As we enter the first week of the fantasy playoffs there are plenty of options to turn to under center. Might be a few wideout options as well, and you know there are always players to add each week at the running back position. Ray breaks down all the names to know as you hit the waiver-wire in Week 14.
 

Use this information to play on Draft Kings and win.  Claim your FREE $2 Entry for an NFL contest where you could win $100,000 in prizes.

 

*** Note: The number listed is not a dollar figure, instead it is a percentage. Therefore 20-25 means 20 to 25 percent of your budget. If you have $100 to spend go $20-25. If you have $1,000 to start you would be spending $200-250.  

QUARTERBACK

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Texans
Don't chase points. Recipe for disaster. What you need to know about Fitzpatrick follows. This was the best game of his career. You missed it. Live with it. Over his previous five outings do you know how many touchdowns that Fitzpatrick threw for? Try six. He's nothing more than a bottom level QB2, that's it, though a matchup with the Jaguars next week is one that will make The Bearded One an option in 2QB leagues in Week 14. 
Amount to Spend: 10-15 percent

Jake Locker, Titans
Zach Mettenberger injured his throwing shoulder in Week 13 and reports suggest he has a Grade 1 sprain of the AC joint in his shoulder. He claimed after the contest Sunday that he would be able to play in Week 14. Don't bet on that occurring. At this point, that Locker is the likely starter for Week 14. Should you care? You already know the answer to that, don't you? Locker came on in relief to complete 6-of-12 passes for 91 yards and a score in Week 14. Not bad. Did I leave out the two interceptions he threw? Oh, did I neglect to mention that he also lost a fumble? The guy is a dumpster fire. Add in the probable loss of Justin Hunter (lacerated spleen) and it just doesn't make any sense to turn to Locker even if he starts.
Amount to Spend: 5-10 percent

Johnny Manziel, Browns
The kid can play. However, can he effectively operate an NFL offense at this point of his development? Coming on for a continually ineffective Brian Hoyer, Manziel completed 5-of-8 passes for 62 yards. He also ran twice for 13 yards including a nice run up the gut of the defense for a 10 yards score. He was also sacked and lost the ball, though somehow the officials didn't rule it a fumble. At this point it's not at all clear which Brown signal caller will be under center for Week 14 against the Colts. Even if it is Manziel there's simply no way you can be starting him in 1QB leagues in the first week of the fantasy playoffs because you simply cannot have qualified for the playoffs with a QB who won't be a better option in Week 14 than Manziel. 
Amount to Spend: 12-15 percent

Colt McCoy, Redskins
McCoy is limited, but he can be effective if his o-line gives him some time. In Week 13 he had that time, also had a deficit to try and make up, so he opened it up and let her rip. Not only did he throw a massive 47 passes, but he completed 31 of those for 392 yards and three touchdown passes in the best game of his life. Wasn't all good though. While he didn't throw an interception and lost only one fumble he actually dropped the ball four times in the game. That's embarrassing. The offense has been hit or miss all year long for the Redskins and given that McCoy is likely the third most talented QB on the roster it's not a wise move to expect the offense to take off under his leadership. Borderline QB2 option in Week 14 is McCoy.
Amount to Spend: 10-15 percent

RUNNING BACK

Marion Grice/Stepfan Taylor/Michael Bush, Cardinals
We don't know how much time Andre Ellington will miss with his hip pointer but it seems like he will return in Week 15 at the latest according to initial reports. If that is indeed the case, we're talking about a one week pickup... for the first week of the fantasy football playoffs. Why anyone would even care to add any Cardinals' runner under that scenario is beyond me since there is obviously no understanding of how the workload will be doled out (don't overlook the fact that it's still possible that Andre plays this week). One would think that Grice would be the man to target, though it is possible Bush could get some short yardage work including stuff near the goaline, while Taylor is mixed in on some third downs. With Drew Stanton going in the tank there's not a one of this trio that is recommended.
Amount to Spend on Grice: 10-15 percent
Amount to Spend on Taylor: 5-10 percent
Amount to Spend on Bush: 6-12 percent

Tre Mason, Rams
Don't know how he would be available, but in shallow leagues he might be. Add him. He exploded for 117 rushing yards and two scores while catching three passes for 47 yards an a score. Wow.
Amount to Spend: 50-75 percent

Marcel Reece, Raiders
Latavius Murray (concussion) is likely to return in Week 14, but as we saw yet again in Week 13 Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew simply cannot get it done. Not that many could in the putrid Raiders offense. Reece only carried the ball four times for 12 yards against the Rams but he also caught six passes for 48 yards. A versatile back who can do a bit of everything, it's always been perplexing why the Raiders simple refuse to more fully integrate Reese into the offense. Week 13 is likely the upside at this point, so this blurb is more about informing you of his status than recommending you take the plunge to add him to your fantasy squad.
Amount to Spend: 7-10 percent

