We’ve already given you our top defense streamers and top running back handcuffs to dominate the 2021 fantasy football playoffs. Now, we are giving you the top wide receivers who are mostly available and could flourish enough to give you an edge out of your FLEX or WR3 spot.
Roster percentage based on Yahoo! leagues
DEVANTE PARKER (54% ROSTERED)
Ah, DeVante Parker. Roto Street Journal will never quit you. The oft-injured wideout has been in and out of the lineup once again this season. But, he’s back just in time to help his fantasy managers win a 2021 championship.
Parker has seen seven or more targets in five of his six games played this season and has been a prime target for Tua Tagovailoa behind rookie stud Jaylen Waddle. In his first game back from a four-week absence, Parker snagged all five targets for 62 yards.
Parker and the Dolphins get the Jets, Saints, and Titans defenses to round out the fantasy season. His fantasy owners should feel comfortable Flexing him against all three opponents — especially if Parker’s upside is needed.
KJ OSBORN (41%)
We’ve been on the KJ Osborn train since early in the season and after taking an obvious backseat to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, Osborn has put together back-to-back double-digit fantasy scoring days. With Thielen out of the lineup with a high-ankle sprain, Osborn is Kirk Cousins’ clear WR2. Against the Steelers, Cousins targeted the young wideout nine times and connected with him three times for 83 yards and a score.
With coverage focusing on Jefferson, Osborn has a chance to light up the fantasy playoffs. He gets the Bears, Rams, and Packers to close out the season. Seeing 16 targets over his last two games, Osborn should get the nod in fantasy lineups in Week 15 against the Bears and is a viable streamer option until Thielen returns to action.
RASHOD BATEMAN (39%)
Rashod Bateman is another player who The Wolf has recommended to our Wolfpack numerous times this season — with little to show for it. However, the talented rookie caught seven of eight targets in Week 14 and missed a touchdown by a half-yard. Sure, most of the production came with Tyler Huntley and a positive game script, but Bateman has seen the targets from Lamar Jackson and should be a WR3 or Flex consideration moving forward.
Coming off a career afternoon, Bateman gets a Packers’ defense that’s allowed the second-most fantasy points to receivers over the last five weeks. He then finishes the fantasy season against two beatable secondaries: the Bengals and Rams.
KENDRICK BOURNE (31%)
If you take out the great Buffalo monsoon game that occurred before the Patriots’ bye week, Kendrick Bourne has been on a fantasy tear this season. Between Weeks 3 and 12, Bourne was fantasy’s WR12 overall, which was insane. The former 49er quickly developed a rapport with Mac Jones and serves as the team’s premier playmaker on the perimeter.
Bourne’s ownership declined during the Patriots’ bye week, leaving him available in nearly 70 percent of leagues. The Patriots get a beatable Colts secondary that is going to attempt to make the Patriots’ offense “one-dimensional.” Bourne then gets a rematch with the Bills without Tre’Davious White, before getting a chance to dismantle the Jaguars’ defense.
GABRIEL DAVIS (10%)
With Emmanuel Sanders “week-to-week” with a knee injury, it’s officially Gabriel Davis season. Davis, a true deep ball king, has scored in back-to-back games and ran a route on a season-high 80.6 percent of Josh Allen’s dropbacks against the Buccaneers. He also saw season-highs in targets (8) and receptions (5) in Week 14. Davis is risky as a true boom-or-bust streamer with a high ceiling. But, he’s proven in the past that he can put up big numbers when given the chance.
Davis will benefit from lining up across from Stefon Diggs against the Stephon Gilmore-led Panthers’ secondary. Then, he gets the Patriots and Falcons to close out the fantasy season if Sanders remains on the shelf.
