If you’re still with us, that means you’re either in the playoffs or making the final push to get in. We’ve got the final Bye Week to get through, and it’s another Byemageddon with the Giants, 49ers, Panthers and Patriots all out.
As with every week, we have a few more injuries to add. Amon Ra St. Brown has a high ankle sprain and will be out one to two weeks (*screams into the void*). Another major injury to keep an eye on is Justin Herbert. He fractured his left hand and underwent surgery on Monday to stabilize it. He’s currently listed as day-to-day, but Herbert is going to try everything he can to play. Watch for practice updates throughout the week. Kyren Williams is dealing with an ankle injury, but he said he feels “pretty good”. All signs point to him playing in Week 14. Aaron Jones is dealing with a shoulder injury and is considered day-to-day. No recent updates, so this will definitely be a situation to monitor. Tyrone Tracy was carted off the field with a hip injury. As of Monday, it’s been diagnosed as a contusion and Tracy should be fine. Marvin Harrison left Sunday’s game with a heel injury. If it is the same injury CB Max Melton had, it is highly likely Harrison misses Week 14. His practice status will need to be monitored closely. Tee Higgins is still in concussion protocol, but has not been ruled out for Week 14 yet. It will all depend on practice Wednesday through Friday.
So who is going to get you to the playoffs? We’ve got a lot of guys to talk about. Hopefully some of them will give you the edge.
Quarterbacks
Jacoby Brissett (QB – ARI): 38.1% Rostered | Last Week: QB9
If you haven’t picked up Brissett yet, now’s the time. He is one of the most consistent Quarterbacks in the league this season. He’s thrown for at least one touchdown in every start this season, and he’s averaging 43.5 attempts per game. In his last four games, Brissett has thrown seven touchdowns and three interceptions. To put this in perspective, Josh Allen has six touchdowns and SIX interceptions, Patrick Mahomes has five touchdowns and two interceptions, Jalen Hurts has four touchdowns and one interception, and Lamar Jackson has one touchdown and three interceptions.
Tyrod Taylor (QB – NYJ): 4.8% Rostered | Last Week: QB7
Over the last two weeks, Tyrod Taylor has had a total of 61 attempts and 394 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Taylor has been building chemistry with John Metchie and Adonai Mitchell over these last two weeks. He scored 23 fantasy points in Week 13 against Atlanta, and the Jets have a great matchup over the next three weeks. This week the Jets face Miami, and Taylor should be able to take advantage of the plus matchup. If you are in need of a quarterback, you could do much worse.
Bryce Young(QB – CAR): 21% Rostered | Last Week: QB4
Bryce Young is on Bye this week, but I felt he still deserved to be mentioned. He’s really been heating up at the right time (that time being going into playoffs). In Week 13, Young had 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and THREE touchdowns. That’s his third three-touchdown game of the season, and his second in the last three weeks. Up next the Panthers are in New Orleans, and then they get Tampa Bay and Seattle at home. If you have a bench spot to spare, pick him up this week while everyone else is focused on filling bye week and injury spots.
Running Backs
Blake Corum (RB – LAR): 17.2% Rostered | Last Week: RB19
Blake Corum was already a must-add if you have Kyren Williams, but he’s widely available in most leagues and his time might just be now. Corum’s snap percentage has been hovering around the 30% range, but if Kyren Williams ends up missing time (or even if his usage comes down at all), Corum could be in line for a significant workload.
Zonovan Knight (RB – ARI): 31.4% Rostered | Last Week: RB14
Zonovan Knight is the clear RB1 in Arizona right now. Last week he had 11 rushing attempts for 62 yards, and three receptions on three targets for 36 yards and a touchdown. Over the last three weeks, he’s had two rushing touchdowns one receiving touchdown. There is no clear timetable for Trey Benson’s return, and at this point I’m comfortable picking up and starting Bam Knight until we’re told otherwise. From a fantasy perspective, the entire Arizona offense is humming.
Wide Receivers
John Metchie (WR – NYJ): 8.5% Rostered | Last Week: 58
It’s a holiday miracle that two (ok maybe actually three) Jets are in our waiver article. Targeting any Jets players was not on my bingo card, but here we are. John Metchie and Tyrod Taylor have developed a nice connection since his return, and Metchie has been working himself into that WR1 role even since Fields was still at the helm. Over the last three weeks Metchie has had 13 receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Week 13 was a bit of a let down, as it was the Adonai Mitchell show, but his usage was still there. And Mitchell is profiling as the boom/bust player, while Metchie is the more reliable receiver. Up next for the Jets are the Miami Dolphins, and you could not ask for a better fantasy matchup.
DeVaughn Vele (WR – NO): 1.4% Rostered | Last Week: 7
DeVaughn Vele has cemented himself as the WR2 for the Saints. In Week 13 he caught all eight of his targets for 93 yards and a touchdown. He ran a total of 38 routes in Week 13, and 84 total in the last three games (Olave ran 88). In the last two games he’s had 11 receptions on 15 targets for 130 yards and a touchdown. Vele picked the right time to get hot. He’s a great pick up this week.
Tight Ends
Brenton Strange (TE – JAX): 28.8% Rostered | Last Week: TE7
We said last week that he should pick up where he left off before he got injured, and he has not disappointed. This week he played 75% of snaps, up from 67% last week, and he should continue to increase his workload in his third week off IR. With Brian Thomas Jr. somewhat irrelevant at this point, and Travis Hunter done for the season, Brenton Strange is looking like Trevor Lawrence’s new favorite target.
Darren Waller (TE – MIA): 28.8% Rostered | Last Week: TE25
As expected, Darren Waller is going to be eased back into the offense. But I would take Week 13 as a positive sign of what’s to come. He only played 46.7% of snaps, and had 2 receptions on 3 targets for 47 yards. In the three games he played before getting injured, Waller had a total of 10 receptions for 117 yards and FOUR touchdowns. At the very least Waller is worth a stash on your bench, but I would bet on the increase in usage this week and moving forward.
Other Players to Consider
Devin Singletary (Tyrone Tracy questionable); Adonai Mitchell (boom or bust, high upside with Tyrod at QB); Isaac TeSlaa (Amon Ra St. Brown out for at least this week, maybe two); Jayden Reed (possibly back from IR this week); Gunner Helm (taken over the TE1 spot in Tennessee); Kirk Cousins (bye week/ injury fill-in)
Other Injuries to Watch
Matthew Golden (wrist- could return in Week 14)); Dylan Sampson (day-to-day with a calf injury); Parker Washington (hip injury- no updates)
