Think your team is set for the playoffs? Think again. There’s always value to be found in streamers and stashing for the playoffs is becoming more important by the week. So, each week, I’ll be bringing you an article answering two simple questions: who should I stream this week and who should I stash for the future?
To keep things simple, we’ll define a streamer as any player you wouldn’t usually start who is a viable option for this week. They may be on your bench or they may be on waivers, depending on your league. We’ll define a stash as any player you can potentially find on waivers that you should stash for the future, either because they have a favorable match-up coming up, or because they could become a future fantasy starter.
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QB Streamers:
Jacoby Brissett (ARI): Without Marvin Harrison Jr, Jacoby Brissett completed a record 47 passes in Week 11. He now faces a top five quarterback matchup which happens to coincide with one of the hardest rushing matchups. It’s hard to see Arizona getting the run game going again this week making Brissett a fantastic one-off streamer.
Caleb Williams (CHI): It’s natural to feel a little sketchy about Caleb Williams given his propensity for dud weeks, but he’s been consistently good in juicy matchups. This week, he faces the Steelers, who continue to struggle against the pass while being strong against the run. The Bengals admittedly reserved that trend last week making this a riskier stream than I prefer, but the upside is most certainly there for the Bears passer.
QB Stash:
JJ McCarthy (MIN): I see little value in stashing a quarterback when there’s no teams on bye next week and there’s nobody I see having an imminent breakout. But looking further forward, I really like JJ McCarthy’s playoff matchups. He gets the Cowboys, Giants and Lions, ranked 1st, 3rd and 12th in matchup rankings. And as a bonus, he gets 6th-ranked Washington in Week 14. He’s a fine stash if you don’t have a clear-cut starter.
RB Streamers:
Emanuel Wilson (GB): This one is very obvious, so I won’t harp on. Emanuel Wilson is the clear Packers starter if Josh Jacobs does indeed miss Week 12. Wilson’s a riskier start than Jacobs as Green Bay will likely work in Chris Brooks and rely on the passing game more. But he’s still a Top 20 option for me in a middling matchup.
Alvin Kamara (NO): The Saints bizarrely go into their matchup against the Falcons as favorites according to Vegas. That brings Alvin Kamara into play as a strong streaming start against an Atlanta defense that has conceded the fourth most points to running backs this season.
Zach Charbonnet (SEA): The Seahawks are 13.5 point favorites against the awful Titans and should lean on the run against a weak Tennessee run defense, especially after Sam Darnold’s implosion last weekend against the Rams.
RB Stashes:
Bhayshul Tuten (JAC): The Jaguars confusingly made their backfield a 50-50 split in Week 11, leading to way more touches for Bhayshul Tuten before an injury knocked him out partway through. There’s a chance this is a changing of the guard so it’s worth stashing Tuten just in case.
Running backs get injured more than any other player in fantasy, with the average Top 36 running back missing two games per season in fantasy. For that reason, your best bet in fantasy is to roster running backs who are an injury away from an every down role. Each week, I’ll be listing my favorite RB stashes, only including players you won’t be starting most weeks.
Top Handcuffs: Blake Corum, Brian Robinson, Bhayshul Tuten, Ollie Gordon, Tank Bigsby, Chuba Hubbard, Isaiah Davis, Ameer Abdullah, Raheem Mostert, Keaton Mitchell, Michael Carter, Devin Neal
WR Streamers:
Michael Wilson (ARI): I spoke earlier about Jacoby Brissett’s likelihood of another pass-heavy game and, if Marvin Harrison Jr remains out, Michael Wilson will be the main beneficiary, with Greg Dortch a desperation streamer if MHJ is indeed out again.
Darnell Mooney (ATL): Darnell Mooney has 15 targets across his last two games and should benefit from Drake London’s potential absence. There’s plenty of risk here given Mooney has as many one reception games as multi-reception outings. But without London, you have to believe Mooney and Kyle Pitts become the top dogs.
Jakobi Meyers (JAC): Jakobi Meyers is seeing his snaps rise since his arrival at the Jaguars. He appears to be the top option in the passing game when Brian Thomas Jr is out and is a viable streamer in a tough Cardinals matchup.
WR Stashes:
Luther Burden (CHI): The Bears gave rookie Luther Burden the WR3 job last week. We know players can boom towards the end of their first season and while I don’t think that’s likely here, it’s possible he can carve out a fantasy relevant role. He’s a very risky start in Week 12 despite the juicy Steelers matchup, but he must be rostered in every league.
TE Streamers:
Hunter Henry (NE): The Patriots suck against tight ends and Hunter Henry played nearly every snap last week. He usually brings a low floor but if Austin Hooper remains out, Henry goes from a low-end stream to a reliable start in this tight end landscape.
Kyle Pitts (ATL): If Drake London is out for Week 12, Kyle Pitts becomes a major receiving outlet for Kirk Cousins and the Falcons. The Saints matchup is a bit meh but I’m confident Pitts can rebound from a couple of disappointing weeks if London is indeed absent.
TE Stash:
AJ Barner (SEA): AJ Barner has struggled with injury and consistent production this season, but with Seattle getting little out of their non-JSN receivers, I can see Barner emerging as a key player down the stretch. He has a trio of top half tight end matchups in the fantasy playoffs and offers a heap of touchdown upside, especially if they start using him more as their “QB-sneaker.”
K Streamers:
Cairo Santos (CHI): I’ve been high on the Bears kicker all season, as Cairo Santos and Jake Moody have combined for top five production well under the radar. This week, Santos gets a top five kicking matchup against the Steelers, so he’s a great kicking streamer.
Andy Borregales (NE): Andy Borregales paid off sufficiently last week so I’m going back to the well. There should be plenty of points in the Patriots/Bengals game giving the youngster a strong floor and high ceiling.
DST Streamers:
Browns DST (CLE): The Browns have played well against good opponents of late so they should show even better against the struggling Raiders. Especially in leagues that prioritise sacks and interceptions over points conceded, the Browns are a top option for me.
Falcons DST (ATL): The Falcons have high sack upside and I could imagine them shutting down the Saints in a grindfest in Week 12. That should lead to a good DST outing.
Please note: I won’t be listing kicker or DST stashes. You should never put kickers or DSTs on your bench in redraft leagues. There are practically no exceptions. Just please, don’t do it.
If you have questions on your leagues, make sure you hit me up on Instagram @TheFantasyFirstDown or on Twitter @FantasyFirstDwn. Also make sure you check out my dynasty and weekly rankings plus my Youtube. Lastly, make sure you check out all the amazing tools available on the Razzball website. They’re great for making start/sit decisions.
