This article is part of our NFL Waiver Wire series.
This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based upon both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column is posted every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedule. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.
For many, Week 13 marked the last week of the regular season before the playoffs start in the world of fantasy. The big news despite being in limited action was that Johnny Manziel had his first meaningful work of the season. The Packers beat the Patriots in a game many thought was a Super Bowl preview. There were a couple of surprising fantasy games from quarterbacks who posted elite fantasy games. This waiver column will continue for a few more weeks and try to pinpoint anyone that can you win a fantasy championship. This week was very light as far as wide receivers go as Donte Moncrief was profiled last week and had a great game. Good luck if you're heading in the first round of your playoffs and still consider some players below if you're lucky enough to have earned a bye.
QUARTERBACK
Primary Targets
Johnny Manziel, CLE - Johnny Football is a tough call this week as the Browns are not showing their hand when it comes to naming this week's starting quarterback. Manziel would instantly become a top-10 option if he gets the starting nod. The Colts have played in plenty of high-scoring games and allow 7.6 yards per attempt through the air. Manziel showed why he can be a fantasy darling Sunday with two rushes for only 12 yards, but one of those was a touchdown. His passes looked accurate and were surprisingly thrown with a lot of velocity. Manziel already has one of the best receivers in the league in Josh Gordon and might get Jordan Cameron back this week, as well. While there's the risk Hoyer is named the starter, it's worth taking a chance on Manziel given his upside. FAAB: $20-25
Secondary Targets
Colt McCoy, WAS - McCoy turned in a huge fantasy game, benefiting from playing a high-scoring affair with the Colts. McCoy threw for almost 300 yards in the second half alone and finished with three touchdown passes. McCoy has performed well in both his starts and has completed 75.3 percent of his 89 pass attempts. It doesn't appear the Redskins will go back to Robert Griffin, and the schedule is favorable with the Rams and then three division opponents. FAAB: $3-6
Hail Mary
Ryan Fitzpatrick, HOU - It's hard to put too much stock in one game, and Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a journeyman quarterback at this point in his career. On the other hand, it's hard to ignore the incredible fantasy line Fitzpatrick put up against Tennessee. Fitzpatrick threw for 358 yards and a whopping six touchdowns against the Titans and showed good chemistry with DeAndre Hopkins. Fitzpatrick likely won't crack the top 5 at the position the rest of the season but has a good matchup this week going against the Jaguars. FAAB: $1-2
RUNNING BACK
Secondary Targets
Doug Martin, TB - Martin took over as the feature back for Tampa Bay this week and finished with 58 rushing yards and a touchdown. His yards per carry mark was at a paltry 3.2 and his mark for the season sits at 2.9. Outside of a monster game at Oakland two seasons ago, there is little to suggest a ton of upside with Martin. This week, yards will be tough to come by as the Buccaneers go up against the best run defense in the league, the Detroit Lions. Still, if the Bucs continue to give him a similar workload this week (19 touches) and goal-line work, he still has some fantasy value. FAAB: $5-10
Marion Grice, ARI - Grice took over as the lead back for the Cardinals when teammate Andre Ellington left with a hip injury. He finished with five carries for only 16 yards and added another 24 yards on three catches. Grice was mentioned in this column several weeks ago once he was plucked off the San Diego practice squad and signed by Arizona. Grice, a rookie out of Arizona State, is well known by college DFS players as he averaged 176.5 yards last season for the Sun Devils. It's unclear both if Ellington will be out this week and how the workload would be divided if he does sit, but Grice looks better than Stepfan Taylor. FAAB: $4-8
Hail Mary
Glenn Winston, CLE - Head Coach Mike Pettite has repeatedly brought up Terrance West's crucial fumble at press conferences after the game and Monday, suggesting his workload will be limited or even non-existent this week against the Colts. Pettite said they would discuss putting Winston into the mix as the Browns have preferred something of a committee at the position all season. That should pave the way for Winston to see his first touches of the season as second fiddle to Isaiah Crowell.
FAAB: $1 or FCFS
Wide Receivers
Secondary Targets
Marqise Lee, JAC - It's hard to handicap the wide receivers for the Jaguars, but Lee should be a top target with Allen Robinson out for the season. Lee tied for the team lead with eight targets, and he turned those into five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Lee has a great pedigree and was thought of as one of the top wide receivers in the country at USC last season. Jacksonville will continue to play from behind these last four games and be forced to air it out. FAAB: $4-8
Tight Ends
Secondary Targets
Jordan Reed, WAS - After missing Week 12 with a hamstring injury Reed came back strong Sunday with a career-high nine catches. He turned those receptions into 123 yards and showed a nice rapport with Colt McCoy. The presence of both Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen don't help Reed's fantasy value, though he's clearly the top target of the three. Give Reed a small fantasy boost if DeSean Jackson is forced to miss this week's tilt with the Rams. FAAB: $6-10
Hail Mary
Richard Rodgers, GB - Rodgers may be carving out a role in the Packers' offense and now has a touchdown in consecutive games. Rodgers carried some sleeper buzz earlier this season until a neck injury sidelined him for a few weeks. His upside for now is limited as he hasn't seen more than two targets in any of his last three games. However, it never hurts to be a target in Green Bay's offense, and it's possible Rodgers continues to see his role grow especially near the goal line. FAAB: $1 or FCFS
