It's almost Week 16. We don't have to waste a lot of time on low-end guys this week.
If you're making roster moves in the middle of December, you're not doing it with an eye on the future. You need immediate returns.
There is no time for fliers and no room for stashes.
So, we won't waste your time with intriguing low-end guys who have a chance to turn into something helpful down the line. Sure, you can add Phillip Dorsett after he hit on a long touchdown Sunday, or take a chance on Eli Rogers after his solid game, but are you really going to stake your whole season to either of them?
Of course not.
Chances are, if you're playing into Week 16, you're going to dance with who you came to the dance with. That's not to say you can't play matchups, or go with the hot hand, but you probably aren't drastically altering the way your team looks in the playoffs.
Of course, I say that after Bilal Powell just carried me into the championship game, so this isn't a hard-and-fast rule. You might be able to get a difference-maker at this point in the season, and there are still a few out there on waivers after Week 15.
The first name to bring up, obviously, is Ty Montgomery. His increased role in Week 15 against the Bears came as little surprise after James Starks suffered a concussion, and yet he was somehow only 69 percent owned heading into play Sunday. In my live chat Sunday morning, I was stunned at how many people were able to pick up Montgomery for free before kickoff. I hope each and every one of you started him.
Montgomery should have been universally owned before this week, and there's little doubt he will be heading into championship week after his huge performance. The converted wide receiver dominated the Bears on the ground, ripping off long gain after long gain en route to 162 yards on 16 carries and a couple of scores. He actually didn't feature as much in the pass game as expected, but has looked so good on the ground, that may not matter.
Montgomery has been the answer to the Packers' season-long running back problems and there is little reason to think they won't feature him heavily again Week 16. He has a tough matchup on the way against the Vikings, but at this point, he has to be viewed as a must-start, whether you can use him at wide receiver or running back.
On the other side of that game, Alshon Jeffery proved he should have been a lot more than 80 percent owned with a huge game in his return from suspension. It took a while -- he was held without a catch at halftime -- but Jeffery ultimately re-established himself as the Bears' top option in the passing game, which shouldn't be a surprise given their recent reliance on undrafted players. The concern with Jeffery was that he would struggle to get on the same page with Matt Barkley, and that certainly seemed to be an issue in the early going. However, with six catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, he reminded Fantasy owners in the end why he was one of the most exciting options at the position coming into the season.
It is worth noting that, if you are in a deeper league or one with two quarterback spots, Barkley looks like someone who can definitely help you. He isn't going to be a top-12 quarterback next week, but he has actually looked solid since stepping into the starting lineup, and had 362 yards and a pair of scores Sunday. He also threw three interceptions, but it is actually kind of remarkable how good Barkley has been for the Bears, given their lack of options in the passing game. His matchup in Week 16 against Washington isn't enough to make him an obvious must-start, but Barkley has done enough to be in consideration for deeper formats in Week 16.
Going back to Thursday, the Seahawks may have provided another player who can make a big impact in the final weeks of the season. Tyler Lockett was one of the most exciting breakout candidates in the league coming into the season, with his undeniable game-breaking ability and the impressive flashes he showed as a rookie. That hasn't exactly come to fruition, as he enters Week 16 with 559 yards and just one receiving touchdown on the season. However, that score did happen to come in Week 15, and he has been showing signs of life for a while now, racking up 234 receiving yards and adding 90 on the ground over the last three games. Lockett is always going to be tough to rely on because he depends so much on the big play, but the Cardinals can be vulnerable to slot receivers, and Lockett may be able to break a big one to put you over the top.