Fantasy
12/12/24
7 min read
2024 Fantasy Football: Waiver Wire Claims Who Could Help Win Your Championship
The fantasy playoffs are underway for the 2024 season, and there are a handful of players who have the potential to almost single-handedly take owners to a championship.
This year's fantasy season has featured some unlikely heroes, including rookies like Jayden Daniels and Brock Bowers. While some early starts for breakout players have helped owners get into the fantasy playoffs, the next few weeks become much more important from a matchup perspective.
Players with better matchups and late-season situations with their own teams will help fantasy owners continue to advance over the next few weeks. Here are the players at each position who should be able to help fantasy owners when it matters most.
Week 15 Fantasy Rankings | Start, Sit Advice
Fantasy Football Championship Winners
Who has the longest game-winning drive since 2001 you ask?
— Jeremiah (@ColtsTopic) December 11, 2024
not Mahomes
not Rodgers
not Brady
not Manning
Anthony Richardson pic.twitter.com/b8oUPiSZoY
QB: Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts 
Box score numbers don't always look great for Anthony Richardson, but if he's still available in your league, he presents excellent fantasy value for the tail end of the season.
Richardson has been on a tear in his three games back after his benching, averaging over 21 fantasy points per contest. Those performances have even come against some respectable defenses at limiting fantasy production from QBs.
Fortunately, Richardson has regained his confidence, particularly as a runner in the red zone. He's rushed 29 times during this three-game stretch for 141 yards and three scores. He's even led a pair of game-winning drives against the Patriots and Jets, showing some real-life development as well.
That dual-threat ability makes Richardson an enticing add for teams needing a spark at the quarterback position. His matchups aren't the best, but two divisional games against the Titans and Jaguars during the playoff stretch make him a must-add if available.
RB: Isaac Guerendo/patrick Taylor, San Francisco 49ers
Every year, there's at least one fantasy asset who comes out of nowhere to win championships for owners. This year, that's probably going to end up being rookie Isaac Guerendo.
With Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason being placed on injured reserve, Guerendo has suddenly become the featured back for the San Francisco 49ers. He didn't disappoint in his first game as the lead back on Sunday, racking up 26.8 points in PPR leagues.
His workload shouldn't slow down any time soon, even with Patrick Taylor back on the 49ers roster. There is some concern about a sprained foot he suffered against the Bears, but reports indicate that he plans to play through the injury to finish the season.
As long as he's healthy enough to go, Guerendo should be a must-start in all leagues for the playoffs. He'll face the Rams, Dolphins, and Cardinals in three of his four remaining games, all of which present great matchups for fantasy RBs.
If Guerendo isn't healthy, Taylor should be an instant add based on workload alone.
Jordan Love to Romeo Doubs on a tidy throw & catch down the sideline pic.twitter.com/OUa7ec5Pfx
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) October 27, 2024
WR: Romeo DOubs, Green Bay Packers
Taking a chance on a Green Bay Packers receiver can be risky because of how Jordan Love spreads his targets. However, when on the field, Romeo Doubs has been the most reliable pass-catching option on this Packers offense.
Doubs has missed the last couple of games with a concussion but is expected to return for Sunday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. That's a solid matchup from a fantasy perspective, as are the next two games against the Saints and Vikings.
While his production hasn't been awesome all the time this year, all the Packers receivers should be seeing a boost in fantasy value with the way Love has been playing in recent weeks. Christian Watson has been thriving with big-play potential in Doubs' absence but doesn't have the same kind of fantasy potential in PPR leagues when he's only making a handful of catches in a game.
Doubs has had games with a sizable target share this season, and that should be the case again based on matchups during the fantasy playoffs, making him a solid flex option in PPR leagues.
TE: Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Streaming a tight end is a risky endeavor, but some fantasy owners have no choice if they don't have a top-tier option like Brock Bowers or George Kittle this season.
While there aren't many appealing options that are likely available, Juwan Johnson presents a decent floor in PPR leagues. He's been clicking in recent games, producing double-digit outings in two of the last three contests for the New Orleans Saints.
Derek Carr is unlikely to play this week but could return before the season is over. Regardless of who the quarterback is, Johnson has some phenomenal matchups to end the year against some disappointing linebacker rooms when it comes to pass coverage.
Those matchups should make Johnson worth at least bringing onto your bench for this week to evaluate if he's worth starting in Week 16 and beyond.
TO THE 🏡
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 1, 2024
📺 | @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/9EjMGmntzr
Defense/Special Teams: Los Angeles Chargers
Despite low ownership numbers, the Los Angeles Chargers have actually been one of the best defenses in fantasy football this season.
Part of that is because of their boom-or-bust potential, which has included some massive scoring outings against teams like the Falcons and Browns. While that might not happen every week, the Chargers have some awesome matchups against the Patriots and Raiders in the final two weeks of the season.
It might be worth adding the Chargers' defense now, even with a couple of tougher matchups against Tampa Bay and Denver in the next two weeks.
Other owners might want to get ahead of the curve in time for the semifinal and championship weeks, so if you have the roster told to afford a bench spot or can live with the risk of their defense in the next two weeks, then the Chargers defense could be a unit that turns the tide in pivotal matchups at the end of the year.
Kicker: Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs
Most fantasy owners likely dropped Harrison Butker after he was placed on real-life injured reserve with a knee injury. Now, the Super Bowl champion kicker is nearing a return just in time for the fantasy playoffs.
Butker is about as reliable as a kicker can be from a fantasy perspective. Before his injury, he produced double-digit scoring performances in five of nine games for the Chiefs.
For fantasy owners who don't have a kicker they trust, Butker is a worthwhile investment. Patrick Mahomes can still win football games, but the offense isn't as dominant as it once was, leading to more field goal opportunities than they'd ideally like.
That's a win for fantasy owners who can grab Butker.
