Fantasy Football lineup advice: Top waiver targets and your first look at Week 14 rankings

USATSI

I know I'm about to lose some of you, and hey, I don't blame you. The whole goal of this is to help you make the playoffs and win a championship, and if you fall short, you may not want to click on an email telling you about all the fun you're missing out on.

For the record, that's the fate I'm staring at in at least four of my 14 leagues, where I've already been eliminated from contention heading into the final week. There are a few more where I'm a real long shot, so half of my leagues may be discarded to the dustbin of Fantasy Football history after this week. Sometimes, your season just goes sideways -- starting a SuperFlex league with Lamar Jackson, Alvin Kamara, Derek Carr, and Deebo Samuel wasn't the best idea I've ever had, as it turns out.

Nonetheless, we don't give up until we're fully out of it, and this newsletter is, as always, here to help. Today, I've got the first look at the Week 14 waiver wire from Jamey Eisenberg plus my initial Week 14 rankings. And those rankings have a bit of a bonus for you, as I've got a quick rest-of-season tiered rankings for quarterback, running back, and wide receiver for you -- tight end isn't deep enough to deserve tiers, but I've got a rest-of-season rundown there for you, too.

Of course, you'll also need to make sure to tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET today and everyday this week as we talk about the latest injuries and storylines throughout the week. And for more help locking in your waiver-wire claims make sure you're subscribed to the FFT YouTube channel, where we'll be taking your questions live starting at 8 p.m tonight -- and we'll have like Q&As on the YouTube channel Thursday afternoon and Sunday morning, too.

Plus, if you have other questions you need answered, send them my way at Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com -- tomorrow's newsletter will feature answers to some of your biggest questions heading into the playoffs. Here's what the rest of today's newsletter has in store for you:

➕Top Week 14 Waiver Wire Targets
📈Week 14 Rankings First Look📉

➕Top Week 14 Waiver Wire Targets

Oct 2, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) runs against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

The last week of byes are here, so there's a pretty good chance you're going to need some help. Here are Jamey Eisenberg's top targets on waivers for Week 14:

Jamey Eisenberg's top targets

James Cook, RB, Bills (40%) -- I've been a skeptic of Cook since the draft, but the case for him was always that, in the long run, his talent would win out and make him the lead back in Buffalo. I think it's too early to say that's the case right now, but he did manage to play just one fewer snap than Devin Singletary in Week 13 while leading the team in carries, rushing yards, and RB targets. I think this is still a split, and likely one that still leans toward Singletary, but Cook has shown enough to be a must-roster player.
DeeJay Dallas, RB, Seahawks (0%) -- Don't make a big investment in the Seahawks backfield just yet, because there are a lot of moving parts here -- Kenneth Walker is dealing with an ankle injury, but Dallas was also dinged up during Sunday's game, as well Tony Jones. We could be looking at a situation where practice squad-er Darwin Thompson could be the lead back for Week 14 against the Panthers.
Tyler Huntley, QB, Ravens (3%) -- It looks like Lamar Jackson is going to be out for at least a week, and that makes Huntley the clear top target at QB if you need one for this week. His rushing abilities give him a solid floor, though there may not be much upside in an offense that has struggled of late even with Jackson. Still, Huntley is in the top-15 discussion for me.
Nico Collins, WR, Texans (48%) -- If you're a believer in Collins' talent, this is a clear opportunity to buy. He's averaging 9.0 targets per game in four games since coming back from a groin injury, but isn't doing much with them with just a 53% catch rate and 9.3 yards per catch. He could be a viable starting option down the stretch, though it's asking a lot of Kyle Allen (or Davis Mills) to make it happen.
Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys (56%) -- We're starting to see some signs of Gallup figuring it out, with a 63-yard performance in Week 12 followed up by a two-touchdown effort in Week 13. He hasn't had a truly huge all-around game, and the pass volume for the Cowboys has been a bit disappointing overall, but there's still room for him to become a viable starting option, especially with matchups against the Texans and Jaguars over the next two weeks.

📈Week 14 Rankings📉

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 02: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders runs with the ball in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. USATSI

Here are my initial rankings for Week 14 at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end. And those will be updated throughout the week, so make sure you keep them handy for when you're setting your lineups. These are all for PPR leagues: