• Several running back options due to injuries: Rhamondre Stevenson, Derrick Henry, Brian Robinson Jr. and D’Andre Swift all left their games injured. Their backups are all available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues.

• Injuries impact other positions: Injuries to Tank Dell, Amari Cooper, Christian Watson, Derek Carr and Josh Whyle will open up opportunities for other players.

• Check the schedule: With only four games left in the fantasy season, the opponents a team faces will have a much bigger impact on the players worth considering.

Estimated Reading Time: 24 minutes

Jump to a position group:

QB | RB | WR | TE

Quarterback

Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings (Rostered in 47.4% of leagues on ESPN)

Dobbs threw four interceptions in Week 12 on Monday Night Football.

• The combination of a bad game, questions about his status as the team’s starting quarterback and the Vikings' Week 13 bye led several fantasy managers to drop him.
• While Dobbs had one bad performance, he was a top-12 fantasy quarterback in each of the previous four weeks.
• Assuming he keeps his job, he will now have the benefit of throwing to Justin Jefferson for the first time.
• The Vikings have the best quarterback schedule over the rest of the season, according to PFF’s strength of schedule tool.
• If the Vikings announce a new starting quarterback, such as Nick Mullens, they are also worth a waiver wire addition due to the Vikings’ schedule and supporting cast.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (32.1%)

Stafford completed 22 of his 37 passing attempts against the Cleveland Browns for 279 yards and three touchdowns.

• Stafford was consistently finishing outside of the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks but has been a touchdown-throwing machine over the past two weeks.
• The Rams generally don’t have a good schedule for quarterbacks over the past four weeks of the fantasy season, with a clear exception in Week 15 when they face the Washington Commanders.
• Washington has allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.
• If you have a shaky quarterback situation, it’s worth stashing Stafford a week early to take advantage of that dominant matchup.

Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints (0.3%)

Winston took over for Derek Carr when he suffered a head injury in Week 13. He is also dealing with a shoulder and back injury.

• It wouldn’t be surprising if this keeps Carr out next week.
• Winston didn’t see many opportunities in this game, completing two of five passes for 41 yards.
• He scored the third-most fantasy points in 2019 in his last full season as a starter. He scored the 15th-most points in the first three games last season.
• The Saints have the fifth-best schedule for quarterbacks over the rest of the season, according to PFF’s strength of schedule tool.
• They face the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to close out the season
• The matchups get better as the season progresses. Winston’s fantasy value will be much higher if Carr has to miss multiple games.

Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts (10.4%)

Minshew threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns in the Colts' overtime win against the Tennessee Titans.

• The Colts were down by 10 points at one point, forcing them to rely on the passing game.
• The loss of Jonathan Taylor also could have influenced the game plan to pass more often.
• Minshew has finished most weeks as a top-20 fantasy quarterback but rarely among the top 12.
• The Colts have the second-best schedule for quarterbacks over the rest of the season, according to PFF’s strength of schedule tool.
• He faces the Cincinnati Bengals next week, giving him the best matchup for fantasy managers looking for a quarterback off the waiver wire.

Running Back

Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots (34.1%)

Rhamondre Stevenson needed to be helped off the field due to an ankle injury and was ruled out by halftime.

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