Fantasy playoffs are here, so keep the dream alive by adding these players Justin Jefferson in case something goes wrong.
QB: Zach Wilson (New York Jets) If your playoff roster is thin at quarterback, don’t be afraid to go back to Zach. The Jets did just that last week, and the third-year quarterback responded by going 27-of-36 for 301 yards and two touchdowns, winning AFC Player of the Week.
His quarterback rating of 117.9 was his best of the season, ranking third among NFL quarterbacks in Week 14. This week, he’ll face a Miami team that dropped a game to the Titans.
Miami has had a powerful offense, but their defense may use some improvement. The Cowboys are the only club to score more points per game (32.4) than the Dolphins (31.6), yet Miami leads all teams in total yards (5,507).
Put another way, if Wilson doesn’t throw the ball, the Jets won’t be able to compete with players like Raheem Mostert and Tyreek Hill. With Washington having the poorest defense in the league, the Jets’ situation should improve in Week 16 against them, which is why Wilson is a decent insurance policy for most fantasy teams.
Ninety-five percent of Yahoo! leagues provide Wilson.
Elijah Mitchell, right tackle (San Francisco 49ers)
Despite being the 88th-leading rusher in the NFL with 149 yards in nine games, Mitchell would gain the majority of Christian McCaffrey’s yardage if the league leader were to suffer an injury.
Mitchell had a knee ailment that kept him out of the Seahawks game last week, but he was only a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. In place of McCaffrey last week, Jordan Mason scored a touchdown, but if Mitchell had been available, he probably would have taken the carry.
San Francisco’s opponent this week is Arizona, which allows the second-most points to running backs. They’re going to play the poorest defense in the league in Washington in two weeks.
It never hurts to have players from high-scoring teams on your bench. The 49ers are second in total yards and third in points this season. Mitchell will never be McCaffrey, but he’s a sensible stash to start the fantasy playoffs. Mitchell is available in 86% of Yahoo! leagues.
Wan’Dale Robinson, wide receiver (New York Giants)
In the Giants’ surprising victory over the Packers on “Monday Night Football,” Robinson led the club with six catches on seven targets for 79 yards. The winning field goal for the squad was made possible in part by his 32-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
In the second quarter, he also had a 32-yard run that might be useful against the New Orleans team, who allow the seventh-most running yards in the league. The Giants play two games against Philadelphia, who have the fifth-worst passing defense in the NFL, following their matchup with the Saints.
You may find Robinson in 89% of Yahoo! leagues.
TE: Tennessee Titans’ Chigoziem Okonkwo
This week and again in Week 17, the Titans take on the Texans. In four of his previous five games, Okonkwo has gotten five or more targets. In Week 14, he recorded a season-high 9.60 fantasy points against the Dolphins.
Houston allows opponents’ tight ends to score the fourth-most fantasy points. Okonkwo provides a rather solid floor over the next three weeks, averaging 9.1 fantasy points over the last three games.
You can find Okonkwo in 66% of Yahoo! leagues.
DST: Falcons of Atlanta
In Week 13, the Falcons defense scored 17 fantasy points against the Jets after only managing one point against Tampa Bay. They take on Carolina this week, a squad that conceded the fourth-most fantasy points to opponents’ defenses this season and was unable to score a touchdown against the Saints.
Of the Yahoo! leagues, 48% offer the Falcons defense.
K: Chicago Bears’ Cairo Santos
Santos scored three field goals for 11 fantasy points against the Lions in response to last week’s advice. In his past four games, he has at least three field goals, averaging 13.5 fantasy points per game.
You may find Santos in 98% of Yahoo! leagues.
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