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Week 14 Waiver-Wire Pickups: Sleepers Who May Still Be Available
December 4, 2019
Only four weeks remain in the 2019 NFL season. This means that most fantasy leagues are now in the playoffs, and the majority of fantasy championships are rapidly approaching—most leagues try to wrap before Week 17 because of the risk of players resting.
If you're fortunate enough to still be alive in the postseason, you likely have the majority of your starting lineup solidified. With bye weeks a thing of the past, there is little reason to bench your top performers, aside from injuries and extremely difficult matchups.
However, this doesn't mean that you should ignore the waiver wire over the final few weeks. Upgrades for the back end of your lineup may still be available, and it's always smart to pick up handcuff options when you can.
The last thing you want is to be scrambling for an injury replacement days before the title game.
Here, we'll examine some of the top waiver-wire options that may still be available in Week 14, along with some top handcuffs for the postseason.
Top Waiver-Wire Targets, Week 14
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Miami Dolphins
Gardner Minshew II, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Benny Snell Jr., RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Nyheim Hines, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Raheem Mostert, RB, San Francisco 49ers
A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans
Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago Bears
Cole Beasley, WR, Buffalo Bills
Jacob Hollister, TE, Seattle Seahawks
Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins
Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams
Benny Snell Jr., RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
There's a good chance that Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner will once again be unavailable in Week 14:
Even if Conner is active against the Arizona Cardinals, it will be difficult for the Steelers to justify sitting running back Benny Snell Jr. The former Kentucky standout has proved to be the best pure runner on Pittsburgh's roster, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and racking up 162 yards and a touchdown over his last two games.
Conner has averaged just 3.8 yards per carry this season.
Arizona ranks just 24th against the run, allowing an average of 118.8 rushing yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry. You should be monitoring Conner's status heading into Sunday, as he will likely cut into Snell's workload if healthy, but he's worth the waiver claim. Snell is currently available in 66 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros.
A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans
Rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown is emerging as a quality receiver for the Tennessee Titans. However, consistency has been an issue for fantasy managers this season. For example, he had a stellar 135-yard, one-touchdown outing in Week 12, sandwiched by a 17-yard and a 45-yard performance.
This is a good week to gamble on Brown having one of his productive games. The Titans are taking on the Oakland Raiders, who are 24th against the pass—surrendering an average of 258.2 yards per game—and have given up a whopping 27 touchdown passes.
Only the Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins have surrendered more passing scores this season.
If you've been streaming at wide receiver or Flex in your starting lineup, Brown is a high-upside option for Week 14. He's available in 75 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros.
Top Handcuffs to Target
Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Darwin Thompson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Reggie Bonnafon, RB, Carolina Panthers
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons
James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Allen Lazard, WR, Green Bay Packers
Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
Handcuff Spotlight: Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook left Monday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks with a shoulder injury. It's been an ongoing issue for Cook, and it doesn't appear to be serious.
"It's a weird injury that I've got," Cook said, per ESPN's Cronin. "It's kind of like when I land in an awkward spot, it hurts."
Still, if you have Cook on your roster, it's a good idea to grab Vikings backup Alexander Mattison if at all possible. Cook wasn't seriously injured this time, but there's no guarantee the shoulder issue won't hamper him in the future.
It's not like Mattison hasn't been productive when he's gotten opportunities either. He's averaged 4.8 yards per carry and 8.0 yards per reception in limited action. If Cook goes down, you should be able to rely on Mattison.
Mattison is currently owned in just 32 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros.