Methodology
In this weekly article, I’m going to look ahead to the following week. I’ll point out a few players below 40% owned on ESPN who have strong matchups next week that you can pick up ahead of time to beat the waiver run. With added IR spots in most leagues, you can also shift injured players there, opening up a roster spot for these options.
Since most of these additions will occur on the weekend, I’ll exclude any players from the Thursday night game, as you won’t be able to add them to your rosters. This season more than any other, it’s essential to remain active and stay ahead of your league mates. I hope you’ve found value in this column and that it has helped you succeed on a week-to-week basis.
At this point, we’re playing a weekly game. Don’t drop anyone you need to use this week in the playoffs to prepare for a possible Week 15 matchup. If you don’t win this week, you won’t have a next week. But, if you have a first-round bye, this column is essential for you. Start preparing for Week 15 now, while your league mates focus on the first round of the playoffs.
I’ve listed the players in the order I would add them to my roster. Let’s jump right in!
Must Adds
Logan Thomas, 38.5% owned
Thomas is my only must-add this week, whether you need a tight end or not. In Week 13, Thomas starred with nine receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Antonio Gibson has turf toe, and he will likely miss Weeks 14 and 15. Therefore, Washington will lean on Thomas more than usual, especially in a matchup with the Seahawks. I expect Thomas to be a top-10 tight end at least in Week 15, so you need to add him to your roster, even if it’s only to play defense against your league mates.
Deeper Options
Keke Coutee, 26.9% owned
I debated having Coutee as a must-add, but I decided that he doesn’t quite belong in that category. Coutee caught eight of nine targets in Week 13 without Will Fuller in the lineup, playing as the Texans’ WR2 behind Brandin Cooks. However, the Texans draw a difficult Week 15 matchup versus the Colts, and Randall Cobb may return for that game. Coutee did succeed against the Colts in Week 13, but he’s not a must-play that week.
Gus Edwards, 21.4% owned
Edwards bounced back from a rough Week 12 in Week 13, taking seven carries for a whopping 101 yards. However, Edwards only played on 33% of snaps, and the Ravens involved both Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins in the running game. The only reason why I recommend adding Edwards at all is that the Ravens face the Jaguars in Week 15 and the Giants in Week 16. If either Dobbins or Ingram suffered an injury, Edwards would be a viable flex play in those easy matchups.
Ty Johnson, 10.9% owned
It looks like Frank Gore will miss Week 14 with a concussion. Johnson filled in for Gore last week, and he exploded for 104 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. While a running back with volume is nice, Gore will likely return by Week 15, and La’Mical Perine may also return for that game. Additionally, the Jets play the Rams in a difficult matchup next week. For those reasons, Johnson is more of an add for this week, not really as a look-ahead addition.
Jordan Reed, 15.9% owned
Reed saw a season-high 51% of snaps in Week 13, but he only had four targets. Both Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk were healthy, and they’re clearly ahead of Reed in the 49ers’ target pecking order. The only reason to add Reed is his excellent matchup in Week 15 against the Cowboys. If you have a different tight end streamer you prefer for this week, perhaps adding Reed to swap him into your lineup for next week would be a prescient move.
Tim Patrick, 19.3% owned
Patrick is a clear starter for the Broncos opposite Jerry Jeudy. Honestly, Patrick has looked like the better player this season, and he’s been more consistent for fantasy purposes. I hate trusting my fantasy playoffs to Drew Lock, but Patrick will present a solid floor in Week 15 against the Bills. Excluding the Kendall Hinton game, Patrick has 40 receptions for 607 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games, averaging four receptions and 60.7 yards per game. He’s likely one of the best receiver options on the waiver wire if you’re desperate.
Allen Lazard, 31.0% owned
Lazard is the Packers’ WR2, although I’m a bit concerned that Robert Tonyan might now be Aaron Rodgers’ second-favorite target behind Davante Adams. I expect that Lazard might have a strong Week 14 against the Lions, giving me the confidence to start him in Week 15 versus the Panthers. However, Lazard is not a must-add, as you can’t truly trust any ancillary receiving weapons in this offense when Adams soaks up so many targets.
Irv Smith Jr., 3.1% owned
Smith Jr. has missed Weeks 12 and 13 with a groin injury, allowing Kyle Rudolph to dominate the Vikings’ tight end position. However, now Smith has returned to practice, while Rudolph has missed practice with a foot injury. Smith may break out in Week 14 and become a strong start in Week 15 against the Bears. But, that’s a long-shot, and you should only add him in the deepest leagues with no other tight end options.
QB of the Week
Jalen Hurts, 5.9% owned
Alright, it’s time for a little fantasy football philosophy here. There are plenty of decent quarterbacks under 40% owned who have strong matchups in Weeks 15 and 16. For example, Baker Mayfield faces the Giants and Jets, Mitchell Trubisky has the Vikings and Jaguars, and Philip Rivers has an easy Week 15 versus the Texans.
However, none of those players are likely league-winners. They’ll be high-end or mid-QB2s in those matchups, but you want more than that in the fantasy playoffs. If you made it this far, you likely have a QB1 on your team, and you’re looking for a quarterback upgrade, not just a replacement-level option.
Therefore, Jalen Hurts is my clear week-ahead addition at the quarterback position. Let me get the most critical piece of advice out of the way immediately. Do not start Hurts in Week 14 versus the Saints. It’s his first career start, and the Saints are a solid defense. While Hurts might play well, he could also be a complete dumpster fire, tanking your playoff hopes with him.
However, it’s important to remember that running quarterbacks are king in fantasy football. Hurts is a dual-threat quarterback who totaled 3,274 rushing yards in his college career. If Hurts defies my expectations and plays well against the Saints, he faces the Cardinals in Week 15 and the Cowboys in Week 16. He could be a league-winner in those matchups, as they’re two of the worst defenses in the NFL right now. Swing for the fences and add Hurts to your team before we see his performance this week.
D/ST of the Week
Titans, 17.4% owned
To be honest, there are no D/STs under 40% owned worth adding for next week. The Titans are a decent add, as they play the Lions in Week 15. Matthew Stafford hasn’t been particularly effective, and the Lions haven’t been the same offense without Kenny Golladay. However, I would hope you have a better D/ST option for your playoffs. Only add the Titans in advance if you have absolutely nothing better to do with that roster spot.
Thanks for reading this article. You can find me on Twitter at @DFF_Karp. I love to interact with anyone in the community, so reach out at any time! I take fantasy questions and help with all formats, so keep sending those questions my way.
Previous Look Ahead Articles: Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, Week 13, Week 14
