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Waivers of the future will focus on making decisions that improve our odds of our dynasty championship. The back of your dynasty roster should be flexible, with preferences made for players you can use in your lineup during the season.

Quarterbacks

Among the quarterbacks, there are three types of waiver options: those moving up this week, veteran backups, and potential young players with future roles.

Moving Up this Week

The following players warrant waiver wire consideration this week.

• Tyler Huntley, BAL

Lamar Jackson was one of several quarterbacks to suffer injuries in week 13. Tyler Huntley took over and struggled, but he ultimately led the Ravens to a victory. Huntley can run and has experience as a starter, including three starts in the final four weeks of 2021. During the stretch, he finished as the QB12 in points per game. Huntley does not have the same supporting cast, but the quarterback position is weaker this year, making Huntley a priority on the waiver wire. This may be a one- to two-week injury, but Jackson’s status is uncertain enough that you cannot take a chance of leaving him on the wire. Additionally, there is a lot of uncertainty around the league, and a good stretch of performance this season may create opportunities beyond his backup position in Baltimore. In Superflex, he is a must add and warrants nearly all of your budget. In start 1QB formats, Huntley is a potential matchup streamer.

• Brock Purdy, SF/Josh Johnson, SF

Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot in week 13 and will miss the season. The team turned to Mr. Irrelevant, the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy, who finished the game. The team has Super Bowl aspirations, and one of the best sets of offensive skill position players in the league. This is a great opportunity for a quarterback to come into, but there is a real question whether a team with championship aspirations will turn to Purdy for an extended time. The team signed veteran Josh Johnson off the Denver practice squad and could be in the market for additional veterans. Purdy and Johnson both warrant small price-enforcing type bids with tempered expectations.

Veteran Backups

As a general rule, you should have a limited amount of backup quarterbacks on your monitor list. With roster spots tight, optimized dynasty rosters under 25 spots in Superflex or quarterback premium. If you are in 25 to 35-man rosters and have a roster spot, these quarterbacks are the premium backups:

• Tyrod Taylor, NYG
• Gardner Minshew, PHI

In leagues deeper than 35 spots, consider:

• Colt McCoy, ARI
• Chad Henne, KC
• Chase Daniel, LAC

Younger Stashes

Stashing young quarterbacks can be tricky because it is rare quarterbacks without high draft pedigree will become fantasy starters. These options are more depth opportunities with the hope to include in a future trade than they are solutions to a quarterback issue.

• Desmond Ridder, ATL

• Matt Corral, CAR (IR)

If you can roster Matt Corral as an IR stash, there is no clear QB1 in front of him for 2023.

• Sam Howell, WAS

Taylor Heinicke has been named the starter, and the team is in playoff contention. If that were to change, Sam Howell should get an audition in the coming weeks.

Running Back

One of the keys to dynasty fantasy football is continuously optimizing your backup running back situation. The last five to ten roster spots on your roster should be very fluid, with little allegiance if the player does not offer the capacity to help your lineup. A constant churn on the back end of your roster is critical.

Moving Up this Week

The following running backs have improved this week and are available in more than 50% of MFL leagues.

• Zonovan Knight, NYJ (41% available)

Zonovan Knight took over the running back position in the absence of Michael Carter. White is more of a spot starter than a long-term option, with Carter expected back and Breece Hall’s 2023 return looming. There are reports Knight will be the starter even when Carter returns, but this will be tough to trust in the initial week Carter returns, especially in the fantasy playoffs. Knight warrants a strong waiver bid, but temper your trust in him in the coming weeks.

• Travis Homer, SEA (87% available)/DeeJay Dallas, SEA (82% available)

Kenneth Walker suffered a strain in his ankle in week 13 and is questionable for Week 14. Travis Homer has been the primary backup to Homer before he missed week 14 with an illness. Homer should return this week and should get the opportunity to be the lead back if Walker misses the job. Dallas is a secondary option if Homer misses additional time.

• Mike Boone, DEN (80% available)

Mike Boone returned to the Broncos and instantly slotted in as the RB2. Boone is unlikely to get a long-term chance at the starting job, but Denver has fallen out of contention and could look to audition Boone for the future.

• Joshua Kelley, LAC (73% available)

Joshua Kelley is the clear RB2 behind Austin Ekeler in the Chargers offense. Kelley’s increased role upon his return from injury has halted the development of Isaiah Spiller and Sony Michel. Kelley is in a potentially high-value role if Austin Ekeler were to miss time with an injury.

Contract Stashes for 2023

Other players to monitor at this stage of the dynasty season include players who could benefit from contract situations in the offseason.

• Kene Nwangwu, MIN (88% available)/Ty Chandler, MIN (93% available)

Dalvin Cook has a cuttable contract in the offseason, and Alexander Mattison is a free agent. Kene Nwangwu and Ty Chandler are further down the depth chart options who could see a value boost in the offseason.

• D’Ernest Johnson, DEN (70% available)

D’Ernest Johnson is a free agent in 2023. He has been good in limited samples and could find an injury-away role in 2023.

• Kevin Harris, NEP (94% available)

Damien Harris is expected to miss week 13 with an injury. Damien Harris is a free agent in 2023, and Kevin Harris could be an injury away behind Rhamondre Stevenson in 2023.

Other Backups

Other backups with high availability include:

• Matt Breida, NYG (73% available)
• Mark Ingram, NO (60% available)
• Deon Jackson (58% available)
• Keaontay Ingram (73% available)

Wide Receiver

The odds wide receivers from the waiver wire will become a big difference-maker on your dynasty roster are very small. For every Tyreek Hill, there are 100 Travis Fulghams. Your strategies on the wide receiver position should be to find immediate lineup help or a flip candidate.

Potential additions this week include:

• Rashid Shaheed, NOS (85% available)

Rashid Shaheed has stepped into the WR2 position in the New Orleans offense. He ran 24 routes on 33 of New Orleans’ dropbacks on Monday Night Football against Tampa Bay and had four receptions and 75 yards. The New Orleans offense has struggled, but the undrafted free agent out of Weber State warrants an addition as an audition through the end of the season.

Tight End

Tight end in changing circumstances who warrant waiver consideration include:

• Mitchell Wilcox, CIN (98% available)

Hayden Hurst suffered a calf injury in week 13. Backup Mitchell Wilcox stepped into a full backup role in the offense and would start if Hurst is unable to go. Wilcox is a low-level TE2-type projection who should have a high number of routes if Hurst is injured. He warrants a small waiver add in deeper or tight end premium leagues.

• Chigoziem Okonkwo, TEN (84% available)

Chicoziem Okonkwo was a good athletic tight end in the NFL Draft and has seen a growing role in recent weeks. He had only run single-digit carries until the past three games when he has run at least a dozen, including a four-catch, 68-yard performance in week 13. Okonkwo could step into the TE1 role in 2023 and warrants an addition in rosters larger than 20 roster spots.