The Week 14 waiver wire is surprisingly strong for this late in the season. There are two high-priority adds. Here are a few potential RB targets for fantasy football managers on the wire this week.
Top RB Waiver Wire Targets in Week 14
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (35% Rostered)
Derrick Henry left the game after being evaluated for a concussion. On Monday morning, Adam Schefter reported that Henry is in the concussion protocol. However, later in the day, Terry McCormick reported Henry is not in the concussion protocol. We’ll get a better idea once the Titans practice on Wednesday. But regardless, if Henry can’t go, Spears would be the starting running back.
More Waiver Wire Targets: WR | TE | QB
Every starting running back in the NFL must be rostered. And Spears is talented — he’s not just a random replacement-level back that can volume his way to RB3 numbers. Spears has a legitimate upside and is worth going all in for.
FAAB Recommendation: Whatever it takes
Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots (40% Rostered)
If Spears is the No. 1 all-in guy, consider Elliott the 1A. Any good news on Henry would elevate Elliott to the top waiver wire add at running back.
Rhamondre Stevenson left the game early in the first half and was very quickly ruled out. I would be stunned if he was able to practice at all this week, let alone play. That puts Elliott in not just the RB1 role but a feature role.
Elliott handled a whopping 21 touches against the Los Angeles Chargers. He scored 13.2 fantasy points in a game where the Patriots did not score any points. He is an every-week volume-based RB2 and must be added.
FAAB Recommendation: Whatever it takes
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (27% Rostered)
At the end of the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss to the 49ers, D’Andre Swift took a massive hit and was briefly shaken up. He should be fine, but it provided a stark reminder of how close Kenneth Gainwell is to being fantasy-relevant.
Gainwell, as the lead back on the Eagles offense, would be a potential league winner. This late in the season, he needs to be rostered by a playoff team in every league. Pick him up now.
FAAB Recommendation: 8-15%
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (0% Rostered)
Brian Robinson Jr. left the game with a hamstring strain. We don’t yet know the severity, but hamstring injuries tend to linger. It seems unlikely that he will be able to play next week.
If Robinson is out, Antonio Gibson would take over as the RB1, but that would elevate Chris Rodriguez Jr. to the RB2 role. He should handle 6-8 carries regardless. But he also carries an injury-contingent upside if Gibson were to go down. He is worth putting on benches.
FAAB Recommendation: 3-8%
Which RBs Should You Roster in Fantasy Football?
Should You Roster Tyjae Spears or Elijah Mitchell?
Elijah Mitchell remains the most valuable handcuff in fantasy. If Christian McCaffrey were to go down, Mitchell would be a weekly RB1. We’ve seen him do it before. However, he has no standalone value.
MORE: Fantasy News Tracker
Spears has some standalone value. Plus, he may be looking at a starting role, at least for one week. Additionally, he has the same injury-related upside. Given that McCaffrey is currently healthy and Henry is not, I would go with Spears.
Should You Roster Ezekiel Elliott or Chuba Hubbard?
Suddenly, this one is pretty challenging. Chuba Hubbard has now scored 20 fantasy points in consecutive games. Two weeks ago, he did it with his receiving. Last week, he didn’t see a single target but cracked 100 yards on the ground and scored twice.
The thing with Hubbard is he still splits some time with Miles Sanders. Elliott is probably not splitting time with anyone going forward. He’s going to be the guy with Stevenson unlikely to return this season, given the Patriots’ record and how close we are to the end of the season.
This is as close as it gets. I ever so slightly lean Hubbard here.
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