo Bills have some upside when hosting the Indianapolis Colts. As of Monday night, the Weather Channel is forecasting freezing temperatures and early snow showers on Sunday in Orchard Park.

Tampa Bay joins the conversation if Matthew Stafford does not play for Detroit. The same goes for Indianapolis if Buffalo must go back to Nathan Peterman over Tyrod Taylor.

Kicker

1. Mason Crosby, Packers (at Browns): 3 FG (1 40+), 2 XP

2. Robbie Gould, 49ers (at Texans): 2 FG (1 40+), 3 XP

3. Phil Dawson, Cardinals (vs. Titans): 2 FG (1 50+), 2 XP

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

There's no more volatile position in any fantasy sport than kicker. Identifying streamers is even tougher earlier in the week, as foul weather could rain on a rosier outlook.

Make sure there's no snowstorm or gushing winds at Cleveland on Sunday before using Mason Crosby. Climate won't be an issue for Robbie Gould, who will kick inside the domed NRG Stadium after accounting for all 15 of San Francisco's points last weekend. 

Phil Dawson has booted field goals of 57 and 54 yards in the last two games, and no team has relinquished more fantasy points to kickers than the Tennessee Titans. The 42-year-old also must rely on Blaine Gabbert, but the Arizona Cardinals have scored 100 points in five games since getting shut out by San Francisco.

All ownership rates and fantasy scoring data obtained from Yahoo Sports.