Waivering: Week 12

Tue Nov 23 9:10am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Breida could be worth a look


This shouldn’t come as a big surprise but the waiver wire is really getting ugly at this point of the season. It is getting harder and harder for find players that are going to help your fantasy teams. It happens every year, though, so don’t be too surprised by these turn of events. Even with that said, there are a few good speculative adds on players that could emerge and be bigger factors down the stretch.

QUARTERBACK

Cam Newton, Panthers. Newton started his first game of the year and scored 28.1 fantasy points. He looked pretty good in his debut with the Panthers and showed his high weekly ceiling with his performance. He can put up some fantasy points as a starter in this offense. He was picked up in plenty of leagues last week, but is still available in 46 percent of leagues.

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins. Tagovailoa looked just fine in his return from a finger injury. He played in relief Week 10 and started the game last week. He scored 21.3 fantasy points last week, going 27-of-33 for 273 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Tagovailoa has been solid all season for fantasy teams, having at least 21 fantasy points three of his last five games and he cam in relief in one of those games. He is available in 43 percent of leagues.

Trevor Siemian, Saints.  Siemian is becoming a spot starter for fantasy teams. He has done well in a starting role, having multiple touchdowns three straight games. He had his first three-touchdown game of the season last week and 20-plus fantasy points three straight. He can help fantasy teams in the right matchup.

RUNNING BACK

Rex Burkhead, Texans. Burkhead had the most carries of any Texans backs last week, rushing 18 times for 40 yards. With the running back position being thin on the waiver wire, Burkhead might be worth a shot. He is available in nearly every league (98 percent). And he has a history of some success, so it wouldn’t be a complete shock to see him have some success with more chances.

Matt Breida, Bills. Breida is getting some chances the last few weeks. He ran five times for 51 yards and caught a pass for 16 yards last week. He has six touches each of his last two games. With the Bills getting little from their running game, Breida might be getting more chances going forward.

Dontrell Hilliard, Titans. Hilliard was a surprise last week, getting some chances for the first time all season, mainly because Jeremy McNichols was out. Hilliard showed pretty well, rushing seven times for 35 yards while catching eight passes for 47 yards on 10 targets. He is worth a speculate add in deeper formats. This performance might have earned him a little more work going forward - even if McNichols is healthy.

Ty Johnson, Jets. Johnson had just two touches last week but the injury to Michael Carter could open the door for him to get a lot more playing time. Johnson also has been producing pretty well lately even with Carter on the field. Johnson has double-digit fantasy points four of six games. Tevin Coleman also is around to get work if Carter misses time, but Johnson has a higher celling because of his work in the passing game.

RECEIVER

Elijah Moore, Jets. Moore is getting picked up in more and more leagues, but still out there in 25 percent. This might be the last week you can grab him after his best game of his career. He had eight receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown. He has scores three straight and four of five games. Moore should be owned in all formats.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans. Westbrook-Ikhine had his first 100-yard game of his career last week, catching seven passes for 107 yards. The Titans are all banged up at receiver, so Westbrook-Ikhine could be a factor the next few weeks.

Tre’Quan Smith, Saints. Smith had a season high in receptions (five) and yards (64) last week. He also has scores two of four games and double-digit fantasy points three of four. He has some consistent fantasy production right now and is available in 85 percent of leagues.

Rondale Moore, Cardinals. Moore got a ton of work last week, catching 11 passes on 11 targets. His production has been a little up and down this year, but he has four games with double-digit fantasy points. The Cardinals find ways to get Moore the ball, so he has some weekly potential in this high-powered offense. He is available in 56 percent of leagues.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Relief Pitcher Preview

Player Notes
Raheem Blackshear Mar 28 9:10pm ET
Raheem Blackshear

The Carolina Panthers have agreed on a deal with running back Raheem Blackshear. The two sides have agreed on a one year deal worth $985,000 for the 2024 season. The 24-year-old will return to Carolina after spending each of the last two seasons with the organization. He has mainly been used as a reserve back and special teams player. Through two seasons, Blackshear has 37 carries for 123 yards and three touchdowns in 25 games. There is unlikely to be fantasy value here unless Carolina loses one or two running backs due to injury.

From RotoBaller

Cody Davis Mar 28 4:50pm ET
Cody Davis

Veteran safety Cody Davis is retiring from the NFL, according to his X account on Thursday. Davis originally went undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2013, but he was signed by the St. Louis Rams as a free agent and spent five years with the organization. He then played two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before four years with the New England Patriots. Overall, the 34-year-old compiled 117 tackles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and eight passes defended in 144 games over 11 years. He was primarily a special teamer and depth player, so it's not a significant loss for the Patriots heading into 2024.

From RotoBaller

Rome Odunze Mar 28 4:40pm ET
Rome Odunze

Former Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze has upcoming meetings with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears at their respective facilities, he told Brady Henderson of ESPN. The 21-year-old is projected to be selected in the early first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and most analysts rank him just behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU's Malik Nabers. He is coming off a 92-catch, 1,640-yard, 13-touchdown season in 2023, and he impressed at the NFL Combine. Arizona holds the No. 4 pick, New York holds the No. 10 pick, and Chicago owns the No. 1 and No. 9 overall picks. Oduzne will be a highly sought-after fantasy football rookie next year regardless of his landing spot, but target competition in Chicago and New York could make it tough for him to have a massive breakout in his first season as a pro. That said, he's viewed as an elite prospect, so anything is possible.

From RotoBaller

Olamide Zaccheaus Mar 28 4:40pm ET
Olamide Zaccheaus

Free-agent wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus has agreed to terms to sign with the Washington Commanders, according to John Keim of ESPN. Zaccheaus was originally undrafted out of Virginia in the 2019 class, and he spent four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before one year with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. Overall, the 26-year-old has hauled in 104 passes for 1,492 yards and 10 touchdowns through his first 72 NFL games. With Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson on the roster and Washington likely to take shots on wide receivers in next month's draft, Zaccheaus is unlikely to have a path toward fantasy success in 2024, barring injury. He's likely just a depth piece for a franchise looking to rebuild on the fly.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Mar 28 2:50pm ET
Jayden Daniels

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels had a solid workout during his school's pro day on Wednesday after he chose not to throw at the NFL scouting combine in February. Daniels measured in at 6-foot-3 5/8 and 210 pounds with 9 3/8-inch hands. He didn't run a 40-yard dash or do any other athletic testing, but he completed 52 of his 56 passes. Most of Daniels' misfires came on deeper passes and throws outside the numbers. He appeared to improve as his throwing session went on. "I can't say that it's been an A-plus workout, but it's been solid," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks said. Daniels' pro day session might not have been a game-changer for his outlook, but he was pleased with the results as a whole, and he's still expected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming NFL draft, possibly as early as No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders.

From RotoBaller

Brian Thomas Jr. Mar 28 2:50pm ET
Brian Thomas Jr.

Although LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. stands in the shadow of teammate Malik Nabers for the upcoming NFL draft, the 6-foot-2 7/8, 209-pounder is viewed as a possible top-20 pick in April. "He's about as naturally talented as you can find at the position," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks said. "Big, fast, physical. Runs great routes. Natural catcher. Does a really good job of watching the ball into his hands. He can shine." The biggest question for Thomas is whether he can step outside the shadow of Nabors and be an alpha dog for an NFL team. Because he didn't work out at LSU's pro day on Wednesday, Thomas may not have answered that question completely, but it doesn't mean that a receiver-needy team won't be willing to take him in the first round in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Josiah Deguara Mar 28 2:30pm ET
Josiah Deguara

Former Green Bay Packers tight end Josiah Deguara signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, according to a source. Deguara will head to the AFC after spending the first four years of his NFL career playing for the Packers. Green Bay took him in the third round (94th overall) in 2020 out of Cincinnati. In his four years with the team, he recorded 47 catches on 58 targets for 436 yards and only two touchdowns in 50 games played (10 starts). In 15 regular-season games (four starts) in 2023, the 27-year-old caught just eight passes for 65 yards and no scores. Deguara will mostly be useful to the Jaguars for his blocking skills on offense and on special teams, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to make an impact catching the ball behind Evan Engram, the team's top pass-catching tight end.

