Fantasy football season is entering into its final weeks, with most leagues starting their playoffs in week 15. Most teams are likely fighting for a playoff spot or possible bye. If you’re lucky enough to have a spot locked up, focusing on peaking at the right time becomes more and more important.
In a sport like football, the weekly matchups play a huge role. It can be tempting to get sucked into big names, but sometimes the best move is to put a key player on the bench who has a tough matchup. You’ll likely see young players continue to get more playing time as the year progresses, so having these players rostered is huge for this time of year.
Keep an eye out if any of the following players are available in your league.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers
If Reed wasn’t on your radar already, he definitely will be now coming off his latest performance. The rookie Packers receiver had 46 receiving yards and another 46 rush yards yesterday against the Chargers, adding a touchdown. He has continued to get more and more usage as the season has gone along, becoming a favourite target of Jordan Love along the way.
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Another rookie receiver who has quietly earned more playing time as the season has gone on is the Chiefs 2023 2nd round pick. For a team that has had terrible production from the wide receiver production all year, Rice has been a serious bright spot. He has developed a nice rapport with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as they’ve connected for 3 touchdowns in the last 5 games.
Rashee Rice is averaging 10.3 fantasy points per game since Week 5. pic.twitter.com/WyMaQHXi8G
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) November 20, 2023
Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Charbonnet has slowly become more involved in the Seahawks offense as the season has gone on. Unlike the previous two rookies, the 2023 2nd round pick has been a distant backup to starter Kenneth Walker for a good part of the season. However, Walker suffered an injury in Sunday’s loss to the Rams, opening the door for Charbonnet to take over for the foreseeable future. Opportunity is the name of the game in fantasy football, as this could be a big injury to watch for the rest of the season. If Walker misses multiple weeks, we could finally see a breakout from Chabronnet.
Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Dowdle has been a seldomly used player on the Cowboys roster for most of the year, seeing occasional work behind starter Tony Pollard. Although you’re not going to want to start him under the current circumstances, Dowdle represents one of the games most exciting handcuffs for the final weeks of the season. The Cowboys top ranked offense could offer many opportunities to succeed. If something were to happen to Pollard, there’s a good chance that the former South Carolina Gamecock could step in and handle a lot of work.