Standard ESPN League Finds
Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns (owned in 24.3 percent of ESPN.com leagues): It has been nine weeks since I put Gordon on the main FAF list, and while he has had his fantasy ups and downs, his role in the Cleveland offense has solidified. In that time, Gordon has a team-high 43 targets (as opposed to 22 before that) and a team-high 471 receiving yards, plus he is sixth in the league in average yards at the catch since Week 5. He and Brandon Weeden always figure to be hamstrung by Pat Shurmur's conservative pass attack, but on film, Gordon passes the eye test. He has Brandon Marshall upside. At the very least, every fantasy squad that made its playoffs should try to add Gordon as a potential fill-in if one of your starters gets hurt. And frankly, I bet there are some teams for which Gordon could start in Week 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brandon Myers, TE, Oakland Raiders (22.1 percent): Myers has made FAF twice: Week 2, when I recommended him as a deep-league option, and Week 11, when I upgraded him to standard leagues. But not enough folks have paid attention, so I'm touting him here again. In a tight end landscape that has seen Vernon Davis fall out of the fantasy top 10, Antonio Gates fall off the map and Jermichael Finley only recently become vaguely relevant, Myers is tied for fifth in fantasy points. He has hit double digits in three of his past five contests and produced a whopping 14 receptions for 130 yards Sunday. No, Myers does not belong to the genus of tight ends who qualify as "freaks." He is a big, slowish guy who boxes out well, catches what's thrown to him and serves as a reliable safety valve. In other seasons, that might be underwhelming, but 2012 has been a nuclear wasteland for tight ends. I can't emphasize this strongly enough: If you are rolling with Davis, Gates or Finley, you should be starting Myers instead.
Mike Thomas, WR, Detroit Lions (0.2 percent): Do I think adding Thomas will lead you to a fantasy playoff win? Let's just say I'm skeptical, especially considering his horrible end zone drop in Week 13. But does it seem apparent that Thomas is now Detroit's No. 2 wideout? It sure does. Nate Burleson has a broken leg. Ryan Broyles just tore his other ACL. And Titus Young isn't getting anywhere near the field for the Lions for at least the rest of this season. Then again, somehow fellow castoffs Kassim Osgood (0.0 percent) and Brian Robiskie (0.0 percent) are also on this roster, so who knows how things shake out opposite Calvin Johnson? The guy this all benefits most could actually be Tony Scheffler (0.9 percent), who basically functioned as Matthew Stafford's slot receiver after Broyles was injured Sunday.
Tim Tebow, QB, New York Jets (9.7 percent): All right, I'll say it. Maybe the Jets will finally indulge in a little Tebow Time before season's end. I'm assuming Greg McElroy (0.0 percent) will get the Week 14 start against the Jacksonville Jaguars in place of the soon-to-be-deposed Mark Sanchez, but McElroy won't have any better weapons than Sanchez did, doesn't have a big arm and isn't a runner. Tebow was inactive Sunday because of injured ribs, and there's no guarantee he'll be ready if needed. But if he is, we all know he's a fantasy difference-maker because of his rushing skills. Do I expect standard-leaguers who add Tebow to plug him into their lineup at any time during the fantasy playoffs? I don't, but weirder things have happened. As a speculative move, I'd add Tebow before McElroy.
Other solid waiver adds, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers (45.7 percent); Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks (17.8 percent); Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos (48.8 percent); James Starks, RB, Packers (7 percent); Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Steelers (41.2 percent); Marcel Reece, RB, Raiders (45.7 percent); Danario Alexander, WR, Chargers (26.8 percent); Golden Tate, WR, Seahawks (10 percent); T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts (33.6 percent); Chris Givens, WR, Rams (3.1 percent); Dallas Clark, TE, Buccaneers (5.2 percent).
Deeper League Finds
Montell Owens, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (0.0 percent): Owens came into 2012 with 18 career touches from scrimmage, having mostly played fullback and special teams. But a litany of running back injuries may land him atop the Jags' depth chart. Maurice Jones-Drew almost certainly won't be back for Week 14, Jalen Parmele is out for the season with a groin injury, and Rashad Jennings suffered a concussion early in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. Owens produced 40 yards on eight touches and is a big fella at 225 pounds, but he offers no wiggle whatsoever. If Jennings can't go against the Jets this week, Owens would lead a committee that could include Jordan Todman and Richard Murphy.
Benjamin Watson, TE, Cleveland Browns (5.6 percent): In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. In the three games since the Browns' bye, Watson has squinted his way to 13 catches, 153 yards and two touchdowns. In this year's tight end crop, that's practically legend. Despite the slow progress Jordan Cameron has made, Watson could still produce his second 50-catch season in three years in Cleveland, though I'm fairly sure I won't have him ranked within my top 15 tight ends at any time this December.
Tony Moeaki, TE, Kansas City Chiefs (0.7 percent): When practically all your quarterback can do is check down, sometimes the tight end actually benefits. That appears to be the case with Moeaki, who is riding a four-game skein of 13 grabs for 235 yards and a touchdown, thanks in large part to Brady Quinn. Moeaki has been an injury waiting to happen for almost two years, but in a deeper league, he's an option.
Rod Streater, WR, Oakland Raiders (0.5 percent): This undrafted rookie out of Temple caught a deep ball for a 64-yard score Sunday and had three grabs for 96 yards overall. He benefited from Denarius Moore's benching, which probably won't stretch into Week 14's Thursday night tilt against the Denver Broncos, but if you're in a super-deep league, I don't mind Streater as a bench addition.
Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (0.1 percent): Cooper is playing in DeSean Jackson's flanker spot, and while Jason Avant saw more action Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys (four catches for 79 yards), one of Cooper's two catches went for a red zone score. Nick Foles will be Philly's starting quarterback for the rest of the season, which limits everyone's upside, but if there's a preferred fantasy option after Jeremy Maclin (really, there isn't), it's Cooper.
Joe Webb, QB, Minnesota Vikings (0.3 percent): I'm totally speculating, but if the Vikes really want to compete for a wild-card spot in December, don't they have to think about benching Christian Ponder? Ponder looked as though he had made strides earlier in the season, but he has had four execrably bad outings in his past six, including each of his past two against divisional foes. Yes, he's without Percy Harvin, which stinks. But 12-for-25 for 119 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs? That stat line is positively Sanchez-ian. Leslie Frazier says he is sticking with Ponder, but in the deepest of deep leagues, you could add the athletic Webb, whose running chops would make him intriguing if he sees action.
Other solid waiver adds for deep-leaguers, about whom I've written in previous weeks: Brandon Weeden, QB, Browns (7.5 percent); Chad Henne, QB, Jaguars (8.5 percent); Sam Bradford, QB, Rams (38.8 percent); Jake Locker, QB, Titans (6.9 percent); David Wilson, RB, Giants (40.8 percent); Jacquizz Rodgers, Falcons, RB (33.0 percent); Joique Bell, RB, Lions (9.5 percent); Bilal Powell, RB, Jets (1.8 percent); Kendall Wright, WR, Titans (13.4 percent); Andrew Hawkins, WR, Bengals (10.7 percent); Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Steelers (3.7 percent); Donnie Avery, WR, Colts (8.4 percent); Santana Moss, WR, Redskins (41.5 percent); Andre Roberts, WR, Cardinals (34.1 percent); Jeremy Kerley, WR, Jets (37.1 percent); Davone Bess, WR, Dolphins (19.8 percent); Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jaguars (18.7 percent); Dwayne Allen, TE, Colts (2.8 percent); Dennis Pitta, TE, Ravens (30.4 percent); Jeff Cumberland, TE, Jets (0.1 percent).