It’s championship week for the majority of fantasy football leagues, and I’d like to start off by congratulating those who made it this far in their season-long leagues.
Claiming players off the waiver wire likely won’t be a must this week if you’ve got a championship team, but there are still names out there to keep an eye on in case of injuries or to block your opponent from improving their team.
We’ve adjusted the requirement of being rostered in less than 30% of leagues to less than 40% since there are fewer teams actively trying to make waiver claims, and we also added some streaming options for team defense.
TOP QUARTERBACK
Mike White, Jets (12.8% rostered)
The Jets’ offense fell off significantly without White, but he’ll be back as the starter this week and should be able to pick up where he left off as a productive passer against a weak Seahawks defense. White is now squarely ahead of Zach Wilson as the starting quarterback and will be laser-focused since his play down the stretch could determine if the Jets stick with him as the starter next season.
TOP RUNNING BACK
Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (39.2%)
Allgeier appears to have taken over as the Falcons’ primary running back after back-to-back strong outings, and he should keep rolling this week against a Cardinals defense that just gave up over 100 yards from scrimmage to Leonard Fournette. The Falcons are committed to their young players since they’ve fallen out of contention, so the rookie Allgeier should be busy once again.
TOP WIDE RECEIVER
Jahan Dotson, Commanders (30.3%)
Dotson was the top recommended wide receiver pickup last week, and he returns this week after finding the end zone yet again and producing with both Taylor Heinicke and Carson Wentz at quarterback. It doesn’t matter who ends up under center for the Commanders, as Dotson has established himself as a go-to target who has a nose for the end zone.
TOP TIGHT END
Juwan Johnson, Saints (23.7%)
Johnson had a rough outing last week, but that was expected due to the frigid conditions in Cleveland, as the Saints barely threw any passes. That should change this week, as the Saints will likely be chasing points against an explosive Eagles offense, and Johnson should see plenty of targets come his way with the Saints being short-handed at wide receiver.
ALSO CONSIDER
Gardner Minshew, Eagles QB (27.2%)
It’s unknown if Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts will be ready to return this week, but if he isn’t, Minshew will be on the streaming radar once again. The Eagles’ offense was still productive with Minshew, and he should be able to shine if he gets the nod against a Saints defense that’s been prone to giving up big plays.
Brock Purdy, 49ers QB (28.6%)
Purdy’s been steady but unspectacular from a fantasy perspective, but he could take a step forward this week in a favorable matchup against the Raiders. Deebo Samuel’s return would help, but even if the star wide receiver remains out, Purdy is a solid streaming option for those needing a quarterback in deeper formats.
Chase Edmonds, Broncos RB (25.1%)
While the Broncos’ offense is nothing short of a train wreck, there aren’t many running backs out there this week for those that need one, but Edmonds could be a deep-league savior. The Broncos will almost certainly be cashing points against the Chiefs, which is a positive development for Edmonds since he’ll be on the field a lot as the third down back and could rack up garbage time production.
Isaiah Hodgins, Giants WR (1.1%)
The Giants receiving corps appears to have turned a corner after being the ultimate stay-away for fantasy football managers, and Hodgins has emerged as a reliable fantasy option after delivering another double-digit outing last week. His numbers are too good to ignore, and he appears to be the Giants receiver worth rostering since he receives plenty of red zone looks.
DEEP LEAGUE DIVE
Rashid Shaheed, Saints WR (2.3%)
The Saints receiving corps is in shambles much like it was in 2021, but at least they’ve now got a reliable deep threat in Shaheed, who’s gained Andy Dalton’s trust more as the season’s gone on. Chris Olave is questionable with a hamstring injury, but Shaheed makes for a solid option even if Olave’s a go since he’s got the explosive play-making ability and is seeing a more consistent target share.
TOP STREAMING DEFENSES
Los Angeles Chargers (22.1%) vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Chargers are turning a corner defensively as evidenced by their dominant showing against the Colts on Monday night, and they should wreak havoc once again against a Rams offense that’s set to come back to Earth with the inconsistent Baker Mayfield under center.
Jacksonville Jaguars (15.5%) at Houston Texans
The Jaguars have struggled against the Texans in recent seasons, but they project to dominate this game, especially on defense with the Texans being short-handed on offense.
Spencer ‘the Guru’ Urquhart (@spencertheguru) has been a fantasy football analyst since 2014, founding a community of over 6,000 followers on Instagram
