2020 seems to be getting stranger by the week. Taysom Hill has become a top fantasy tight end, Zach Ertz is available in nearly half of leagues, and Justin Herbert traded in some of the game’s most luscious locks for, well, this…
STOCK DOWN 📉📉📉 https://t.co/vB86ddzi32
— Roto Street Journal (@RotoStJournal) November 18, 2020
While the only reliable advice this year may be the old cliche of “expect the unexpected,” we’ll do our best to keep you one step ahead with our weekly Sneaky Stashes.
For those unfamiliar, the goal of Sneaky Stashes is to get ahead of the waiver wire. By identifying valuable players before they break out, we can avoid dipping into that precious FAAB budget or getting beat out by someone with higher priority on waivers. However your league handles it, we get a leg up by stashing fantasy assets on our bench before they become hot commodities. The players featured below are prospects who either have juicy matchups awaiting them in the weeks ahead, have immense talent that is primed to break out sooner or later, or possibly a combination of both.
Nonetheless, the guys you’ll see on Sneaky Stashes are players we recommend considering if you have dead weight at the end of your bench.
Criteria for sneaky stashes require players to be available in 40% or more of Yahoo leagues.
To get our Stock Watches, Weekly Rankings, and podcast episodes directly on your iPhone, download our app in the App Store.
Week 12 Byes: None
TE/QB — Taysom Hill — New Orleans Saints
Week 12 Matchup: at Denver Broncos
Available in 68% of leagues
News broke Friday that New Orleans will start Hill over Jameis Winston, and a mad dash for his services followed in fantasy leagues far and wide. The mass enthusiasm lies not in his ability as a quarterback — although that will be interesting to see — but more so in the fact that some platforms list Hill as a tight end. This essentially makes Hill a cheat code at the tight end position with roughly 30 touches all but guaranteed for the Saints’ do-it-all weapon. Unless Travis Kelce is on your roster, it’s worth a look to see if Hill remains available.
Note: the FantasyPros tool doesn’t allow me to rank Taysom Hill in my TEs, but he’d be at TE2 just below Travis Kelce & the only other Tier 1 TE IF he’s the fulltime starter, pot. even ahead of him
Would slide in around TE8, alongside teammate Jared Cook, if part time QB
— Wolf of Roto Street (@RotoStreetWolf) November 20, 2020
TE — Zach Ertz — Philadelphia Eagles
Week 12 Matchup: vs Seattle Seahawks
Available in 45% of leagues
A slow start to the season, sloppy Eagles offense and trip to IR have almost made Ertz an afterthought. The three-time Pro Bowler has been sidelined since suffering a high-ankle sprain in week 6, but he returned to practice this week after being designated to return from IR Monday. While Ertiz appears unlikely to play Sunday vs the Browns, a return in week 12 seems logical. Head coach Doug Pederson had this to say Friday about his star tight end:
“Zach probably needs a little more time right now. We’ll get him out there today, run him around again and see where he’s at. This was a good week for him.”
With the tight end position being more or less a crapshoot after Kelce, Ertz is worth an add in hopes he can reestablish himself as one of fantasy’s premier tight ends.
WR — Michael Pittman Jr. — Indianapolis Colts
Week 12 Matchup: vs Tennessee Titans
Available in 62% of leagues
Colts fans have been waiting for a wide receiver to step up all season, and Pittman Jr. delivered in week 10 with a breakout performance (7 catches, 1 rush, 122 yards from scrimmage). The 34th overall pick in April’s draft has led Indianapolis in targets and receiving yards in back-to-back weeks. The rookie will look to build on his recent success and establish himself as Philip Rivers’ go-to guy. The Colts play the Titans, Texans twice, Raiders and Steelers in weeks 12 through 16, all of whom rank in the bottom half of the league in PPR points allowed to opposing receivers.
Every catch from @MikePitt_Jr's first 100-yard outing. pic.twitter.com/B3buZMXd9k
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 17, 2020
RB — Alexander Mattison — Minnesota Vikings
Week 12 Matchup: vs Carolina Panthers
Available in 67% of leagues
Mattison remains a top handcuff despite disappointing in his lone start this season. During Dalvin Cook’s absence against the Falcons, game flow worked against Mattison after the Viking fell behind early. The fact remains that Mattison is a career 4.6 yards per carry back in a run-first offense. Should injury strike Cook again, Mattison will becomes an instant top 20 RB.
