Every Tuesday afternoon I'll send this sheet out to the interwebs, highlighting this week's top waiver wire pick-ups.
Criteria to Make this List:
- All players must be owned in less than 50% of Yahoo Leagues.
- FAAB is based on $100 budget. Y'all can do the simple math if your league isn't $100... The first bullet for each player is how much I would recommend spending on your league.
- Is this FA Worthy of your top waiver wire claim? The second bullet is whether or not I would recommend spending your #1 WW claim on this player.
Sorry for any typos, I'v g0t no tyme to proophread.
Quarterbacks
Blake Bortles (35% Owned) - Jaguars
- $5-8 (more if Wentz owner)
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- I DONE BEEN TRYNA TELL YALL ABOUT BLakey B for a few weeks in a row now aka consecutively aka byke to byke to byke. But here we are once again.
- But also on the real, someone on the NFL network said yesterday that Blake was a top-5 QB in the NFL right now. If he didn't get fired on the next commercial break i may hire someone to end him. If anyone reading this wants to take on that job for a investment % in BDGE email me nick@bdgemedia.com.
- Byke to FF. If you were a Carson Wentz owner, condolences but we've got the antidote. BB has been not just a top streaming option at QB, but he's QB5 in fantasy over the last 3 weeks. He's finished with more than 18.5 fantasy points in all three games, averaging 22.5 per.
- The bigger storyline here for Blake is that he's starting to get very comfortable at home, and the Jags will get their 3rd straight home game in Week 15 against a swiss cheezy Houston pass defense, ranking 25th in the NFL allowing 242 passing yards per game. Only four teams in the NFL have allowed more than the 24 passing TDs the Texans have let up and no one has let up more pass plays of 40+ yards on the year (13).
- The Texans just let up 334 yards to Jimmy G in just his second game as a starter. Blake is averaging 260 passing yards per game at home this year, never under 223 and a 12:5 TD:INT ratio in those 7 games.
- He'll be a top-10 QB in fantasy this week. After Houston he gets another plus matchup @ SF.
Tyrod Taylor (40% Owned) - Bills
- $2-5
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Taylor missed Week 14, and this year overall has been a shitshow, but Taylor is in a good spot to leave fantasy owners with a sweet taste in their mouth to wrap up the '17 szn. Peterman in the concussion protocol is irrelevant according to HC Sean McDermott who says Taylor is the starting QB when healthy. I guess we'll take his word for it in Week 15 when they get a home game versus the Colts.
- I don't really need to tell you how bad the Dolphins pass defense is.
- But it's my job to do it so.
- 7.2 yards per attempt (21st in NFL), 22 passing touchdowns allowed (25th), 7 interceptions (28th), 43 pass plays of 20+ yards (24th). If I had to guess, these numbers will be worse after tonight. They're playing Terrific Tom and the Brady Bunch on MNF as I type this.
- TyGAWD has an ideal matchup to bounce back in Week 15 at home against the Dolphins. The Dolphins are much worse on the road this year than at home. In six road games this season, they've allowed 238 passing yards per game and a 13:2 TD:INT ratio. That number shoots up to 262 (would be 30th in NFL) if you take away the 101 yards Joe Flacco posted in Week 8.
- No one really wants to stick Taylor in their lineup at this point, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Jimmy Garoppolo (20% Owned) - 49ers
- $2-4
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- 2-0 under center for the Niners, Jimmy G is that brotha for San Fran. Putting the titty on! I mean city.
- Coming off a career-high 334 passing yards, James gets a good matchup against at home versus the Titans. It'll be his first home game as a start in gold and red. The touchdowns haven't been there but he's lighting up the box score with 627 passing yards over their last two.
- Tennessee defense has surprisingly been the better half of this team, something I would've NEVER guessed entering the szn. But they're definitely beatable through the air. Just a week removed from a 365-yard game outta Tom SAVAGE. They've allowed 260+ passing yards to 4 of the last 6 QBs and Jimmy will look to be number 5.
