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Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be a limitless resource when it comes to discovering
fantasy value. Each week, I’ll target both offensive and defensive
players — sometimes breakout stars that eluded your team’s
draft — as well as players who can help your squad that may
be lurking in deeper leagues.

Off the Top - Includes my premier
recommendations. These are sometimes players available only in more
shallow leagues, and occasionally guys who are more readily but
are thrust into the fantasy spotlight because of opportunity or
exceptional production.

Digging Deeper - Covers the next
tier of quality waiver wire specimens, usually players available
in a majority of online leagues. There are a lot of gems in this
range who can be plucked rather easily.

Scouring the Barrel - Chronicles
the deepest of fantasy adds — and sometimes highlights players
being tacked onto fantasy squads who I don’t have much confidence
in. Make sure you read the fine print.

Each week, I’ll also provide a brief update on the 20-30 players
I covered the previous week. It’s the most accurate, comprehensive
one-stop waiver-wire column available on the Internet, and it’s
only available here at fftoday.com.

Jay
Cutler, CHI (@MIN, GB, @ARI, @DET) – He’s owned in just 62
percent of fantasy leagues and has one of the best arms (and wide
receiver) in the game. The Vikings managed to keep Aaron Rodgers
in check this week, but the Chicago offensive line is actually
better than the Packers line at this point. I expect another solid
game from Cutler next week in Minnesota.

Sam Bradford, STL (@BUF, MIN, @TB, @SEA) – Bradford has
been surprisingly consistent this season despite a young receiving
corps that’s experienced some minor tumult. He’s available
in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and could be a decent option
against the Bills in Week 14 and the Bucs in Week 16 – championship
week for most formats. And I know, I know – while it’s
hard to imagine a team taking down a fantasy title with Bradford
at the helm, there are still plenty of leagues out there where
a Week 16 win is worth something other than the top prize.

Digging Deeper

Brandon Weeden, CLE (KC, WAS, @DEN, @PIT) – Weeden is owned
in about 25-30 percent of fantasy leagues and is coming off a
relatively impressive performance in the Black Hole. He racked
up 364-1-2 and could turn in even better numbers against the Chiefs
in Week 14.

Nick
Foles, PHI (@TB, CIN, WAS, @NYG) – The Eagles are a mess,
but Foles has a strong arm and they’ve got nothing to lose at
this point. In two-QB leagues, I can see giving Foles a shot against
the Bucs. Update: The team announced
Monday that Foles would remain the starter for the rest of the
season.

Scouring The Barrel

Brady Quinn, KC (@CLE, @OAK, IND, @DEN) – The Chiefs’
organization experienced a devastating tragedy this weekend and
played with heavy hearts on Sunday, managing to win their football
game. Quinn was masterful, throwing for 201-2-0 on 19-for-23 passing.
He also delivered a must-hear postgame speech on the importance
of eschewing social media and handheld electronic devices –
things that sometimes keep us from noticing how things are going
with those we spend our actual lives around. Quinn (who’s
available in about 97 percent of fantasy leagues) showed poise
both on the field and off on Sunday, and in my mind, his stock
as a football player – and as a person – went up dramatically.

Greg
McElroy, NYJ (@JAC, @TEN, SD, @BUF) – In a hilarious turn
of events, Mark Sanchez was shown the bench after multiple INTs
and McElroy was named the player of the game in the Jets 7-6 victory
over the Cards. Update: McElroy began
the season as the team’s developmental third QB, but things
have gotten desperate in New Jersey. “League sources”
are speculating to CBS Sports NFL insider Jason LaCanfora that
Rex Ryan is “leaning” toward McElroy this week, but
Ryan hasn’t said anything official as of Monday night about
his plans for Week 14. And while I can’t seriously recommend
McElroy for single-QB leagues save for desperation situations
in super-deep leagues, it’ll be interesting to see how the
Jets plan on using him going forward.

Updates

Ryan Fitzpatrick, BUF (STL, SEA, @MIA, NYJ) – Fitzpatrick
enjoyed another okay game thanks to a rushing TD, but he only
threw for 112-2-1 as the Bills focused on a successful ground
game.

Russell Wilson, SEA (ARI, @BUF, SF, STL) – Wilson had his
best fantasy game of the season, finishing with 293-2-0 and 71
rushing yards. The rookie has now thrown for 2,344-19-8 and has
298 rushing yards on the season.

Jonathan Dwyer, PIT (SD, @DAL, CIN, CLE) – Dwyer (72 percent
owned) is a risky start moving forward but he runs with purpose
and was impressive in the victory over the Ravens. He’s
a grinder with competition for touches but plenty of fantasy upside
as a low-end RB2.

Vick Ballard, IND (TEN, @HOU, @KC, HOU) – Ballard is owned
in about two thirds of fantasy leagues and turned in his best
performance of the season to date, rushing for 41 yards and a
TD on nine carries and contributing 3-21-0 receiving. He’s
a low-end RB2 and decent flex option.

Digging Deeper

James
Starks, GB (DET, @CHI, TEN, @MIN) – I was this close to including
Starks (40 percent owned) in my column last week but decided to
leave him out at the last minute. Not. Good. He had 84 total yards
and a TD, his best game since the 2010 postseason. Update:
Mike McCarthy plans to “stay the course” and ride
Starks as the lead back going forward.Editor's
Note: Starks suffered a knee injury in Week 13
and is likely to be put on IR. Alex Green will be the starting
RB moving forward.

Bilal
Powell, NYJ (@JAC, @TEN, SD, @BUF) – Update:
Owned in about 35-40 percent of fantasy leagues, Powell has at
least 10 carries and 40 rushing yards in three straight games
– and an impressive three TDs over that span. He’s
worth a look as a flex/low-end RB2 against the feeble Jaguars
and should be owned in all formats at this point.

Scouring The Barrel

James
Casey, HOU (@NE, IND, MIN, @IND) – He qualifies as a running
back and has two TDs in his last three games. Casey (6 percent
owned) gets used a lot in the red zone and could be worth a look
as a flex option in deeper formats – especially TD-only and PPR
leagues.

Montell
Owens, JAC (NYJ, @MIA, NE, @TEN) – Update:
Maurice Jones-Drew (Lisfranc) isn’t quite ready yet (I’d
call him doubtful for Week 14 at this point) and Rashad Jennings
(see below) got rocked last week. The matchup isn’t a great
one, but it’s on the favorable side and Owens ran well in
relief of Jennings last week. He’s a deep-league RB3/flex
option with a glimmer of upside.

Updates

Michael
Bush, CHI (@MIN, GB, @ARI, @DET) – Forte was good to go on
Sunday and Bush – relegated to a backup/situational role – finished
with just 39 rushing yards on seven carries.

Bryce
Brown, PHI (@TB, CIN, WAS, @NYG) – With a second straight
monster performance, Brown will be gone from the balance of waiver
wires after this week. He had 169 rushing yards and two TDs plus
4-14-0 receiving, but his lost fumble complicates his usage moving
forward. Still – he’s been a revelation for fantasy owners.

Beanie
Wells, ARI (@SEA, DET, CHI, @SF) – Wells had 15 carries for
just 22 yards and no receptions. He’s not a great option facing
the Seahawks this week.

Rashad
Jennings, JAC (NYJ, @MIA, NE, @TEN) – Jennings had just eight
carries for 20 yards and no catches, yielding more touches than
expected to Montell Owens. Update:
Jennings left the game early on Sunday because of a concussion.
Owens is the likely starter for Week 14.

Shane
Vereen, NE (HOU, SF, @JAC, MIA) – The Pats didn’t need Vereen
much on Sunday, as he carried the ball just three times for 14
yards.

David
Wilson, NYG (NO, @ATL, @BAL, PHI) – Update:
Wilson rushed for 9 yards on four carries against the Skins on
Monday night. He’ll get some more work and could break off
some big runs, but he’s only an option in the deepest of
formats unless something befalls Ahmad Bradshaw.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Off The Top

TE Brandon
Myers, OAK (DEN, KC, @CAR, @SD) – Myers exploded for 14-130-1
on Sunday and has some favorable matchups in the season’s last
four weeks. He’s a bona fide TE1 who’s a fantasy force to be reckoned
with.

WR Golden
Tate, SEA (ARI, @BUF, SF, STL) – Update:
With four TDs over his last four games and 35-486-7 on the season,
Tate is worth starting in plenty of formats, but is only owned
in a little over 50-percent of fantasy leagues. He’s definitely
a risk as a week-to-week starter, but Wilson looks for him quite
frequently in the red zone and the Cards are a poor team likely
to yield a few scoring opportunities to the Seahawks in Week 14.

