Happy New Year! I hope you all won your championship game as 2023 came to a close. If your league is still going into the final week of the NFL regular season and the championship is within your reach, there are some things to consider. The first is that it is so tricky to predict how teams will handle the last regular season game. Many top contenders who have solidified their playoff spot/seed will sit their starters which tend to be a lot of the star players from a fantasy perspective. The great news is that there is plenty of talent around the league and a good bit of teams still have a lot to play for. Players from those teams are who I am usually most intrigued by. Inevitably, something weird will happen in a game of no consequence and you may be on the negative end of that outcome. If you are reading this I hope this serves as a friendly reminder to stay on top of your lineup to close out the year. Nothing is worse than watching one of your players sit in the starting lineup with an “Out” designation while your championship hopes are on the line. With that being said, here are my top waiver wire targets to close out the year.
Waiver Wire Targets:
Zamir White (Rostered in 43.5% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
White has been the de facto running back while Josh Jacobs has been sidelined with an injury. In 3 starts, he has scored double digit fantasy points in each outing. With some uncertainty regarding Jacob’s injury and impending free agency and that the Raiders have been eliminated from playoff contention, there is strong reason to suggest White will remain the lead back heading into week 18.
Elijah Mitchell (Rostered in 13.4% of ESPN leagues)
With Christian McCaffrey leaving the game early due to a calf injury, Mitchell rushed 17 times for 80 yards and a touchdown. With McCaffrey having no real reason to play with the 49ers having clinched a playoff spot, Mitchell could be worth a start in his absence.
Pierre Strong Jr. (Rostered in 0.4% of ESPN leagues)
Against their upcoming matchup with the Bengals, the Browns are expected to rest most of their starters and veterans. This means Ford and Hunt could be sidelined. Strong presents as an interesting option to consider if needing a running back.
Jayden Reed (Rostered in 62.2% of ESPN leagues)
Reed has been an explosive fantasy option down the stretch. Against the Vikings, he put up a season high 26.9 fantasy points. I don’t usually put players who are owned in more than 50% of leagues on this list but he is a must have in every league possible. I guarantee he helped many fantasy managers get to the championship. Watch out for his injury status as he had x-rays done on his ribs.
Romeo Doubs (Rostered in 41.8% of ESPN leagues)
Doubs is a super consistent receiving option for Jordan Love and is averaging about 5 targets a game. In a must win game to keep their playoff hopes alive, I like the pass happy Packers and their receivers as great fantasy options.
Demarcus Robinson (Rostered in 10.6% of ESPN leagues)
Robinson has been a touchdown machine catching a touchdown in 4 out of his last 5 games. I have admittedly overlooked this guy in previous weeks lists and for that I apologize. He has been a beast for the Rams and has played a big part in helping them clinch their playoff spot. With the playoff spot secured, they may sit or reduce the minutes of Cupp and Nacua opening the door for more work for Robinson. Good option to pick up and keep an eye on ahead of their matchup against the 49ers.
Tucker Kraft (Rostered in 13.3% of ESPN leagues)
Kraft has been pretty consistent these last 4 games scoring double digit points in all 4. He has had 6 receptions each game in all but one. I love consistent targets when it comes to a tight end and this guy fits the bill. Similar to his wide receiver counterparts listed above, the pass happy Packers should be airing it out in hopes of clinching a playoff spot. It is also important to note that starting tight end, Luke Muskgrave, remains on IR ahead of this week 18 matchup.
Gardner Minshew (Rostered in 15.5% of ESPN leagues)
Let me start by saying this is a “only if you absolutely have to” type of play. Throughout the season Minshew has flashed some really great performances only to follow them up with some very lackluster ones. What makes him interesting this week is the playoff implications if they beat the Texans and the fact that the Texans are pretty soft against the pass. Who knows, maybe a little bit of Minshew Mania will happen on Saturday.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring
Want to tell me who I left off or needs to be added? Follow me on twitter at @The_FFGenius and let me know!