As we near the start of the fantasy football postseason, let me say congratulations if you’ll be moving on! If you weren’t so lucky this year, don’t be discouraged, there’s always next year! Either way, if you’re playoff bound or looking to play spoiler, this is the perfect time of year to cut the dead weight from your roster and stock up on fresh talent. Here are four guys that could really help beef up your roster.
*Note: All statistics and rankings are correct as of Monday morning, before Monday Night Football and percentages are an average of the top fantasy football sites.
Marquise Goodwin - Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills (Owned in 0.1 percent of leagues)
Goodwin has been steadily heating up over the last four games. After receiving 13 targets over the previous three games, Goodwin broke out in a big way Sunday, hauling in six receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown - which was good for 15.80 points as the eighth best fantasy receiver on the week. With Robert Woods and Steve Johnson out or limited by injury for the immediate future, Goodwin will see the bulk of E.J. Manuel’s targets as the team’s No. 1 receiver in their absence.
Bobby Rainey - Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2.2 percent)
Running backs in Tampa Bay keep going down, and the next guy in line just continues to step up. After losing Doug Martin and Mike James to injury, Rainey transitioned into the No. 1 role for the Buccaneers seamlessly, reeling off 30 rushing attempts for 163 yards and two touchdowns, finishing the day as the top fantasy ‘back with 34.70 points. Look for Rainey to eat for the rest of the season.
Donald Brown - Running Back, Indianapolis Colts (7.8 percent)
The Trent Richardson trade just continues to look like a waste of a pick for the Colts, as he’s struggled to get anything going since joining the team. In the last two weeks, Brown has taken over the role of primary back from Richardson and done well - amassing 79 rushing yards, 78 receiving yards and three touchdowns and averaging 16.85 fantasy points-per-week during that span. The Colts will likely ride the hot hand with Brown moving forward, so as long as he’s doing well he’s a valuable asset to add to your team.
Rishard Matthews - Wide Receiver, Miami Dolphins (10.2 percent)
Ever since Brandon Gibson went down with an injury, fantasy owners have been waiting for Matthews to have a big game. He broke out big in Week 10, racking up 11 receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns, which saw a big uptick in his ownership percentage. Things didn’t go as well for Matthews in Week 11, as he only had four receptions for 52 yards and failed to reach the endzone. Neither week should be what you expect from Matthews, but its safe to look for 5-7 receptions and a touchdown most weeks, which makes him a great pickup option to bolster your receiver corp for the postseason.