Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 14

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Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.

Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Bye weeks

• Atlanta Falcons
• Chicago Bears
• Green Bay Packers
• Indianapolis Colts
• New Orleans Saints
• Washington Commanders

Quarterbacks

Mike White, Jets

White followed up a strong Week 12 start where he finished as the QB6 in weekly scoring with another top-10 fantasy finish (QB9 ahead of Monday Night Football).

The 27-year-old now has back-to-back games with over 300 passing yards - a feat Zach Wilson only accomplished once this year.

As we mentioned last week in this space, White is unlocking New York's skill-position talent and capitalizing on his opportunity in a quality offensive scheme.

The Bills will be his stiffest test yet, but injuries have taken some of the bite out of Buffalo's defense, resulting in QB3 (Jacoby Brissett) and QB15 (Jared Goff) fantasy performances over the last three weeks.

More importantly, White will face the Lions, Jaguars, and Seahawks during the fantasy playoffs. All three defenses rank inside the top 12 for most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, with the Lions being the easiest opponent overall.

White is a QB2 streamer option whose production will continue to rely on the scheme and playmakers to pay off in fantasy.

Jared Goff is at the 50% rostered mark but would be worth consideration if available.

Streaming options (if starter is out): Tyler Huntley at PIT (1% rostered)

Streaming options: Ryan Tannehill vs. JAX (17% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Kenny Pickett vs. BAL (13% rostered), Mac Jones at ARI (13% rostered), Sam Darnold at SEA (2% rostered), Brock Purdy vs. TB (1% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options: John Wolford/Bryce Perkins vs. LV (1%/1% rostered), Kyle Allen at DAL (2% rostered)

Bye-week stash options: Taylor Heinicke (14% rostered), Desmond Ridder (1% rostered)

Running backs

James Cook, Bills

Cook saw a dramatic rise in playing time in Week 13 en route to a season-high 43% of the Bills' offensive snaps. He also posted season highs with 14 carries, 64 rushing yards, six receptions, and 41 receiving yards.

It's evident that he offers more explosive big-play ability and pass-catching skills than current starter Devin Singletary.

While Singletary will continue to be involved, Cook has the most upside in this backfield moving forward, and fantasy managers have a rare opportunity to add him thanks to some quieter weeks leading up to his breakout performance.

Now we have a second-round rookie running back in one of the NFL's best offenses who's available in 77% of leagues. That number should be zero by Thursday.

Zonovan Knight is at the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in all leagues.

High-upside backups like Alexander Mattison (35% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.

Flex options: Cam Akers vs. LV (46% rostered), Jerick McKinnon at DEN (41% rostered)

Risky flex options: Chuba Hubbard at SEA (18% rostered), Jordan Mason vs. TB (15% rostered), Joshua Kelley vs. MIA (3% rostered), Jaylen Warren vs. BAL (24% rostered), Ty Johnson at BUF (9% rostered), Kenneth Gainwell at NYG (14% rostered), Kenyan Drake at PIT (45% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy and starter is out): DeeJay Dallas vs. CAR (3% rostered), Travis Homer vs. CAR (1% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Dontrell Hilliard vs. JAX (14% rostered), Mike Boone vs. KC (5% rostered), Ameer Abdullah at LAR (7% rostered), JaMycal Hasty at TEN (19% rostered), Justin Jackson vs. MIN (1% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Tony Jones Jr. vs. CAR (0% rostered)

Other backups to consider: Keaontay Ingram vs. NE (1% rostered), Melvin Gordon (40% rostered), Zamir White (5% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Tyler Allgeier (45% rostered)

Injured-reserve stashes: Khalil Herbert (39% rostered), Darrel Williams (2% rostered)

Wide receivers

Nico Collins, Texans

Collins has become a regular in this column thanks to his consistent production over the last month. Since returning from his groin injury, Collins has garnered the ninth most targets of any player, and it's led to stat lines of 5-49-1, 5-48-0, 6-44-0, and 3-35-1 over the last four weeks.

