JuJu Smith-Schuster Suspended: Top Waiver Wire Targets to Stream in Fantasy

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was suspended one game by the NFL on Tuesday, which could send some fantasy owners scrambling for a replacement entering what is the first week of the playoffs in many leagues. 

The NFL announced that Smith-Schuster will not be eligible to play for the Steelers in Week 14 after his blindside block on Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict on Monday, and his subsequent decision to taunt Burfict.

Smith-Schuster has emerged as a strong flex option during his rookie campaign with 37 receptions for 585 yards and five touchdowns to his credit.

The first-year player out of USC is owned in 89 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues, and he likely would have received plenty of flex or WR2 consideration from his owners in Week 14.

While Smith-Schuster is appealing, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, his fantasy owners should consider searching the waiver wire this week.

Among wide receivers owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues, there are some intriguing options to choose from.

Marquise Goodwin and Trent Taylor of the San Francisco 49ers, Jermaine Kearse of the New York Jets and Josh Doctson of the Washington Redskins all stand out as viable replacements.

Jimmy Garoppolo earned his first start for the Niners in Week 13, and both Goodwin and Taylor benefited greatly.

Goodwin finished with eight grabs for 99 yards, while Taylor made six receptions for 92 yards. As pointed out by Joe Fann of 49ers.com, Goodwin has enjoyed a quietly strong year overall:

With San Francisco facing a Houston Texans team that is 22nd in the NFL against the pass, both Goodwin and Taylor could be in line for big games.

Kearse has a bit more of an impressive resume than Goodwin and Taylor, and he has thrived this season with Josh McCown as his quarterback.

The veteran has topped 100 receiving yards in consecutive games, and he is bordering on top-20 production at his position this season, per Josh More of 4for4 Fantasy Football:

A road matchup with the Denver Broncos would normally be a scary proposition, but Denver has allowed an NFL-worst 26 passing touchdowns this season.

Doctson is more of a Hail Mary selection than Goodwin or Kearse, but he has found the end zone in consecutive games, and he leads the Redskins with five receiving touchdowns on the season.

The fact that the Los Angeles Chargers are fifth in the NFL against the pass makes Doctson riskier than the aforementioned options, but he seems to be building a rapport with quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Smith-Schuster could be a significant loss from a fantasy perspective if his suspension is upheld, but there are comparable players available on the waiver wire even at this late juncture of the season.