2YW16XC Las Vegas Raiders running back Sincere McCormick (28) rushes for yardage as Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Christian Izien (29) and safety Kaevon Merriweather (26) defend during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
• Several intriguing running back options: A handful of available running backs recorded double-digit carries this past week, led by the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Sincere McCormick.
• Take a chance on injured wide receivers: While Romeo Doubs and Cedric Tillman have missed time, they have the most upside among the wide receivers available.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes
With Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season nearly complete, here are the key players to target on the fantasy football waiver wire. Here, we’ll cover options for smaller and deeper leagues and also highlight the players to avoid.
Winston had a difficult matchup this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. He completed 24 of 41 passes for 212 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. That was a respectable 17.2 fantasy points — better than most quarterbacks fare against the Steelers’ defense.
Since becoming the Browns’ starter in Week 8, Winston has averaged 21.8 PPR points per game, ranking fifth among quarterbacks. The only other quarterback in the top 18 of fantasy points and available in at least 50% of leagues is Matthew Stafford. He looked great against the Buffalo Bills defense on Sunday but doesn’t have a favorable matchup remaining during the fantasy season.
The Browns play the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins in their next three games. They will need to throw a lot in the first two games and will face defenses ranked in the top 10 in preventing fantasy points. Winston is a very likely top-12 fantasy quarterback in those first two games. Even against the Dolphins’ strong defense, it could be possible to start him in fantasy.
Young had an OK game against the Philadelphia Eagles, completing 19 of 34 passes for 191 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also ran seven times for 29 yards. This was the worst matchup left on the Panthers’ schedule during the fantasy season, so brighter days should be ahead.
Young goes up against the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the next three weeks. The Cowboys have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, and Young scored 23.6 fantasy points against the Buccaneers in Week 13. Even if he posts fewer points in Week 17, he could still be a fantasy starter that week.
Young is here for the fantasy managers who are more desperate for a quarterback. Other quarterbacks who are available and have a strong schedule were all among the worst fantasy quarterbacks of Week 14. Young is the closest one of the group to having some consistency.
The former practice squad player has been the Raiders’ clear top running back this season.
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