More specifically, he's the WR32 in fantasy points per game during that stretch.

Whether Brandin Cooks is in the lineup or not, Collins has become the favorite target in the passing game. He should be treated as a WR3/flex in fantasy the rest of the way.

D.J. Chark, Lions

Injuries have limited Chark to just six games this season, and he's only played the bulk of the Lions' snaps in four of those contests.

However, in the four outings where he's taken the field over 70% of the time, Chark has stat lines of 4-52-1, 3-46-0, 2-16-1, and most recently 5-98-0 in a revenge match against the Jaguars.

It's possible the Lions make first-round rookie Jameson Williams a bigger part of the offense over the final month, but Chark should still be in consideration as a fantasy WR4/flex in most formats.

Treylon Burks, Michael Gallup, Kadarius Toney, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Rondale Moore, and Zay Jones are at or above the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.

Flex options: Corey Davis at BUF (13% rostered)

Flex options (if starter is out): Trent Sherfield at LAC (0% rostered)

Risky flex options: Isaiah McKenzie vs. NYJ (37% rostered), Marquez Valdes-Scantling at DEN (45% rostered), Demarcus Robinson at PIT (12% rostered), DeVante Parker at ARI (14% rostered), Kendall Hinton vs. KC (2% rostered), Julio Jones at SF (18% rostered), Mack Hollins at LAR (31% rostered), Van Jefferson vs. LV (29% rostered),

Risky flex options (if healthy): Quez Watkins at NYG (2% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Robert Woods vs. JAX (34% rostered), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine vs. JAX (1% rostered), Terrace Marshall at SEA (6% rostered), Elijah Moore at BUF (31% rostered), DeAndre Carter vs. MIA (29% rostered), Chris Moore at DAL (1% rostered), KJ Osborn at DET (4% rostered), Ben Skowronek vs. LV (4% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Nelson Agholor at ARI (1% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Jahan Dotson (15% rostered), Parris Campbell (42% rostered), Alec Pierce (14% rostered), Jarvis Landry (21% rostered), Richie James (7% rostered), Equanimeous St. Brown (5% rostered), Isaiah Hodgins (0% rostered)

Upside stashes: Jameson Williams (47% rostered), Odell Beckham Jr. (37% rostered), Skyy Moore (10% rostered)

Tight ends

Greg Dulcich, Broncos

Let's quickly revisit how Dulcich has performed in his six outings as a rookie tight end who didn't get onto the field until Week 6 due to injury.

It's also worth noting the second-to-last stat line would have included a touchdown had it not been called back for a penalty.

So despite being a rookie tight end in a struggling offense, Dulcich has delivered starter-worthy fantasy days more often than not. There simply aren't that many tight ends offering that kind of production this year.

Dulcich is very much in the low-end TE1 mix for the remainder of the season.

Risky streamer options: Evan Engram at TEN (43% rostered), Noah Fant vs. CAR (13% rostered), Hunter Henry at ARI (35% rostered), Chiggy Okonkwo vs. JAX (0% rostered), Tyler Conklin at BUF (32% rostered), Trey McBride vs. NE (6% rostered), Daniel Bellinger vs. PHI (2% rostered)

Risky streamer options (if starter is out): Harrison Bryant at CIN (10% rostered)

Dart-throw streamer options: Austin Hooper vs. JAX (14% rostered), Jordan Akins at DAL (1% rostered), Brevin Jordan at DAL (1% rostered), Jack Stoll at NYG (0% rostered)

Dart-throw streamer options (if starter is out): Mitchell Wilcox vs. CLE (0% rostered)

Defenses

Week 14 streamers

Favorable upcoming schedules: Jets (50% rostered), Steelers (28% rostered), Chargers (21% rostered), Packers (49% rostered), Vikings (45% rostered)