NFL

10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 14

The injury to Adam Thielen opened up plenty of opportunity for K.J. Osborn on Sunday. Who else is worth a look for an addition as the fantasy football playoffs approach?

This week marks the final week of byes. We've got four teams finally getting a break: the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Within that mix of teams reside a few key fantasy starters and fringe options, so replacement options from the waiver-wire might make all the difference for Week 14 Matchups.

Which waiver-wire players stand out above the rest for this week?

(I'll stick to players rostered on 50% of Yahoo teams or fewer and also list some other viable pickups who may be available in shallower leagues or relevant only in deeper leagues.)

Quarterbacks
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints

Roster Percentage: 34%

This recommendation does not come without some risk. Taysom Hill sustained a finger injury in his Week 13 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, and his passing production waned after the injury. In all, Hill finished with four interceptions, but the reason to love him in fantasy football formats is his rushing upside.

Hill ran a team-high 11 times for 101 yards. The fact that he can surpass 20 fantasy points with 4 picks makes him a viable option for quarterback-needy teams.

There's upside in his rushing workload, and a very beatable matchup with the New York Jets lies ahead. Even with poor passing efficiency, Hill is in the mix as the top available streaming option in Week 14.

Others to Consider:
Teddy Bridgewater (23%; vs. Detroit Lions), Taylor Heinicke (39%; vs. Dallas Cowboys), Cam Newton (29%; vs. Atlanta Falcons)

Running Backs

Tevin Coleman, New York Jets

Roster Percentage: 41%

In two games now without Michael Carter, it's Tevin Coleman leading the Jets' backfield over Ty Johnson (who is a deeper-league target at 27% rostered).

Coleman has averaged 13.5 carries and 3.5 targets in these two games with 73.5 scrimmage yards per game.

While he doesn't have a firm grasp on the red zone workload, he does have a 43.7% snap rate the past two weeks with a great touch-to-snap rate. He's one of the best running back adds again this week.

Dontrell Hilliard and D'Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans

Roster Percentage: 40%

Dontrell Hilliard and D'Onta Foreman (40%) both have had solid roles in two weeks since Hilliard joined the Tennessee Titans. They each played 50.0% of the snaps back in Week 12 before a bye, but in a relevant two-game sample, Hilliard has had the better overall workload.

That includes a 57.4% snap rate, 9.5 carries, and 6.0 targets per game with 107.5 scrimmage yards per game.

Foreman is also viable. He has all six red zone carries in that span and saw his snap rate jump from 17.7% to 50.0% from Week 11 to Week 12.

Though Hilliard has the better path to three-down work, Foreman has clearly been the man in the red zone.

Ameer Abdullah, Carolina Panthers

Roster Percentage: 4%

With Christian McCaffrey out for the season, there is an opportunity within the Carolina Panthers' offense. However, it might be Ameer Abdullah's time.

Abdullah has actually now out-snapped Chuba Hubbard (76% rostered) in four straight games, including Week 12 when McCaffrey left early: Abdullah played on 50.9% of the Panthers' offensive snaps while Hubbard played on 18.9%.

Abdullah has the much better claim to receiving work, as well, so there's added value in going with him over Hubbard in fantasy terms -- especially with Hubbard rostered in three-fourths of leagues already.

Others to Consider:
Rashaad Penny (6%), Carlos Hyde (12%), Mike Davis (47%), Ty Johnson (27%), Rex Burkhead (23%)

Wide Receivers

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers

Roster Percentage: 18%

Since a return from injury in Week 9, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has seen his role elevate within the Green Bay Packers' offense.

On passes from Aaron Rodgers in that span, Valdes-Scantling has earned a 19.1% target share and a team-high 42.5% air yards share (with an 18.5-yard average depth of target). That has led to a per-game average of 7.0 targets, 71.3 yards, and 129.7 air yards.

You aren't finding near-20% market shares in elite offenses with downfield juice often on the waiver wire at all -- let alone entering Week 14.

Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons

Roster Percentage: 34%

Since Week 8 without Calvin Ridley, Russell Gage has become a true 1B within the Atlanta Falcons' offense behind Kyle Pitts.

Gage -- on passes from Matt Ryan -- in this six-game sample has a 20.7% target share, stemming from 6.0 targets per game. The yardage has been there in some of them, but he is still averaging only 51.0 yards per contest across the full sample. Gage also has just a single score in this split within this low-quality passing offense.

He's best suited for full-PPR leagues given the low offensive expectations.

K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings

Roster Percentage: 3%

With news of Adam Thielen's sprained ankle comes an opportunity for K.J. Osborn in the Minnesota Vikings' offense.

Osborn's snap rate spiked to 93.0% in Week 13 after Thielen's early exit (it had hovered around 50.0% in the six prior games), and he drew 7 targets for 47 yards.

Though those results alone don't sound too great, the targets included a downfield look plus three red zone targets. There was leverage there, and with Thielen's red zone role presumably vacated, Osborn could slot in with touchdown upside.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

Roster Percentage: 6%

Amon-Ra St. Brown has seen a late-season increase in his snap rate. After averaging a 64.5% snap rate in his first nine games, St. Brown is up to 92.8%, on average, over his past three, including 97.8% in Week 12 and 95.8% in Week 13.

In this three-game stretch, St. Brown leads the Detroit Lions in target market share (23.3%). It's worth noting that he has a terribly low average depth of target (4.7 yards, a full 6.0 yards shy of the league-wide receiver average), but for those needing a deep-league PPR pickup, check out St. Brown.

Others to Consider:
DeVante Parker (52%), Jamison Crowder (21%), Tim Patrick (25%), Deonte Harris (17%)

Tight Ends
Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks

Roster Percentage: 29%

Gerald Everett had a costly drop that should've been a touchdown but instead was a goal-line interception in Week 13. However, he still maintained a strong role. He had 6 targets and 4 catches for...7 yards.

But hear me out. Everett, in four games since his snap rate spiked and Russell Wilson returned, has a 20.6% target share (6.8 targets per game).

That's actually second-best on the Seattle Seahawks behind D.K. Metcalf (21.4% and 7.0 targets per game). He's being treated as a featured option in this passing offense, and Seattle has a generous matchup with the Houston Texans upcoming in Week 14.

Others to Consider:
Jared Cook (45%), Tyler Conklin (30%), Cole Kmet (26%)