It’s the final countdown! (Do do doo dooo!)

All the playoff races are coming down to this week as everything intensifies. Week 13 was filled with injuries and close football games. The waiver wire may not be very strong this week, but that’s not an excuse to ignore it, especially considering the absurd amount of teams on bye in Week 14 (see below).

There are some high-upside players as we begin to look at players who may be able to help out with their easy playoff matchups, and others who are subbing in for injured players. No matter who you look at, the waivers are still relevant, even this late into the season. Here is the Week 14 Waiver Wire.

Note: Teams on bye include Falcons, Bears, Packers, Colts, Saints, Commanders.

*Owned % are in terms of the Yahoo platform at the time of writing

Week 14 Waiver Wire: Worth a Look (Over 50% Owned)

Darius Slayton, NYG- WR (61%)

Slayton has been a very solid, overlooked receiver during the season so far, and nothing too special about this week, right?

Well, no. Darius Slayton had a good performance, but what you can’t see is that he almost had a game-winning catch deep down the field. That play probably would have added around 6 points to his total. Slayton has been the only Giants receiver consistently on the field, so he’s worth the roster spot.

Samaje Perine, CIN- RB (69%)

This can’t be much of a surprise. It seems that every year Joe Mixon goes down with an injury, and every year Samaje Perine is an excellent backup. Mixon, who suffered a concussion, hasn’t played a full game since his 50+ point showing in Week 9, and Perine has put up outstanding numbers since then.

As long as Mixon stays on the sideline, Perine is a must start, and a clear RB1.

Week 14 Waiver Wire (Under 50% owned)

Zonovan “Bam” Knight, NYJ- RB (47%)

Bam Knight has looked really solid as the next man up for the Jets’ RB core. Being used frequently in passing and goal-line situations, Knight has put up decent numbers for the last two weeks. Especially with all of the injuries this past week, Knight is a priority add for Week 14

Jared Goff, DET- QB (50%)

Barely making it into this section at 50% owned, Jared Goff has seen a significant uptick in passing plays, going from 26 passing attempts per game Weeks 9-11 up to an average of 39 attempts in the last two games.

This might continue as the Lions play from behind against potentially both the Jets and Vikings, followed by an offense-friendly fantasy playoff schedule against the Panthers and Bears. After seeing two weeks of solid numbers, playoff teams in need of a quarterback could have some stability with Goff to end the season.

James Cook, BUF- RB (24%)

After all these weeks, James Cook finally took up a significant role in this week’s game against the Patriots. Not only did Cook record 14 touches, but he also caught 6 of 6 targets for an additional 41 yards.

If Cook has shown HC Sean McDermott that he is capable of managing RB1 duties, he can be trusted as a high-end flex. We don’t know for sure that Cook will be the starter, but out-touching Devin Singletary is definitely a good sign.

Brock Purdy, SF- QB (1%)

Mr. Irrelevant? Not anymore! The final pick in the 2022 NFL draft was QB Brock Purdy, out of Iowa State. Purdy’s college tape is surprisingly impressive, as Purdy demonstrates a lot of athleticism on every play.

Now, Purdy is being thrust into the starting role in San Francisco following Jimmy G going down for the year. HC Kyle Shanahan seems to think it’s unlikely the 49ers will go after newly released QB Baker Mayfield, which would imply that Purdy holds the starting job for the remainder of the season.

The Niners were clearly not afraid of playing with Purdy, as he passed the ball 37 times to cruise against Miami. For teams looking for a high-risk, high-reward player in the playoffs, Brock Purdy is your man.