Alright, folks. It’s the final week of the regular season! Well, for most leagues it is at least. Personally, I have one league where the playoffs start this week, which was news to me this morning, but it makes things more exciting at least. There are some good options this week and perhaps two or three of the players below could be viewed as league winners. And on a more personal note, I’ve got some bad news for people with Waiver Wire questions. Typically I try to make myself available every Tuesday night for Waiver questions in the chat. Unfortunately, I will not be online tonight due to a scheduling conflict with work, but give me a follow on Twitter (@RealDANlanta) and feel free to ask me in that format and I’ll do my best to answer any questions that come in. Best of luck on Waivers this week and best of luck in the final week of the fantasy football regular season!
Quarterbacks
Sam Darnold (NYJ); FAAB Bid: 10-15% - Since hitting the “easy” part of their schedule, Sam Darnold has been rolling. He’s averaging nearly 280 passing yards per game over the last three weeks with nine total touchdowns. Over the next two weeks the schedule remains fairly easy so he’s a great option to help push your team into the playoffs if you’re in a spot where Week 13 is a “win and you’re in” scenario. The Jets have the Bengals and Dolphins coming up, but have an ace in the hole for the championship weeks because the Jets face the Ravens and Steelers in Weeks 15 and 16 and you should stay as far away from those matchups as possible.
Ryan Tannehill (TEN); FAAB Bid: 10-12% - By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard the stat that since Tannehill took over under center for the Titans, the only quarterback to average more fantasy points on a per game basis is Lamar Jackson . That’s how good Tannehill’s been. The bizarre thing is that the Titans seem to have designed run plays for him. He has at least 35 rushing yards in three straight games with three rushing touchdowns over that span as well. He’s no Lamar Jackson by any means, but the additional rushing yards certainly don’t hurt his fantasy value. And over the next three weeks the Titans play the Colts, Raiders, and Texans which should all be games where he can maybe accumulate 20 fantasy points. As strange as it is, we now live in a world where Ryan Tannehill is a Top 15 quarterback rest of season.
Nick Foles (JAC); FAAB Bid: 7-8% - While Nick Foles hasn’t been that impressive in his return from a collarbone injury, the fantasy results haven’t been overly impressive, but the schedule is decent for him. There are a few concerns though. The offensive line isn’t great, but they can do enough to keep him upright and with the Buccaneers, Chargers, Raiders, and Falcons on deck for Weeks 13-16 there’s potential for Foles. But don’t expect massive performances. If he can notch 250-280 passing yards with a pair of touchdowns each week then you should be content with that production.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (MIA); FAAB Bid: 5-7% - If you’re a little weary of Foles then give Ryan Fitzpatrick a shot. The Dolphins play the Eagles this week, which is a matchup I’m not a fan of. The Eagles secondary has been much better and could cause fits (pun intended) for the Dolphins quarterback. But in Weeks 14-16 the Dolphins will play the Jets, Giants, and Bengals so there’s a good chance Fitz pulls out the magic and performs as a Top 15 quarterback in the fantasy playoffs. But we’ve fallen for this trick before so tread carefully.
Running Backs
Jonathan Williams (IND); FAAB Bid: 15-17% - So I feel pretty good about this one after the Ty Johnson debacle blew up in my face. This feels like redemption, but Williams proved that his performance against Jacksonville in relief of Marlon Mack was no fluke. Williams followed it up with 104 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans. While Mack is out, Williams should be rostered. There’s still some concern that he’ll split carries with Jordan Wilkins and even when Mack is ready to come back that’s another guy who is due to reclaim carries. NFL players don’t typically see their role diminished due to injury unless your Drew Bledsoe and the GOAT is ready to take your job. When Mack is ready to come back he should get 12-15 carries. For now, the Colts have already declared Mack out for Week 13 against Tennessee so this is another tremendous opportunity for Williams.
Rashaad Penny (SEA); FAAB Bid: 10-15% - I’ve mentioned Penny at least once this season when there were ball security concerns with Chris Carson earlier in the year. Chris Carson fumbled twice on Sunday although one was later credited to Russell Wilson , and rightfully so. But still, Carson was plagued with fumbles earlier in the year and the fact he still had one that was his fault is a little alarming. In his place, Rashaad Penny was an absolute stud. Penny finished with 129 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown and Russell Wilson was quoted after the game saying the team should look to get Penny more involved. I don’t think they shy away from Carson completely, but there are growing concerns that Penny could start eating into his workload.
