Week 14 is finally upon us, and for most fantasy football players, that means it is your final chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs. With plenty of injuries having popped up in Week 13, plus teams coming off of their bye, our Week 14 waiver wire pickups are the most important set of the entire season.
As always, the following list includes players that are rostered on fewer than 50 percent of all ESPN rosters, making the chances you can pick them up pretty high. You can never have too much talent on your fantasy football roster, which makes your Week 14 waiver wire pickups that more important.
1. Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots – RB
34.0% Rostered
Old friend Ezekiel Elliott has been what feels like an every-week mainstay on our waiver wire pickups, and he finds himself at the top of our list for Week 14.
After Rhamondre Stevenson left their slugfest loss to the Los Angeles Chargers early with an ankle injury, Elliott stepped in and recorded 92 yards on 21 total touches. With Stevenson recorded as an ‘estimated’ non-participant on Monday, Elliott could be this team’s starter against the Steelers on a short week.
Keep an eye on Elliott’s health too, as he was estimated to be limited with a thigh injury.
2. Noah Brown, Houston Texans – WR
34.5% Rostered
The unfortunate season-ending injury that rookie Tank Dell suffered in Houston’s win over the Broncos means that another receiver will need to step up – and with how good he looked early on in the year, Noah Brown likely is the top option to do so.
Weeks 9 and 10 were explosive weeks for Brown, as he hauled in 13 receptions for 325 yards and a touchdown, and while he won’t be directly sliding into Dell’s role, he is more than capable of filling it.
3. Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – RB
32.0% Rostered
There have been only two running backs that have recorded a carry this year for the Tennessee Titans – workhorse Derrick Henry and rookie Tyjae Spears. And with Henry having picked up a non-concussion head injury in Sunday’s loss, Spears could be in for more work.
Even if Henry continues to trend in the right direction for Week 14, Spears has looked impressive in his secondary role, including 20 total touches (16 carries) and a season-high 67 percent snap share last week. Expect Spears to continue to hold a big role in this offense moving forward, projecting as a solid RB3/4 off your bench.
4. Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – RB
20.4% Rostered
Struggling teams typically like to hand the keys to important rookies after a late-season bye week, and this decision has already been put into motion by the Chicago Bears for Roschon Johnson.
A season-high 74 percent snap share for Johnson outpaced starter Khalil Herbert, so look for Johnson to continue to earn an increased role in Chicago’s backfield as the Bears play for yet another top draft pick.
5. Antonio Gibson, Washington Commanders – RB
44.7% Rostered
Heading into their late Week 14 bye week, the Washington Commanders will need to see if starting running back Brian Robinson will be available for their next game against the Rams. having left their loss to the Dolphins early with a hamstring injury, Antonio Gibson saw a season-best 14 touches.
With his skill set better suited as a pass catcher, Gibson registered 10 carries and four receptions in his 56 percent snap share. Even if Robinson is healthy moving forward, Gibson likely will see an uptick in his workload, which has been the trend over the last few weeks.
6. DeeJay Dallas, Seattle Seahawks – RB
0.7% Rostered
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This inclusion is more of a potential ‘what-if’ instead of a guarantee, which is where DeeJay Dallas comes in. With Kenneth Walker III still out with an oblique injury and rookie Zach Charbonnet having been knocked out late in the loss to Dallas with a knee injury, Dallas could have himself a bigger role.
Dallas is more of a pass-game option who sees very little regular work, so it would be asking a lot for him to step into the starter’s role if called upon. But even if one of Walker or Charbonnet misses Week 14, Dallas will see more playing time.
7. Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints – QB
0.2% Rostered
The lone quarterback on our Week 14 waiver wire pickups is a household name but a backup QB typically – it’s Jameis Winston. Relegated to the QB2 role behind Derek Carr, Winston was thrust into action again in Week 13’s five-point loss to the Lions after Carr’s plethora of injuries.
Winston has always been a polarizing option at QB, especially in fantasy football, as his penchant for throwing costly interceptions makes him tough to trust. But in a do-or-die part of your season, sometimes you need to throw caution to the wind.
8. Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles – RB
14.1% Rostered
Kenneth Gainwell saw his second-highest snap percentage (54) on the year in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco, and he hauled in five passes for the second time this season. While playing second fiddle behind D’Andre Swift, Gainwell certainly holds a role in games that see the Eagles needing to pass the ball often.
But Swift suffered a late-game injury that could see him pop up with a designation this week, and if he misses time, then Gainwell would be the starter. Having out-snapped Swift by 14 snaps in Week 13 means that he is more than capable of carrying a bigger load too.
9. Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans – TE
26.6% Rostered
The trend finally seems to be going in the right direction for Chigoziem Okonkwo, or ‘Chig,’ as he has set season bests in each of the past two games in receiving yards. In Tennessee’s Week 13 overtime loss to the Colts, Okonkwo had the longest play on offense (39 yards) and finished with three catches for 62 yards.
While that might not seem like a ton, it now marks two consecutive weeks of five-plus targets for Okonkwo, who looks to be developing a solid rapport with rookie QB Will Levis.
10. Brevin Jordan, Houston Texans – TE
2.4% Rostered
In lieu of Dalton Schultz as Houston’s starting tight end, Brevin Jordan stepped in with Schultz out with an injury. While usually holding down a reserve role, Jordan excelled as the top tight end, earning 75 percent of snaps while catching three passes for 64 yards.
Even if Schultz returns in Week 14, you should see Jordan earn an uptick in snaps, especially with Tank Dell having been lost for the rest of the season (more on him later).
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