- For the record, I'd prefer Ty over JG in Week 15.
Running Backs
Jonathan Stewart (38% Owned) - Panthers
- $6-9
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Not a single percentage change of ownership for J Stew on Yahoo from last week to this week. Hopefully some of the 38% of people threw him in the lineup before he exploded for 103 yards and 3 tuddys on Sunday on just 16 rushes (6.4 ypc). It's the third straight game he's found paydirt and the 7th straight with at least 11 carries. For what it's worth, he hasn't caught a ball since Week 5. It's about to be Week 15.
- Stewart has a great playoff slate. Two home games, starting with GB before ending with TB. GB has been awful against RBs over the last month or so, but their whole gameflow could change now that Aaron Rodgers is expected back, just something to be wary of. The Pack have up 131 yards to Crowell last week, 143 to Peyton Barber, the week before that, 183 to Le'Veon the one before that and 71 and a score to Alex Collins four weeks ago. Y'all get the point.
Theo Riddick (41% Owned) - Lions
- $3-6
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Honestly, idk wtf is going on with Abdullah over their in the D. He was supposedly cleared for the game from his neck injury but was inactive regardless. Reports today said that HC Jim Caldwell "declined to call Ameer Abdullah his starting running back." Take that for what it's worth.
- With Abdullah on the sidelines, Riddick has 30 touches including a 11 receptions, and is second on the team with 15 targets in that 2-game span. He has three rushing scores too. If Abdullah isn't there, the volume is. And it's anyone guess as to whether or not he will be so, I'll leave it at that.
- If Abdullah is out, Theo is an easy RB2 in Week 15 at home versus Chicago who obviously gets a big boost in PPR leagues. If Abdullah is in, I'm note sure either are more than a desperate flex play. Last time Detroit and Chicago played, AA rushed for 22 yards on 11 carries and caught two passes for 13 yards and a score. Theo caught just a single pass for 4 yards with 35 yards on 9 rushes.
Mike Davis (38% Owned) - Seahawks
- $7-8
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Davis was looking good again in Week 14 before exiting the game under his own power in the 3rd quarter of Sunday's 30-24 loss to Jacksonville with what looks to be a minor injury. He ran for 66 yards on 15 carries, it was 16-64 the week before. He's taken control of Seattle's backfield in a much improved ground game. He played in 73% of the teams snaps despite leaving early.
- Hopefully he's ready to roll for Seattle's Week 15 home game. It's a huge divisional matchup agains the Rams. The two teams played earlier in the year in LA ending in a 16-10 win for the Hawks.
- The Rams have allowed the 3rd most fantasy points to the RB position in 2017, and the single most rushing yards per game to RBs (110.7/game) and 1.2 TDs per game to the position.
- If he's back, he'll be a low-end RB2 with upside in Week 15.
Rod Smith (13% Owned) - Cowboys
- $1-2
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Sure, Alf is getting more work than Rod (alf & rod sounds like a law firm you go to after you get a public urination ticket not that I would know), but Sunday makes three straight games of 11 touches for Rod and he's scored in each all three games, four TDs in total.
- Smith went bonkas for 160 total yards, 113 of them by way of five receptions with the other 47 on 6 carries.
- You'll get one more chance to let Smith flex his muscles in your lineup with Zeke sidelined and set to return in Week 16. The Boys travel to Oakland to play a depleted Raiders team who just let the ghost of Kareem Hunt bust out of his slump to the tune of 138 yards and a touchdown. Being the passing-down back should play to Smith's advantage in this one. The Raiders are allowing the 16th most rushing yards per game to backs (96.3/game) but the 4th most receptions (6.1) per game. I'd expect another 3-4 catch game for Smith in this one. He's an okay flex play for Week 15.
Kerwynn Williams (11% Owned) - Cardinals
- $7-10
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- With Adrian Peterson sidelined for the last two games, and his return out of sight, KWilly has filled in nicely, rushing for 170 yards on 36 carries (4.7 ypc) against two stiff run defenses LAR and TEN.
