The last bye is upon us, so everyone’s back in the fantasy pool now that we’ve gotten through the week ahead. That is the good news. However, six teams will be sidelined in Week 14, meaning you’ll very likely need to look for reinforcements with playoff spots and seeding on the line. As always, we are here for you. Each player described below is available and eligible for use in most Yahoo leagues.
Running backs on the wire
James Cook, Buffalo Bills (24% list)
After Buffalo was traded for Nyheim Hines By the deadline, many of us have scrapped our plans for the rest of the season for Cook. Hines seemed ideal for the backfield role originally intended for Dalvin’s brother.
As it turns out, the newcomer is just a support player on the Bills offense and Cook is emerging as a main weapon. The rookie hit a season-high 20 touches, caught six passes and rushed for a team-high 105 yards in Thursday night’s win in New England. Cook divided schnapps evenly Devin Singletarovertaking the experienced starter 20 to 13. Singletary hit a 1-yard touchdown to keep his fantasy value, but Cook’s rise is clearly a significant development.
James doesn’t quite have the bulk of Dalvin, nor does he have his brother’s vision and incredibility, so we don’t expect him to be an every-down runner any time soon. But he’s an effective multi-role defender tied to a Death Star offense, meaning he deserves a spot on someone’s list in just about every league. Don’t be surprised if Cook features in the fantasy playoffs; He’ll have a real chance to celebrate in Week 16 when the Bills travel to Chicago to face a severely under-abled Bears defense.
Suggested deal on a $100 budget: $21
Akers easily dominated backfield touches for the Rams on Sunday, carrying 17 times for 60 yards and two points. Kyren Williams was relegated to a supporting role (3 for 9). It wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say that Akers was unusually creative or explosive against Seattle, but he was very effective near the goal-line:
The story goes on
If you’re persuaded to invest in the Rams’ offense, a series of hittable defenses are on deck, starting with Las Vegas on Thursday night, then the Packers in week 15. Akers also gets a date with a generous Chargers run D in week 17 when deciding fantasy championships. We can’t rule out the possibility of Williams reappearing, but for now, Akers seems to be the guy at the top of the depth chart.
Offer: $20
Hubbard managed 17 carries for the Panthers in the win against Denver before the bye last week and played 42 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. D’Onta Foreman retained the lead in Carolina’s backfield, of course (and was quite clearly the more formidable runner), but Hubbard’s effort was certainly notable. If he’s going to see double-digit touches every week, he’ll become a deep-league flex option. The Panthers will face two of the league’s most generous running defenses in their next three games when they travel to Seattle on Sunday and host Detroit in Week 16.
Offer: $6
Other RB adds: Zonovan Knight (He cemented his power on Sunday, gaining 118 yards and dominating work in the Jets backfield), Jordan Maurer (He was the clear No. 2 for the Niners in their win over Miami, carrying eight times for 51 yards) Travis Homer and DJ Dallas (if Kenneth Walkerhis ankle injury prevents him from playing Carolina this week, Homer and Dallas – neither of whom are currently healthy – could be the next men).
Wide receivers and tight ends need to be prioritized
Another week, another big target sum for Collins. He saw 10 chances against the Browns on Sunday, snapping three for 35 yards and a hit. (Come on, you can’t expect efficiency, though Kyle Allen is your QB. Let’s just try to focus on the 25.6 percent target percentage.) Collins has the ideal size (6-foot-4, 215) along with speed and jumping ability. He has tied 36 passing attempts in his last four games and has emerged as his team’s main receiving option. Eventually, the Texans will take advantage of his deep ball ability. Collins gets a couple of quality matchups in weeks 16 and 17 (at Ten, Jac), so there’s a good chance he’ll be making noise when fantasy managers need it most.
Offer: $11
Bellinger was sidelined for five weeks with a fractured face and an eye injury, but returned Sunday afternoon against Washington to complete all five of his goals. The fourth-round rookie was almost always a tight end for the Giants before the injury and seems to have reclaimed his role now. He made a few home visits earlier in the season and is a good bet to reach the end zone again in the coming weeks. New York’s receiving corps is a little lacking in talent at the moment, so Bellinger shouldn’t be short of opportunities.
Offer: $4
Daniel Bellinger is an intriguing fantasy option down the line given how thin tight-end production is this season. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Additional receivers to stow: Corey Davis (He’s put up an 85-yard rush on 10 goals, although the upcoming matchup with Buffalo isn’t ideal.) Isaiah McKenzie (he snapped all five of his targets Thursday night and feasted the week before) Jahan Dotson (he was heading for a bye so can’t help this week but he eventually returned to the end zone in week 13 while drawing nine goals) Alec Pierc (another funny rookie heading into a very late bye week and putting on an impressive prime time performance),
Various tight ends available: Greg Dulcich (He re-entered the fantasy conversation with an 85-yard performance on Sunday), Evan engram (He found the end zone against Detroit and gets a vulnerable Tennessee pass defense this week) Noah Fant (If you like chasing down TDs at this position, Fant is your type) Cade Otton (He made a late home visit on Monday evening and saw a spike in usage as a result Cameron BrateAbsence).
Quarterbacks in sight
Goff built Jacksonville’s defense on Sunday, throwing for 340 yards and two points, the sixth time he threw multiple TD passes this season. The Lions weren’t exactly ready to receive guns early in the year, and they only added rookie burners Jamesson Williams to mix. Detroit is now preparing to host a Vikings defense, which was the last to enter against the pass in Week 13 and allowed 8.3 yards per attempt. If you’re looking for a placeholder for a week, Goff can certainly help.
Offer: $5
Huntley led the Ravens (nearly) to a win over Denver and came in as quarterback the following Sunday Lamar Jackson was lost to a knee injury. He completed 27 of 32 throws for 187 yards and ran 10 times for another 41 yards and the game win:
Jackson’s injury is It is not believed to be a season ending, which is of course excellent news. Huntley has established himself as a capable QB substitute and dangerous rushing threat over the past season; He started four games for Baltimore and rushed for at least 40 yards in all of them. Regardless of how long Jackson is sidelined (if at all), Huntley can certainly help. The Ravens have a series of friendlies until the end of the fantasy season: in Pittsburgh, in Cleveland, in Atlanta and then in Pittsburgh.
Offer: $5
Other Eligible QBs: Mike White (You can’t mess around with him against the Bills this week, but he gets Detroit, Jacksonville and Seattle in weeks 15-17).
When streaming D/STs
The Raiders are on a three-game winning streak these days and face the smoldering ruins of the Rams’ offense on Thursday night. Vegas have produced 11 sacks and three takeaways in the team’s last three games, so this group has been productive for fantasy purposes. Expect more of it in contrast John Wolford & Co.
Offer: $1
Follow the Yahoo Fantasy crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton del Don, Matt Harmon, Scott Pianoski, Dan Titus and Tank Williams.