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Matt Bowen
Throughout the season, we hit on the last-minute pickups in this space every Friday. Deeper-league targets, flex plays, WR3s and more. The late-week adds to give you a potential bump or positive streaming option in the lineup.
But with the playoffs already rolling in ESPN standard leagues and plenty of formats kicking off their tournaments this week, I want to focus on the players currently being started in under 50% of ESPN leagues who can provide some upside. Think big-play chops here and favorable deployment based on the Week 15 slate of games.
For those playing in ESPN standard leagues, which uses a two-week window in the first round of the playoffs (Week 14-15), these players can be used if you need a boost in scoring to avoid elimination. Take a shot. And for those starting the playoffs this week in deeper formats, maybe you decide to go with someone who provides a higher ceiling, instead of playing that low-floor wide receiver (again).
I picked out five players here — all pass catchers — with a path to produce numbers this week.
Chimere Dike, WR, Tennessee Titans (6.7% started; at San Francisco 49ers)
Dike brings some juice to the lineup as a deep-ball target. He’s as burner. But let’s not forget that Dike has a red zone touchdown catch and 13 or more points in two of his past three games. He has also seen a total of 19 targets over that stretch. Trust that deployment and overall usage in a Week 15 matchup against a 49ers defense that has played better football but still ranks in the bottom half of the league versus opposing wide receivers. Plus, the Titans could be chasing points on Sunday in the second half.
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens (8.0% started; at Cincinnati Bengals)
The Bengals defense has given up the most PPG to opposing tight ends this season (22.8), and the Ravens are a heavy 12-personnel team (one running back, two tight ends, two wide receivers). That gets Likely on the field with Mark Andrews. Plus, Likely has scored 12.5 points in back-to-back games, which includes the Week 12 head-to-head matchup versus the Bengals. Likely produced two receptions of 30 or more yards in that game (on second-reaction throws from Lamar Jackson), and we know he is slippery after the catch on outlet targets.
Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants (3.0% started; vs. Washington Commanders)
You can take a flier on Slayton because of the big-play ability. He has at least one explosive-play reception (20 or more yards) in four straight games, and he has posted 11 or more points in three of four. The matchup works here, too, as the Giants get a Washington defense allowing 37.3 PPG to opposing wide receivers (sixth most). Let’s get a vertical throw on the boundary or a slant route that creates catch-and-run numbers. Slayton will have those opportunities Sunday, and he can produce on limited targets.
Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans (10.1% started; vs. Arizona Cardinals)
Higgins was held to 34 yards on three receptions in the Week 14 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, but he has produced double-digit points in three of his past five games, with at least five targets in each. Plus, I really like the player and his route deployment in Houston. Higgins is a big-body target with inside/outside flex. Post up those defensive backs or stretch the field. And this Cardinals defense isn’t playing great football right now, allowing an average of 234 yards passing over their past three games.
Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints (30.8% started; vs. Carolina Panthers)
Johnson has been quiet the past couple of weeks, posting two games with fewer than 10 points. However, before that, Johnson had a stretch of double-digit production in five straight games, which included a season-high 19.2 points in the head-to-head matchup versus Carolina in Week 10. Johnson caught all four of his targets for 92 yards and a touchdown in that game, and he was deployed as a field-stretcher on third-level throws. If you are still searching for that boost in the lineup at tight end, Johnson does provide enough upside here for Sunday’s game on the turf in New Orleans.