In this weekly series, I will highlight players that are speculative adds in deeper dynasty leagues, since the majority of players often covered in typical waiver wire columns have long been rostered.
No matter how deep your league is or how large the rosters, you should always keep a watch list of players you are considering adding, should the opportunity present itself. The group of names below will help you form that list.
All players mentioned will be owned in less than 20 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues. I will note that the data presented is based on all Yahoo leagues, not just those designated as keeper or dynasty.
As the fantasy football regular season draws to a close, the waiver wire becomes even more important for dynasty owners. There are fewer and fewer impact players available since the wire has been thoroughly picked over for the first three months of the season. This means when there is a player who could have an impact down the stretch, he becomes even more in demand. Also, for those teams who may be out of title contention at this point, it’s time to consider some stash options. This would include players who are unlikely to help your team this season, but could make an impact in 2015. Following this week’s waiver wire suggestions, I’ll rank some stash players you may want to take a chance on as the 2014 season winds down.
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First, let’s look back at last week Waiver Wired suggestions that gained value, with current Yahoo ownership percentages and percentage change in parentheses.
Charles Johnson, MIN (18%/+17%)
Robert Woods, BUF (6%/+3%)
Stedman Bailey, STL (2%/+2%)
Zach Mettenberger, TEN (5%/+1%)
UPDATE: Focusing exclusively on the players I recommended last week as short term waiver options, we don’t see much movement, other than a large ownership increase for Vikings’ receiver Charles Johnson, who continues to show flashes of a breakout as he’s clearly overtaken Cordarrelle Patterson on the depth chart.
While these players are on the rise, some of last week’s suggestions lost value over the past week.
Marcedes Lewis, JAX (5%/-2%)
UPDATE: The veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis is the only player mentioned last week who lost value over the past week. I expected Lewis to be a vital part of the Jaguars’ offense down the stretch after he returned from injury, but even in the upset win over the Giants, Lewis was not heavily involved.
Quarterbacks
1. Johnny Manziel, CLE (12%)
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick, HOU (8%)
3. Colt McCoy, WAS (6%)
o The big story of the week, and potentially the most added player in dynasty leagues will be Browns’ rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel, who took over for an ineffective Brian Hoyer in the team’s loss to the Bills. Manziel accounted for the team’s only touchdown on the day on a ten yard scramble up the middle. With that rushing ability, he could be a viable fantasy asset for the next few weeks and even the next few years, if he can get and keep the starting gig. Head coach Mike Pettine has yet to name a starter for Week 14, but it’s difficult to imagine him going back to Hoyer at this point.
o With Ryan Mallett injured and out for the year, the Texans turned back to Ryan Fitzpatrick and that could not have worked out better as he threw six touchdowns on the day in the Texans’ route of Tennessee. It’s important to be careful here and not chase points, but Fitzpatrick does have some nice matchups down the stretch, facing three bottom five fantasy pass defenses in the Ravens and a pair of games against the Jags.
o Another quarterback who surprised with his play last week was new Redskins’ starter Colt McCoy, who posted top five fantasy numbers on the week facing a high scoring Colts team. McCoy’s 392 passing yards and three touchdowns were both career highs, so don’t expect those kinds of numbers every week, but he’s worth adding in 2QB leagues, although I think there’s almost no chance he earns the starting job for 2015.
Stashes for 2015:
1. Teddy Bridgewater, MIN (8%)
2. Blake Bortles, JAX (7%)
3. Derek Carr, OAK (8%)
4. Zach Mettenberger, TEN (5%)
5. Brock Osweiler, DEN (0%)
6. Logan Thomas, ARZ (0%)
7. Jimmy Garoppolo, NE (0%)
8. Tom Savage, HOU (0%)
o This group looks a lot like last week’s, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering these are players to stash with an eye towards the future seasons. Moving onto this list though is Titans’ quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who suffered a nasty injury, though he insists he will play in Week 14. With the injury, he becomes more of a stash level player. Rookies Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles and Derek Carr continue to be very inconsistent, but show promise for the future and are worth a roster spot in most dynasty formats.
Running Backs
1. Stepfan Taylor, ARZ (1%)
2. Marion Grice, ARZ (1%)
3. Joseph Randle, DAL (5%)
o Cardinals’ starting running back Andre Ellington left the Week 13 game with a hip injury and was unable to return. The Cardinals didn’t use the running backs much at all in the loss to the Falcons, so it’s difficult to predict who might be the beneficiary if Ellington does miss some game action. Rookie Marion Grice led the team, but only had five carries for 16 yards, while Stepfan Taylor didn’t carry the ball, but did score a touchdown on his lone reception. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will see the touches out of the Cardinals’ backfield, which likely makes both of these young back desperation plays.
o Cowboys’ running back DeMarco Murray continues to roll along, easily leading the league in rushing and shedding his injury prone label along the way. If you’re a Murray owner, or if you might be facing a Murray owner in the playoffs though, adding backup Joseph Randle is the smart insurance play.
Stashes for 2015:
1. Christine Michael, SEA (4%)
2. Devonta Freeman, ATL (7%)
3. Ka’Deem Carey, CHI (1%)
4. Bryce Brown, BUF (15%)
5. Robert Turbin, SEA (3%)
6. Khiry Robinson, NO (6%)
7. Lorenzo Taliaferro, BAL (11%)
8. DeAnthony Thomas, KC (1%)
o The stash list is again filled with young players who have a chance at increased playing time in 2015. Falcons’ rookie runner Devonta Freeman gets a notable bump here as he seems to be earning the trust of his teammates and coaches. The bad news is there is a good chance the coaching staff will be gone at the conclusion of the season, opening up the offense to mass changes. Nonetheless, expect veteran Stevan Jackson to be gone, meaning a chance for more touches for the young back.
