Mike Davis, Gio Bernard, Peyton Barber offer emergency assistance for owners with lineup holes to fill.
The Rob Gronkowski suspension is one reason teams in the fantasy football playoffs should still be allowed to add players off the waiver wire. But even if your playoff-bound squad is set at every position, there are still some players out there who could solidify a fantasy roster for a championship run.
The best pickup recommendations last week were wide receiver Josh Gordon and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. See if they’re still available before checking out the rest of this week’s list.
BEST BETS
RB Mike Davis, Seattle Seahawks. Finally, we have someone in Seattle who looks like a starting running back. Although his Week 13 numbers don’t scream “star” (16-64 rushing, 4-37 receiving), Davis made some nifty moves and — more importantly — was on the field more than any other back. The only downside: Seattle is at Jacksonville on Sunday.
RB Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals. Starter Joe Mixon exited early Monday night with a concussion, so his status for Sunday’s game won’t be certain until late in the week. If Mixon can’t go, Bernard racked up 96 total yards vs. Pittsburgh and would be a decent RB2 against the Chicago Bears.
RB Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A concussion also sidelined Doug Martin in Week 13 and opened the door for Barber — not Jacquizz Rodgers — to shoulder a full workload. He gave the Bucs their first 100-yard rushing performance of the season and also caught four passes for 41 more. Even if Martin returns, Barber could still be worth starting this week vs. Detroit.
REPLACEMENTS
RB Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers. Jones had a pair of 100-yard games earlier in the season before a knee injury moved Jamaal Williams into the starting role. Although Williams has been solid, Jones came back on Sunday with a game-winning 20-yard touchdown run in overtime. With Aaron Rodgers’ return on the horizon, the Packers offense could be much better down the stretch.
WRs Marquise Goodwin/Trent Taylor, San Francisco 49ers. The Niners didn’t score a touchdown in Jimmy Garoppolo’s first start at quarterback, but they moved the ball well. Goodwin, who caught eight passes for 99 yards, would be the receiver to add first. But Taylor (6-92) isn’t a bad flier either in deep leagues.
TE Stephen Anderson, Houston Texans. Once starter C. J. Fiedorowicz left with a concussion, Anderson became a go-to target for QB Tom Savage. He caught five passes for 79 yards and a TD — and could be in line for more work vs. San Francisco.
Gronkowski owners in search of an emergency replacement should look Anderson’s way. Other potential pickups include: David Njoku (4-74, TD), Tyler Kroft (2-30), Ben Watson (3-24, TD) or — if the Eagles Zach Ertz isn’t cleared following his concussion — Trey Burton (2-41, TD).