From RotoBaller

Ed Oliver Mar 28 2:30pm ET
Ed Oliver

The Buffalo Bills signed free-agent defensive tackle DeShawn Williams to an undisclosed one-year deal on Thursday. Williams will give the Bills continued depth for their defensive tackle room that went into free agency with just Ed Oliver and Eli Ankou under contract. The 31-year-old Williams played in 16 games (10 starts) for the Carolina Panthers last year and finished with 33 tackles (13 solo) and seven QB hits. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2016 with the Cincinnati Bengals out of Clemson, and the Bills will be the fourth different team he's played for in six seasons. In total, Williams has racked up 148 tackles (72 solo), nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 30 QB hits, one interception and nine passes defended in 66 games (44 starts). Williams will be off the IDP fantasy radar.

From RotoBaller

Michael Hoecht Mar 28 2:10pm ET
Michael Hoecht

The Los Angeles Rams re-signed linebacker Michael Hoecht to an undisclosed deal earlier this week. Hoecht didn't receive any offers from other teams this offseason after the Rams placed a right-of-first-refusal tender on him. The 26-year-old entered the NFL in 2021 with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Brown University and he has 124 tackles (74 solo), 10.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 20 QB hits and two forced fumbles in 51 games (26 starts) in his three seasons in the league. Last year he started in all 17 regular-season games for LA and recorded a career-high 81 tackles (45 solo), a career-high six sacks, seven tackles for loss, 11 QB hits and a forced fumble.

From RotoBaller

J.K. Dobbins Mar 28 11:00am ET
J.K. Dobbins

Free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) is scheduled to visit with the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The former Baltimore Raven suffered a torn Achilles early in the 2023 campaign, but he was cleared for football activities this week, so he will likely start drawing more interest on the free-agent market. Originally a second-round pick by Baltimore in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, Dobbins posted 805 rushing yards and nine scores on just 134 attempts (6.0 YPC) as a rookie, but he missed the entire 2021 campaign with a torn ACL. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry in 2022 and saw his 2023 season end after just eight rushing attempts with an Achilles injury. Given his injury woes early in his career, it's fair to be concerned about his future production. Regardless of his landing spot, he's likely to be eased into action, meaning his fantasy upside is capped early in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Geno Smith Mar 27 8:10pm ET
Geno Smith

The Seattle Seahawks are looking to make some additions to their offensive line this offseason. Recently, Seahawks general manager John Schneider said the team has a lot to figure out on the o-line. This team is without left guard Damien Lewis and right guard Phil Haynes who both left for free agency. Possibly, the Seahawks use the 16th overall pick in the draft to add some offensive line. It appears Seattle is still looking to compete next season with Geno Smith slated to be under center. Most of the Seahawks offensive weapons are back, but this team could be in serious trouble if they don't patch up their o-line soon.

From RotoBaller

Nate Sudfeld Mar 27 8:00pm ET
Nate Sudfeld

The Detroit Lions have re-signed quarterback Nate Sudfeld on Wednesday. The 30-year-old served as the backup to Jared Goff during the 2022 season. He was slated to compete with Teddy Bridgewater, but he has retired this offseason. That being said, Sudfeld figures to compete with Hendon Hooker for the backup job in Detroit next season. The former sixth-round pick has played in six games since debuting in 2017. Sudfeld won't offer any fantasy value heading into next season.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Mar 27 4:50pm ET
Malik Nabers

Former LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers impressed at the University's Pro Day on Wednesday, running an unofficial 4.35 40-yard dash and excelling in both the vertical jump (42") and broad jump (10'9"). The 20-year-old is coming off a spectacular junior campaign consisting of catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns. His excellent athletic testing numbers certainly won't hurt his draft stock, and many analysts believe he could be taken ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft next month. Nabers has visited or will visit with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and New York Giants this week.

