Fantasy football free agent pickups: The players you need for a playoff push

The 12th Sunday of the NFL season featured a historic performance detroit lions RB Jahmir GibbsRemarkable comeback victory by desperate people kansas city chiefs And dallas cowboysA semi-impressive start by cleveland browns quarterback shadure sanders And, as is unfortunately always the case, a number of injuries that will impact several fantasy managers, including tampa bay buccaneers cubby Baker Mayfield (Shoulder), New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (knee) and cincinnati bengals wr t higgins (Shock).

Four of the 12 teams had byes this week (denver broncos, miami dolphins, los angeles chargers, Washington Commanders), but neither do so this coming Thanksgiving week, which includes three games on Thursday and another game at Philadelphia on Friday afternoon. However, the bye weeks aren’t done! The Final Four teams will have their bye in Week 14 (new England Patriots, New York Giants, san francisco 49ers, carolina panthers), which corresponds to the first playoff round for many managers. Thus, this week’s free agent report covers Week 14 options. This is the playoffs. plan for them this weekif possible.

Every Monday, before the current NFL weekend ends, we will identify the players available at least 50% ESPN standard leagues worthy of your attention, from standard formats to deeper options. The NFL is a weekly league, and player evaluations and roles rarely remain static. It doesn’t matter how you acquire players for your fantasy roster, it just matters that you acquire them!

quarterback

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (47% of rosters in ESPN leagues): Brissett was on display last week, and we should see it do so again after recording another top 10 performance in Week 12. Brissett scored 18.48 points on Sunday. worst trip In six occasions. That’s still excellent! We like Brissett for Week 13 against the compromised Buccaneers, but not so much for Week 14 against the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams,

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (47.2%): him again? Yes! Darnold bounced back from a terrible fantasy outing in Weeks 10 and 11, scoring a productive 17.66 points. tennessee titansare ahead minnesota vikings And then, in week 14, atlanta falconsThat’s a reasonable two weeks for a fantasy quarterback who has the best wide receiver in the league, as Jackson Smith-Njigba Trending toward 2,000 receiving yards.

Deep-League Options/Streamers/Random Ideas

• giants fill jameis winston (3.1%) led all Sunday passers with 32.24 points, and while rookie star jackson dart He could return from his injury this week, with the Giants taking Week 14 off and giving him more time to recover. The Giants are not making the playoffs. Winston is capable of a big performance at any time, against any foe, even next Monday night against the Patriots.

• titans newbie cam ward (5.2%) scored 23.94 points in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, improving his season best by more than 10 points. Ward still isn’t reliable in fantasy, but we acknowledge there is upside here against this week’s jacksonville jaguarsThen, the Titans must deal miles garrett And the Browns in Week 14, who isn’t as attractive.

• dolphin lefty tua tagovailoa (12.8%) did not throw a single pass in Week 12, serving a bye week, but faced the New Orleans Saints this week and then, in Week 14, New York JetsLike Darnold, a fantasy manager could perform even worse over a two-week period, There are plenty of quarterbacks readily available in ESPN leagues, but Darnold and Tagovailoa deserve attention ahead of others, houston texans starter CJ Stroud (41.1%), Brown Newbie shadure sanders (5.2%) and, if necessary, tend to an injured person Baker MayfieldBuccaneers’ teddy bridgewater (0.1%).

running back

chris rodriguez jrWashington Commanders (8.8%): We don’t normally recommend players against the Broncos, but Rodriguez certainly looked like the team’s starter, not a rookie, before the bye week. Jacory Croskey-Merritt (60%). even Austin Ekeler (18.3), who went on injured reserve in Week 3, is more rostered than Rodriguez. That’s absolutely silly. After rushing 15 times in Week 11 and scoring touchdowns in Weeks 9 and 10, the Vols are expected for Rodriguez against Denver. The Commanders will face the Vikings in Week 14.

devin nealNew Orleans Saints (1.8%): When Kamara (knee) left Sunday’s game, Neal, a sixth-round pick from Kansas, was pressed into early duty. Neal was able to score 11.1 points in relief, with most of the damage done on his five receptions for 43 yards. Saints used T.E. taysom hill (1.2%) for more volume, but he turned 10 carries into only 17 yards, so we’ll go with Neal first. We lack clarity on Kamara’s status, but Neal may get a chance to shine this week against the Dolphins and a week later against the Buccaneers.

bomb nightArizona Cardinals (40.2%): Someone has to play football for Arizona this week against the Buccaneers, and while we’ve talked about potential starters trey benson (55.7%) has recently returned to the field several times from his knee injury, who knows when he will officially return. It may be night and michael carter (11.3%) this week and beyond.

Deep-League Options/Streamers/Random Ideas

• There isn’t much to add at running back, so it’s a good thing no team has a bye in Week 13. Chiefs Backup kareem hunt (59.9%) and pittsburgh steelers backup kenneth gainwell (57.2%) are more than 50%, but each should be more popular than they are. Hunt scored 20 points on Sunday, and we’re still waiting for clarity on this isia pacheco (Knee) Will play against the Cowboys this Thursday afternoon. Gainwell has scored 47.7 points over the last two games, his 13 receptions over this span are a big reason, and the Steelers face buffalo billAdd these players for Week 13 and beyond,

wide receiver

chimere dikeTennessee Titans (11.9%): Dyke scored 21.4 points in Sunday’s loss to the heavily favored Seahawks, tallying an electric punt return touchdown and then scoring a receiving touchdown in the final minute. Dyke has reached 16 fantasy points in three of five games and Ward looks to be making progress. No one will confuse the Titans’ offense as any productive offense, but Ward and Dyke should put up capable statistics in Week 13 against the Jaguars, and if the Titans can maintain the pass rush, perhaps next week against the Browns.

John Mechie IIINew York Jets (0.5%): Mechi scored 18.5 points in Sunday’s loss. Baltimore RavensCatching six of seven targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. This is the second consecutive game in which Mecchi has caught four passes in seven games philadelphia eagles Scored one touchdown, before landing with the Jets for Week 10. He looks like a former featured receiver as well indianapolis colts Option adonai michel (2.8%). For now, go with Mecchi against the Falcons and Dolphins in the next fortnight.

jayden higginsHouston Texans (23.3%): Higgins has played in three of five games and caught two touchdown passes from the quarterback as he has emerged as a reasonable flex option. The schedule is not favorable for road games with the Colts and Chiefs over the next two weeks, and we don’t know who will throw the football, but Higgins should be more popular. TeamMite Christian Kirk (10.6%) also scored a touchdown in Week 12, but Higgins has a bright future in the short and long term.

Deep-League Options/Streamers/Random Ideas

• Bengals play 12th week without star jammer chase (suspension) and then lost to the Patriots late, they lost t higgins (Shock). This will force him to miss Week 13, as the Bengals will play on Thursday night. andrei iosivus (11.2%) caught four passes for 61 yards on Sunday Michelle Tinsley (0.2%) scored a touchdown on two of his receptions. it’s definitely possible joe burroHe’s likely to return to action on Thursday, looking to make his way back to Thanksgiving. Go with Iosivas first, and remember, Higgins’ return for Week 14 is not guaranteed.

• green Bay Packers starter Christian Watson (48.8%) He scored a disappointing 9.9 points on Sunday against the Vikings, but we like him for Weeks 13 and 14 against the Detroit Lions and Chicago BearsAfter all, the Lions allowed just 30,6 points to the Giants van’dale robinsonAnd the Bears WR is one of the easiest teams to score fantasy points on. Watson claims touchdown upside for these contests.

• Likewise, we like the upside of the Bears rookie Luther Burden III (7.5%) for games against the Eagles and Packers. Burden still hasn’t really broken out, with three receptions in each of the last three weeks, but he makes big plays whenever he’s called upon and thus makes a decent, deep-league flex.

• cardinals slot options Greg Dortch (6.1%) Has scored 35.4 points over the last two games, as Brissett continues to throw the football consistently Marvin Harrison Jr.(Appendix), Michael Wilson The target is the hog, but the little dart has scored touchdowns in consecutive weeks.

tight end

colston lovelandChicago Bears (35%): Loveland scored 14.9 points, including his third touchdown of his rookie season, in Sunday’s win over the Steelers. Loveland has been a fantasy factor over the past five weeks, averaging better than 12 yards per catch each week. The Bears will play the Eagles this Friday afternoon.

Brenton StrangeJacksonville Jaguars (10.9%): Coming off the fifth week due to a hip injury, Strange scored 14.3 points (top five points among tight ends this week) in his return against the Cardinals, and he has been tipped for Week 13 against the Titans and even next week against the Colts. A healthy Strange will see targets, and he totaled 93 receiving yards on Sunday.

Deep-League Options/Streamers/Random Ideas

• evan engram (42.4%) and his teammates had a bye in Week 12, and they play a Sunday night game at Washington this week. Engram hasn’t helped fantasy managers much this season, but the Commanders allow a lot of fantasy points to tight ends, though not very many.

• It might be a little hard to trust the Ravens’ backup TE Isaiah possibly (7.6%) Simply because his team plays the Bengals, who have historically been terrible against tight ends this season. starter mark andrews Should have a good game, and probably have a chance to reach double-digit fantasy points for the first time this season. For those wondering, the Bengals play the Bills in Week 14, so if Dalton Kincaid (Hamstring) By the time he gets back healthy, he’s a major fantasy pickup!

protect

• colts d/st (46%) safely ranks in the top 10 in fantasy scoring this season, yet because so many managers moved to Week 11, this unit is available in many leagues. Go get the Colts. They will play the Texans and Jaguars over the next two weeks.

• For week 13, San Francisco 49ers D/ST (20%) should produce a lot of turnovers against the Browns and their rookie QB, while Atlanta Falcons D/ST (36.4%) face jets.

• meanwhile, Dolphin D/ST (2.3%) hasn’t helped many fantasy managers, but this unit has 18 fantasy points in its last two games against the Bills and Commander. The Dolphins host the Saints in Week 13, then play the Jets in Week 14. This can work well for imagination.