Fantasy Football Waiver Wire power rankings, Week 14: Adam Thielen, Isaac Guerendo stick out

Each week during the 2024 NFL season, FanSided fantasy football expert Lior Lampert creates a hierarchy of ideal waiver wire pickups. He'll base his ranks on performance, usage, coachspeak, injury news/analysis, stats, upcoming matchups, FAAB value and more. Every player mentioned is available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

The Week 13 holiday slate gave us much to discuss and many actionable outcomes.

We got a little bit of everything: It was an eventful and exciting slate, featuring the continued ascension of young quarterbacks, a potential Super Bowl LIX preview and tight divisional battles. Plus, San Francisco 49ers superstar running back Christian McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve, throwing many fantasy owners for a loop.

Naturally, there are fantasy football implications of what transpired last week, especially with six teams going on bye in Week 14. Managers will be without some of their lineup staples at arguably the most pivotal time of the virtual season, with the playoffs on the horizon. If you fall into that bucket, see if any of these players are available in your league to help overcome the scheduling quirk and keep your postseason push on track.

Dumpster diving, digging for scraps

Are you feeling lucky? If so, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Marquez Valdes-Scantling continue scoring touchdowns at absurd rates on rather low volume. The former has found the end zone in seven of his past eight games, while the latter has done so in three straight contests. Both players come with zero-point floors if/when the scoring regression eventually hits. Nevertheless, their ability to turn one catch into a productive fantasy stat line can be worth chasing.

Don't look now, but Bryce Young has quietly posted back-to-back fantasy-usable stat lines. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick has looked much more comfortable under center since reclaiming the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback job. He's the QB10 on a points-per-game basis over the past two weeks and has some friendly matchups on tap (excluding Week 14).

The stash-and-save

Aaron Rodgers' time with the New York Jets is rapidly nearing the finish line. The 41-year-old looks his age on the field, with the team's latest loss to the Seattle Seahawks being exhibit A. Sitting at 3-9, Gang Green is merely playing for pride at this point, which could enable dual-threat veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to get some reps. Managers in 2QB/superflex formats would be wise to get ahead of the curve.

Blake Corum logged a season-high 32-percent snap rate in Week 13 while tying his previous single-game carry total (eight). Barring injury, the rookie tailback probably won't ever fully supplant Kyren Williams as the starter this season. Nonetheless, an expanded role moving forward could turn this backfield into a timeshare, giving the Michigan product some upside and standalone value.

Breece Hall entered the Jets' clash with the Seahawks on the injury report with a knee injury. He re-aggravated the issue during the game and was in and out of the lineup afterward. As stated previously, New York's season is virtually over. Depending on how his ailment responds to additional wear and tear or whether it's still bothering him, Braelon Allen could moonwalk into a sizable role.

The educated guesses

Taysom Hill reportedly tore his ACL in Week 13, leaving the New Orleans Saints' already-depleted skill position group in shambles. They have no way of replicating his versatility and explosiveness, lacking playmakers aside from Alvin Kamara. Could this force them to deploy a more traditional style of offense? If that's the case, Juwan Johnson might inherit a considerable workload, demonstrated by his earning a season-high seven targets en route to five receptions on Sunday.

Like Bryce Young, Will Levis is another second-year signal-caller who looks like the speed of the NFL game is finally slowing down for him. The Tennessee Titans gunslinger remains volatile and prone to making mistakes, but he's making enough good things happen to counteract that. His 17.3 FPPG from Weeks 10-13 ranks 13th at the position. Furthermore, his end-of-season schedule is a potential fantasy gold mine.

A fringe WR3/FLEX hiding in plain sight, Devaughn Vele is available in over 70 percent of Yahoo leagues. Why, you may ask? That's beyond me. Turning 27 this month, he's one of the older rookies in recent memory. Regardless, his role as the No. 2 pass-catcher attached to fellow first-year newcomer Bo Nix has yielded three straight double-digit fantasy performances (excluding Week 13).

