This article is part of our NFL Waiver Wire series.
This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column will run every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedules. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.
Players listed/discussed last week: Josh McCown, Peyton Barber, Mike Davis, Giovani Bernard, Kerwynn Williams, D.J. Foster, Elijhaa Penny, Jermaine Kearse and Dwayne Allen.
QUARTERBACK
Primary Targets
Blake Bortles, JAC - It's tough to entrust your whole fantasy season to Bortles, but his matchup this week is enticing. Since J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus went down, the Texans have gotten crushed defensively, allowing at least 20 points in seven consecutive games. Bortles has a good schedule too as he Jaguars face the 49ers in Week 16, though they have to travel across the country for that game. FAAB: $5-$10
Secondary Targets
Nick Foles, PHI - Quarterback Carson Wentz tore his ACL on a sneak into the end zone Sunday that, of course, was negated by a penalty. Foles, the new starter, has some upside. He had a 27:2 TD:INT ratio in 2013 in his first go-around with the Eagles and has plenty of weapons at his disposal now as the Philadelphia offense has been a machine this season.
This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column will run every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedules. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.
Players listed/discussed last week: Josh McCown, Peyton Barber, Mike Davis, Giovani Bernard, Kerwynn Williams, D.J. Foster, Elijhaa Penny, Jermaine Kearse and Dwayne Allen.
QUARTERBACK
Primary Targets
Blake Bortles, JAC - It's tough to entrust your whole fantasy season to Bortles, but his matchup this week is enticing. Since J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus went down, the Texans have gotten crushed defensively, allowing at least 20 points in seven consecutive games. Bortles has a good schedule too as he Jaguars face the 49ers in Week 16, though they have to travel across the country for that game. FAAB: $5-$10
Secondary Targets
Nick Foles, PHI - Quarterback Carson Wentz tore his ACL on a sneak into the end zone Sunday that, of course, was negated by a penalty. Foles, the new starter, has some upside. He had a 27:2 TD:INT ratio in 2013 in his first go-around with the Eagles and has plenty of weapons at his disposal now as the Philadelphia offense has been a machine this season. Also, the fantasy schedule for the Eagles is extremely favorable with the Giants and Raiders on tap for the semifinals and finals of most leagues' playoffs. FAAB: $4-$8
Hail Mary
T.J. Yates, HOU - Coming in cold Sunday, Yates held his own, finishing with 6.7 YPA, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The fantasy playoffs offer a daunting schedule for the Texans against the Jaguars and Steelers. Although Yates is expected to start this week Tom Savage could return anytime after that, killing Yates' fantasy value. FAAB: $1-$2
RUNNING BACK
Primary Targets
Theo Riddick, DET - The Lions apparently have soured on Ameer Abdullah, who reportedly was inactive Sunday due to ineffectiveness rather than injury. Riddick was given a bigger role for the second straight week and responded with two touchdowns. Riddick is never going to be a 20-plus carry guy, but his involvement in the passing game makes up for that. In a postgame interview on the SiriusXM Fantasy channel he said the whole team has a "next man up" mentality and he was ready to do whatever the team asked. As long as the Lions keep winning and he's effective, look for Theo to be heavily involved. He's 41 percent owned in Yahoo leagues. FAAN: $4-$8
Secondary Targets
Rod Smith, DAL - Smith forced his way back into the waiver-wire conversation after a huge game where he had 160 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Granted, it was against the Giants, but the numbers are impressive. He won't supplant Alfred Morris as the starter, but this may have earned more touches (he hasn't had more than 11 in any game this season, including Sunday). He's had a rushing touchdown three consecutive weeks, suggesting he's getting the goal-line work as well as the pass-catching work (Morris has only five catches this season). Depending on your league's scoring system, adjust the FAAB accordingly, realizing the volume won't be there with Morris as the starter. FAAB: $3-$6
Hail Mary
Wayne Gallman, NYG - It's tough to figure out the New York backfield with Orleans Darwa being successful this season with 4.3 yards per carry. Gallman had a 4.9 yards per carry average Sunday and totaled 99 yards from scrimmage, 40 coming in passing situations. For the season, Gallman averages 4.2 yards per carry, and the G-Men could be in audition mode considering the year they've had. Whether the Giants go Darkwa or Gallman, the fantasy playoff schedule is daunting against the Eagles and then out to Arizona Week 16. FAAB: $2-$4
WIDE RECEIVER
Primary Targets
Marquise Goodwin, SF - It's probably a little late to pick up Goodwin, but it's almost a coin flip as to whether he's available with a 55 percent ownership on Yahoo. The move to Jimmy Garoppolo has been exactly what Goodwin's fantasy value needed, as he's parlayed 20 targets the last two games into 14 catches for 205 receiving yards. Goodwin has world-class speed with a 4.27 40, and the home matchup this week against the Titans is good as Tennessee allows the seventh-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Just keep in mind in Week 16 he'll likely see a lot of Jacksonville's Jalen Ramsey, one of the league's better corners. FAAB: $5-$10
Secondary Targets
Dede Westbrook, JAC - Westbrook ended up with a nice 8-5-81-1 line Sunday against a defense missing Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman. Westbrook has at least five catches in each of his last three games and has 27 targets (8, 9 and 10), showing his involvement in the passing game. The longer Allen Hurns is out the better for Westbrook, and this is a prime matchup for the Jaguars against the Texans. FAAB: $3-$6
Tight Ends
Secondary Targets
Trey Burton, Brent Celek, PHI - Again, this is a prime matchup for the Eagles against the Giants, who have given up the most fantasy points to tight ends. The downside is Zach Ertz could get out of the concussion protocol and it's uncertain if Nick Foles will target his tight ends as much as Carson Wentz did. Watch the injury reports this week on Ertz to determine if a move for either should be made. FAAB: Burton, $4-$8; Celek, $2-$4
