For many, the fantasy playoffs are finally upon us! If your squad made the cut, good luck in the coming weeks as you get closer and closer to that championship! If you didn’t, then go join a dynasty league. I promise they’re a lot of fun. This is the most exciting part of the season, so don’t forget to set your lineup!
While waiver pickups were most important in the middle of the season, they still hold great relevance in the playoffs. Depth is still required to win a league championship, and many players on the waiver wire are still viable for fantasy football. This week’s list of players owned in less than 65% of ESPN fantasy leagues should help you as the fantasy playoffs begin!
Quarterbacks
Matthew Stafford - LAR
Stafford and the Rams offense had a fantastic showing against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in what became this week’s best game. The veteran quarterback didn’t throw a ton of passes but still achieved a season-high in passing yards in a single game.
Stafford also tossed two touchdowns and still hasn’t notched an interception since Week 10. His upcoming schedule isn’t terrible and could allow him to become a decent streaming option, especially with the healthy talent in the Los Angeles skill position groups being at a season-high.
Matthew Stafford has been a consistent and dependable quarterback all year, never throwing for more than one interception in a game and frequently exploding for multi-touchdown performances. If you are in desperate need of a quarterback in the playoffs, Stafford can get the job done.
Jameis Winston - CLE
Jameis Winston has been the ultimate boom-or-bust quarterback in real life as well as in fantasy football. Since taking over as the full-time starter in Week 8, Winston has accounted for 12 total touchdowns and seven interceptions. A high number of both statistics has always been what has defined Winston, not to mention his high weekly passing yardage totals.
According to the TeamRankings Offensive Statistics, Cleveland is attempting the second-highest number of passes per game in the NFL this season, so volume is not an issue for Winston. After Week 15’s game against Kansas City, Winston’s upcoming schedule doesn’t look too bad. If you’re in a pinch and need a quarterback who could easily drop 30 fantasy points for your lineup, Jameis Winston is your guy. Just don’t be too surprised if he throws a few passes to the other team.
Running Backs
Kendre Miller - NO
Kenre Miller is in his sophomore season, but Week 15’s matchup against the New York Giants was only the running back’s 11th career game. These injury woes have caused him to miss a decent amount of time, leading to his fantasy outlook diminishing in both redraft and dynasty leagues.
However, Miller put together a solid showing on Sunday, receiving 10 carries and taking one of them in for a score. Miller’s upside still remains as a handcuff, but if he becomes New Orleans’ goal-line back, we could start to see a new running back duo develop for this Saints team.
The TeamRankings Offensive Statistics says that New Orleans is averaging the seventh-most rush attempts per game in the NFL this season, so Miller could definitely find himself in a bigger role if he proves himself. Having at least one handcuff running back on your roster heading into the fantasy playoffs is always a good idea, and if Miller sees his role grow, he could provide standalone value in fantasy football.
Isaiah Davis - NYJ
Isaiah Davis broke onto the scene in Week 15 against Miami, handling a season-high number of opportunities that were split between 10 carries and six targets. In Breece Hall’s absence, Davis posted higher efficiency and had a greater number of targets than fellow Jets running back Braelon Allen. This sets the stage for Davis to make contributions going forward; after all, New York needs a spark, and Davis could be the answer they’ve been looking for.
He’s not a guaranteed league winner, but Davis could be a solid piece to a playoff team if he was to earn a bigger role or if Breece Hall was to miss any more time. Davis has been productive since his days at South Dakota State and clearly has a knack for getting into the end zone. If he continues to see touches, expect fantasy points to follow.
Wide Receivers
Jalen McMillan - TB
On Sunday, rookie wideout Jalen McMillan’s role grew dramatically. The first-year receiver matched his career-high in receptions and posted a career-high in receiving yards against Las Vegas, scoring two touchdowns in the process. We’ve seen Baker Mayfield produce elite fantasy wide receivers before with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.
With the former being unfortunately sidelined for the rest of the season, McMillan could see even more snaps going forward after playing 79% of the Bucs’ offensive snaps on Sunday. This was a very encouraging showing from McMillan, and if he can establish a connection with quarterback Baker Mayfield early on, his production should reflect that. Baker Mayfield is a fantastic NFL quarterback and could allow Jalen McMillan to become a late-season star in fantasy football.
Tim Patrick - DET
It was nice to see wideout Tim Patrick, who has struggled with injuries over the last few seasons, put together a great performance on Thursday in Detroit’s thrilling divisional win over Green Bay. Patrick received a season-high number of targets and scored two touchdowns, his first since 2021. We’ve seen Patrick take on a more consistent role in Detroit’s offense over the past few weeks; this has become evident with the wideout playing over 50% of the team’s offensive snaps in three straight games.
If he can continue to carve out a role in this elite Detroit offense, he could see some serious production in no time. Patrick is one of the stronger waiver pickups this week. Don’t hesitate to add him to your bench just in case he finds the end zone a few more times.
Tight Ends
Tyler Conklin - NYJ
This one is pretty straightforward. Tight-end Tyler Conklin has received a pretty decent number of targets this season. Plus, outside of a few down weeks, Conklin has been fairly consistent, drawing over five targets in many games this year. New York’s offense has a pretty soft schedule over the next two weeks, facing off against the defenses of the Los Angeles Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This means that Conklin is a legitimate streaming option moving forward, making him valuable to any playoff team in need of a tight end. He’s still under the radar, not even being ranked in last week’s Fantasy Trading Room Tight End Rankings, so he could end up being a solid contributor off of the waiver wire.
Tucker Kraft - GB
Tucker Kraft has been incredibly dependable outside of a dud in Week 11. He’s caught a number of receiving touchdowns and has emerged as Green Bay’s top tight end this season. If he can continue to receive a stable number of targets, he should remain a great streaming option moving forward, and in my opinion, he should probably be owned in a higher number of leagues.
He’s starting to pick up some attention, so pick up Kraft while you still can. He was even listed as last week’s must-start tight end in the Fantasy Trading Room Tight End Rankings for Week 14. Kraft has been seriously underrated this year, notching over 500 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns through 13 games. If you need a tight end, he’s an excellent choice in fantasy football.