The 'if you ain't first, you're last'

Those who drafted Jonathon Brooks this summer may not have had the luxury of hanging onto him until now. However, he showed why managers were excited about him in the first place in Week 13 when the Panthers increased his workload. The Texas standout didn't light up the box score by any means, but his ability to individually generate yards was apparent. Not to mention, Carolina's incumbent starting running back, Chuba Hubbard, lost a costly fumble for the second time in three weeks. Combine all that with the improved play of Bryce Young lifting this Panthers offense, and the rookie makes for an intriguing addition.

Zach Ertz and Hunter Henry are mentioned in this column weekly, which doesn't make sense. They've each been consistent producers at the weakest position in fantasy football. Since Week 6, both are top-12 tight ends from a per-game standpoint. The latter's 83 targets this season rank fourth among seam stretchers, and the former isn't far behind with 75. This pace feels sustainable, considering the veterans are security blankets for promising young quarterbacks who frequently come under duress behind sketchy offensive lines.

Since taking the reigns from Justin Fields, Russell Wilson has been a bit of a boom-or-bust fantasy option. He's scored at least 24 points in two of his six starts sandwiched between three duds and one modest outing. But with the pass-funnel Baltimore Ravens in Week 16, "Mr. Unlimited" could be a difference-maker in the playoffs.

Gotta have 'em

Isaac Guerendo, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Not only did the 49ers lose McCaffrey to IR in Week 13, but his presumed replacement, Jordan Mason, will join him on the shelf. Upon ESPN's Adam Schefter breaking the news, rookie fourth-round running back Isaac Guerendo instantaneously became the top waiver priority.

McCaffrey faces a six-week recovery period, meaning we won't see him again in 2024 unless the Niners make an improbable playoff run. Meanwhile, Mason's status isn't as clear, though his ankle issue will cost him at least four games. Be that as it may, Guerendo now steps into a voluminous role on an offense that has underperformed this season but is still solid.

We don't have a substantial sample size regarding Guerendo's résumé as at the pro level, but he's explosive with 4.3 speed. His 99 athleticism score was first among all tailbacks in the 2024 draft class, and it pops off the screen when you watch him. The 24-year-old displayed his speed on an impressive 15-yard touchdown scamper in San Fran's 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Even through the snowstorm, Guerendo was practically gliding while everyone else on the field struggled to find their footing (literally).

McCaffrey and Mason will be sidelined for the foreseeable future after hurting their knee and ankle, respectively, versus Buffalo. Their absences leave behind a massive void, and Guerendo will conceivably shoulder the load. It's not hard to envision the 49ers bringing in a veteran to stabilize the backfield. But whoever they sign won't pose a threat to the youngster.

An efficient runner, demonstrated by his healthy 5.9 yards per tote, Guerendo has legitimate league-winning upside He amassed at least 99 scrimmage yards in two games the 49ers gave him double-digit touches this season. Don't hesitate to dump a large amount of your FAAB budget.

Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers

Thielen was the fifth-highest-scoring wide receiver of the Week 13 slate (excluding MNF). Frankly, the seasoned pass-catcher should sit atop the list, considering he had what looked like an absurd second touchdown grab ruled an incompletion.

Thielen beat the "washed" allegations in Carolina's disappointing overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He caught 8-of-10 targets for 99 yards, including a last-minute pay dirt trip that temporarily gave the Panthers the lead.

Bryce Young was looking Thielen's way early and often, a recurring theme dating back to them joining forces last season. The second-year quarterback trusts his experienced wideout in crucial moments and isn't afraid to lean on him, especially given the alternative options.

With Young playing the best football of his brief pro career, it's not unreasonable to think Thielen can continue racking up fantasy points. The latter's hands and catch radius make him a viable receiver in all three levels of the field and even the red/green zones.

Last year, Thielen was WR26, averaging 13.5 PPR points per contest. He will dominate the target share on this Panthers offense, a group gaining momentum and peaking at the right time. Plus, a favorable schedule down the stretch should further boost his outlook.