Wide Receivers
1. Donte Moncrief, IND (5%)
2. Davante Adams, GB (11%)
3. Charles Johnson, MIN (18%)
4. Robert Woods, BUF (6%)
5. Marqise Lee, JAX (1%)
6. Stedman Bailey, STL (2%)
o Colts’ rookie Conte Moncrief followed up his huge game in Week 8 with a pair of clunkers, which coincided with the return of Reggie Wayne to the lineup. In the past two weeks though, the Colts are making an effort to get Moncrief more involved and it is paying off. Moncrief has over 170 yards and a pair of scores in the past two games, most of that production coming last week against Washington. Wayne and the rookie from Ole Miss are clearly headed in two different directions and we are witnessing the birth of a very good fantasy wide receiver.
o Another rookie who showed up for his team in Week 13 was Davante Adams. I mentioned Adams among the stash players last week, citing some inconsistencies. While that will likely remain the case, he’s just too talented to let someone else snap up. If he’s available in your dynasty league, get him now.
o I’ve already mentioned Johnson and he continues to be undervalued, possibly due to his frustrating drops that have come with increased targets. Johnson has a chance to become the Vikings go to receiver in the season’s final weeks, but he must prove he can be a reliable target for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
o While rookie Sammy Watkins continues to struggle for the Bills, second year man Robert Woods is showing he shouldn’t be forgotten. He’s been a consistent WR3 in PPR leagues since Week 8 and has easily outscored the more hyped and valued Watkins over that period. Though to be fair, Watkins has been dealing with a groin injury.
o Rookie Marqise Lee had his best game as a pro in Week 13, catching six passes for 75 yards and his first career touchdown. With fellow rookie Allen Robinson out of action for the remainder of the season, the Jaguars have spread it around, but Lee is the most talented, and most raw, of their receivers. Look for him to continue this solid play and increase his dynasty value over the season’s final few games.
o Rams’ receiver Stedman Bailey got off to a terrific start in Week 13. He seemingly had five receptions for 100 yards before other games had even gotten started. The problem is he stopped there. Bailey ended the game with the same numbers he had early on, reminding us of the difficulty in trusting the Rams’ offense. This is Bailey’s second consecutive strong game, so it could be a good sign of things to come. He’s worth adding in larger leagues.
Stashes for 2015:
1. Duron Carter, FA (0%)
2. Justin Blackmon, JAX (0%)
3. Cody Latimer, DEN (2%)
4. Aaron Dobson, NE (4%)
5. Marquess Wilson, CHI (0%)
6. Jeff Janis, GB (0%)
7. Devin Street, DAL (0%)
8. Josh Huff, PHI (0%)
o Aside from the upside rookies and other young receivers on this list are a pair of very intriguing players with a history of trouble off the field, but dominance on it, namely Duron Carter and Justin Blackmon. We are not even certain if either of these talented receivers will be on the field in 2015. Carter, as you may have heard, is the son of former receiver Cris Carter. After some trouble in college, he went undrafted and eventually landed in the Canadian Football League. He’s soon eligible to sign with an NFL team and reports have teams lining up to take a chance on signing him. Check your league rules regarding adding a player who is not yet on an NFL roster, but if you’re allowed, take the chance. Blackmon, of course, is still serving his indefinite suspension, though recent reports have been positive and he could be back on the field next season. This would make a huge impact for the Jaguars and dynasty teams alike.
Tight Ends
1. Jermaine Gresham, CIN (8%)
2. Richard Rodgers, GB (0%)
o With tight end Tyler Eifert seemingly out for the remainder of the season, Jermaine Gresham has been the starter by default and has played well lately. He lacks high upside, but does have a fairly safe floor when it comes to weekly PPR production, even in an offense with AJ Green, Mohamed Sanu and Giovani Bernard ahead of him for targets.
o Since losing Jermichael Finley to a severe injury, the Green Bay Packers have largely ignored the tight end position, but the past couple of games have given some hope in the form of rookie Richard Rodgers. Rodgers has scored in each of the past two weeks and is the TE10 over that short span. He’s not yet a player I’m comfortable starting, but I am always eager to add players from top offenses, so I am grabbing Rodgers this week.
Stashes for 2015:
1. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TB (9%)
2. Eric Ebron, DET (3%)
3. Jace Amaro, NYJ (6%)
4. Gavin Escobar, DAL (1%)
5. Levine Toilolo, ATL (0%)
o Jets’ rookie Jace Amaro has been the most consistent of the trio of top rookie tight ends, but that’s not saying much. Now he’s missing time due to a concussion. It’s well known that rookie tight ends can take some time to adjust to the speed and offenses of the NFL, but the struggles of these three highly drafted players have still been surprising. I still like all three for the future and would gladly take a chance on any of them.
Some players on Injured Reserve that could be worth stashing for 2015: Allen Robinson, Tyler Eifert, Stevan Ridley, Dennis Pitta, Brian Quick, Knowshon Moreno, Marvin Jones, Danny Woodhead, Sam Bradford, Tyler Gaffney, Carson Palmer, Victor Cruz, CJ Spiller, Ahmad Bradshaw, Ryan Mallett