- In Week 15, the Cards will travel to DC to take face the Skins who have given up the 11th most fantasy points to RBs this szn. WAS is tied for 27th in the NFL allowing 4.3 ypc and 25th with 11 TDs allowed.
- If AP is out, Williams should get another sizable workload, but be aware that the Cards, who were already struggling as a run unit (21st in DVOA per FO), lost both their starting RG, Earl Watford, and LT Jared Veldheer in Week 14.
- Even in a plus matchup, it'll be hard for Kwilly to find running room in this one. He'll be an RB3/flex based on volume.
Wide Receivers
Corey Coleman (28% Owned) - Browns
- $4-6
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Flash Gordon started out on fire in this one, but it was Coleman who led the ex alcy in catches (53) and tied for the team-lead in targets with 6.
- The sophomore wideout finished Sunday's unbelievable loss with a 5-62-1 line. He's unquestionably the second best receiver on the team, but that also comes with the territory of lining up against the second best cornerback weekly.
- Like I said last week, though, when you're betting on Gordon or Coleman in your lineup, you're not so much betting on them as you are on Deshone Kizer, which probably give you worse odds than a coin flip but..
- The coin flip convicts get a solid matchup in Week 15 at home against the division rival Ravens. The Ravens, once a team to be completely feared by opposing passing offenses, didn't look so good on Sunday Night against Big Ben and the Steelers without their all-pro CB Jimmy Smith who was lost for the szn in Week 13 with a torn achilles. Big Ben threw for 508 yard, 508 YARDS and two tugs against Baltimore.
- Deshone Kizer's turn!!!!! Probably not, but one can dream. I think this puts Gordon on the WR2 spectrum again this week and Coleman firmly sits as a WR3/flex play.
Josh Doctson (43% Owned) - Redskins
- $2-4
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Doctson broke his two-game touchdown streak on Sunday when he was shut down by all-world CB Casey Hayward, held to 3 catches for 34 yards on 6 targets. Surprisingly, the yardage was a 3-game high lol as were the 6 targets.
- Doctson and the Skins will get a home game against the Cards who have been solid against opposing WRs as of late. It's likely Doc sees a lot of Pat Pete so I'm probably staying away from him altogether this week, but I figured I'd put him on here because wtf do I have to do at this hour!
Dede Westbrook (31% Owned) - Jaguars
- $8-10
- I WOULD use #1 claim.
- Where there is fire, there's smoke.
- I think I said that wrong.
- Basically I'm saying since I like Bortles, I like the second best Dede in the world. The real ones that watched Rugrats byke in the day know what I'm saying.
- Westbrook scored his first touchdown in Week 14 agains the Seahawks to go along with a szn-high 81 yards on 5 catches, making it his third consecutive games hitting that number. He's shaping up to have a legitimate double-digit PPR floor. His last 3 games: 6-41, 6-78 and 5-81-1.
- Westbrook leads the team in every receiving category over the last three weeks and is starting to shape up as Bortles' favorite weapon. He has 27 targets over their last 3, never less than 8 in a game. Marqise lee is second on the team during that span with 10 less targets (17 for y'all not brilliant types ouchere).
- Bortles could be a huge piece of playoff runs this year, and so could Westbrook. He's my favorite waiver wire add this week.
Mike Wallace (40% Owned) - Ravens
- $5-6
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- If you can even consider them a candidate to have one at this point, I guess Mike Wallace is the WR1 in Baltimore. He's averaging 73 yards on 7 targets over their last four games. He's scored double-digit PPR points in five straight.
- The Ravens travel to Cleveland in Week 15 for a divisional matchup. The Browns are ranked 23rd in the NFL allowing 7.3 ypa and are tied for most passing TDs allowed in the NFL with 26.
- Over the last two weeks, WR1's have taken advantage of the Browns pass d like some children. Davanta Adams laid a 10-84-2 spot on em in Week 14 and a 10-105-1 line was had by Keenan Allen in the week prior.
