It is Week 14 of the NFL season and for most fantasy leagues, it is the first week of the playoffs. This is the time where a team owner really must focus on putting out the absolute best team that they possibly can. No more experimenting, no fooling around with lineups, the best of the best play. Due to injuries, the waiver wire will still be active and still contain people that can help you in your matchups this week. Here are four guys that fantasy owners can look at on the waiver wire and make them potential starters. Remember, at this point in the season, if you are going to pick someone up off the waiver wire, you have to be sure that they have the potential to start for you and potentially net those much-needed points that should propel you throughout the playoffs.
Dante Pettis – Wide Receiver – San Francisco 49ers
It is safe to say that this season has not worked out the way that the 49ers would have liked it to go; injuries to starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo, RB Jerick McKinnon, and WR Pierre Garcon have totally derailed the season. However, if one was to look at the glass half full, this season of injuries has brought to light the talent of running back Matt Breida and recently, wide receiver Dante Pettis. In the last two games without WR Marquise Goodwin (out due to personal issues) or Garcon, Pettis has become the primary target for QB Nick Mullens. He was targeted 14 times with 9 receptions for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns and all signs are pointing to the rookie out of the University of Washington staking his claim to a starting role for the team next year. As for this year, as we enter the first week of fantasy playoffs, those who might need to pick up a receiver off the waiver wire due to various WR injuries should definitely look to Pettis as a pretty good option at the flex position if the need arises. Some might think he will lose targets with the return of Goodwin, however, against a Denver defense that is 18th in the NFL in points allowed to opposing wide receivers, Pettis should looks to continue to grow and potentially show off his big play ability, as evidence by his 75-yard touchdown reception last week against a better than expected Seattle Seahawks defense.
Zay Jones – Wide Receiver – Buffalo Bills
It’s fascinating to look and see that in ESPN fantasy leagues Zay Jones is owned by only 5.2% of the people that are playing and in Yahoo leagues ownership is slightly higher at 7%. Contrast that with now-former teammate Kelvin Benjamin, who was just released by the Bills who was owned in 16% and 8% respectively. Now you can make the argument that these low ownership percentages are fair since he plays on a Buffalo Bills offense which has featured the likes of Nathan Peterman, Derek Anderson and Matt Barkley at QB, to go along with rookie Josh Allen. However, while it has been a relatively inconsistent season for Jones, in two of the last three games he has put up stats that should make someone who is in desperate need of a flex option this week potentially take a flyer on Jones. Particularly because this week’s opponent, the New York Jets have allowed anywhere between the 2nd and 4th most amount of points this season to opposing teams wide receivers (depending on your leagues scoring format). Two weeks ago, in the Bills first matchup against the Jets, Jones was targeted 11 times, hauling in 8 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. Last week against the Dolphins Jones caught 2 more touchdown passes. Once again, if you need a waiver wire fill in this week, Jones should net you an acceptable output.
Ian Thomas – Tight End – Carolina Panthers
File Ian Thomas under the heading of “Break Glass in Case of Extreme Emergency”. The tight end market is a historically thin position when it comes to the drop off from the top-level guys to the lower tiers. Controversially I will say that the current crop of kickers is more diverse and consistent than tight ends. At this point in the season, with the mounting injuries to teams starting tight ends, there is an even more pronounced dearth at this position. With the season ending injury to Greg Olsen, the Carolina Panthers will be turning to Ian Thomas to handle the bulk of Olsen’s duties for the rest of the season. In his first real action as the primary TE target for Cam Newton, the rookie out of Indiana caught 5 passes for 46 yards. Obviously, with the injury to Olsen, Newton will most likely be leaning on RB Christian McCaffery even more than he already has, but in those instances where McCaffrey is drawing tighter coverage, look for Thomas to get a look and potentially rack up some legitimate points. Again, start him only in the case of extreme emergency, but don’t look past his potential contributions if the need arises.
Eddie Jackson – Safety – Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have a very good defense, in fact they are the fourth rated defense in the NFL by total yards. One of the biggest names to emerge as a star is second year safety Eddie Jackson who has followed up a solid rookie season with a year that will potentially land him a spot on this year’s NFC Pro-Bowl roster. Coming into this week’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, Jackson is tied for 4th in the league in Interceptions, having returned a league high two of those for touchdowns, he also has a fumble return for a touchdown as well. The moral of that story is, if Jackson gets his hands on the ball, there is a better than average chance that he will be returning it for a touchdown. This week he faces the Los Angeles Rams, who are not shy about throwing the ball around. Rams QB Jarred Goff has thrown seven interceptions so far this year and with backfield-mate Kyle Fuller also having a Pro Bowl season, look for Jackson to have a big game this week. For those in IDP leagues, starting Jackson would not be the worst thing you can do this week.