Benny Snell Jr. (PIT); FAAB Bid: 10-15% - Aside from the fact he’s still behind James Conner when Conner’s healthy enough to play, you’re really only adding Snell based on the presumed workload in the short term. On Sunday against the Bengals Snell was clearly the lead back in Pittsburgh. He finished with 98 yards on 21 carries with a catch for five yards. If that’s how it’s going to shake out, then he’s more of an add in standard formats than PPR leagues, but if Conner’s out you need to add him if he’s getting 15+ touches. The Steelers still have a very good offensive line despite Maurkice Pouncey ’s absence and they have a favorable schedule for the running game against the Browns and Cardinals coming up. However, in Weeks 15 and 16 they have some tough matchups against the Bills in Jets in the most crucial weeks for fantasy matchups.
Bo Scarbrough (DET); FAAB Bid: 10-15% - Similar to Snell, Scarbrough was the clear lead running back in Detroit on Sunday. However, where they differ is that the Steelers have a decent history of competently running the ball. The Lions don’t have such luster. On Sunday against the Redskins (a team with a weak run defense) was without their best defensive player, Daron Payne, so it was easy to see how Scarbrough put up 98 rushing yards on 18 carries. Now Scarbrough isn’t as available as Williams, Penny, or Snell. And that’s fine. While Scarbrough should have the workload the next few weeks, his schedule is absolutely brutal. The Lion next four games come against the Bears, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Broncos. All those teams have been fairly stingy against the run. So, while he may be worth an add, the matchups leave a lot to be desired.
Qadree Ollison (ATL); FAAB Bid: 2-4% - Ollison’s not as flashy as the names listed above, but for the second straight week Brian Hill failed to effectively pick up the torch and Ollison got the goal line work and found the end zone. The Falcons have a tough home matchup this week against the Saints, so if you win him off the waiver wire you’re only starting him in deeper leagues and that’s if you’re desperate. Three of the next four games for Atlanta are at home with a Week 16 matchup against the Jaguars. Whoever is the lead running back in Atlanta for that matchup could have a big day as the Jaguars have allowed 200+ rushing yards in three straight games.
Wide Receivers
Deebo Samuel (SF); FAAB Bid: 12-14% - Samuel found the end zone on Sunday night, which really helped his fantasy outlook because he finished with two catches on two targets for 50 yards and a score. The touchdown provided for a nice follow-up performance after he had back-to-back games of eight catches and 100+ receiving yards. You can hang your hat on the fact that he only had two targets because the 49ers jumped out to a huge lead and the defense shut down the Packers. Samuel’s proving to be a reliable fantasy asset and despite the return of George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders , he could still be a key piece in the offense. The 49ers have a pair of tough matchups coming up against the Ravens and Saints, but these could present opportunities for San Francisco to throw more.
James Washington (PIT); FAAB Bid: 10-12% - So with Mason Rudolph under center the Steelers couldn’t get much going on offense. So they made the switch to Devlin “Duck” Hodges and he immediately connected with Washington on a 79-yard touchdown catch. I still wouldn’t feel great about starting Washington especially against the Browns this week. However, just take it on a week-to-week basis and play the matchups. He’s seeing about five-to-seven targets each week, which is worthy of starting in the Flex, but the game against Cleveland doesn’t seem promising and in two weeks they play the Bills.
Darius Slayton (NYG); FAAB Bid: 7-8% - Slayton was mentioned two weeks ago and despite the return of Sterling Shepard , Slayton finished with four catches on seven targets for 67 yards and that’s in a game where Shepard had nine targets so they still found ways to mix Slayton in. Evan Engram ’s return is the big question because then Daniel Jones has Engram, Shepard, Slayton, and Golden Tate to feed. For now, Jones is continuing to look at his fellow rookie, so Slayton still remains a good option to add off waivers.
N’Keal Harry (NE); FAAB Bid: 5-6% - Harry may have only had one catch on Sunday on four targets, but it was a big touchdown that proved to be the only touchdown of the game that helped get the Patriots the win over Dallas. The conditions were terrible. It was incredibly wet, difficult to catch the ball, the Patriots were thin at wide receiver, etc. Harry, himself, was saying that he’s determined to do more and contribute more on offense. With Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett hobbled with injuries the Patriots may give Harry more rub. Despite being a rookie, he and Jakobi Meyers, could see larger roles next week against a fairly weak Houston secondary. It’s a long shot, but the Patriots drafted him in the first round for a reason.
Russell Gage (ATL); FAAB Bid: 5% - Over his last four games, Russell Gage surprisingly has 28 targets. That’s pretty surprising considering he had eight targets in his first seven games. But the injury to Austin Hooper has helped his role in the offense and the reason I wouldn’t bid too much is because when Hooper comes back, he likely assumes his full workload. And despite the larger role in the offense, Gage hasn’t found the end zone and he’s only registered nine or more PPR points just twice in his last two games. The opportunity is there, but the long-term prospectus isn’t great.