From RotoBaller

Jadeveon Clowney Mar 27 4:30pm ET
Jadeveon Clowney

Free-agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is signing a two-year, $24 million contract with the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens, and it was one of the best campaigns of his career. He tied a career-high with 9.5 sacks and did not miss a game for the first time since 2017. The 31-year-old still has plenty of ability, but his surroundings in Carolina won't be as strong as they were with the Ravens. The South Carolina native is now closer to home, and he'll look to help the struggling franchise accelerate its rebuild in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Jalyn Holmes Mar 27 3:20pm ET
Jalyn Holmes

The New York Jets re-signed defensive end Jalyn Holmes to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday. The Minnesota Vikings originally took Holmes with their fourth-round selection (102nd overall) in 2018 out of Ohio State. He spent the first three years of his career in Minnesota before one-year stops with the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears and Jets each of the last three seasons. In just five games in New York in 2023, the 28-year-old pass-rusher had five tackles (three solo) and one sack. Holmes' first defensive snaps for the Jets last year didn't come until the regular season finale. He will be competing for a depth role once again on the team's defensive line in training camp this summer.

From RotoBaller

Neville Hewitt Mar 27 3:10pm ET
Neville Hewitt

The Houston Texans and free-agent linebacker Neville Hewitt, who led the league in 2023 in special teams tackles, reached an agreement on an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, according to a source. In 16 regular-season games (zero starts) last year in his third year with the Texans, Hewitt had 14 tackles (eight solo). The 30-year-old was a standout on special teams but played just four defensive snaps and is unlikely to be a big part of Houston's defense again in 2024. In his nine-year NFL career with the Texans, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, Hewitt has recorded a total of 440 tackles (284 solo), 7.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, three interceptions, 13 passes defended, two forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 129 games (44 starts).

From RotoBaller

Sam Franklin Mar 27 3:10pm ET
Sam Franklin

The Carolina Panthers re-signed safety and special teams ace Sam Franklin on an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, according to a source. Franklin, a former undrafted free agent out of Temple, began his NFL career in 2020 with the Panthers and has spent all four of his NFL seasons with the organization. The 28-year-old defensive back had a career-high 30 tackles (20 solo) and an interception returned for a touchdown in 17 games (four starts) in his fourth year in Carolina in 2023. Franklin played 310 snaps on special teams and will likely continue in that role in his fifth year with the team in 2024. In his four NFL campaigns, Franklin has just 97 tackles (69 solo), one sack, the interception returned for a score, five passes defended and a force fumble in 64 games (nine starts).

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Mar 27 3:00pm ET
Jayden Daniels

The Las Vegas Raiders may be targeting a quarterback that can escape the pocket and pick up chunk gains with his legs in the upcoming NFL draft. When asked what type of QB gives opposing defenses the most problems from his experience as a former linebacker, head coach Anthony Pierce said, "A damn runner." The Raiders are scheduled to meet with LSU QB and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels on Wednesday after his pro-day workout. Daniels threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns for the Tigers last year and also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. In order to snag Daniels, the Raiders will likely have to move up from 13th overall in the first round, and the team has expressed the willingness to do what it takes to make that happen. Pierce recruited Daniels out of Southern California five years ago to play at Arizona State, so he's very familiar with him.

From RotoBaller

Talanoa Hufanga Mar 27 3:00pm ET
Talanoa Hufanga

The San Francisco 49ers expect safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) to return from his ACL injury "sometime in training camp" this summer, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The head coach also sounded optimistic about Hufanga's ability to return to 100 percent of his old self. The Niners would like to add a safety, but they told recent visitor Julian Blackmon that a new addition wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed a starting spot in 2024. Hufanga probably won't be ready to go for Day 1 of training camp as he works his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 11 of 2023. The 24-year-old defensive back is one of the rising young options at his position in IDP fantasy leagues when healthy. Hufanga had 52 tackles and three interceptions last year before suffering his season-ending injury.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Mar 27 2:50pm ET
Tank Bigsby

It's clear that the Jacksonville Jaguars want to keep lead running back Travis Etienne Jr. fresh for the entire season in 2024. In the final six games in 2023, the Jaguars averaged just 79 yards per game on the ground. They finished 23rd overall with 96.8 yards per game on the ground. In an effort to keep Etienne fresher, part of the team's plan in the run game is getting second-year back Tank Bigsby more involved. He played just 141 snaps in his rookie season, carrying the ball 50 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. A couple of fluky turnovers ensured he didn't see much more time down the stretch. "We have to get Tank going, the bottom line. He is too good, that's why we drafted him. I think early he had some 'what is that' type plays for whatever reason right or wrong. Again, in and out of the lineup," said head coach Doug Pederson.

From RotoBaller