Fantasy Stars & Studs, Week 13: Stafford a smart playoff waiver add
Matthew Stafford – Detroit Lions
Having been a mediocre fantasy quarterback for much of the season with Matt Patricia, Stafford excelled in the first game with Darrell Bevell as interim head coach.
Bevell, of course, had already been calling the plays as the Lions’ offensive coordinator but said after their 34-30 comeback win over the Chicago Bears that Detroit “kind of let Stafford play” after a display that saw the offense operate with more freedom than it had in recent weeks.
Darrell Bevell on Stafford:
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) December 6, 2020
"We kind of let him play today."
Accurate.
The result of that fearless performance was Stafford’s best game of the season as he finished with 402 passing yards and three touchdowns, though he did throw one interception.
His efforts saw Stafford earn 26.08 fantasy points, his highest total of the season, and, assuming the Lions are committed to a more aggressive and care-free approach down the stretch, he should appeal to those fantasy owners who have somehow managed to reach the playoffs despite not having a consistent starter at the quarterback position.
Owned in just 55 percent of Yahoo leagues and 56 percent of ESPN leagues, Stafford is readily available for fantasy managers interested in adding him to their roster.
His remaining schedule, which includes the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers either side of a meeting with a porous Tennessee Titans defense, may put some owners off. But if you have faith in Detroit doing to the Packers and Bucs what it did to the Bears, then one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the NFL is worthy of a waiver claim.