Fantasy Football: Nick Foles Among Championship Week Waiver Wire Adds
Congratulations! You made it to the championship round of your fantasy football playoffs. Coming this far never is easy — no matter how much you dominated your draft — so you deserve a virtual pat on the back.
Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to look ahead to Week 16 (you didn’t come all the way to the championship round to lose, did you?). If you’re this far into the playoffs, chances are you have enough roster talent to avoid relying heavily on the waiver wire. But you always can benefit from a free-agent pickup, even if it just means preventing your opponent from snagging him.
The championship week waiver wire crop features an interesting blend of old standbys attempting to make their return to fantasy relevance and fresh faces hoping the make the most of new opportunities.
If your team already is loaded with talent, all the power to you. But if you need that extra boost or don’t feel like having Peyton Manning let you down again, a trip to the waiver wire could yield some surprisingly beneficial results.
Quarterback: Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles
Remember him? Foles injured his collarbone in Week 9, but there’s a chance he’s cleared to practice and could return to the field against the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Of course, it’s not guaranteed he’ll start over Mark Sanchez, but the matchup is too good to ignore. Washington has a stout run defense but has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in standard leagues this season. If you’re looking for a quarterback, snag whoever starts for the Eagles on Sunday, because the other options out there don’t look great.
Other quarterbacks to watch: Johnny Manziel, Robert Griffin III, Andy Dalton, Mike Glennon, Alex Smith
Running Back: Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers
The Seattle Seahawks knocked starter Frank Gore out of the game with a concussion Sunday, paving the way for Hyde to rack up 55 rushing yards on just six carries before suffering a minor ankle injury of his own. The Niners play the San Diego Chargers on Saturday, so if Gore isn’t cleared with one less day of rest, expect Hyde to get plenty of touches in an offense that’s been ineffective moving the ball through the air all season.
Other running backs to watch: Andre Williams, Toby Gerhart, Kerwynn Williams, Matt Asiata, Doug Martin
Wide Receiver: Harry Douglas, Atlanta Falcons
An injured Julio Jones got you down? Don’t worry, Douglas has plenty of cheer to go around. The Louisville product posted 131 receiving yards on 10 catches in Jones’ absence Sunday and has racked up 100-plus yards in two of his last three games. A juicy matchup with the New Orleans Saints awaits this weekend, so even if Jones does return, it’s worth adding Douglas on your roster if you need a spot start at wide receiver.
Other wide receivers to watch: Jarvis Landry, Marquess Wilson, Kenny Britt, Charles Johnson, Marqise Lee
Tight End: Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts
Allen has been owned in a majority of leagues all season, but a recent injury and a quiet return in Week 14 led many owners to drop him in favor of Coby Fleener. If that’s the case, go snag him. The touchdown machine hauled in his eighth score of the season Sunday, and he’ll face a Dallas Cowboys defense that’s allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends in standard leagues this season.
Other tight ends to watch: Jared Cook, Jordan Reed, Eric Ebron, Zach Ertz
Have a fantasy/NFL question for Darren? Send it to him via Twitter at @darren_hartwell
Thumbnail photo via Jeffrey J. Pittenger/USA TODAY Sports Images