- I don't expect these typea numbers from Mr. Walls, but I think he deserves a look at flex in your playoff matchup.
Tight Ends
O.J. Howard (23% Owned) - Bucs
- $2-4
- I would NOT use my #1 claim.
- Howard's inconsistency is definitely a worry for me, but he's eclipsed 50 yards in 3 of their last 4, scoring twice in that span and has out-snapped teammate Cameron Brate in 8 of their last 9 games. He finished Sunday's game catching 4-of-6 targets for 54 yards and a tuddy, making that his 5th on the szn. This is kind of wild, but I just checked this. From Week 7 up until now, O.J. Howard is TE7 in fantasy. Idk what thats says about Howard, or tight ends or fantasy football.
- Howard and the Bucs will get a home game against Atlanta in Week 15, which is a tough matchup for opponents, but they've given up a touchdown to 2 of the past 4 TE's they've faced and Howard already put up a 3-52 spot on them three weeks ago in their first matchup.
Marcedes Lewis (5% Owned) - Jaguars
- $0-2
- Just another product of Bortles' greatness comes Marcedes Lewis.
- Lewis has been anything but good or consistent this year, but he gets a great matchup at home in Week 15 against the Texans who have allowed the 4th most FPs to TEs in 2017. On Sunday they gave up 2-67-1 to Garrett Celek, 5-63-1 to Delanie a week prior and 3-54-2 to Ricky the Gawd Seals-Jones two weeks before that.
- I wouldn't feel confident whatsoever having Lewis in my lineup, but the good thing is that his good games have come in predictable fashion, scoring against Cleveland and Indy, along with a decent 4-46 against Indy in their second face-off. If trends hold strong, we can consider Lewis a good streamer for Week 15 based on matchup.
Defense
New Orleans Saints vs. New York Jets (39% Owned)
- $2-4
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Spread: NO -15
- Over/under: 47
- At least the Broncos let their silk pants slide down the sides of their legs before taking a dump on the Jets in Week 14 in a 23-0 shutout.
- The Jets would be lucky if the Saints defense does the same. With Josh McCown sidelined for the remainder of the szn with a broken hand, Bryce Petty will suit up for the Jets in Week 15. Petty has 6 interceptions in his 4 career starts at QB, including two multi-interception games. He's almost a sure thing to turn the ball over once or twice in this game.
- The Saints are huge favorites in this one, so expect the Jets to be fighting an uphill battle most of the game, which means the play calling becomes predictable and that's when pick-6's come out of the woodworks. New York is projected to score just 16 points in this one on the road.
- The Saints are my favorite streamer in Week 15.
Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers (37% Owned)
- $0-1
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Spread: SF -2
- Over/under: 44.5
- I can honestlyu say I'm suprised the 9ers are favored in this one, but I guess Vegas loves Jimmy!
- The Titans defense has been fiya lately, albeit against bad opponents. They're looking to make Week 15 their fourth straight of double digit fantasy points as a defense. They're getting AFTER the QB as of late, racking up a whopping 20 sacks over their last 3 games including two separate 8-sack performances against the Cardinals and Colts. They've held opponents to 13.6 PPG over their last 3.
- It will be a tougher test on the road against an improved 9er team led by Brady's disciple, but I think the Titans d is better as a squad then are given credit for.
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers MNF (19% Owned)
- $0-1
- I would NOT use #1 claim.
- Spread: ATL -6.5
- Over/under: 48
- Atlanta NEEDS a win in Week 15. I think they're going to get it and shove the Bucs even further down the spiraling shit fest of a szn they're calling 2017.
- No one turns the ball over like Jameis Winston. Like in Week 14 when he turned the ball over three times. He now has 53 turnovers in 42 career games (per Rotoworld)....
- I'm betting on Dan Quinn to have this defense geared up and ready for their Monday night battle against Tampa. Following their crazy 20-17 win over NO in Week 14, the Falcons should be ready for the noise after holding each of their last two opponents to 17 points or less. The Falcons beat the Bucs 34-20 back in Week 12.