THE weird, the wild, the wonderful. 2020 has been unlike any other NFL season – I mean the Cleveland Browns are somehow 9-3 for god’s sake!! In all seriousness, the league has stuck to the script thus far and with just four weeks left in the regular season, it’s time for the NFL Fantasy playoffs to begin. For those managers still with a stake in the game, waiver-wire claims remain as crucial as ever, making these 11 players all-important adds to enhance your push for championship glory.
All players numbers/stats provided are based on ESPN fantasy leagues
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T.Y. Hilton, WR, Washington, 47.0% own
IT took a while, but T.Y. Hilton is finally getting in sync with Colts QB Philip Rivers. 12 catches for 191 yards and a pair of scores in the last fortnight has Hilton’s stock on the rise entering the final four games. A pair of pass friendly matchups against the Raiders and Texans in their next two should bode well for those owners who can snap Hilton off the waiver wire.
Cleveland Browns D/ST, 45.3% own
THE Browns’ defence has hardly been a fantasy factor this season, topping 4.0 points on just four occasions. With that being said, Cleveland is rolling right now, winners of four straight matches with some favourable opponents still on the agenda. The Ravens and Steelers may cause the Browns some distress, but with the New York combo (Giants & Jets) squashed in the middle, I’d back Cleveland’s D to make enough plays to matter in fantasy’s final month.
Tyler Eifert, TE, Jaguars, 2.9% own
JACKSONVILLE’S tight ends haven’t featured a lot in the passing attack, but if Tyler Eifert can keep reeling in catches he may be in for a late-season surge. The former Bengal caught just his 2nd TD of the season in Week 12, en route to a double-digit PPR score – a trend that continued in Week 13 with six catches for 45 yards. Desperate times call for desperate measures and those in deeper leagues chasing a tight end should look long and hard at Eifert.
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Keke Coutee, WR, Texans, 12.4% own
WILL Fuller’s PED suspension and releasing veteran Kenny Stills left plenty of questions surrounding Houston’s passing attack. Luckily for Texans fans, Deshaun Watson still remains under center, breathing some sign of hope into their offence to close the season. Both Chad Hansen and Keke Coutee topped 100 receiving yards against the Colts, but it’s the latter of that pair that really intrigues me. Coutee was a healthy scratch from most of the games earlier this season, but his role should stay fairly consistent to close 2020 given Houston’s scarcity of reliable WR’s.
Gus Edwards, RB, Ravens, 21.5% own
Of all the Ravens backfield members J.K. Dobbins is one I’d prefer to roster, but at 67.9% ownership, it’d be a shock if he was still unclaimed in your league. That doesn’t mean that his RB counterpart Gus Edwards should be ignored though, with the downhill runner peeling off a season-high 101 rushing yards against the Cowboys. I don’t expect him to rush for triple figures every week, but now that he’s overtaken Mark Ingram in the pecking order, I wouldn’t be surprised if Edwards had another epic performance or two to close the year, making him a worthwhile add, especially in standard-scoring leagues.
Cam Akres, RB, Rams, 35.7% own
THE prized waiver wire claim of Week 14, Cam Akers could finally be ready to erupt. He’s still available in nearly two-thirds of leagues and his 21-carry, 72-yard performance could be the sign of what’s to come. It has surprised me that the talented Rams rookie hasn’t already burst onto the scene, but he has been competing with Darrell Henderson Jr and Malcolm Brown for touches all season. If L.A. keeps feeding him at least 10+ times a game, there’s merit in starting him during the postseason.
Greg Zuerlein, K, Cowboys, 30.7% own
FOR the record I added ‘Greg the Leg’ to this list before his rough outing against the Ravens and after nailing just one of his four field-goal attempts, there’s less appeal in adding the Cowboys kicker. With that being said, Zuerlein scored double-digits in three of his last four games before the clash with Baltimore – despite Dallas’ clear offensive struggles. I’m still backing his accurate leg to re-find it’s groove and add valuable points to your team over the last month of the fantasy campaign.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings, 44.5% own
OK, hear me out. Kirk Cousins is currently the 10th highest-ranked quarterback, however, Minnesota’s main man has dropped over 70 fantasy points in the last three games – throwing three TD’s and over 300 yards in each match. Trips to Tampa Bay and New Orleans could be a challenge for the Vikings’ QB, but as they work their way back into the playoff picture Cousins will have to remain en fuego to keep Minnesota in the hunt. Translation. Expect a lot more pass attempts from Cousins to end the year.
Tim Patrick, WR, Broncos, 15.5% own
NOW that Denver has a recognised quarterback starting again, Tim Patrick should continue to produce as the season draws to a close. The third-year wideout has scored at least 14 PPR points in half his games, with a few BIG games fuelled by multiple trips to the end zone. The Broncos don’t have a lot to play for in the final four games of 2020, but Patrick is still worth owning as insurance on your bench and as a last ditch WR starter.
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Logan Thomas, TE, Washington, 24.9% own
LOGAN Thomas’ late-season breakout continued in Week 13, with the Washington tight end a huge factor in their upset win against the previously undefeated Steelers. Not only did he post season-highs for receptions (9), receiving yards (98) and targets (9), Thomas also added a 28-yard pass to his stat line. Given the amount of flux at the TE position this year, those numbers make Thomas a borderline TE1 for the remaining four games.
Ty Johnson, RB, Jets, 0.3% own
LAST, but certainly not least, Ty Johnson has thrown his hat into the ring as a potential late-season game-changer after rushing for 104 yards on 22 carries last time out. Following an in-game injury to Frank Gore, Johnson was handed the lead rushing reigns and he did not disappoint. I’m wary of advising anyone to pick up a Jets player, but there’s no way someone would have beaten you to the punch to add Johnson before now. If you need extra depth at the RB position you can do a lot worse than by adding New York’s halfback and hoping he has one or two more of these games up his sleeve.
Peace ✌
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