Week 14 ... this is it, the final game of the regular season in most fantasy leagues. If you have already clinched a playoff berth and can't improve your seeding, sit tight. If you have long been mathematically eliminated from the postseason, play for pride, dammit. But if you're on the brink of punching that postseason ticket, you may want to take heed and follow these tips. After all ... having a winning record and not making the playoffs isn't exactly anything to brag about.
Need a Running Back? Claim Them Off Waivers Now: James White, Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell, Chris Polk
James White came back alive last week, catching 10 passes out the backfield for 115 yards and a touchdown for 17 fantasy points in non-PPR leagues. The New England Patriots running back is on 70 percent of rosters across CBS Sportsline's fantasy teams as of Wednesday morning. If you're league is in that minority 30 percent of leagues that count White as a free agent, do anything to snatch him off the waiver wire. Not only should he be a solid play on the road against the Houston Texans in Week 14, but beyond as a solid rusher owners could count on during the stretch run.
By the way ... yes, I realize that the Texans have J.J. Watt, who's as dominant a defensive lineman as there is in the NFL. But the way White was used last week, as a receiver out of the backfield, should spell some nice opportunities again for the 23-year-old rusher.
Isaiah Crowell could generate better production than the 62 yards he had last week and that's because the Cleveland Browns may opt to up the running back's workload in attempt to ease Johnny Manziel back into the quarterback spot. While fellow Browns rusher Duke Johnson should get his fair share of touches and opportunities, too, if you're super-thin at running back this week, taking a one-game flyer on Crowell against the lowly San Francisco 49ers this week wouldn't be a bad idea.
The whole reason to grab Bilal Powell this week is the New York Jets are expected to beat the brakes off the Tennessee Titans. If they assert Chris Ivory with the run and grab an early lead, it would likely spell more Powell and less Ivory at running back. That kind of situation could lead to Powell racking up fantasy points as he did last week against the New York Giants with 91 receiving yards and a touchdown and another 17 yards on the ground for 16 fantasy points.
Chris Polk is on 9 percent of Sportsline teams as of Wednesday morning ... and that's after the Houston Texans running back recorded 13 fantasy points on 61 yards rushing, 11 receiving and one touchdown last week. With the Texans in hot pursuit of the playoffs and the New England Patriots having lost two straight games, tabbing Polk for a start could pay dividends ... not to mention, make you look like a fantasy football genius.
Need A Wide Receiver? Claim Them Off Waivers Now: Tyler Lockett, DeVante Parker, Cecil Shorts
Don't look now, but the Seattle Seahawks seem to be gaining steam at just the right time, having won three straight games and five out of their last six, sitting at 7-5 and very much alive in the postseason race. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett has something to do with that, coming off 90 receiving yards for nine points in non-PPR leagues last week.
With Locket only being on 24 percent of fantasy teams in Sportsline leagues, plucking him out of the free agency pool and inserting him into your starting lineup would be wise, especially considering the Baltimore Ravens are amongst the worst against the pass that the NFL has. That could result in another big day for Lockett. In fact, count on it.
Any wide receiver going against the New York Giants secondary should be considered to start. This week it's Miami Dolphins' DeVante Parker. Feel good about starting him, too, because the Giants secondary is Swiss cheese back there.
Why Cecil Shorts against the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football? Well, because the Houston Texans wide receiver is coming alive at just the right time, the team is hunting down a playoff spot and Brian Hoyer — yes, Brian Hoyer — is actually becoming pretty dependable at quarterback for the squad. Shorts has put together back-to-back nine-point fantasy weeks, having even scored 13 three weeks ago. That and the Patriots defense has allowed 24 and 28 points in back-to-back losses. See where I'm going with this?
Anticipated Letdowns: Dez Bryant, Panthers Defense
Sorry, Dez Bryant, but as dynamic a wide receiver as you are, you're only as good as your quarterback. Without Tony Romo, Bryant only mustered 62 receiving yards for six fantasy points ... and that was against the Washington Redskins. The Green Bay Packers — the Dallas Cowboys' opponent this week — is a better team and that could easily result in a similar if not worse outing for Bryant.
If you have the Carolina Panthers defense, you play them this week. Um ... the team is only undefeated, so it's a no-brainer. That being said, somehow the Panthers allowed themselves to get baited into a shootout with the New Orleans Saints last week. The same kind of style of game this week against the Atlanta Falcons could pave the way for a shortcoming for the Panthers defense. Still, start them no matter what.
Sleeper Picks: Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Ryan Fitzpatrick
The New England Patriots seem to be reeling a little bit, having dropped two straight games. And the Houston Texans have been somewhat steady, winning four straight games, before losing last week at Buffalo. At 6-6, the Texans are in playoff contention in the AFC South. If you're desperate at quarterback, Brian Hoyer could be a sneaky play against a Pats defense that has been anything but shut down over the past two weeks.
After his self-imposed trials and tribulations, I'm going out on a limb and naming Johnny Manziel a sleeper this week and that's only because the Cleveland Browns are playing the San Francisco 49ers. While the 49ers are downright terrible, it is Manziel's first start back and he still isn't counted on to perform well. Maybe he'll surprise folks Sunday.
By no means is Ryan Fitzpatrick a star quarterback ... but he doesn't make many mistakes and is pretty efficient throwing to his big targets in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Fitzpatrick might actually put up some star-like numbers against the Tennessee Titans this week.
Confusion By Committee: Denver Broncos Tight Ends Owen Daniels, Vernon Davis, And Virgil Green
Get this — Denver Broncos tight ends Owen Daniels and Vernon Davis were each targeted three times last week. Fellow tight end, Virgil Green, was targeted once. Green wound up with 22 yards receiving on that one catch, while Davis wound up with 25 receiving yards and Daniels with 13. If that's not confusion by committee, I don't know what is. Davis could sit out this week against the Oakland Raiders, due to a concussion. Perhaps that will sharpen the scope between Daniels and Green, but still ... expect confusion.
