The following players are owned in less than 60% of fantasy football leagues and could present a value to your rosters.
With the second half of the season upon us, and thus the games being more important, I am trying to be a little pickier about which options I give on here.
*Availability (% owned) and statistics based on Yahoo! PPR leagues.
QUARTERBACK
QB being arguably the most important position in your lineup, these guys are more of Super-Flex starters or injury replacements at this juncture. The fact remains that they do carry some semblance of fantasy value, however.
Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (55%) — Winston’s remaining games aren’t great matchups, as all three are in the top half of the league against QB’s. However, they’re all division games, so anything is possible. His remaining opponents average 16.4 FPPG to QB’s, and Winston averages 22.3 FPPG in games that he starts and finishes.
Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (40%) — Assuming Taylor returns this week (which isn’t necessarily a safe bet), he’s got a decent slate of games ahead of him. His opponent’s average 17.9 FPPG to QB’s.
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (35%) — Bortles hasn’t gotten a lot of love from a fantasy perspective, but he’s been relatively solid, averaging 19.4 FPPG. His remaining opponents give up 19.0 FPPG to QB’s, and his next two opponents are two of the four worst teams against the position.
Jay Cutler, Miami Dolphins (14%) — Smokin’ Jay! He had a great game on Monday night against the Patriots, throwing for 263 yards with 3 TD’s and no turnovers. Cutler’s got a decent slate remaining against the Bills (twice), who give up 14.24 FPPG to QB’s, and the Chiefs, who give up 19.47.
Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (3%) — The Eagles lost QB Carson Wentz for the season, and while it certainly affects their long-term prognosis on the season, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world right now. Foles has proven to be a good QB in the NFL at times, and the fact that he’s already familiar with Doug Pederson is a huge plus. He’s got a great set of matchups remaining with the Giants, Raiders and Cowboys, who give up an average of 18.55 FPPG to QB’s.
RUNNING BACK
James White, New England Patriots (53%) — It’s hard to have confidence in a singular player from the Patriots’ backfield, but that team really uses their group well. Between Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead and White, they all have value. White catches 4.2 passes per game and has 3 receiving TD’s this year, including last night against Miami.
David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (51%) — This won’t help you this season. However, seeing as Johnson now only holds 51% ownership, you might as well look and see if he’s around just in case he’s eligible to be kept in your league.
Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears (44%) — Chicago really took it to Cincinnati with their run game on Sunday, and it resulted in Cohen having one of the most productive games of the season with 85 yards. He gets 9.3 touches for 50.6 YPG, so he’s always a PPR Flex option in a pinch.
Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions (41%) — Riddick’s production has been inflated because of Ameer Abdullah’s absence, but it shouldn’t change drastically. If anything, it’s giving Detroit the opportunity to see who the more effective back is. Riddick is a PPR Flex option even when/if Abdullah returns this season.
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers (38%) — Now that Carolina’s offense is rolling and they’ve got more opportunities to get into the red zone, Stewart’s value is up. In the last four games, he averages 14.8 carries for 71.0 YPG and has scored 5 TD’s.
Mike Davis, Seattle Seahawks (38%) — Davis has established himself as the Seahawks’ lead back in the last two weeks, totaling 36 touches for 166 yards.
Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35%) — Barber looks to take over as Tampa’s lead back with his recent performances. In the last three weeks, he has 213 yards and 2 TD’s. I’m a Doug Martin fanboy, but he hasn’t been as effective as Barber’s already proven to be.
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (30%) — Ekeler has far from spectacular production but provides a little something every week. He averages 6.8 touches for 49.6 YPG and has scored 5 TD’s.
Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens (29%) — Outside of Alex Collins, I’m not a fan of Baltimore’s backfield because you never know how things will go with Allen and Danny Woodhead. However, the Ravens do use all three. Allen doesn’t really get yardage anymore but he is always a threat to score, hitting paydirt 3 times in the last three weeks.
Rod Smith, Dallas Cowboys (13%) — Rod Smith is making the most of Ezekiel Elliott’s absence, averaging 10.7 touches for 78.3 YPG and scoring 4 times in the last three games. Elliott will be back in Week 16, though, so get Smith while the gettin’ is good.
WIDE RECEIVER
Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers (58%) — JuJu Smith-Schuster obviously affects Bryant’s value, but he still has some there. Since the bye week, Pittsburgh got Bryant more on-board with his role. In the three games where both Bryant and Smith-Schuster have played since then, Bryant averages 3.0 catches (5.0 targets) for 37.3 YPG. His remaining slate is favorable, as his opponents give up 33.9 FPPG to WR’s.
Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins (58%) — Overall, Stills has had a good season, but his consistency can be upsetting. He averages 3.8 catches (6.7 targets) for 57.8 YPG and has 6 TD’s, but you just have to watch out for those occasional flops. Unfortunately, matchups don’t usually matter with him.
Marquise Goodwin, San Francisco 49ers (55%) — Goodwin has really turned it on in the last several weeks, especially with Jimmy Garoppolo at QB. Goodwin is averaging 7.0 catches (10.0 targets) for 102.5 YPG with Garoppolo.
Paul Richardson, Seattle Seahawks (54%) — Richardson has been one of Russell Wilson’s go-to guys this year, averaging 3.1 catches (5.2 targets) for 51.1 YPG with 6 TD’s.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers (50%) — It looks like Aaron Rodgers is about to return, which is great news for guys like Cobb and Jordy Nelson. Cobb has still been a steady performer, though, averaging 4.3 catches (5.3 targets) for 41.8 YPG this year.
Josh Doctson, Washington Redskins (43%) — Doctson is averaging 3.2 catches (5.7 targets) for 43.0 YPG in the last six games. It’s not a lot, but he’s been targeted 10 times in the red zone this year, meaning Kirk Cousins looks his way to score TD’s (Doctson has 5 this year).
Mike Wallace, Baltimore Ravens (40%) — Since Week 4, Wallace is averaging 3.8 catches for 59.8 YPG with 3 TD’s and two 100-yard games.
Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars (30%) — Westbrook has been really impressive since debuting four weeks ago. He’s averaging 5.0 catches (8.3 targets) for 58.8 YPG and scored his first TD on Sunday.
Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns (28%) — Josh Gordon may be Batman, but Coleman is definitely Robin. Since returning from Injured Reserve, Coleman averages 4.7 catches (8.0 targets) for 68.7 YPG, and he scored a TD on Sunday. In his averages, I’m excluding the goose egg he had against the Chargers because I believe it to be a total outlier.
Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati Bengals (7%) — LaFell is another guy who’s no star but is probably going to get you something every week. He’s averaging 3.4 catches (5.5 targets) for 34.8 YPG and has scored 3 TD’s.
Keelan Cole, Jacksonville Jaguars (1%) — Cole is no welcome man here in Indianapolis since blowing Malik Hooker’s leg apart, but he’s been a recent stud on fantasy teams. Since that October matchup with the Colts, Cole is averaging 2.7 catches (5.0 targets) for 53.4 YPG and has scored in each of the last two games.
Chester Rogers, Indianapolis Colts (0%) — For me, Rogers is the perfect sleeper for deeper leagues. In the last four games, he is averaging 50.5 snaps, which is 76.3% of the Colts’ offensive snaps. He also hasn’t been lower than third among Colts WR’s in snaps. Two weeks ago, he saw the second most, and last week he saw the most. Rogers is averaging 5.0 targets per game in that time and has a 100-yard game under his belt this year, so there’s potential there for another blowup performance. In his final three matchups, two opponents (Broncos and Texans) are third-worst or lower in receiving TD’s allowed. The Ravens are the exception, but they’re now missing their best CB in Jimmy Smith.
TIGHT END
Ricky Seals-Jones, Arizona Cardinals (43%) — Seals-Jones bombed in the fantasy playoff opener, but I’m not ready to cast him out yet. His schedule is excellent. His final opponents are the Redskins, Giants and Seahawks, who combine to average 14.5 FPPG to TE’s. The Giants are dead last (16.9), and the Redskins are third-worst (15.5).
Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills (34%) — I don’t blame Clay for having an unproductive game last week. For one, Nathan Peterman was his QB, and then there was the blizzard that they happened to be playing in. Clay averages 3.4 catches (4.7 targets) for 38.9 YPG.
Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions (29%) — Last Sunday, Ebron set new career highs in catches (10) and yards (94), along with his second-highest target total (11). It’s so far capped a good second half of the season. He’s averaging 4.1 catches (5.6 targets) for 49.6 YPG in the last seven games.
O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (23%) — It definitely appears as if the Buccaneers are phasing Cameron Brate out in favor of Howard. Brate has just 7 catches for 87 yards and 2 TD’s in the last six games while Howard has 12 catches for 181 yards and 2 TD’s in that time. The snap count is also beginning to tilt in Howard’s favor.