If you’re still consuming fantasy content at this late date, then, in all likelihood, your squad has had a pretty decent year — not a legendary year just yet, but decent. Let’s put a trophy in your hands with the assistance of a few well-timed waiver wire additions. Every player discussed below is available in a majority of Yahoo leagues and approved for immediate use.
Wide receivers and tight ends to prioritize
D.J. Chark, Detroit Lions (40% rostered)
Chark was Detroit’s leading receiver in the team’s demolition of the Vikings on Sunday, hauling in six balls for 94 yards and one score on seven targets. He’s reached the end zone twice in his last three games and he’s topped 90 receiving yards in his last two. Just in case you were wondering if he could still get deep and roast pretty much anyone, here you go:
Detroit’s offense has been humming and Chark has emerged as a serious weapon. He’s drawn 18 targets over the past three weeks, so volume hasn’t been much of a concern. This week’s matchup with the Jets is rough, but keep Chark in mind for his Championship Week date with Chicago.
Recommended offer, assuming $100 budget: $8
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid seems relatively optimistic about Hardman’s potential return this week, which would give Patrick Mahomes yet another familiar weapon. We’ll remind you that Hardman had emerged as a key red-zone chess piece before suffering an abdominal injury; in Weeks 5-9, he averaged 65.3 scrimmage yards per game and made five house calls. Pretty much every key Chiefs skill player needs to be on someone’s fantasy roster at this point in the season, so don’t leave Hardman unattached. Assuming he reclaims the role he carved out in October, he’s going to rank as a startable fantasy option in the season’s closing weeks.
Offer: $10
It’s basically like the fantasy version of a Secret Santa gift exchange with Hill, which is to say you’re probably not gonna love the results, but, when it goes right, it can be uniquely spectacular. Somehow, when we get a double-digit scoring week from Hill, it hits a little different. He’s entering the Week 15 matchup with Atlanta with eight combined touchdowns on the season — five on the ground, two as a receiver and one as a passer. He’s just a big grab bag of scoring opportunities:
Hill has played over 40 percent of the offensive snaps for the Saints in four straight weeks, so we don’t really have to sweat playing time at this stage. He’ll close his fantasy season with three straight games against vulnerable run defenses (Atl, Cle, Phi).
Offer: $7
Additional receivers to stash: Elijah Moore (he saw 10 targets on Sunday, catching six, and he played 82 percent of the offensive snaps; Corey Davis is in the concussion protocol, so it’s possible the Jets will need to feed Moore), Jahan Dotson (he broke out before Washington’s bye, seeing nine targets and snagging five for 54 yards and one spike), Alec Pierce (he delivered 86 yards and a score ahead of Indy’s bye and the Vikings are on deck), Richie James (nine targets and a touchdown on Sunday, which gives him three spikes in his last four games; he’s in the concussion protocol, so we need to monitor his status ahead of the Washington rematch), Chris Moore (he caught 10 balls for 124 yards on 11 targets, taking full advantage of the absence of Houston’s top two wide receivers on Sunday), Jameson Williams (the rookie made a splash play against the Vikings, getting ludicrously free for a 41-yard touchdown).
Various available tight ends: Chigoziem Okonkwo (the rookie fourth-rounder caught all six of his targets on Sunday, scoring both a touchdown and a two-point conversion; he’s drawn 16 targets over his last three games, so the Week 14 workload was no fluke), Tyler Conklin (he’s seen 15 targets over his last two games, his QB is playing well and he’s got the Lions up next on the schedule),
Quarterbacks to target
It was just 15 months ago that Purdy, then the quarterback for Iowa State, was benched in a loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes after throwing three interceptions and completing only 13 of 27 pass attempts. On Sunday, Purdy exited early in his first career NFL start because his team was pummeling Tom Brady‘s Buccaneers so badly that it would have been disrespectful for Brock to continue playing.
Sometimes, the plot twists that football gives us are truly unbelievable.
