Fantasy football can be an extremely fun game to play. It can also be highly frustrating at times. Nothing is more annoying than needing to make a last-minute waiver-wire move because someone in your starting lineup is out for the week. Sadly, there isn’t much you can do about it. However, I’m going to try to help.
Every week, I will have six players you can grab off the waiver wire at the last minute and throw into your lineup. Some will succeed, while others will fail. Unfortunately, that’s how the game of fantasy football is played. Let’s dive into my six last-minute waiver wire targets for Week 14.
Last-Minute Waiver Wire Pickups & Injury Replacements
All the players in this article are rostered in under 35% of ESPN leagues.
Tyler Shough (QB – NO) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5.4% Rostered)
While the Saints’ offense is far from elite, Shough has been a solid streaming option for fantasy players since taking over as the starter. The rookie has averaged 235 passing yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 13.8 fantasy points per game during his four starts. Furthermore, he has played well against fantasy-friendly defenses, averaging 260.5 passing yards, two touchdowns, and 18.2 fantasy points per game in his two friendly matchups. More importantly, Shough is an appealing streaming option not only in Week 14 but for the rest of the fantasy season.
The former Louisville star faces the Buccaneers on Sunday, then the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans during the fantasy playoffs. Tampa Bay has been a pass funnel defense for most of the year, surrendering 265.4 passing yards, 1.8 touchdowns, and 19.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Furthermore, they’ve severely struggled lately, allowing 290.3 passing yards, 2.5 touchdowns, and 25.8 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks since their Week 9 bye. Last week, Jacoby Brissett had 301 passing yards, two touchdowns, and 19.6 fantasy points against the Buccaneers.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB – WAS) vs. Minnesota Vikings (25.7% Rostered)
Many had high hopes for Jacory Croskey-Merritt this year after the rookie had an impressive training camp. Unfortunately, he has fallen to third in the peaking order behind Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols. While he lacks significant fantasy upside, Rodriguez has been productive lately. The former Kentucky star has been the Commanders’ lead running back over the past five weeks, averaging 11 rushing attempts for 50.3 yards, 0.8 touchdowns, and 9.9 PPR fantasy points per game, totaling double-digits in half the contests, including last week against an elite Denver Broncos defense.
Thankfully, Rodriguez has a far friendlier matchup on Sunday against the Vikings. Minnesota has surrendered 21 fantasy points per game to running backs this season, about the league average. However, they’ve given up 115.8 rushing yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 23.7 fantasy points per game to running backs over the past month, allowing at least 110 yards and 19.5 fantasy points in every contest. Furthermore, Rodriguez has flex appeal following this week’s game, facing the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants over the first two weeks of the fantasy playoffs.
Blake Corum (RB – LAR) vs. Arizona Cardinals (18.6% Rostered)
Fantasy players with Kyren Williams on their roster should stop reading this article and go add Corum off the waiver wire. The former Michigan star has had little fantasy value in his first two years in the NFL, scoring more than 5.8 PPR fantasy points only once over his first 28 career games. However, he had the best game of his career last week against the Carolina Panthers, totaling seven rushing attempts for 81 yards, a touchdown, and 14.1 fantasy points. More importantly, Corum has earned a larger workload lately.
Last week, he had seven rushing attempts against the Panthers. However, Corum has averaged 10 attempts per game over his past six contests, totaling 12 or more in half of the matchups. More importantly, Williams is nursing an ankle injury, which could lead to even more work for the former Michigan star on Sunday. Thankfully, he faces a Cardinals defense that has struggled to stop opposing running backs lately. Arizona has surrendered 114.8 rushing yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 29.5 fantasy points per game to running backs over the past month.
Adonai Mitchell (WR – NYJ) vs. Miami Dolphins (24.6% Rostered)
New York will be without Garrett Wilson for at least one more week. Therefore, Mitchell will be the team’s No. 1 once again on Sunday. He has averaged 8.3 targets per game since being traded to the Jets. However, Mitchell had struggled to hold onto the ball, catching only three of 13 targets over the first two contests with the team. Thankfully, that changed last week, as he had eight receptions on 12 targets for 102 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 24.2 PPR fantasy points, setting season-highs in every category.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins have surrendered 28.1 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, 2.4 fewer than the league average, ranking as the ninth-fewest in the NFL. However, Miami has struggled to stop the pass as their run defense has improved. The Dolphins have given up 13.3 receptions for 152.7 receiving yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 36.6 fantasy points per game over the past month, allowing at least one score and 31.3 fantasy points in every contest. Last week, Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele each had over 14.5 fantasy points against Miami.
Devaughn Vele (WR – NO) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5.5% Rostered)
Speaking of Vele, the second-year wide receiver has had no fantasy impact this season with Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks on the team, averaging 0.7 receptions on 1.4 targets for six receiving yards, and 1.9 PPR fantasy points per game before the Saints’ Week 11 bye. However, he has been a meaningful factor lately with Shaheed in Seattle and Cooks in Buffalo. Vele has 11 receptions on 15 targets for 130 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 30 fantasy points over the past two games. Furthermore, he was outstanding last week.
Despite facing a half-decent Miami Dolphins pass defense, Vele caught all eight of his targets for 93 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 23.3 fantasy points, setting or matching career highs in every category. Furthermore, he saw more targets than Chris Olave. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have a pass funnel defense. They’ve surrendered 34.1 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this year, the 11th-most in the NFL. Tampa Bay has given up 13.5 receptions for 185.3 receiving yards, 1.3 touchdowns, and 39 fantasy points per game since their Week 9 bye.
Brenton Strange (TE – JAC) vs. Indianapolis Colts (31.9% Rostered)
Strange has quietly been one of the better streaming options this season. Unfortunately, he missed five games with a quad injury. However, Strange has averaged five receptions on 5.8 targets for 61 receiving yards and 12.6 PPR fantasy points per game over his past four healthy contests, totaling 10.5 or more fantasy points in every outing. Furthermore, the former Penn State star has been outstanding since returning from the quad injury, ranking as the TE4 over the past two weeks, averaging 69 receiving yards and 13.9 fantasy points per game.
More importantly, Strange has an excellent matchup on Sunday against the Colts. Indianapolis’ defense has been hit hard by injuries lately, losing DeForest Buckner and Sauce Gardner over the past few weeks. However, they’ve struggled to stop opposing tight ends all year, surrendering 16.4 fantasy points per game, the fifth-most in the NFL. Furthermore, the Colts have given up 7.4 receptions for 90.3 receiving yards, 0.6 touchdowns, and 20 fantasy points per game to tight ends over the past eight weeks, allowing at least 13.9 in all but one contest.
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.