Waiver Wire Rankings and FAAB Advice: Week 14 (2020 Fantasy Football)

 
#PlayoffSZN is upon us in the fantasy football world – and with managers officially entering lose-and-you’re-out territory, it’s as important as ever to utilize the waiver wire in preparation for injuries, benchings and unexpected postponements. Need a hand in making your waiver wire selections? No problem. We’ve got you covered!

Here are Dan Harris, Mike Tagliere, and Kyle Yates with their waiver wire rankings and FAAB recommendations for Week 14:

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Q1. Who is your top waiver wire option of the week, and why?

I’ll go with Keke Coutee. While he should’ve been added last week, many were hesitant. Not only did he see nine targets in a tough matchup against the Colts, but he also produced. His eight-catch, 141-yard performance should give you more than enough confidence to start him against the Bears, whose biggest weakness is in the slot with Buster Skrine.
– Mike Tagliere (@MikeTagliereNFL)

We talk about weak waiver wire weeks but Week 14 is REALLY uninspiring. My top option is Keke Coutee, and he’s someone who I’m not even going to be all that excited about starting next week against the Bears. Nevertheless, I’d prioritize him because of his potential and the lack of other inspiring options. Coutee led the Texans in targets, catches, and yards, and thrived in the slot role vacated by Randall Cobb. The Texans likely won’t be chasing points against the Bears, who are tough against wide receivers, but Deshaun Watson has to throw to someone and it’s clear Houston has little interest in running the ball consistently. If you’re struggling at wide receiver, I’d take my shot on Coutee despite the tough matchup.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)

Tim Patrick has been near the top of my waiver wire rankings at different points this season, but he has to be put at No. 1 after his performance on SNF. Patrick’s been the most productive receiver in this offense recently and he’s seeing a ton of targets. He might not creep up into my top-36 WRs for my week 14 rankings, but he’s a fantastic FLEX play with upside. He belongs on your fantasy football roster.
– Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

Q2. Which notable waiver wire option for Week 14 was the most difficult to rank?

It’s both of the Jets wide receivers (Denzel Mims and Breshad Perriman) because it’s always going to be tough to trust them, even in the best of situations. That’ll be put to the test in Week 14 when they play against the Seahawks, a team that’s allowed the most fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position.
– Mike Tagliere (@MikeTagliereNFL)

Henry Ruggs. Ruggs wound up with three catches for 84 yards and a score, but the touchdown and 46 of those yards came on a last-second play that doesn’t happen against any other defense. Nevertheless, Ruggs played the most snaps of any Raiders wide receiver and has had two of his three most productive games of the year in the last two weeks. He has blazing speed and incredible potential, so fantasy managers should be adding him, but his middling targets and tough matchup against the Colts make his short-term outlook cloudy. It’s difficult to evaluate Ruggs’ potential to have a fantasy impact for the remainder of the season.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)

Ty Johnson lands at No. 4 overall for me right now, but that was a tough decision. He performed extremely well in Frank Gore‘s absence, but the matchup certainly could have played a role in that happening. Additionally, what happens if Frank Gore clears the concussion protocol by next week’s game? Johnson becomes irrelevant at that point, unfortunately. He should be the main target for RB-needy teams based on the other options available on the waiver wire, but he certainly comes with a lot of question marks.
– Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

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Q3. For managers streaming a D/ST in Week 14, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target?

I was a little surprised to see the 49ers with just 38 percent ownership, but we’ll take it. They clearly aren’t the defense they were last year, though they’ve started to turn a corner as of late and are about to play against a Washington team who’s allowed their quarterback to be sacked 3.2 times per game, and at least twice in every game. They’ve also turned the ball over eight times in their last four games. If the 49ers can slow down the running game for them (they have all year), it’ll force Alex Smith to drop back more often, which leads to more upside with your D/ST.
– Mike Tagliere (@MikeTagliereNFL)

There are a few intriguing options, but I’d go with Dallas against the Bengals. Ryan Finley may be under center but even if it’s Brandon Allen, the Dallas D/ST should be a playable option. Dallas rarely forces turnovers but the Bengals are extremely generous against opposing D/STs, particularly with the quarterback play of late, and their offensive line is extremely inconsistent, to put it mildly. There are a few matchups that outweigh the questionable strength of the opposing D/ST, but the Bengals are one of them at this point in the season.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)

The Washington DST is somehow only 24% rostered right now in Yahoo leagues. With their ability to create pressure, they should be able to force Nick Mullens into turning the ball over once or twice. They can be viewed as a solid streaming option for week 14.
– Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

Notable Week 14 FAAB Recommendations (in %)

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Q4. Which Week 14 waiver wire option carries the biggest risk of being a waste of FAAB dollars?