It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! PLAYOFF TIME! If you’re still reading this article, I’m guessing you are still playing for something in your fantasy league. Congratulations! It also means you need some waiver help and on that note, I’m sorry. Just as I predicted last week, as the bad teams in your league become less active, the waiver pool starts to dry up. As you’ll soon see, those in need of a quarterback and/or running back take a huge hit this week. There is still plenty of WR talent available and even a couple of tight ends worth adding, so it’s time to Pick ‘Em Up!
PRO TIP: Always look at last week’s bye week teams for good players that may have been dropped out of desperation. Week 13, the final bye week of 2020, was Carolina and Tampa Bay.
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield (62% Available)
Last week, I mentioned Baker as one of the few QBs that was worth an add from waivers. This week, he is basically the only QB worth looking at. He’s been red-hot in his last two games, including a top-5 finish against Tennessee in Week 13, and his Week 15 and 16 are just about perfect for teams that are streaming QBs. He does have to contend with Baltimore in Week 14, but if you can survive that, you get Giants and Jets during the semifinals and championship.
Running Backs
Adrian Peterson (52% Available)
The reports coming out about D’Andre Swift are basically terrifying, and I’m talking real-life, not fantasy football. AP said last week that Swift has seemed like a different person since his concussion. Fantasy football aside, all positive thoughts Swift’s way. But you are here for fantasy and Peterson is a must-add if Swift keeps missing time. He has gone over 50 yards and scored two TDs in each of his last two games and gets Green Bay in Week 14. The Packers are one of the best matchups for fantasy RBs on the season. If you need a big win in Week 14, Peterson might be the RB2 you are looking for.
Cam Akers (47% Available)
Akers handled almost all of the carries for Rams’ RBs on Sunday and the rookie has scored a TD in each of his last two games. The Rams have an excellent playoff schedule for RBs and if Akers continues as the lead-back, he is going to help a lot of teams steal some playoff wins.
Wide Receivers
Tim Patrick (79% Available)
I am baffled that Patrick is available in this many leagues. I know he was non-existent in Week 12, but the Broncos had no QB and that can’t be held against Patrick. In his last four games with a real QB, Patrick has been targetted 27 times, with 17 receptions, 253 yards, and three TDs. He is the WR24 since Week 9 and that includes that zero game. Patrick is the perfect WR3 heading into the playoffs. He is going to see targets and he has a good chance to score every game.
T.Y. Hilton (55% Available)
I’ve spent most of this season telling people to ignore Hilton, so his availability is less baffling. As of the last two weeks, however, he and Philip Rivers seem to have turned a page. Hilton has caught 12 balls for 191 yards and two TDs over his last two games. He has matchups with defenses that are very generous to fantasy WRs over the next three weeks, including a Week 15 rematch with Houston, who he just torched for 110 yards and a TD in Week 13.
Keke Coutee (74% Available)
The schedule is less than ideal for Coutee and the Texans, but the volume cannot be ignored. In his first game as the WR2, Coutee was targeted nine times, catching eight balls for 141 yards. He does get Indy again in Week 15, but they have typically been good against WRs, so Week 13 may have been a fluke. The Texans also have Chicago in Week 14 and the Bears allow the 5th fewest points to fantasy WRs. He’s a gamble for sure, but if nine targets are on the menu, he might be worth the risk.
Rashard Higgins (92% Available)
Higgins is more of a risky lottery ticket than any of the other WRs mentioned. He hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since OBJ has been out but he’s done enough to keep fantasy managers interested. Against Tennessee in Week 13, he went over 90 yards and scored a TD. His success is tied to Baker’s and they both have that great NY/NY schedule in Weeks 15 and 16. If you’re desperate for a WR3, Higgins could pay off.
Tight Ends
Tyler Eifert (94% Available)
Eifert is benefitting from the absence of Jake Luton and has one of the best schedules for a fantasy TE in the playoffs. His next three games are against TEN, BAL, and CHI, all of which give up top-15 points to fantasy TEs. The Bears currently give up the 2nd most fantasy points to TEs and he has them in championship week. There is plenty of risk baked into Eifert — he has seven games with five or fewer fantasy points on the season — but he has the right schedule to pay off big for TE streamers in the playoffs.
Dalton Schultz (80% Available)
I am writing this before the Tuesday night game, so hopefully, Schultz performed well and I look really smart having him on this list. The long and short is this: He sees 5-8 targets every game and catches most of the balls thrown his way. He’s not going to win you a fantasy matchup but he is very unlikely to put up fewer than five fantasy points…and that is better than average for a current fantasy TE.