Purdy passed for two touchdowns and ran for another while stomping Tampa Bay in Week 14, completing 76.2 percent of his throws while averaging 8.8 yards per attempt. He was excellent — frenetic at times, but aggressive and ultimately in command. His immediate success since taking over for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo is a testament to his own work habits and the quality of the Niners coaching staff. This is one of the wildest quarterbacking storylines in recent memory.
On Thursday, Purdy gets a road test against a Seattle defense that just allowed 30 points to the Panthers. Feel free to fire him up. He’s playing with extreme confidence these days (deservedly so) and he’s the guy who gets to throw to Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey. It’s worth noting that Purdy suffered an oblique injury in Sunday’s win, but it doesn’t sound overly serious just yet.
Offer: $6
Mike White, New York Jets (20%)
White is coming off the sort of game that ends with a precautionary trip to a local hospital, so there are definitely reasons for concern heading into Week 15. He took a few brutal shots in Sunday’s loss to Buffalo and is now dealing with various rib issues; it was no small surprise when he actually returned to play against the Bills. Assuming he’s available in Week 15, he’ll face a Lions defense that just allowed 425 yards and two scores to Kirk Cousins. White has an emerging star at his disposal in rookie receiver Garrett Wilson and he’s averaging 317.3 passing YPG over these past three weeks. He’s worth deep-league consideration if you find yourself desperate for QB help.
Offer: $3
Other approved QBs: Ryan Tannehill (he’s coming off a multi-touchdown game in which he attempted a season-high 38 passes and he’s headed into a likely shootout with the Chargers).
Running backs on the wire
Hubbard delivered 99 yards on 17 touches against Seattle on Sunday, catching three passes, rushing for a 2-yard score and playing 23 snaps. He’s now seen 17 touches in each of his last two games. D’Onta Foreman remains the head of the committee for Carolina — he handled 22 touches in Week 14 — but we’re talking about a run-committed team with multiple playable backs. These guys aren’t necessarily the flashiest runners, but they’re being fed relentlessly. Hubbard gets a date with Pittsburgh’s middle-of-the-pack run defense this week followed by a friendly matchup with Detroit.
Offer: $9
You guys, c’mon. What are we doing here? Why is Mattison so widely available? We’re beyond the byes and entering the fantasy postseason, which means your bench spots should now be occupied almost exclusively by lottery tickets — players with the potential to tilt championship odds in your favor. We know Mattison is such a player because we’ve seen him feast in prior years when he steps into a featured role. Last season, in the four games in which he played over 60 percent of the snaps, he averaged 129.5 scrimmage yards, scored three touchdowns and caught 19 passes. When he falls into a substantial workload, he’s terrific, a serious fantasy weapon.
Yes, Mattison’s fantasy value is contingent on another player’s availability. It’s possible he won’t start for you down the stretch. But he’s exactly the sort of back you should stash as we reach the most important weeks in fantasy.
Offer: $8
Other RB adds: Tyler Allgeier (he’s consistently seeing double-digit carries and coming off a game in which he played 52 percent of the snaps), Damien Harris and Pierre Strong (if Harris can make his way back from injury, the matchup ahead against Vegas is obviously excellent; Rhamondre Stevenson suffered an ankle injury on Monday night, which may impact his availability and lead to additional run for Strong), Jordan Mason (he handled the clean-up duty against the Bucs, carrying 11 times for 56 yards; Mason is running as the clear No. 2 behind CMC at the moment). Rex Burkhead (after Dameon Pierce suffered a low-ankle injury on Sunday and Eno Benjamin was waived on Tuesday. Burkhead and Dare Ogunbowale could share work if Pierce misses time … meh).
If you’re streaming D/STs
New Orleans Saints (25%)
Whatever their various faults, the Saints defense has held a pair of respectable opponents (SF and TB) to just 30 points over their last two games. New Orleans also entered its Week 14 bye with 34 total sacks on the season, among the highest totals in the NFL. This week, the Saints face Desmond Ridder, a third-round rookie making his first start for Atlanta. Ridder is an interesting developmental QB, but it’s a bit much to expect a mistake-free performance in his pro debut. Fire up the Saints if you have defensive issues.
Offer: $2
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