WIDE RECEIVER

Davante Adams, Packers
Let me be clear. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are going to get 20 targets each week, maybe even more. That being the case, it's very tough to trust Adams as the third WR option with the Packers. Not talking talent here, just opportunity which usually isn't there. When Adams gets the looks, he produces. With the Patriots focusing on keep Nelson in check (six targets, two catches) Adams saw a team high 11 targets which he turned into six receptions and 121 yards (he could have had one, maybe two scores if he had secured the ball better). Be clear with this. The previous three games Adams saw a total of eight passes which he turned into a mere 33 yards. Has to be rostered, but he is still extremely dicey to be a starter in the fantasy playoffs.
Amount to Spend: 15-20 percent

Harry Douglas, Falcons
Don't chase. Whenever Roddy White is out - he missed Week 13 with an ankle injury - it seems like Douglas steps forward. He caught nine balls for 116 yards in Week 13. It was just Harry's second game this season of more than 50-yards this season. The matchup next week is in Lambeau and if White returns as expected - see the comment above on Davante Adams.
Amount to Spend: 15-20 percent

Charles Johnson, Vikings
Repeat... the Vikings face the Jets in Week 14. Repeat... the Jets' pass defense is awful. That should be at the forefront of your mind instead of the two receptions for 41 yards that Johnson put up in Week 13. Also note that the Vikings were up by three scores in Week 13 and they took the air our of the ball. It will be tough to recommend him as WR3 in Week 14, but he will be in the conversation as he's only missed three snaps the last two weeks.
Amount to Spend: 20-25 percent

Donte Moncrief, Colts
This is what I wrote last week. "Don't know how you could have confidence in Donte, but there's a chance, a small chance, that Moncrief emerges as a potential play in the fantasy playoffs." Maybe he's done enough to change the "could have confidence" to you "should have confidence" in Donte? Moncrief roasted an overmatched 'Skins defense for 134 yards and two scores. Get stoked. Reality check follows. Donte caught a mere three passes and only saw four targets. There's not enough volume for the ubertalented Moncrief to be started with confidence - sorry - and when Dwayne Allen returns there is yet another mouth to feed in the Colts offense. Moncrief has to be owned at this point, but started? How do you start a guy coming off a week in which he played only 45 percent of his teams snaps as did Donte in Week 13?
Amount to Spend: 20-25 percent

Marqise Lee, Jaguars
There were questions about the college superstar coming to the NFL. He's beginning to make the pundits who doubted him start to question that position. Lee caught three passes for 52 yards in Week 12 and things improved even more in Week 13 as he was targeted eight times leading to six receptions, 75 yards and a score. The Jaguars are not a good offense, don't forget that, and Blake Bortles threw for 194 yards in Week 13 with one score. Honestly, that's pretty much standard fare at this point. Given that fact it still seems like Lee should be looked at as nothing other than a WR4 moving forward.
Amount to Spend: 22-25 percent

Eddie Royal, Chargers
Never chase. That's what you will always be doing if you turn to Royal. The diminutive wideout scored in Week 13 among his nine catches and 81 yards. The score shouldn't have counted, Keenan Allen threw a pick on the play, but it did. That's 15 receptions the last two weeks for Royal though he's only seen 16 targets. You can't catch passes at that rate indefinitely. Can't. He's still behind Allen and Gates, and sometimes Malcom Floyd as well, in the Chargers pecking order as well. Plus... (1) Royal has but one score in six weeks. (2) He's caught more than three passes in two of eight games. Two. (3) He's produced more than 50 yards seven times in eight games. Seven. Good luck with that. The Patriots coming up on the schedule too - and that's not a good matchup for Week 14.
Amount to Spend: 10-15 percent

TIGHT END

Heath Miller, Steelers
Miller somehow received 14 targets in Week 13 as Big Ben chucked the pigskin 58 times. Miller went for eight receptions and 82 yards against the Saints, his second straight outing with five receptions. That's the good. The bad? How about one scored in eight games and three games in his last six outings with three of fewer targets and less than 30 yards receiving. Simply no consistency. Pretty much like every other non-elite TE in fantasy. 
Amount to Spend:10-12 percent

Jordan Reed, Redskins
He's a great talent. Period. He's also always hurt, completely untrustworthy, and generally impossible to throw an confidence towards. Reed caught nine passes for 123 yards as Colt McCoy enjoys targeting the tight end position. When it's a game breaking talent like Reed - and make no mistake Reed was making Colts defenders look foolish - you can't blame him. Reed is an elite TE1 in terms of talent. Can he stay healthy long enough to be a difference maker in the fantasy playoffs?
Amount to Spend: 20-25 percent


Listen to Ray Flowers' show Monday through Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear me  Sunday nights, 7-10 PM EDT.