Digging Deeper

WR Donnie
Avery, IND (TEN, @HOU, @KC, HOU) – I believed the hype on
Ryan Broyles (absent from my column but touted on others) and
started him over Avery (38 percent owned) in one of my home leagues.
Clearly, it was a crucial mistake, as Avery turned in 5-91-2,
including the game winner as time expired. He’s a shifty receiver
with tons of ability and fantasy upside. Update:
In retrospect, it wasn’t really Broyles’ fault he
tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season. But it still
hurts, folks. And Avery is an explosive player who can score from
anywhere.

WR Andrew
Hawkins, CIN (DAL, @PHI, @PIT, BAL) – I can’t see starting
Hawkins (34 percent owned) in Weeks 16 or 17, but the next two
games could be huge for the Bengals’ second receiver. He’s finally
healthy and as long as he doesn’t have a setback with his knee,
should contribute against both the Cowboys and Eagles.

Scouring The Barrel

WR Lestar
Jean, HOU (@NE, IND. MIN, @IND) – Jean finally broke out with
a huge TD catch in Week 13, but it was his only target of the
day. I could see him being used a lot more against the Patriots,
but he’s still a major risk – even in deeper formats.

WR Mike
Thomas, DET (@GB, @ARI, ATL, CHI) – Update:
Thomas vaults into the No. 2 WR spot for the Lions with Broyles
done for the season. He struggled against the Colts, but with
a week of practice under his belt and Calvin Johnson drawing plenty
of attention, the former Jags wideout is worth a look in deeper
formats.

Updates

WR Davone
Bess, MIA (@SF, JAC, BUF, @NE) – Bess had his worst game of
the season – one catch for 13 yards. It wasn’t a good week for
my WR picks.

WR Mohamed
Sanu, CIN (DAL, @PHI, @PIT, BAL) – Sanu was a mid-week scratch
after a Thursday foot injury (stress fracture) and is out for
the rest of the season.

TE Robert
Housler, ARI (@SEA, DET, CHI, @SF) – Housler had just 4-15-0
and couldn’t break through the Jets stifling defense in the red
zone.

IDP

Off The Top

DL Cliff Avril, DET (@GB, @ARI, ATL, CHI) – Avril has sacks
in three straight games and while he’s battled injuries
and is more of a situational pass rusher, he plays with intensity
and should be able to get to Aaron Rodgers in Week 14.

LB Jo-Lonn
Dunbar (@BUF, MIN, @TB, @SEA) – MLB James Laurinaitis steals
much of the spotlight among St. Louis LBs, but Dunbar has had
an excellent 2012 campaign (80 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, INT,
three PD). The word is out, but he’s still available in plenty
of IDP formats.

Digging Deeper

DB Jordan Babineaux, TEN (@IND, NYJ, @GB, JAC) – You won’t
find a more favorable schedule in weeks 14-17 than the one for
Tennessee DBs, and Babineaux is the most overlooked of the bunch.
He’s a steady tackler and decent DB3.

LB Demorrio
Williams, SD (@PIT, CAR, @NYJ, OAK) – The pick six in Week
13 helped out fantasy owners who gave Williams a shot with Donald
Butler out. If Butler can’t go in Week 14, Williams will once
again be a solid option. Stay tuned.

Scouring The Barrel

DB Janoris Jenkins, STL (@BUF, MIN, @TB, @SEA) – Jenkins
keeps making big plays for the Rams and is among the top IDP rookie
performers in the game. He’s worth rolling out versus the
Bills in Week 14 as a high-risk/high-reward option since Fitzpatrick’s
been much more careful with the football lately.

DL Corey Liuget, SD (@PIT, CAR, @NYJ, OAK) – A run-stopping
DE with some fantasy upside, Liuget has improved his game dramatically
in 2012 and is worth starting in deeper IDP formats in the coming
weeks.

Updates

DL Chris Clemons, SEA (ARI, @BUF, SF, STL) – Another epic
goose egg from a guy who’s as hard to predict as any DL
in football. It’s hard to say how and why he didn’t
register at least one tackle.