"They're heeeeeeere!"
But it's not television static that's on the TV in the background of this iteration of the famous "Poltergeist" scene. It's football, football and more football. The fantasy football playoffs are the "they" in the above sentence, and for some NFL fans, this marks the most exciting point in the season in their football-watching schedules — I'm looking at you, Lions and Jets nations.
For the most part, the playoffs truly separate the good teams from the bad teams, save for the unlucky "I have by far the most points against" member of the league (there's always one). And because of that simple fact, you need to be as sharp as ever with the cash prize, trophy and whatever else on the line over the next few weeks.
Just because it's this late in the season doesn't mean that there aren't diamonds in the rough out there on waivers. It does mean, however, that there isn't really time for speculative adds. There's no time to be wishy-washy with your FAAB, if you still have some left. You've got to make immediate impact moves, and the four names below could fit that bill.
K.J. Osborn is a name that we featured on our suggested pickups last week, and he is one of the players who should again be considered this time around.
Players must be owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues to be considered eligible as waiver wire targets. All stats/info courtesy of FantasyPros.
Rashaad Penny | Seattle Seahawks, RB
Rashaad Penny seems to have a firm grasp on the Seattle backfield lead role.
(Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 22% owned | ESPN: 9% owned
Toward the end of the 2019 fantasy football season, Penny saw an increased workload after Chris Carson's fumbling issues got the best of him. He was the No. 2 running back in all of fantasy football, behind only Derrick Henry, across Weeks 12 and 13, so we know he's capable of producing as a lead runner. It's just that earning that lead runner spot hasn't been the easiest thing for Penny to do.
Right now, however, it looks like the 2018 first-rounder has done just that. After leading the backfield with 41 percent of the snaps in Week 13, though without much production, Penny saw his snap count go up to 57 percent in Week 14, and he made them count.
The defensive schedule over the next two weeks is a lot tougher than it was in Week 14, as Seattle matches up against the Rams and Bears going forward before a juicy game against Detroit in the fantasy championship. Still, Penny has to be seen as this week's biggest add based on the value at his position.
DeVante Parker | Miami Dolphins, WR
DeVante Parker has a high floor based on Tua Tagovailoa's trust in him.
(Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 46% owned| ESPN: 50% owned
Some people began picking up Parker last week, with the Dolphins on bye, and that was a pretty smart move (if a little bit antsy) in hindsight. But he's still available in over half of leagues and he's a solid add if you're in need of a wideout.
Parker brought in all five of his targets for 62 yards in his return to action in Week 13, which was a promising display, especially seeing as five targets was his low on the season. His floor seems to be pretty high with Tua Tagovailoa trusting him as a top target, and it's not hard to see him drawing closer to 10 looks per game going forward. Can't do much better as a solid FLEX play, with both a nice floor and ceiling, available for free in half of leagues.
Kendrick Bourne | New England Patriots, WR
Kendrick Bourne was quietly a top-18 wide receiver in weekly average from Week 6 to Week 12.
(Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 31% owned | ESPN: 26% owned
I like Parker a whole lot more, actually, but that's not to say that Bourne isn't still worth a look. After all, you might be surprised to learn that the Patriots wideout was one of just 18 wide receivers to average double-digit standard fantasy points from Week 6 to Week 12. A top-18 receiver that's unowned in over two-thirds of leagues?
Well, no. He's not a top-18 receiver, even if that was the stretch he went on for a time. But a FLEX play? Absolutely, especially with a bottom-10 fantasy defense against wide receivers on tap for Week 15 in the Colts.
Smart D/ST pickups
The Bears are one of a handful of defensive units that could prove useful in the fantasy playoffs.
(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears
Yahoo: 15% owned | ESPN: 14% owned
The Bears rank in the middle of the pack (14th) among defenses this year, but matchups against bottom-tier offenses in Week 16 (Seahawks) and Week 17 (Giants) make them a good add-and-stash, especially if you have a bye week in the first round.
Philadelphia Eagles
Yahoo: 20% owned | ESPN: 27% owned
This is one that I suggested a few weeks ago, when they had matchups with the Saints, Giants and Jets on the horizon. Their fantasy playoff matchups might be even friendlier than that trio, with Washington in Weeks 15 and 17, sandwiching a second date with the Giants in Week 16.
Miami Dolphins
Yahoo: 49% owned | ESPN: 44% owned
The Dolphins get the Jets and the Saints over the next two weeks, and they're as hot a unit as any coming out of a Week 14 bye. From Week 9 to Week 13, Miami was the second-best defense in fantasy football, trailing only the dominant unit of New England.
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