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
Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (54%) — Winston’s been really productive since returning from his shoulder injury, averaging 300.0 total YPG, throwing 7 TD’s and 2 INT’s. He’s only got divisional matchups left, against Carolina (10th, 15.26 FPPG) and New Orleans (14th, 16.72). Those aren’t great matchups on paper, but the teams’ familiarity and Winston being on a hot streak makes him very playable.
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (54%) — Believe it or not, Bortles has been a fantasy stud lately. He’s scored more than 20 points in each of his last four games (27.06 FPPG in that time) and has matchups with the 49ers and Titans remaining. The 49ers are 30th in the NFL against QB’s (19.6 FPPG), and the Titans are 16th (16.94).
Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (38%) — Taylor regained fantasy relevance on Sunday, totaling 266 yards and 2 TD’s. He has decent matchups remaining against the 28th-ranked Patriots (19.21 FPPG) and 15th-ranked Dolphins (16.93). Miami is who Taylor and the Bills just played on Sunday.
Eli Manning, New York Giants (33%) — It’s so hard to trust Manning in the fantasy playoffs, but he is a Super-Flex start at worst. He torched the Eagles for over 400 passing yards on Sunday including 3 TD’s. He has good matchups with the Cardinals (25th, 18.46) and Redskins (23rd, 17.97) remaining.
Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (26%) — Foles isn’t Carson Wentz but he can effectively lead this offense to continue scoring points. He threw 4 TD’s on Sunday against the Giants and — you guessed it — has good matchups remaining. Foles faces the 19th-ranked Raiders (17.46 FPPG) this Sunday and then the 20th-ranked Cowboys (17.75) to close out the season.
Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (18%) — I do believe this is the first time that Flacco has made my list this season. He is very much matchup-dependent but that is good news considering he faces the Colts (24th, 18.08 FPPG) this week. He’s scored at least 20 fantasy points in each of the last three weeks.
RUNNING BACK
Bilal Powell, New York Jets (58%) — Powell has had 10 or more touches in 10-of-13 game this year. He is averaging 14.7 touches for 62.1 YPG in those contests and has scored 4 times. That is with Matt Forte both in and out of the lineup.
Orleans Darkwa (56%) and Wayne Gallman (5%), New York Giants — Darkwa took over as the Giants’ main back early in the season and has averaged 15.4 touches for 62.7 YPG in his last nine games, including 3 TD’s in the last five games. Gallman is also getting plenty of action, averaging 10.4 touches for 47.1 YPG this year.
Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions (54%) — Riddick is typically a pretty decent PPR Flex option, averaging 9.2 touches for 55.6 YPG in his last 10 games.
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers (51%) — Stewart’s not going to have a big game every week, but he always stands a chance at scoring a TD, being Carolina’s goal-line back. He averages 14.1 touches for 51.0 YPG and has scored 7 TD’s.
James White, New England Patriots (50%) — With Rex Burkhead now less than 100% and likely to miss some time, White will likely be the main back behind Dion Lewis. White was already a useful fantasy option, as he averages 4.0 catches per game.
Mike Davis (48%) and J.D. McKissic (18%), Seattle Seahawks — These two have clearly taken over in the Seattle backfield. Davis is the primary back, averaging 13.0 touches for 66.0 YPG, while McKissic is the main third-down and receiving back, averaging 7.2 touches for 38.5 YPG. He also has 3 TD’s.
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals (47%) — Bengals starting RB Joe Mixon has missed most of the last three games with a concussion, and Bernard has filled in well, averaging 16.3 touches for 89.7 YPG. Mixon has yet to clear the concussion protocol, so who knows when he’ll return. Even if he does return this season, Bernard won’t lose his role. It may lessen slightly, but he’ll still see the field.
Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears (45%) — This week, the Bears face the Browns, so it should be a pretty close game. Both teams should be able to run the ball all game and stick to their game plan, giving Cohen added value.
Danny Woodhead (36%) and Javorius Allen (29%), Baltimore Ravens — This duo has a pair of great matchups remaining against the 24th-ranked Colts (24.8 FPPG against RB’s) and 29th-ranked Bengals (26.2). It’s funny how Allen is a top-25 RB (above Marshawn Lynch, C.J. Anderson, Dion Lewis, Devonta Freeman, Frank Gore, Isaiah Crowell, etc.) but is owned in just a quarter of leagues
Kerwynn Williams, Arizona Cardinals (35%) — With Adrian Peterson hurt, and Andre Ellington and Chris Johnson gone, someone’s got to carry the ball in Arizona. That falls on Williams and Elijhaa Penny. In the last three games, Williams is averaging 18.0 touches for 82.0 YPG.
Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (33%) — Barber is now the Buccaneers’ starting RB over Doug Martin, and he’s answered well. Barber has actually done quite well the last several weeks, averaging 15.3 touches for 70.3 YPG in the last four games, with 2 TD’s.
WIDE RECEIVER
Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers (56%) — Antonio Brown is set to miss a little time, and that means an expanded role for Bryant, who caught 4-of-6 targets for 59 yards and 1 TD against the Patriots on Sunday.
Paul Richardson, Seattle Seahawks (56%) — He’s only had one big game this year, but Richardson routinely makes big plays (13 plays of 20-plus yards) and is a red-zone target (11 targets in the red zone). He averages 3.0 catches (5.3 targets) for 48.7 YPG and has scored 6 times.
Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins (54%) — His production has been pretty inconsistent but Stills has two favorable matchups left. First, against the Chiefs, who allow the third-most FPPG to WR’s (36.4) and then the Bills at home.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers (53%) — With Aaron Rodgers’ return on Sunday, Cobb promptly had a big game, catching 7-of-14 targets for 84 yards and 1 TD. Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams and Cobb are always options as long as Rodgers is on the field.
Dede Westbrook (44%) and Keelan Cole (5%), Jacksonville Jaguars — These two young receivers are really on the climb for the Jaguars. In five games this season, Westbrook is averaging 4.4 catches (7.0 targets) for 51.2 YPG. In the last eight games, Cole is averaging 3.3 catches (5.5 targets) for 70.0 YPG and has scored a TD in each of his last three games.
Mike Wallace, Baltimore Ravens (40%) — Wallace has been Flacco’s go-to guy, averaging 3.3 catches (5.6 targets) for 49.8 YPG, including two 100-yard games and 3 TD’s. That’s not a lot but the Ravens also don’t have a very productive passing game. Wallace has a good matchup with the Colts this week.
Tyrell Williams, Los Angeles Chargers (38%) — Like Stills, Williams has been crazy inconsistent this year but is still usable in good matchups. He’s got games against the Jets and Raiders remaining, who give up an average of 32.0 FPPG to WR’s between the two of them.
Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns (28%) — You don’t really know what you’re going to get from Cleveland’s passing game from week to week. One week, they’ll be productive, and the next, not so much. One week, it’ll be Josh Gordon, and the next will be Coleman. Coleman is averaging 3.0 catches (6.3 targets) for 40.6 YPG in seven games this year.
Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions (9%) — When he’s been healthy enough to play this year, Golladay has been a consistent contributor to Detroit’s passing game. It’s not resulting in big games, but he is averaging 2.4 catches (4.1 targets) for 41.0 YPG.
Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati Bengals (6%) — Since Week 5, LaFell averages 3.6 catches (6.1 targets) for 42.9 YPG and has scored 3 times.
Kendall Wright, Chicago Bears (4%) — Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky seems to finally be opening the Bears passing game, and Wright has been the prime beneficiary. He’s caught 18-of-24 targets for 188 yards in the last two weeks.
Chester Rogers, Indianapolis Colts (0%) — Believe it or not, Rogers has led Colts WR’s in snaps each of the last two weeks. It hasn’t resulted in many stats because of the Colts’ lethargic passing game, but it’s worth noting. Rogers is being targeted 4.6 times per game over the last five games. He has also received an end-around every other game for the last six games, meaning the Colts are trying to find ways to get him more involved. Consider him a sleeper in deeper leagues.
TIGHT END
Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions (43%) — We’re finally seeing the most productive stretch of Ebron’s career. In his last eight games, he is averaging 4.3 catches (5.8 targets) for 47.5 YPG and has scored twice. Two weeks ago, he had a career game, catching 10-of-11 targets for 94 yards against the Buccaneers.
O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26%) — Howard actually suffered an ankle/foot injury in Monday night’s game, so his status needs to be monitored, but he’s done very well since beginning to get worked in as the main TE. In the last five games, Howard is averaging 41.0 YPG and has scored 3 times.
Benjamin Watson, Baltimore Ravens (14%) — Watson’s production has been very inconsistent, so you have to consider him matchup-dependent. He’s got matchups with the Colts and Bengals remaining, both of which are in the bottom half of the league against TE’s.