The Gut Check No.614: Role-Player Playoff Saviors

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The playoffs are here. Not officially for most leagues, but for many of you, Week 14 is either a battle to reach the playoffs or to earn a desirable seed in the tourney.

A few of you have loaded rosters. Congratulations, now go flex somewhere else but don't do too much crowing before the games are played because, this week, I'm giving your seemingly undermanned competition underrated firepower to whoop your ass.

Whether you're scuffling to earn one of the final seeds or a top seed with unenviable injuries or byes, this week's article may extend your season. Everyone wants a loaded team, but just like the NFL playoffs where many stars are banged up at the end of the year and the best teams have to rely on productive depth to make key plays, many championship rosters have to rely on unlikely contributors at key moments.

Most unlikely fantasy contributors are role-players on their team — rotational contributors, spot-starters due to injury/suspension, aging veterans signed off the street, or emerging young talents. Here's my list of role-players who could emerge as your fantasy playoff saviors. For most leagues with some semblance of depth, I'd bet two-thirds of these options are on rosters (hopefully some of yours) and another third are free agents.

WR Elijah Moore and QB Joe Flacco, Cleveland

I'm betting on Joe Flacco remaining the Browns' starter for at least another week because Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains in concussion protocol. Flacco played well for a quarterback off the street just a week before, and his chemistry with Moore was still there.

When it came to involving multiple offensive weapons, fitting the ball into tight windows, and making good decisions off pre-snap looks, Flacco was better than any of the Browns quarterbacks this season. While I don't think Flacco is the Browns' playoff savior, he gives them the best shot to make the postseason and compete.

For fantasy rosters needing a quarterback with a high points ceiling, Flacco's track record doesn't present him as a likely candidate, but 254 yards and 2 scores less than a week off the couch is notable. So is the Browns' schedule. Jacksonville allowed Jake Browning to complete 86.5 percent of his targets for 354 yards on Monday night — and safety Andre Cisco is hurt.

Browning is a limited quarterback relative to Flacco in every respect other than youth — and in this case, youth is a limitation. If Flacco starts, the Jaguars have given up 24 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, third-most in the NFL. Jacksonville is the 4th most generous to opposing wide receivers.

If the Browns have a clue, Flacco will remain Cleveland's starter until their season postseason ends. It makes Moore a compelling starter in three-receiver leagues — even when Amari Cooper returns from concussion protocol.

WR Dontayvion Wicks, Packers

Christian Watson escaped serious injury and will likely miss on the shorter side of 1-3 games against the Giants, Buccaneers, and Panthers. The first two teams on that list are among the five most generous defenses for fantasy wide receiver production in the NFL. They are good matchups for Wicks based on the archetype of the player he is, their ineptitude on defense, and how Green Bay uses him.

Wicks may only spend 34 percent of his snaps aligned tight or in the slot, but his most frequent routes break inside. He has run more dig routes (32) than any other route this year. He's a skilled player at the catch point who, in addition to winning the ball against tight coverage, breaks tackles after the catch. From what I've seen on film, I think he gets his best separation on in-breaking routes.

The Giants have given up their biggest totals to receivers who run well after the catch: Deebo Samuel, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, and Brandin Cooks had gigantic games against New York this year. Wicks may not come up that big, but considering how the role-players did relative to these starters:

• 49ers reserve Ronnie Bell scored a touchdown in his first appearance in an NFL offense.
• Cedrick Wilson earned 4 catches for 52 yards.
• Deonte Harty scored a touchdown.
• Michael Gallup was the third Cowboys receiver with a touchdown (and 70 yards) in the second game where Cooks and Lamb went off.

Even Demario Douglas, on a toothless Patriots offense, earned 6 catches for 49 yards. That doesn't sound good, but in PPR leagues, that was WR35 value in Week 12. Considering the Packers have a much better offense, Wicks' upside against the Giants is much greater.

The Buccaneers are infamously vulnerable to receivers who do a lot of work in the middle of the field: Justin Jefferson, DJ Moore, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Khalil Shakir, Tank Dell, Noah Brown, Brandon Ayiuk, Michael Pittman, and Jonathan Mingo all had quality PPR games against them. Most of the names on this list lit up Tampa's defense like a Christmas light show.

If you have Wicks, he's a viable WR3 for your lineups. If you can get Wicks, the next two weeks could help you if you need it.

WR Parker Washington, Jaguars

From the department of "Matt held this guy all year in multiple leagues only to drop him two weeks ago and then scramble to add him back to his roster," Washington had a nice debut on Monday night, making a spectacular touchdown catch that fits what he did at Penn State. Washington is the entry in my RSP Skills Glossary for Focus at the Catch Point.

Losing Trevor Lawrence for multiple weeks with a high-ankle sprain hurts this offense, but it may keep Washington's value stable, if not increase it. Without Lawrence and an awful defense, Jacksonville will likely find themselves in game scripts where they're playing from behind, and the opposing defense is in more prevent-style defenses.

Many of Washington's routes on Monday night were shallow patterns either leaking late from the formation or were check-downs the defense gave a lot of cushion to. Washington reminds me of a player with some stylistic similarities to Hines Ward, and he's essentially playing the aging Hines Ward role in this scheme. Or, a similar spot as Demario Douglas.

When Lawrence returns, Washington could earn more trust throws where he shines brightest, and that's something Lawrence does well.

WR Demarcus Robinson, Rams

This is the riskiest candidate of the receivers, but I have a feeling about this one rooted in viable football logic. Robinson has never been a season-long fantasy starter, but he's a capable player against zone coverage who has performed adequately with skilled improvisational quarterbacks.

Matthew Stafford, in many respects, was a stylistic precursor to Patrick Mahomes II, and his ability to find Robinson against a good Browns defense led to a 4-catch, 55-yard, and 1-TD output in his fourth game with the Rams — Robinson's second game with a real snap total.

The Browns are the fifth-stingiest defense to wide receivers in fantasy football this year. Upcoming opponents New Orleans and Baltimore are also among the five most restrictive to the position. A veteran like Stafford will be more likely to spread the ball around than lean too hard on Cooper Kupp, Tutu Atwell, and Puka Nacua.

The Rams also face the Commanders and Giants, two awful defenses that are mistake-prone and could lead to big plays for Robinson.

Relative to Moore, Wicks, and Washington, Robinson is a desperation play at best. Still, I like to provide options at the bottom of the barrel that could give you a good day. We all have needed them from time to time.