Tight Ends
Jack Doyle (IND); FAAB Bid: 12-15% - If you’ve been streaming tight ends for a vast majority of the season then perhaps you spend some coin to acquire Jack Doyle . The Colts announced on Monday that Eric Ebron was placed on injured reserve, thus opening the door for Doyle to once again be the top tight end option in their offense. The targets and catches should correlate in a positive manner for Doyle and he should be a go-to tight end on a weekly basis from here on out. The schedule isn’t terrible for the Colts, but the pass attempts have been trending in the wrong direction for Jacoby Brissett and that’s really the only concern surrounding Doyle at the moment.
Dallas Goedert (PHI); FAAB Bid: 10-15% - Admittedly, I’ve been a bit salty on Dallas Goedert , so I apologize for not buying in immediately. But I’m sold. He’s about 50% owned across most formats so he’s likely not there in deeper formats, but if he’s out there he’s worth a grab. The Eagles are pretty banged up and with the Philadelphia receivers either hurt or incapable of catching passes (AKA doing their job), then it would make sense for the Eagles to go heavy with more two-tight end sets and keep both Ertz and Goedert involved. They’ve got a friendly matchup this coming week against Miami, and Goedert has ten catches on 14 targets over the last two weeks so they’re utilizing him more.
Noah Fant (DEN); FAAB Bid: 8-10% - As mentioned last week, Fant didn’t have a great matchup in Week 12. The Bills kept him in check to the tune of three catches on five targets for just 14 yards. That’s p[retty pitiful, but with names like Travis Kelce , Hunter Henry , and Kyle Rudolph (still a worthy waiver addition by the way) on Bye, you may have been forced to start Fant. Don’t let the bad start leave a sour taste in your mouth. The schedule gets easier for Brandon Allen and the Broncos. In Weeks 13-16 they’ll play the Chargers, Texans, Chiefs, and Lions. You have to love the upside for him against those teams as the game script should be there for Denver to be actively throwing the ball more.
Ryan Griffin (NYJ); FAAB Bid: 7-8% - Well, he did it again, folks. Griffin found the end zone for the Jets on Sunday. He’s now scored in back-to-back games and four times in his last five contests. Don’t be too concerned about the three targets. The Jets had that game well in hand and flat out dominated the Raiders so there wasn’t a real reason for the Jets to air it out later in the contest. Griffin still has two great matchups on the horizon so for the time being he’s worth starting for the final playoff push. With the Bengals and Dolphins on tap for the next two weeks, Griffin is a Top 12 tight end. After that, in Weeks 15 and 16 the Jets play the Ravens and Steelers and those matchups are far worse for Griffin, but definitely get some use out of him over the next fortnight.
Defense/Special Teams
Philadelphia Eagles (at MIA) – Sure, the Eagles are playing the Dolphins this week, but let’s ignore that and focus solely on the Eagles. They’ve been a much better defense of late. They’ve allowed just 17 or fewer points in four straight games with 14 sacks in that span. They’re only averaging about a turnover per game, but they’ve been solid and worth streaming for a D/ST. They have at least nine fantasy points in three of their last four games and with a game against the Dolphins on tap, nine points are reasonable. Over their last three games the Eagles have allowed 167 passing yards per game and that’s against the likes of Mitchell Trubisky , Russell Wilson , and Tom Brady . The secondary’s playing better and the pass rush is still decent. They’re a very good play this week and they could actually be useful through Week 15.
Carolina Panthers (vs. WSH) – Vegas loves the Panthers in this game. The over/under is currently sitting around 40 points and the Panthers are favored by ten points. The Panthers have cooled off defensively from the hot start they saw earlier in the year. They’ve allowed 158 points over their last five games with just five turnovers and 14 sacks so there hasn’t been much of a ceiling. However, that changes this week against the Redskins. Washington is averaging the fewest total yards per game in the league (253) and the fewest points per game in the league (13.1). Since Week Four, the Redskins have five offensive touchdowns on 90 drives. If my Math checks out, that’s a crappy touchdown percentage.
Los Angeles Chargers (at DEN) – Surprisingly the Chargers have been decent on defense, you just don’t really know it because the offense has been very disappointing. They’re fresh off their Bye week, but unfortunately the game will be played in Denver. The Chargers allow the fifth-fewest passing yards per game (317.5) and over their last three games that number is down to 257.3. They’re not flashy, but they still have a Bosa brother on the team which leaves the door open for sacks. Again, not a ton of upside with this one, but five-to-seven points are on the table.