Zero Dollar Bidding: Waiver Wire Look Ahead-Fantasy Playoffs

Zero Dollar Bidding: Waiver Wire Look Ahead-Fantasy Playoffs
by Alan Seslowsky

If you are reading this column, RosterWatch wants to be one of the first to congratulate you on making your league’s fantasy playoffs. Your waiver wire prowess is more important than ever right now. All season long “Zero Dollar Bidding” has helped you look for hidden future value to store on your roster.

With only six teams in your league likely active on the waiver wire this week, it is important to play “fantasy defense” on your opponent. Fantasy defense is the strategy of looking over your opponent’s rosters and identifying their needs; then actively pursuing players to add to your roster that they may try to pick up. Blocking your opponents from bolstering their roster may yield dividends when you face them in weeks 14, 15, and 16. 

 

Defense Special Teams (DSTs)

During the regular season, there is rarely a reason to carry more than one DST at a time. There will be weeks when you have two if you want to hold an elite DST during a bye. For the most part, you are holding one DST or streaming one DST. Zero Dollar Bidding suggested picking up teams like Seattle a couple of weeks ago since they face the Giants (week 13) The Jets (week 14) and Washington (week 15.) Hopefully, you have them rostered, but if not, RosterWatch wants you to go to your waiver wire and look at matchups for DSTs in weeks 14, 15, and 16. It is ok to roster three DSTs in exchange for letting go of positional depth. Here are a few teams with plus matchups to consider rostering for a ZDB.

Week 14

Dallas (16% rostered): vs Cincinnati

Tennessee (32% rostered) vs Jacksonville 

Arizona (20% rostered) vs NY Giants

Week 15

Minnesota (56% rostered) vs Chicago

Cleveland (38% rostered) vs NY Giants

Tennessee (32% rostered) vs Detroit

Week 16

Cleveland (38% rostered) vs NY Jets

Houston (11% rostered) vs Cincinnati 

 

Darrel Williams (RB, Kansas City, 2% rostered) 

Williams is a player many were excited to draft in August as a hedge or handcuff to first-round ADP rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire. It was clear early on that Darrell Williams was not going to hold much fantasy value and he has been sitting on waiver wires ever since. The Chiefs added veteran Le’Veon Bell pushing Williams further down the depth chart. CEH was questionable all week with an “illness” and though active in week 13, he delivered a zero to your fantasy team. The defending champs know they will need their star rookie and Lev Bell at full health for the playoffs, and there is reason to explore that Darrell Williams may see some extended run. If your team is solid throughout, but you have been cycling through RB2s, D-Will may be a player you can start if the Chiefs are without either veteran RB for a game over the next three weeks. A perfect zero dollar bid player for the fantasy playoffs. 

 

Rashard Higgins (WR Cleveland Browns 9% rostered)

As we spoke about in the introduction of this article, we don’t want to add depth to our rosters for the fantasy playoffs for the sake of having a non-startable player. We want to add players that we can proactively play over the next three weeks or block an opponent from using the startable player against us. Higgins fits the bill. He has always been a capable NFL player and his nine targets in week 13 are a signal he may have serious fantasy value as a top 36 WR the rest of the way. He caught six footballs last week, which he turned into 95 yards and a touchdown. Baker Mayfield had time to throw and it is clear that Jarvis Landy and Higgins are the preferred targets. He is not a flashy name that could be overlooked by your leaguemates. He certainly is worth a zero dollar bid for the fantasy playoffs. 

17 Comments

  1. ↓ Post By Ross

    ****Magical Cheat Sheet has gotten me here***

    Full Point PPR

    Kyler Murray or Tom Brady

    Mike Evans, Dionte Johnson or Calvin Ridley
    Need 2 (Have Devonte Adams locked in)

    Also in another one

    Need 2 RB 1 WR 1 Flex FULL POINT

    Jonathan Taylor, Mostert, K. Hunt, K. Drake, J. Conner, JK Dobbins

    Dionte Johnson, Aiyuk, Pittman

    Thanks Guys!

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Congrats on making it to the big boy fantasy weeks.

      I’m not playing Kyler in the fantasy playoffs. I prefer Brady here. Something is off with Murray. If he goes off on your bench, so be it.

      At WR Keep an eye on Evans…he has been limited all week. If he plays he could be playing banged up. Assuming full health I’d sit DJ.

      For your other league you have great options I’d play
      JT, Dobbins, Aiyuk, and then its pick your popison…no clear answer but I’d roll w Hunt (2nd choice Drake)

      Good luck!

  2. ↓ Post By Bigmanmike

    Panthers or 49er’s?

    1. ↓ Post By Bigmanmike

      I saw answered in a other thread thank you.

    2. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Both are in similar spots. I like playing CAR at home vs Denver. Good luck

  3. ↓ Post By D Ron

    Which 2 should I put in the flex? PPR

    Swift
    Dobbins
    Juju
    Giovanni bernard

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      If Swift plays, lower your floor expectations but the upside is still there. Play the two rookies. If you want more floor go for JJSS and bench swift Good luck!

  4. ↓ Post By Longlooper

    Murray or Tannehill? I start D Hop as well…

    1. ↓ Post By Incognito

      Add Brady to this equation

  5. ↓ Post By Incognito

    WR Question — Need to pick two — Parker, Deebo, Aiyuk or Hilton. (Patrick and Shenault on waivers). Thanks

    1. ↓ Post By Incognito

      1/2 PPR thanks

  6. ↓ Post By csb01

    Standard league, should I start Cole Beasley, or Antonio Brown? Thanks

  7. ↓ Post By renourka

    Alex, Byron or Trashman – need your expert advice here to get this playoff lineup set right!

    Already starting:
    Big Ben @BUF
    Adams @DET
    Ridley @LAC
    Montgomery vs. HOU
    H. Henry vs ATL

    We won’t talk about Akers’ 20 points on my bench… but now I need help picking 1 RB for my RB2 and 1 player for FLEX:

    HALF PPR

    R. Jones vs MIN
    Diontae Johnson @BUF
    Hunt v. BAL
    Evans vs MIN
    Jacobs vs IND
    Booker vs IND
    D. Samuel vs. WAS

    Thanks in advance!

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Im sure the boys will weigh in but in the meantime, I think you have it set just right. Best of luck my brother. We will be cheering for you!

  8. ↓ Post By Lonny5

    Need Input,

    Thanks for helping me get to the dance in both leagues Nation.

    League1-full point ppr. Need 1 for rb/wr/te flex:
    Michael Pittman
    Antonio Brown
    Tyler Boyd
    Ceedee
    Chase Edmonds

    League2-.75 point ppr. Need 2 rb, and 1 for wr/te/rb:
    Zeke
    Mike Davis
    Dobbins
    Ty Johnson
    Coutee
    Tee Higgins
    Gallup

    Thank you

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      In league 1 I would lean to Edmonds if Drake does not play. But if he does then Ceedee in a decent matchup, or the boys like Antonio Brown a lot today. Good luck!

    2. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      in league 2

      RBs Mike Davis and Dobbins
      Flex Coutee

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