We are not only 3 weeks away from the end of the regular season and I honestly can't wait to sit back, relax and watch the playoffs. This year has been somewhat of a disaster because of players I thought would blow up getting the injury bug, or just plain stinking it up. As the weeks continue to roll by, my "DO NOT DRAFT IN 2012" list continues to grow more and more. So far, Shonn Greene, Beanie Wells and, unfortunately, Darren McFadden have already made the list. Comment below on guys who you are staying away from next year. As for the waiver wire, Week 14 brought us a couple strong options to choose from this week.
QUARTERBACKS
Jake Locker - TEN: Matt Hasselbeck continues to get hit with the injury bug, but manages to pull through during the week. Week 14 was no different after Hasselbeck was knocked out in the second quarter against the Saints with a calf injury. Locker took over and looked better than expected, completing 13-of-29 passes for 282 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Hasselbeck is expected to undergo an MRI on his strained left calf on Monday. But with the Titans still mathematically still alive in the playoffs, barely, Hasselbeck will likely get the nod if he is good to go. At this point, Locker is someone to have on standby in 2-QB leagues if Hasselbeck can't go for Week 15.
T.J. Yates - HOU: If you had told me Yates would pass for 300 yards against the Bengals, I would have laughed in your face. But that's exactly what Yates did, leading the Texans to a come from behind victory. Yates also chipped in 2 touchdowns, 1 interception and added another 36 rushing yards off 5 scrambles. Like Locker, Yates is more of a flex option than even a QB2. But unlike Locker, Yates WILL get the start against the Panthers. His ability to run makes him an intriguing option if your other flex options are so so.
RUNNING BACKS
Felix Jones - DAL: Our featured waiver-wire pick got a jolt of fantasy value after DeMarco Murray suffered a season-ending ankle injury (fracture) Sunday night against the Giants. With Murray sidelined, Jones exploded for 106 rushing yards, while adding 6 receptions for another 31. Jones is going to be the biggest waiver-wire addition this week, so he is a must-add option in ALL leagues this week. If I can say, I wound up picking Jones up as my RB4 a few weeks ago, so I am looking pretty smart right about now.
Ryan Grant - GB: With James Starks (ankle) sidelined against the Raiders, Grant looked like his old self after rushing 10 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns. The highlight of the game was on the Packers' first play, where Grant broke a tackle and rushed 47 yards to nab his first score. He looked like he didn't miss a beat, making excellent cuts between the tackles. Grant's waiver-wire push could be cut short if Starks can play in Week 15 against the Chiefs, but Grant is still worth an add. Especially for Starks owners.
Marion Barber - CHI: Many owners were scared off by Barber after Lovie Smith declared there would be a two-back committee between he and Kahlil Bell. Barber received 29 touches to Bell's 14, so this backfield is Barber's for now. The ups: Barber ran 27 times for 108 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 2 passes for 32 yards. The downs: For some reason, Barber ran out of bounds as the Bears were in clock-killing mode with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter. Then, Barber lost a crucial fumble in field-goal range during overtime, which allowed the Broncos to march right back down the field and kick the game-winning field goal. The coaching staff isn't going to forget that, but at least Barber showed he still has something left in the tank and can take a full workload. But he faces a very tough Seattle run defense next week.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Jabar Gaffney - WAS: Gaffney was never really anything special, NFL-wise and fantasy-wise. He would have good games here and there, but he was never more than a flex option in his career. Gaffney had a big game against the hapless Patriots secondary, catching 6 passes for 92 yards and a score. Facing the Giants in Week 15, it'd be hard to imagine Gaffney matching any of those numbers, but the Giants did get torched by the Cowboys receivers Sunday night.
Titus Young - DET: I was talking to a friend of mine, who is in a local league with me, and he shared his discouragement with Young this year. When he benched him he goes off. When he started him, he disappeared. Guess where Young was yesterday? On the bench. Young had a big game against the Vikings, catching 4 balls for 87 yards and a score. He could be a pickup and a flex option against a Raiders team that seems to be crumbling down the stretch.
TIGHT ENDS
John Gilmore - NO: So late in the season, you aren't going to find a tight end who will give you double-digit fantasy points. In fact, only 7 tight ends scored double-digit points in my local league yesterday. This year has been a down year for the tight end position. With so many receivers popping up, the tight end has become a bit of an afterthought. Gilmore only gets a mention because Jimmy Graham suffered a back injury against the Titans. We should know more after Graham undergoes an MRI on Monday. But if he's out for Week 15, it'd be hard for me to see Gilmore put up anything more than 5 or 6 points.
