The Way This Works...

To see this article's purpose, please refer to the intro from Week 2.

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The Running List of Past Recommendations

I'll update this throughout the season, so you have a wealth of considerations beyond my weekly recommendations. I change their standing as developments occur.

Scroll past these running lists for new suggestions.

Add Nows 

Most of these players will not be available, but you'll get a sense of who has been recommended and who to snap up if they become available. 

• Bryce Young
• Isaac Guerendo
• Alec Pierce
• Kayshon Boutte
• Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
• Devaughn Vele
• Noah Gray
• Ameer Abdullah
• Michael Mayer
• Andrei Iosivas
• Michael Penix Jr.
• Ray Davis
• Drew Lock
• Demarcus Robinson
• Audric Estime
• Malik Washington

Preemptive

These players may not give you production this weekend, but they are worth considering because there's potential for them to deliver due to injuries or personnel changes. 

• Darius Slayton
• Kimani Vidal
• KaVontae Turpin
• Cam Akers
• Sean Tucker
• Jalen Nailor
• Chris Brooks
• Mike Williams
• Noah Gray
• David Moore

Preemptive/Monitor

You can probably wait until a compelling event creates a potential need for these players. 

• Blake Watson (Read more in this week's recommendations)
• Ricky Pearsall
• Tyler Goodson
• Cordarrelle Patterson
• Brenton Strange
• Kenny McIntosh

Monitor

These players have the talent to contribute to your lineup immediately if elevated to a starting role. If you can't find any talent with playing opportunities to have at the end of your roster, it's worth adding 1-2 of these options in case injury strikes, and you can beat the demand on the waiver wire. 

• Julius Chestnut
• Sterling Shepard
• Tre Tucker
• Brenton Strange
• Dawson Knox
• Nelson Agholor
• Allen Lazard
• Jalin Hyatt
• Cade Stover
• Xavier Hutchinson
• Jameis Winston
• Dylan Laube
• Israel Abanikanda

Forget (For Now...)

They have too many players ahead of them on their depth charts to earn an impact anytime soon. Or they suffered an injury. 

• Tyler Badie
• Dalvin Cook
• Rakim Jarrett 
• Trey Palmer
• Evan Hull
• Dareke Young
• Bub Means
• Chris Rodriguez Jr.
• Adam Trautman
• Jordan Mason (IR)
• Travis Homer
• Jordan Mims
• Noah Brown (IR)
• Theo Johnson (IR)
• Jake Haener

Add Now: TE Chig Okonkwo, Titans

The Skinny on Okonkwo: The third-year NFL veteran began his career as a promising receiver only to see his career trajectory as a high-volume, big-play option sour into a hybrid utility player. For the past two years, Okonkwo has only earned fantasy value every 4-6 weeks from a schemed play that caught the opposing defense with its pants down. 

Platooning with second-year option Josh Whyle, who has the build of an every-down tight end, Okonkwo has earned his share of second-team practice reps with veteran Mason Rudolph. Over the past two weeks with Rudolph in the lineup, Okonkwo has earned 21 targets, 17 catches, and 140 receiving yards. 

Although Brian Callahan has been noncommittal about starting Rudolph again in Week 17 against the Jaguars, ESPN's beat reporter Turron Davenport believes Rudolph will remain under center. If that's the case, Okonkwo will remain a viable start for fantasy teams. 

Recommendation: The Jaguars are the 8th-most generous defense to tight ends, giving up 79 catches, 855 yards, and 7 touchdowns this year. Only four teams have given up more touchdowns to tight ends this year. 

Okonkwo could serve as a viable alternative to a mid-to-low-end TE1 starter with a bad matchup. 

Preemptive: TE Payne Durham, Buccaneers

The Skinny on Durham: A second-year tight end from Purdue, Durham is slow. He's not going to stretch seams -- not even like like Cade Otton who isn't a speedster in his own right.

What Durham has is under-the-radar short-area quickness that helps him earn a good position on defenders in tight windows. He's also savvy at uncovering in the red zone. 

These skills are good enough that Durham has earned the second-string role in Tampa Bay despite being slower than thawing honey from an overturned jar. And the reason why is that he catches everything. He has GREAT hands, and they show up even when defenders are wearing him like yoga tights. 

Recommendation: Baker Mayfield trusts Durham, and the Panthers are generous to tight ends. Look for Durham to earn some red-zone targets this week if Otton remains out -- and he hasn't practiced as of Wednesday. 

Preemptive/Monitor: RB Blake Watson, Broncos

The Skinny on Watson: I'm throwing Watson back into the mix as someone to consider because Sean Payton likened Watson to an Alvin Kamara-like option for Denver this spring. Watson got hurt and missed enough practices and preseason opportunities that he couldn't establish himself as a true option this season. 

With the playoffs potentially in Denver's future, the Broncos are still searching for an established backfield rotation. So far, none of the familiar names have done enough to take a leading role. 

Javonte Williams has earned upwards of 18-21 touches in isolated weeks this year, but the last time that happened was Week 8. Jaleen McLaughlin had a 15-touch game against Cleveland but generally earns 6-10 touches. Audric Estime had a TD last week on nine touches, but his last double-digit volume day was Week 10. 

Last week, Watson earned his first playing time since Week 5, getting 4 carries for 10 yards and a reception for 13 yards in a close game against the Chargers. The Broncos face a Bengals defense that is 14th on the generosity scale to fantasy runners. 

This could benefit one of the established members of the Broncos' rotation, but Denver promoted Watson to the active roster again this week.

The roster promotion is an indication they're going to give Watson more playing time in Week 17. According to Sports Illustrated, Payton was pleased with Watson's performance against the Chargers. 

"We've seen it with Blake. He's been practicing really well, so he got his opportunity and ran the ball really well," Payton said after the game. "I think that's going to be good for us going forward.”

Recommendation: Cincinnati has been specifically weak to runners who catch the ball out of the backfield. Jerome Ford earned 5 catches for 39 yards last week and broke a long TD run for a 92-yard rushing day. Tyjae Spears earned 2 touchdowns --- 1 on the ground and 1 through the air -- and caught 6 passes for 87 yards. 

For the past five weeks, the Bengals have been the fourth-most generous defense to runners.

McLaughlin has a bad quad. He could miss another game and has been practicing on a limited basis this week. If McLaughlin doesn't play, Watson could earn enough volume to help your team in a desperate spot. 

Final Thought

Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.  

Follow @MattWaldman