We are now entering the final week of the 2023 fantasy football regular season. The NFL landscape continues to shift, and fantasy managers should always be looking to improve their rosters. Let’s take a look at the top Week 14 waiver wire targets and pickups that fantasy managers should consider for their rosters.
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 14 | Quarterbacks
Note: As always, all players are rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues.
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints (1% Rostered)
For the second time this season, Derek Carr is in the concussion protocol. It would be pretty shocking if he were able to return in just one week. That means Jameis Winston is likely to start against the Carolina Panthers next week.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
It’s not the greatest of matchups, but there isn’t a single quarterback rostered in fewer than 50% of leagues more worth picking up. With so many of them rostered, give Winston a look if you need a quarterback.
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 14 | Running Backs
The Week 14 waiver wire is surprisingly strong for this late in the season. Tyjae Spears and Ezekiel Elliott are two running backs worth pushing all your chips in the middle.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (35% Rostered)
Derrick Henry left the game after being evaluated for a concussion but appears to have avoided the concussion protocol. If he can’t go, Spears is set to be the starting running back.
Every starting running back in the NFL must be rostered. And Spears is talented — he’s not just a random replacement-level back that can volume his way to RB3 numbers. Spears has a legitimate upside and is worth going all in for.
FAAB Recommendation: Whatever it takes
Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots (40% Rostered)
If Spears is the No. 1 all-in guy, consider Elliott the 1A. Any good news on Henry would elevate Elliott to the top waiver wire add at running back.
Rhamondre Stevenson left the game early in the first half and was very quickly ruled out. I would be stunned if he was able to practice at all this week, let alone play. That puts Elliott in not just the RB1 role but a feature role.
Elliott handled a whopping 21 touches against the Los Angeles Chargers. He scored 13.2 fantasy points in a game where the Patriots did not score any points. He is an every-week volume-based RB2 and must be added.
FAAB Recommendation: Whatever it takes
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (27% Rostered)
At the end of the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss to the 49ers, D’Andre Swift took a massive hit and was briefly shaken up. He should be fine, but it provided a stark reminder of how close Kenneth Gainwell is to being fantasy-relevant.
Gainwell as the lead back on the Eagles offense would be a potential league winner. This late in the season, he needs to be rostered by a playoff team in every league. Pick him up now.
FAAB Recommendation: 8-15%
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (0% Rostered)
Brian Robinson Jr. left the game with a hamstring strain. We don’t yet know the severity, but hamstring injuries tend to linger. It seems unlikely that he will be able to play next week.
If Robinson is out, Antonio Gibson would take over as the RB1, but that would elevate Chris Rodriguez Jr. to the RB2 role. He should handle 6-8 carries regardless. But he also carries an injury-contingent upside if Gibson were to go down. He is worth putting on benches.
FAAB Recommendation: 3-8%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 14 | Wide Receivers
We don’t have a clear priority add on the Week 14 waiver wire at wide receiver, but Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, and Jonathan Mingo are interesting options.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders (38% Rostered)
It is surprising to see Samuel out there in so many leagues after his Thanksgiving Day performance against the Dallas Cowboys. His follow-up performance wasn’t quite as good, but four catches for 65 yards is certainly useful.
MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings
Samuel is undoubtedly a better fantasy asset than Jahan Dotson. Yet, Dotson is rostered in 68% of leagues. It doesn’t make sense.
If Samuel is still out there in your league — which, for 62% of you, he is — go grab this every-week WR3/4.
FAAB Recommendation: 8-15%
Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns (43% Rostered)
Don’t look now, but Moore has now scored double-digit fantasy points in three of his last four. While inefficient, Moore managed four catches for 83 yards on 11 targets against the Los Angeles Rams.
While that’s reason enough to add Moore, the recommendation is only stronger with Amari Cooper sustaining a concussion, putting his status for next week’s game in doubt. If Cooper can’t go, Moore would serve as the Browns’ WR1. He is a very strong addition this week.
FAAB Recommendation: 8-15%
Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers (6% Rostered)
There may be a changing of the guard in Carolina. Adam Thielen’s production has cratered. In his place, Jonathan Mingo has emerged as a potential new WR1.
Mingo led the team with 10 targets, catching six for 69 yards. That’s now consecutive games with double-digit fantasy points.
It’s unlikely that any playoff teams will need to start Mingo, but if you have a free spot on the back of your bench, there’s no harm in putting the rookie there to see if he can close the season out strong.
FAAB Recommendation: 3-10%
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (20% Rostered)
The awful drops continue for Quentin Johnston. He’s not a good wide receiver, but volume is king in fantasy football, and the Chargers don’t have a viable WR2 behind Keenan Allen.
Johnston caught five of seven targets for 52 yards. He’s going to continue playing. That’s worth something.
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 14 | Tight Ends
The tight end position is not in a good spot this season, but there are a couple of pickups with decent upside.
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers (39% Rostered)
Gerald Everett caught four passes for 44 yards in a game where the Chargers held their opponent to zero points and didn’t score a touchdown themselves. Better days are ahead for the Chargers’ offense.
Everett is a starting tight end, which is incredibly hard to find on waivers. He should be good for 6-8 points a week and the occasional touchdown.
FAAB Recommendation: 3-8%
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (20% Rostered)
No, Aaron Rodgers is not returning this season. But Trevor Siemian was at least a mild upgrade on Tim Boyle. He will likely start next week.
Tyler Conklin only caught three passes for 35 yards against the Atlanta Falcons, but he saw nine targets. I am willing to chase nine targets at the tight end position.
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%
Brevin Jordan, Houston Texans (15% Rostered)
At this point, we have no idea how long Dalton Schultz will be out with his hamstring injury. In his stead, Brevin Jordan operated as the Texans’ primary tight end. He caught three passes for 64 yards. That’s good enough at the tight end position.
If you have a desperate need at tight end, and we don’t get any positive news on Schultz, you could certainly do worse than Jordan.
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%
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