10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 14

If you're scouring the waiver wire this week, it most likely means that you're in the playoffs. If so, congratulations. If you still have regular season games left, then this is undoubtedly a big week.

There's always merit to looking ahead for stashes if possible for Week 15, but we'll focus on the best waiver claims for the upcoming week of action.

We generally get some wiggle room with late-season additions, as some teams can't add players if they're eliminated, and some owners have given up and aren't chasing the best waiver-wire picks.

Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans

Yahoo Ownership: 39%

Usually, some quarterbacks at higher ownership slip through near the end of the season because the race for the top streamers is tamer with teams eliminated, so be vigilant this week. But if not, Ryan Tannehill isn't the worst play on the road against the Oakland Raiders. Tannehill has thrown multiple touchdown passes in five of his past six games, and the Raiders are 24h in Passing Success Rate allowed on the season. The Tennessee Titans opened as 2.5-point road underdogs in a game with a 46.5-point over/under -- a good, neutral script for fantasy production.

Jacoby Brissett, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Yahoo Ownership: 38%

In three games since returning from injury, Jacoby Brissett has thrown 89 times for 596 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Per game, he's averaging fewer than 200 yards passing in that sample. That's not good. The reason to consider him in the playoffs? Well, one, you may need a quarterback, and you can't always get picky.

There are likely better options available randomly on your wire in your individual league (perhaps Sam Darnold (58% owned) versus Miami), but Brissett's Passing NEP per drop back in that three-game split (0.05) is just off the full-season average of 0.09, and his Passing Success Rate (50.0%) is above the full-season average (46.7%).

The yardage and touchdowns just haven't been there without T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron of late. The Indianapolis Colts head to Tampa Bay in a game with a 49.5-point over/under. Brissett's yardage should elevate in a shootout spot.

Priority Pickups: Sam Darnold (58%) versus Miami
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Allen (19%) at Atlanta, Ryan Fitzpatrick (10%) at New York Jets, Drew Lock (2%) at Houston

Bo Scarbrough, Running Back, Detroit Lions

Yahoo Ownership: 43%

There are a lot of committee openings and players who have trended up over a larger window than just Week 13. Some backs who popped this week will be getting teammates back for Week 14 (like Raheem Mostert and Benny Snell Jr.). Bo Scarbrough, though, doesn't have to deal with that. He played 47.0% of snaps in Week 13 after getting 49.2% and 50.7% in his first two games with the Detroit Lions. He handled 21 of 26 running back carries on Thanksgiving and 76.8% of the running back carries since joining the team. There isn't pass-game work here, but Scarbrough has a touch floor that not all of the waiver adds have this week. That safety for an RB2 or flex has appeal if that's the only gap in your roster. The primary issue is that Detroit is a 13.5-point underdog against the Minnesota Vikings.

Darwin Thompson, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs

Yahoo Ownership: 5%

Darwin Thompson, a preseason darling for some analysts, could get his time to shine before the season ends. Damien Williams is week-to-week with a rib injury and missed Week 13. Darrel Williams left Week 13 with a hamstring injury. That left just LeSean McCoy (62% owned) and Thompson. Thompson wound up with 11 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown, but he didn't get a touch until the Kansas City Chiefs were up 28 points. That'd likely change next week against the New England Patriots. There isn't a ton of clarity yet, but Thompson is an upside swing tied to a great offense for the playoff stretch.

Nyheim Hines, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

Yahoo Ownership: 29%

Nyheim Hines isn't a safe or bankable option, exactly, but he's out there, and the Colts face the NFL's best rush defense. The Buccaneers are also tough against passes to backs out of the backfield, but Hines should be locked into the pass-game work. The total is 49.5 points, so there could be a shootout brewing. Hines is more of a desperation play, as there are a good number of priority pickups listed below, but he should be the go-to back against a team on whom you can't run.

Priority Pickups: LeSean McCoy (62%) at New England, Derrius Guice (50%) at Green Bay, Duke Johnson (53%) versus Denver, Rashaad Penny (55%) at Los Angeles Rams
Honorable Mentions: Benny Snell Jr. (34%) at Arizona Cardinals, Raheem Mostert (13%) at New Orleans Saints, Peyton Barber (21%) versus Indianapolis Colts, Patrick Laird (1%) at New York Jets

Anthony Miller, Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears

Yahoo Ownership: 14%

Anthony Miller saw 13 targets on Thanksgiving and had 3 of 7 downfield targets for the Chicago Bears. With Taylor Gabriel ailing, Miller could present a high fantasy floor. He has at least 22.0% of the Bears' targets in each of the team's past three games and gets enough high-leverage looks to be viable despite his quarterback situation. Miller does get a tough draw against Dallas on Thursday night in Week 14 (they're 12th in Target Success Rate allowed to receivers), but he has legitimate double-digit target upside.

Zach Pascal, Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts

Yahoo Ownership: 17%

Zach Pascal never fully took advantage of T.Y. Hilton's absence, but he did that in Week 13, netting 10 targets for 7 catches and 109 yards. Pascal draws a mid-level pass defense in the Buccaneers in Week 14, but that game has a 49.5-point over/under, and the Colts shouldn't be able to take the air out of the ball. Pascal's floor isn't guaranteed, but it should be lifted in that game script for Week 14.

James Washington, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers

Yahoo Ownership: 22%

James Washington has returned at least 69 yards in four of five games and at least 49 yards in all five of those, while scoring in three of those games. The overall volume isn't great (4, 7, 5, 6, 4 targets), yet Washington is averaging 2.0 downfield targets per game in that split, and that gives extra juice to the targets. A matchup with the uptempo Arizona Cardinals lingers. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1.5-point road favorites, meaning a close game in a controlled environment. Without weather concerns, Washington's Week 14 outlook is boosted.

Priority Pickups: Robby Anderson (57%) versus Miami, Sterling Shepard (58%) at Philadelphia)
Honorable Mentions: Danny Amendola (25%) at Minnesota, Russell Gage (11%) versus Carolina, Allen Lazard (4%) versus Washington

Tyler Higbee, Tight End, Los Angeles Rams

Yahoo Ownership: 10%

Tyler Higbee's status is contingent on Gerald Everett's status. Higbee has had 18 targets the past three weeks with Everett limited with injury. Higbee lit up the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13 with 107 yards and a touchdown on 8 targets. The Los Angeles Rams host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football in Week 14. Seattle rates out 17th in Target Success Rate allowed to tight ends on the season. Higbee's involvement and low ownership make him a tight end who can be picked up easily, but there are more enticing options at higher ownership in good spots listed below.

Priority Pickups: Jack Doyle (57%) at Tampa Bay, Noah Fant (34%) at Houston, Jacob Hollister (57%), at Los Angeles Rams
Honorable Mentions: Michael Gesicki (19%) at New York Jets, Jonnu Smith (14%) at Oakland

Green Bay Packers, Defense and Special Teams

Yahoo!Ownership: 47%

The Green Bay D/ST isn't super low owned, but with lesser competition for defenses, they're more available than they should be entering a home matchup against Washington. Dwayne Haskins has been sacked 22 times on 155 drop backs and has lost 49.22 expected points on them combined -- with a dreadful 34.2% Passing Success Rate. Generally, we should seek offenses that have higher play volume than Washington does, but there are still mistakes coming from Haskins, so the Packers look primed as a streaming candidate for Week 14.

Honorable Mentions: Houston D/ST (26%) versus Denver, Jacksonville D/ST (52%) versus Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee D/ST (29%) at Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis D/ST (24%) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers