Welcome to the post-Week 13 installment of the Waiver Wire weekly series for the 2016 fantasy football season. Below are my Week 14 waiver wire pickups and sleepers (depending on league size) to consider adding for your fantasy teams. Please note that ownership levels are tied to Fleaflicker leagues.

For most of you, the fantasy playoffs have now begun. Unfortunately, there really aren't any big waiver-wire gifts to be unwrapped here. I don’t know what to tell you about Colin Kaepernick, that brutal of a performance was just beyond the realm of thought. He redefined the concept of a “floor”. Stay humble, folks. Keep that head on a swivel. His tremendous disappoint overshadowed Drew Brees and the Saints imploding at home, which included Mark Ingram missing a few series but ultimately being okay. The biggest injury news is to Seattle’s defense, which appears to have lost Earl Thomas for the rest of the season to a broken leg. Doug Martin also hobbled off of the field and missed most of the Bucs' final three drives. Kapri Bibbs has also been placed on the IR, meaning Devontae Booker's handcuff is now journeyman Justin Forsett. Let's look at some names that are more enticing than Forsett.

Be sure to also check out our weekly rankings and analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all options heading into Week 14.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 14 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

 

Week 14 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

Derrick Henry (RB, TEN) – 60% Owned

Henry looked good against the Bears in Week 12, better than DeMarco Murray did, and it was said by HC Mike Mularkey that they've discussed using Henry in more short-yardage situations moving forward. This was overshadowed by Tennessee hitting their bye, but don’t let it sneak by you until it’s too late and Henry is finding pay dirt again in the coming weeks.

DeAngelo Williams (RB, PIT) – 52% Owned

Nothing has changed here, as Williams remains the premier handcuff in the fantasy football universe. LeVeon Bell is a force, but if he goes down then Williams has shown to be quite valuable in this potent Pittsburgh offense. You don’t want to be a Bell owner without Williams. And if you don’t have Bell, you don’t want to allow Bell’s owner to alleviate that pain so readily with a simple pickup of Williams.

Dion Lewis (RB, NE) – 47% Owned

Lewis barely outgained James White, with 38 total yards to White’s 35, but he had five rushes to White’s three and they each saw five targets. The truth is that they may cancel each other out in the passing game the rest of the way, but Lewis is still the more exciting of the duo. He’s a more effective runner and is the slightly better bet for production moving forward.

Kenneth Dixon (RB, BAL) – 34% Owned

Dixon looked very good with the ball in his hands in Baltimore's Week 13 shellacking of Miami, but unfortunately it was Terrance West who scored twice. While Dixon totaled a steady 77 yards on only 10 touches (six rushes, four catches), the red-zone usage remains the biggest hurdle that Dixon has yet to clear on the path to true fantasy viability. He's still a solid RB3 in PPR leagues, alongside being the obvious handcuff to West, but you can only fly so high when someone else is getting those goal-line looks. Their Week 14 draw against the Patriots should give Dixon his best shot at delivering on his ceiling yet, so if you were going to play him, here's your chance.

Tim Hightower (RB, NO) – 50% Owned

After Hightower collected 105 yards last week alongside Mark Ingram, he pulled a magic act in Week 13 and disappeared despite Mark Ingram missing a few series with his toe injury. Hightower and the Saints were embarrassed by the Lions, who dominated the time of possession here. Even when the Saints had the ball, they barely utilized the running game. Travaris Cadet was used more than Hightower thanks to their falling behind, but this is unlikely to be a trend moving forward into a Week 14 road matchup against the Buccaneers. Ingram remains a dicey proposition, which means the Hightower insurance package should be monitored at the very least.

Charles Sims (RB, TB) – 46% Owned

Sims has been practicing and is eligible to return for the Bucs first game against the Saints in Week 14. It’ll be tough for fantasy owners to trust him out of the gate in the first week of the fantasy playoffs, but those with a spot on the bench or a first-round bye should look into the matter. Even those who are desperate could do worse in PPR formats than Sims at home against New Orleans. It may be Week 14, but these two teams haven’t met yet, and therefore shouldn’t suffer from the points drag that occurs when divisional teams play each other the second time around.

 

Jerick McKinnon (RB, MIN) – 39% Owned

The Vikings almost beat the Cowboys thanks to leaning more on McKinnon than the plodding Matt Asiata (37% Owned), but they still came up short. This was a plus matchup for the pass-catching RB against Dallas, but be aware that a date with Jacksonville looms. The Jaguars entered Week 13 as the second-best defensive unit against RBs in the passing game per Football Outsiders’ Defense-adjusted Value Over Average metric. The results in Week 13 were encouraging for sure, but Minnesota’s offensive line is still very bad and the receiving prowess may not be able to save him in Week 14.

Wendell Smallwood (RB, PHI) - 32% Owned

Ryan Mathews has now missed two games in a row, and Wendell Smallwood has failed to do much of anything in each of those games. He has rushed it 17 times for 56 yards in those contests, so we’re being generous in our not lambasting him here. The thing is, Philadelphia as a whole has failed to do much of anything. They’ve been without Jordan Matthews for three of the four halves that they’ve played with Smallwood as the lead back, which has really hamstrung the Eagles’ ability to perform. If Mathews still can’t go next week against Washington in Week 14, but he can’t be viewed as more than a low-end RB3 at this point.

Alfred Morris (RB, DAL) – 33% Owned

With the bye weeks all gone now, there’s really no excuse for arguably the second-most important RB handcuff in the game to be owned in only one-third of the leagues.

Mike Gillislee (RB, BUF) – 31% Owned

Another big handcuff to own, but the interesting part with Gillislee is that he’s actually still playable even with LeSean McCoy active. Buffalo takes such a run-heavy approach with their offense that he gets a chance to turn his spellback duties into points. This showed up as eight rushes for 49 yards and two trips to the end zone in Week 13. Not a bad return from his hamstring injury.

Jacquizz Rodgers (RB, TB) – 29% Owned

Yes, Charles Sims is eligible to return in Week 14, but we all saw how effective Rodgers can still be in space on a nice little flat route that he turned into a crucial first down. Rodgers isn’t playable with Doug Martin active, but should Martin go down then it would be Rodgers who takes over the short-yardage and goal-line work next to Sims’ receiving role. That has value.

Paul Perkins (RB, NYG) – 21% Owned

Perkins shows some healthy signs of life when he touches the ball, but the Giants just haven’t been good enough at the running the ball to provide us with two fantasy-viable RBs. He remains nothing more than a handcuff to the preferred goal-line option and starter, Rashad Jennings.

Shaun Draughn (RB, SF) - 12% Owned

Draughn didn’t have a chance to do anything, as the 49ers really couldn’t generate any offense in Week 13 against the Bears. He actually got all of his points from rushing, as he notched 20 yards on five totes. He hadn’t even attempted a rush since Week 7, as he remains a longshot RB4 in PPR formats.

Alfred Blue (RB, HOU) – 9% Owned

Lamar Miller didn’t end up missing much time in Week 13, but Blue still was the one come in when Miller left, and he also got to come in and play on Houston’s final series in the fourth quarter. He rushed for 38 yards on only five carries, looking fresh in doing so. Jonathan Grimes (1% Owned, 58 total yards) was the other running back to have a decent day against Green Bay. Houston’s offense is not all the desirable, but it’s good to stay abreast of who the next man up appears to be here. That appears to be Blue.

Denard Robinson (RB, JAC) - 7% Owned

Robinson tallied an impressive 17 rushes in Week 13’s ugly matchup against the Broncos, which only yielded 53 yards on the ground. He also chipped in an 11-yard catch, but this day wasn’t likely to produce much fruit against a stout Denver defense. The issue was that Shoelace was forced from the game late with an ankle injury, but with T.J. Yeldon (ankle) and Chris Ivory (hamstring) both hurting, Robinson’s is a stock worth monitoring. It won’t get any better in Week 14 against Minnesota though, so this isn’t a preferred play. The volume may be there, but there are a lot of hurdles to results.

Rex Burkhead (RB, CIN) - 5% Owned

Burkhead turned eight rushes into 38 yards and caught four-of-five targets for 28 yards, but also had a fumble lost to take the edge off of his day. It wasn’t anything special, but those in deep PPR leagues may have found his ~8 PPR points helpful as a plug in. The Bengals didn’t get much going on the ground in Week 13 against the Eagles, but next week against the Browns should prove to be a different story. Firing up Burkhead there in deep PPR formats should have a good chance at touching 10 PPR points.

Aaron Ripkowski (RB, GB) – 1% Owned

You don’t want to rely on a fullback in this era of the NFL, but there’s no doubting that Ripkowski has the confidence of his head coach and quarterback. Christine Michael may very well end up being the go-to goal-line back as time ticks on, but if you’re in some wild 20-team league and desperate for a guy who can sniff the end zone, here you go.

 

Week 13 Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups

Malcolm Mitchell (WR, NE) – 25% Owned

There is a lot to like here. Mitchell saw 10 targets in the Patriots Week 13 victory over the Rams, catching eight of them for a solid 82 yards. He didn’t score a touchdown, but he got greedy last week with two TDs anyway. Mitchell has now strung together a helpful three-week span, and the opportunity looks ripe here with Rob Gronkowski’s hulking target share on the shelf. There is some cold water to pour on the hot coals though, as the Patriots now have to do battle with Baltimore and Denver. Those teams are very good at defense, if you didn't know, and may force the Patriots to get extremely creative rather than simply relying on their perimeter receiver. If you survive until their matchup with the Jets in Week 16 though, we could see another two-TD game out of Mitchell for sure.

Tyreek Hill (WR, KC) – 52% Owned

Hill appears to have bookended his radical hat trick of touchdowns against Denver with a 4-53-0 effort against Tampa Bay in Week 11 and a near-identical 5-53-0 stat line in Week 13 against Atlanta. The floor here is viable with Jeremy Maclin on the shelf, but it will likely take a step back when Maclin returns. Hopefully the Chiefs have seen enough out of him thus far to keep his playmaking abilities in steady rotation. Another potential shootout against Oakland comes next in Week 14, so just keep an eye on Maclin’s practice reports.

Tyler Boyd (WR, CIN) – 41% Owned

After Boyd turned in five catches for 62 yards in Week 12, he caught four balls for 66 yards in Week 13 against the Eagles for another week of 10+ PPR points. He has seen 15 combined targets in the two games that A.J. Green has been out, and should continue to be a solid WR3/4 type in PPR formats. Unfortunately, he’s likely to remain behind Jeremy Hill, Tyler Eifert and even Brandon LaFell on the touchdown totem pole. Just stay realistic, but a Week 14 date with the Browns is as good a spot as any to put up big points.

Taylor Gabriel (WR, ATL) – 35% Owned

I’ve been pretty harsh on Gabriel, but he has now seen at least five targets over his past four games and nearly continued his wild streak of hyper-efficiency in Week 13. He fell just a hair shy of another touchdown, getting tackled at the one, as he continues to be a lightning rod of sorts in an extremely capable Atlanta offense.

Mohamed Sanu (WR, ATL) – 52% Owned

Sanu only logged two catches for 26 yards in Week 13 against the Chiefs before bowing out late in the contest with a groin injury. He didn’t return, though nothing of severity has been reported thus far. His range of outcomes isn’t all that enticing right now, but he still has a place in Atlanta’s strong offense. If Julio Jones’ “lower-body injury” turns out to be a truly limiting issue, then Sanu takes a step forward. If Sanu is limited himself, then Taylor Gabriel would take a step forward. Atlanta’s practice reports will be mighty intriguing as the week goes on.

Anquan Boldin (WR, DET) – 48% Owned

Boldin disappointed with a 4-40-0 line on six targets against the Saints in Week 13, which would have been considered an underperformance even if Marvin Jones Jr. had been active. Sadly, this paltry line came with Jones Jr. inactive, as T.J. Jones and Andre Roberts were the ones who really picked up the slack. This should’ve been a better day in an incredible strong matchup for Detroit’s red-zone WR, but alas he tripped just short of the goal line. He’ll look to return to pay dirt against the Bears in a solid Week 14 matchup.

Brandon LaFell (WR, CIN) – 33% Owned

LaFell flashed his upside again in Week 13, catching five-of-seven targets for 95 yards and a touchdown against a Dolphins team that got slammed. LaFell hadn’t been efficient in any way over the last two weeks, despite the opportunity being there with A.J. Green out. This is a healthy dose of momentum heading into a premier matchup against Cleveland in Week 14, but the reality of his floor stares us in the face whenever one pulls up his game log.

Dontrelle Inman (WR, SD) – 18% Owned

I was rather bearish on Inman’s prospects with Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin active alongside him in Week 13’s matchup against a suddenly formidable Tampa Bay defense, but Inman proved me wrong. The five targets were his lowest total since Week 6, yet he still made value thanks to a 35-yard touchdown scamper in the first quarter where he left Tampa Bay’s defender with some jello legs. Considering that San Diego draws Carolina, Oakland and Cleveland in the final three weeks of the traditional fantasy season, Inman will be a solid flex play for many of you.

Pierre Garcon (WR, WAS) – 48% Owned

Garcon had a nice bounceback spot against Arizona’s solid defense, catching seven of his nine targets for 78 yards in his usual possession-receiver fashion. It would be foolish to chase that line from the Green Bay game, but these types of lines are not all that foreign for Garcon. Washington has a solid passing game with Kirk Cousins looking extremely comfortable running the offense, and while Garcon won’t be the headliner, he should be able to deliver decent WR4 value in PPR formats along the way.

Ted Ginn Jr. (WR, CAR) – 22% Owned

Teddy Ginn Jr. took yet another speedy romp to the house in Week 13, as he burnt Seattle’s secondary for a 55-yard touchdown. He really cannot be contained by most defenses, it’s just a matter of whether Cam Newton can connect with him or not. Ginn Jr. has now scored in three straight games after failing to score prior to Week 11, so feel free to take a ride on the boom-bust train heading into a Week 14 matchup with the Chargers.

Dorial Green-Beckham (WR, PHI) – 39% Owned

The good news is that Green-Beckham saw 10 targets for the second straight week, and he didn’t even have the play the whole game to accrue that total! The bad news is that he only mustered a 4-29-0 line in the process, and the reason he didn’t play the entire game was due to a hard hit from Vontaze Burfict that left him getting X-rays on his ribs. Carson Wentz and the Eagles couldn’t get much of anything going without Jordan Matthews, and DGB will likely remain a longshot WR3 TD-dependent dart throw moving forward against Washington, Baltimore and the Giants’ secondaries in Weeks 14-16.

Chris Hogan (WR, NE) – 37% Owned

Hogan will see more looks moving forward with Rob Gronkowski on the shelf, as the Patriots are apparently committed to more three-wide sets as a reaction. It worked out well for Hogan and his owners in Week 13, as he caught a nice ball for a score in the front corner of the end zone. This made value, as he finished with a 4-23-1 line in a game where New England really didn’t have to press. Hogan and the rest of the Patriots receivers will be tested in Weeks 14 and 15 against Baltimore and Denver, who entered Week 13 as the #1 and #2 teams in overall DVOA.

Adam Thielen (WR, MIN) – 21% Owned

Thielen has now topped 10+ PPR points in five straight games, and 13 in each of his past three. He caught seven balls for 86 yards against Dallas in Minnesota’s Week 13 loss, even with Stefon Diggs active. This is great to see considering his value was largely seen as inflated into relevancy by Diggs’ absence in Week 12. Thielen and the Vikings will have to tangle with Jacksonville’s quietly solid secondary in Week 14, but a date with Indianapolis’ leaky defense in Week 15 awaits.

Cameron Meredith (WR, CHI) – 23% Owned

Meredith turned in a valiant 3-67-0 line despite some awful weather in Chicago, as he managed to connect on some deep balls with Matt Barkley against San Francisco’s rotten defense. Marquess Wilson was a total nonfactor due to the weather and then an injury, though do note that Josh Bellamy saw more targets than Meredith. This isn’t the prettiest offense to tango with, but if Eddie Royal and Wilson miss Week 14 against the Lions, Meredith could have a solid chance for WR3 value.

Quincy Enunwa (WR, NYJ) – 42% Owned

Enunwa only caught one of his two targets on Monday night against the Colts in Week 13 for a woeful 10 yards, as the entirety of the Jets offense imploded on itself like a dying star. Except the star was pretty lousy in the first place, like the kind that no one really notices in the first place. Their last gasp was that strong effort against the Patriots in Week 12, but now it'll be the Bryce Petty show in the final four weeks. You don't want to hitch your wagon to that developmental trial run, but Enunwa will still have a plus matchup against the 49ers in Week 14. Robby Anderson (2% Owned) may end up being the Jets leading receiver in that affair though, given how Petty was locked onto him in the second half of Week 13.

Josh Bellamy (WR, CHI) – 0% Owned

Bellamy followed up his nine targets from Week 12 with an astoundingly productive Week 13, especially given the circumstances of that brutal slopfest. With Marquess Wilson missing most of the game with an injury, Bellamy was the apple of Matt Barkley’s eye. Bellamy caught four balls for 105 yards against San Francisco’s ugly defense, and is the only one we can reasonably project for success moving forward with this small two-week sample size.

Paul Turner (WR, PHI) - 1% Owned

With starter Jordan Matthews out and #2 Dorial Green-Beckham forced from the game with an oblique injury in the second half, it was Turner who stepped up to lead the Eagles in Week 13 receiving yards with 80. If either Matthews or DGB cannot go in Week 14, Turner would make for a nice deep-league PPR play in an offense that is desperate for some depth. They will have to tangle with Baltimore's secondary in Week 15 after a date with Washington, but if you're in a deep enough league to warrant a pickup of Turner, then you're most likely not worried about two weeks from now.

Marqise Lee (WR, JAC) – 19% Owned

Jacksonville flopped in grandiose fashion against the Broncos in Week 13, with Lee being a casualty of war. His 3-34-0 line was one to forget, and he’ll likely follow it up with another lackluster performance in Week 14 with Minnesota’s defense on the menu before another tough test against Houston in Week 15. Don’t rely on Lee for much here, but if you end up needing a desperation flier in Week 16, a matchup with the Titans weakened defense awaits. This is just a watch list move.

Russell Shepard (WR, TB) – 3% Owned

Adam Humphries (concussion) and Cecil Shorts (knee) were both forced from Tampa Bay’s Week 13 victory over the Chargers, which puts Shepard on radars as the #2 receiver behind superstar Mike Evans. Shep has shown himself to be capable with TDs in a couple of earlier games this season, so this wouldn’t be the worst deep-league add. Freddie Martino (0% Owned) is another deep-league consideration, as the third-year UDFA caught four passes for 56 yards.

Albert Wilson (WR, KC) – 2% Owned

With Jeremy Maclin still ailing, it can’t all just the Tyreek Hill show. The Chiefs needed to go toe-to-toe with Atlanta’s strong offense, and they did. Wilson was the beneficiary of a fake punt, but most of you can do better here moving forward. Maclin may very reenter the picture next week, rendering Wilson irrelevant.

 

Week 14 Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickups

N.B. – The top-20 QBs are owned in roughly 70% of leagues or more.

Joe Flacco (QB, BAL) – 47% Owned

Flacco somehow turned in the best quarterbacking performance of Week 13’s Sunday, by a pretty lengthy margin at that. He connected for 381 yards and four TDs in a trouncing of a Dolphins defense that had been rather respectable before the rout. This was Flacco’s best game of the year, and his four TDs really stand out considering he had only averaged one passing TD over his first 11 games of the season. He’ll need to keep this going in Week 14 against the Patriots, whose defense has been lackluster for most of the season.

Colin Kaepernick (QB, SF) – 46% Owned

Remember last week? When Kaep connected on 29 of his 46 throws for 296 yards, three touchdowns and a pick while also tacking on a whopping 113 rushing yards. Well that is gone. Colin Kaepernick proceeded to walk into the crummiest bakery on the planet, and hand-deliver bagels to every single one of his fantasy owners in Week 13. He completed one pass for four yards (with 20 rushing yards) before being pulled in the fourth quarter against the Bears in snowy Chicago. This was not weather-related, this was just Kaep being terrible. He could resuscitate his fantasy stock with a solid home matchup in Week 14 against the Jets, but he may not even get the start at this point. Either way, it’d be a high-risk, high-reward play.

Matt Barkley (QB, CHI) – 2% Owned

Barkley really didn’t have to anything here, as Chicago’s running game and defense absolutely obliterated the 49ers in Week 13. He completed only 11-of-18 throws for 192 yards in the wintry conditions of Soldier Field, but again, he did alright for what he was asked to do. With matchups at Detroit and against Green Bay on the horizon, he will likely have to do quite a bit more heavy lifting. It may not look exactly like his Week 12 effort against the Titans, but it could be close.

 

Week 14 Tight End Waiver Wire Pickups

Ladarius Green (TE, PIT) – 36% Owned

It appears we may have finally reached the point of no return with Green’s usage, as he had shown flashes in previous weeks when he was utilized, but still hadn’t been in on more than 26% of Pittsburgh’s snaps. That changed in Week 13 against the Giants, as he caught six of his 11 targets for an impressive 110 yards and a score. 17 standard points and 23 PPR points is a nice little welcome wagon. The Giants are a plus matchup for tight ends, but there’s no doubting that Green could become a huge weapon in this powerful Pittsburgh offense. There won’t always be enough to go around for everyone, but Green can now be consider a TE1 threat against Buffalo and Cincinnati in Weeks 14 and 15. Even Baltimore’s strong defense may not be able to throw him off much in Week 16.

Zach Ertz (TE, PHI) – 74% Owned*

He’s owned in a many Fleaflicker leagues, but may have fallen by the wayside in your league after last week’s middling effort. Ertz got back to his target-monster ways with nine catches for 79 yards and a TD. With Jordan Matthews (ankle) out, Ertz was pretty much the only viable pass-catcher left for Carson Wentz. It showed as Philadelphia struggled all game long, but all we care about are those targets and the numbers.

Cameron Brate (TE, TB) – 52% Owned

Brate set a new season-high mark in receiving yards with 86 in Tampa Bay’s Week 13 victory over the Chargers, as he also returned to the end zone after missing out in the previous two weeks. Brate ran a nice post route that shook the coverage, which enabled Jameis Winston to find him over the middle of the field for six points. Brate’s lack of elite athleticism is apparent upon watching him move, but he has enough ability to give his reliable hands a chance to work. He also clearly has the trust of this team, which should make him a solid low-end TE1 asset in Weeks 14 and 16 against the Saints.

Dennis Pitta (TE, BAL) – 42% Owned

What year is it?! Relax, it’s 2016 and not 2013, despite what Pitta’s box score reads. He hadn’t scored in nearly three years, but Pitta made things even wilder by scoring twice! His 9-90-2 line came on 11 targets, which came out of left field after only totaling 104 yards over his last four weeks. With a date against the potent Patriots up next, the Ravens will need every iota of offense they’ve got. Perhaps Pitta can end this season strong.

C.J. Fiedorowicz (TE, HOU) – 41% Owned

Fiedorowicz saw a healthy nine targets in Week 13 against Green Bay, but they were Brock Osweiler targets. Not only that, but they were Brock Osweiler targets in a snow-covered Lambeau Field. Osweiler isn’t a new factor with Fiedorowicz, sometimes it’s just fun to beat a dead horse. He caught six of those nine targets for 44 yards as he surpassed the 10-point mark in PPR formats, but it was Ryan Griffin (4% Owned) who caught the touchdown for Houston here. Fiedorowicz has a healthy amount of volume going, and should be a high-end TE2 in Week 14 against a hapless Colts defense.

Dwayne Allen (TE, IND) - 46% Owned

I had to come back and get an Allen blurb in there, I guess scoring three TDs on Monday Night Football is enough to warrant that. His first two scores didn't require much effort on his part, other than firmly grasping the football and walking in the correct direction. His third one was nice though, as he went up to get the ball with a Jets linebacker draped over him. This was quite the week for Allen, especially considering his TE platoon-mate Jack Doyle fumbled just moments before connecting with the pylon on a dive for the end zone. People are going to freak out, but please note that the Colts face Houston and Minnesota in Weeks 14 and 15. Indianapolis has a great offense and all, but Allen won't be more than a dart-throw TE2 there.

Jared Cook (TE, GB) – 36% Owned

Cook has now disappointed in two straight weeks after his wild Week 11, with a combined four catches for 26 yards in the two games since. That’s not a floor we want to deal with, but the upside can’t be ignored for you desperate TE streamers. Week 14 against Seattle will likely be a poor spot to expect that upside to show itself again, but Week 15 against the Bears could be a different story. Keep that in mind, but adjust your projections for him accordingly. Mine have taken quite a dive.

Vernon Davis (TE, WAS) – 38% Owned

Davis turned in a relatively solid effort against an Arizona defense that is well known for its ability to lock down tight ends, but a 5-47-0 line is still not going to help us win in a vacuum. With Jordan Reed out, Davis was the clear-cut #1 TE for Washington and was in on the majority of the snaps. Look for Davis to have a better chance in Week 14 against a Philadelphia defense that has really come back down to Earth lately. If Reed plays, Davis’ stock obviously takes a hit into being unplayable in a subpar matchup.

Vance McDonald (TE, SF) – 31% Owned

McDonald didn’t stand a chance of producing any value in Week 13, as the 49ers offense barely turned in more stats in Chicago than you or I did. We’ll chalk this one up to the horrible weather and a scary-ineffective Colin Kaepernick, as McDonald had turned in at least six targets in each of his previous five games. He had been rather effective with the looks as well, scoring a touchdown or topping 50 yards in his last four games. He’ll face the Jets at home in Week 14, and while the Jets are ranked ninth in DVOA versus the tight end, McDonald’s athleticism and the lack of other weapons around him should keep him on the board as a TE2.

Jermaine Gresham (TE, ARI) – 6% Owned

Gresham continues to stir up some deep-league waters here, as he’s averaged roughly six targets per game over his last five contests, and has seen a real uptick in his red-zone usage. He had scored in Weeks 11 and 12, and was tackled at the one in this tilt against the Chiefs. The Dolphins present a formidable defense in Week 14, as they entered Week 13 as the eighth-best defense against the tight end per DVOA. Still, if Carson Palmer continues to look Gresham’s way, we could have a solid TE2 candidate available in nearly all leagues.

Trey Burton (TE, PHI) – 2% Owned

Burton has gotten more involved recently thanks to the smattering of injuries to Philadelphia’s offense, as he saw nine targets in Week 13 against the Bengals to the tune of five catches for 53 yards. The Eagles really don’t have much left in the wide-receiver pipeline with Jordan Matthews (ankle) and Dorial Green-Beckham (ribs) banged up, and their running back situation is still pretty ugly with Ryan Mathews on the shelf. This has led to more multiple-TE sets, and Brent Celek is strictly a blocker. That means Burton has seen more love in the passing game. This is one of the more distant dart throws that you could attempt, but there’s some rationale here moving into a matchup with Washington.

 

Week 14 Defense Waiver Wire Pickups

Cincinnati D/ST – 55% Owned

This isn’t groundbreaking, as the Bengals are sitting at 55% ownership across all Fleaflicker leagues thanks to their facing the Browns in Cleveland in Week 14. While Cincinnati hasn’t done anything particularly fantastic on defense lately, they have recorded six sacks and seven interceptions while holding opponents to an average of 17.5 points per game over their last four games. That’s pretty solid, even if the touchdowns haven’t been there to really take their value to the next level.

Baltimore D/ST – 52% Owned

The Ravens defense has now scored in the double digits in five of their last six contests, and have really earned that top spot in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric. Their rushing defense has been out of this world, and their passing defense is solid when Jimmy Smith is out there. While it’s still not recommended to play them in Week 14 against the Patriots in Foxboro or Week 16 at Heinz Field, Week 15 against the Eagles at home should still be a solid play. And if you want to play them against New England or Pittsburgh, I don’t think I could really counter you with much.

New York Jets D/ST – 37% Owned

The Jets defense has quite terrible this season, and I’m sure that trend will continue on Monday night against the Colts. A road date against the 49ers comes next in Week 14 though, and we’ve seen how eloquently San Francisco can shoot themselves in the foot. This isn’t a ringing endorsement in any way, but this could be a decent matchup, especially if San Fran flips back to Blaine Gabbert.

Atlanta D/ST – 20% Owned

Atlanta was only able to drum up one sack in Week 13 against the Chiefs, but before that they had tallied multiple sacks in their previous five games. Unfortunately, they’ve only logged one interception in that same timespan. They miss Desmond Trufant something fierce, but at least they’ve recovered four fumbles at the same time. Regardless, they could jump back on the wagon here in Week 14 against the Rams in Los Angeles. The Falcons’ offense should be able to put up points and put Jared Goff in a bind where he needs to take shots and open himself to risk.

Detroit D/ST – 19% Owned

So, maybe we need to reevaluate this Lions defense. They entered Week 13 ranking out at a horrible 31^st in DVOA, but we know that doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story. Especially with fantasy. The Lions just shut down Drew Brees and the Saints in their own home, limiting them to 13 points and marking the fourth straight week where Detroit’s defense has held its opponents to under 20 points. This momentum could do them well heading into a home matchup against the Bears in Week 14, where they can hopefully improve on their only having one sack over their last three games combined.