Waiver Favors: 2017 Week 14 Fantasy Football Pickups

By Ha Kung Wong  Fantasy Football Pickups

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

As I mentioned last week, I like nothing more than helping all of you make solid waiver pickups in your Fantasy Football league and have some part in your championship run.  That’s just the type of guy I am.  You’re welcome.  Again.

At this point in the fantasy season in the playoffs, I tend to use my pickups as insurance as opposed to trying to catch lightening in a bottle.  Don’t stop scouring the waiver wire, but it might be best to handcuff your stud running back or get a solid backup QB instead of trying to find a fifth high upside WR at this point of the season.

With that said, here are some thoughts on RB handcuffs you might want to consider.

Los Angeles Rams – Todd Gurley -> Lance Dunbar (0% Owned)

Kansas City Chiefs – Kareem Hunt -> Charcandrick West (2% Owned)

Pittsburgh Steelers – Le’Veon Bell -> James Conner (4% Owned)

Los Angeles Chargers – Melvin Gordon -> Austin Ekeler (30% Owned)

Buffalo Bills – LeSean McCoy -> Mike Tolbert (1% Owned) (unless he remains injured, in which case consider Travaris Cadet (1% Owned))

Jacksonville Jaguars – Leonard Fournette -> T.J. Yeldon (13% Owned) & Chris Ivory (11% Owned)

San Francisco 49ers – Carlos Hyde -> Matt Breida (5% Owned)

So let’s now get on with fantasy football pickups for Week 14!

As usual, all pickups are available in at least 50% of Yahoo standard fantasy football leagues (with some minor exceptions) as of Sunday evening.

Joe Flacco

QB – Baltimore Ravens – 14% Owned

Don’t look now, but Joe Flacco is relevant again!  He’s now got back-to-back solid starts, putting up 269 yards and 2 TDs against the Lions and 270 yards and 2 TDs against the Steelers.  We always knew he had an arm, and it looks like the Ravens are finally letting him go downfield.

At this point in the fantasy season, I hope you’re not looking for a QB, but for those of you in 2 QB leagues, or desperate for a QB in 16-team leagues or deeper, he could be savvy pickup for the rest of the playoffs.

Mitchell Trubisky

QB – Chicago Bears – 5% Owned

I’ll admit that being a Bears fan, I was pretty upset when the Bears traded up one spot in the Draft to take Mitchell Trubisky.  But I’ll also admit that I’ve totally come around on that, in particular in light of this week’s game where he completed 25 of 32 passes for 271 yards and a TD and rushed twice for 5 yards and another TD against what was thought to be a solid Bengals defense.

He’s worth a look as an potential upside play for those of you in 2 QB leagues.

Nick Foles

QB – Philadelphia Eagles – 3% Owned

Uh oh.  Eagles fans have to be frantic at this point, as Carson Wentz injured his knee in the 3rd quarter and was very quickly ruled out.  The current fear is that it’s a torn ACL.

Nick Foles managed to salvage the tightly contested game by completing 6 of 10 passes for 42 yards and a pair of FGs, but we all are familiar with Foles, and we know he’s no Wentz.  Regardless, he’s likely to be under center for the rest of the season and we know he has some good weapons around him.  So if you need a Wentz replacement, or are looking for a solid pickup in a 2 QB league, you should go grab Foles immediately.

Jonathan Stewart

RB – Carolina Panthers – 37% Owned

Sometimes, I just don’t get it.  The Vikings have allowed the least amount of fantasy points all season to opposing RBs, but somehow Jonathan Stewart managed to rushed 16 times for 103 yards and 3 TDs against them this week.  I think it was as much luck as anything, but he did have a nice 60-yard TD run in the beginning of the game.

I don’t think he’ll do anything near this again, but if you’re desperate for a RB3 or FLEX in 14-team leagues or deeper, he’s probably worth a pick up.

Eric Ebron

TE – Detroit Lions – 29% Owned

Ebron has been a disappointment all season.  But he broke out in a big way in Week 14 catching 10 of of a career high 11 targets for 94 yards.  Do I think he’s turned the corner finally?  No.  But he’s now caught 22 of 26 targets over the last 4 weeks, so if nothing else, Matt Stafford is starting to trust him.  But with the current state of TEs in the league, if you don’t have one of the top 3 or 4, you’re probably streaming week to week anyway, and if so, Ebron could be worth stashing in 12-team leagues or deeper.

Trey Burton

TE – Philadelphia Eagles – 8% Owned

Zach Ertz wasn’t able to clear his concussion in time for Week 14, so the Eagles turned to Trey Burton and he did not disappoint, catching 5 of 6 targets for 71 yards and 2 TDs.  He was targeted by both Wentz and by Foles when he came in late in the game, so if Ertz remains out, Burton could be nice streamer in 12-team leagues or deeper.

And here are previous pickups I’ve mentioned that are still worthy of your consideration:

10-Team Leagues or Deeper

Devin Funchess, Josh Gordon, Alvin Kamara (check concussion and shoulder injury status)

12-Team Leagues or Deeper

Nelson Agholor, Giovanni Bernard (as long as Joe Mixon is out), Martavis Bryant, Rex Burkhead, Jamison Crowder, Kenyan Drake, Jared Goff, Marqise Lee, Dion Lewis, Tyler Lockett, Jerick McKinnon, Latavius Murray, Samaje Perine, Paul Richardson, Theo Riddick, Mohamed Sanu, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Alex Smith, Jamaal Williams

14-Team Leagues or Deeper

Javorius “Buck” Allen, Robby Anderson, Peyton Barber, Jacoby Brissett, Alex Collins, Tarik Cohen, Corey Coleman, Jared Cook, Orleans Darkwa, Josh Doctson, Wayne Gallman, Jimmy Garappolo, Marquise Goodwin, Brett Hundley (until Aaron Rodgers returns), Dontrelle Inman, Duke Johnson Jr., Jermaine Kearse, Cooper Kupp, Marlon Mack, Elijah McGuire, Ricky Seals-Jones, Adam Shaheen, Rod Smith, Kenny Stills, Dede Westbrook, Kerwynn Williams (as long as Adrian Peterson is out), Danny Woodhead

16-Team Leagues or Deeper

Stephen Anderson, Devontae Booker, Austin Ekeler, Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Grant, Tion Green, Allen Hurns, Tyler Kroft, J.D. McKissic, Adrian Peterson, Josh Reynolds, Chester Rogers, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Trent Taylor, Ben Watson

Pickups Planning for the Future

Teddy Bridgewater, Aaron Rodgers

Check back every week for more Waiver Favors! 

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