This will be the last week for PPR Adds. We’ve gotten through twelve weeks and all of the bye weeks are wrapped up. If you’ve been following along the past two weeks, you know that the fantasy playoffs are about loading your roster up with high ceiling guys who could flourish given the right opportunity.
That doesn’t mean you won’t need to make a waiver move or two, but those moves will spell themselves for you based on injury. Hopefully, you’ve already rostered as many of the lottery ticket types you could.
Done are the weeks of rostering players that offer little upside in your lineup. If you own players like Steve Smith, Bernard Pierce, BenJarvus Green-Ellis or Brian Hartline for example, think of the possible scenarios you would start these players in fake football playoff games. They are nearly non-existent, even with those players playing roles on their real football teams. Stash away for the postseason, friends.
PICK ME UP
Benny Cunningham RB STL (one percent ownership per CBS)
Don’t completely dismiss Cunningham’s 13 carry, 109 yard day after Zac Stacy left because it came against a giving Bears run defense. The Rams have changed the offensive identity since week four, becoming a run heavy unit.
After four weeks, the Rams were only running the ball 27 percent of the time, fewest in the NFL, averaging only 47 yards per game on the ground. Since then, then are averaging 152 team rushing yards over the last seven weeks and are running the ball 53 percent of the time since Kellen Clemens has taken over, for 5.3 yards per carry.
The schedule is tough (SF, ARI next two weeks), but if Stacy misses, Cunningham will be a low end RB2/flex play based on volume and a must own for the owners who were leaning on Stacy to begin with.
Dennis Pitta TE BAL (eight percent ownership)
Baltimore is expected to hold Pitta out one more week since they have a short week, facing the Steelers on Thanksgiving, and nobody on the waiver wire stands to walk right into more opportunity that Pitta. The Ravens can’t run the football at all and have been starving for a complimentary receiver to Torrey Smith all season. Ray Rice is the only other Raven to have more than 30 receptions through 11 weeks. Pitta could draw double digit targets immediately and gets the Vikings, Lions and Patriots in the fake football postseason.
2013 Waiver Wire All Star Team
RB: Andre Ellington
When we suggested you add him: Week Three
Production since: 69 carries for 421 yards, two touchdowns and 25 receptions for 192 yards – 98.3 PPR PTS (86 percent of his season total)
Ellington was a solid PPR RB2/flex play all season long, that came with a few downs amongst the highs. He was Fantasy Points Per Route Run star all season. He posted three top 20 weeks, including a season high 24.2 points week eight versus the Falcons.
WR: Keenan Allen
When we suggested you add him: Week Five
Production since: 42 receptions on 61 targets for 627 yards, three touchdowns – 122.7 PPR PTS (87 percent of his season total)
If you jumped all in on Allen once he had the glimmer of playing time, you were rewarded with weekly WR2 production. In his past seven games, he notched four 100 plus yard weeks and three weeks with right or more receptions. With games remaining versus the Giants and Raiders in the fantasy playoffs, Allen will likely be a member on many championship teams.
WR: Kendall Wright
When we suggested you add him: Week Seven
Production since: 34 receptions on 45 targets for 428 yards, one touchdown – 82.8 PPR PTS (54 percent of his season total)
Wright began the season with very middling production, failing to reach 80 receiving yards in any of his first six games while seeing double digit targets only once. Over his first six weeks he averaged five receptions on seven targets for 55 yards and 11.8 points per game. In only the five game since he’s eclipsed all of those totals from the first six weeks and is averaging seven catches on nine targets for 86 yards and 16.7 points per game.
TE: Jordan Reed
When we suggested you add him: Week Four
Production since: 32 receptions on 44 targets for 393 yards, two touchdowns – 83.3 PPR PTS (73 percent of his season total)
Reed was a top tight end weeks six through ten, topping 60 yards through the air three times and catching 31 passes. Taking over with his unique athleticism, he found his way as the teams second best receiving option. The only knock is that he’s missed a handful of time with different ailments. If he returns from his concussion like he should, he still gets the Falcons and Cowboys in the final two weeks of the playoffs.
TE: Charles Clay
When we suggested you add him: Week Three
Production since: 36 receptions on 54 targets for 338 yards, four touchdowns – 93.8 PPR PTS (74 percent of his season total)
“Miami Marcel” was not only a swiss army knife for the Dolphins this season, but also a weekly low end PPR TE1 for owners who snagged him early. He has four or more receptions in six of his past nine games while adding four scores, which lead all Dolphins receivers on the season.
*Stats used were provided from ProFootballFocus, Pro-Football-Reference, CBSSportsline.com, NFLData.com, NFL.com
