FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast

Episode: Jake Ciely’s Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets For Week 14 (Ep. 1872)

Date: December 1, 2025

Host: Joey P. (Joe P. Zappia)
Guest: Jake Ciely (The Athletic)

Episode Overview

With Week 14 bringing a challenging slate of four teams on bye (Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers) and a host of injuries post-holiday, Joey P. and Jake Ciely break down the most crucial fantasy football waiver wire targets to maximize your final playoff push. The episode delivers rapid-fire yet in-depth analysis on wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs who could be difference-makers, with advice on how to navigate tricky situations with injuries and depth charts.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

[00:44] Chris Godwin – Revival in Tampa Bay

• Discussion: Godwin's return from injury has looked more promising than expected.
• Jake's Take: “He finally looked like the Chris Godwin. Remember, who can separate, who’s getting open?...Baker was looking for him the entire game. ...gives me hope we get the good Chris Godwin going forward.”—Jake Ciely (01:28)
• Waiver Advice: Under 60% rostered. Jake expects Godwin to be a top 25-30 receiver the rest of the season if available.

[02:38] Darren Waller – Worth a Waiver Stash?

• Scenario: Waller returned to action for the Dolphins and stepped in immediately as a key pass catcher.
• Jake's Take: “If Darren Waller gets back to 100%...he’s going to be the same exciting top 10 tight end we have for the rest of the season. ...I don’t think anybody…in August…that we’re going to be talking about Darren Waller twice this year on waivers.”—Jake Ciely (02:47, 03:23)
• Action: Should be picked up in all formats needing tight end help.

[04:00] Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year (So Far)

• Rapid-Fire Backfield Debates: Jake mentions Rico Dowdle and briefly debates Kamani Vidal’s volatility: “This was the good game because he just came off a bad game. So next week he’s going to be trash. This is legitimately the San Francisco Giants winning Super Bowl...every other year is Kamani Vidal at running back.”—Jake Ciely (04:32)
• Joey P.’s Joke: "I'm consulting my Jake to English dictionary here..." (04:58)

[05:14] A.D. Mitchell – Jets Receiver Emergence

• Profile: Recent target leader, finally converting opportunities with a big Week 13 performance.
• Jake's Perspective: “AD Mitchell is exciting...[he] could be a wide receiver two in the NFL if everything hits right, ...but he’s on the Jets, he could be the one. ...You’re going to get huge games. ...Six, seven, eight targets because they have nobody else to throw to.”—Jake Ciely (05:40–06:59)
• Advice: Worth targeting, especially as long as Garrett Wilson is out.

[09:49] Devon Vale (Vilay?) – Deep League Saints WR

• Breakout: 8 for 93 and a touchdown against the Dolphins.
• Jake's Analysis: “The big appeal here is Adonai Mitchell on the Saints. ...downfield threat. ...Now a wide receiver four...if Vilay...does nothing, don’t turn around and immediately drop him because that’s what WR4s are—50/50s.”—Jake Ciely (10:19–11:17)
• Note: Saints expected to trail often, feeding volume to Vale.

[11:17] Pat Bryant – Rookie Bump in Denver

• Statline: 3 catches, 42 yards in prime time.
• Jake's Analysis: “Pat Bryant is a lot like skill set wise, a lot like Marquise Colston, a lot like Michael Thomas...not saying he’ll become a top 10 WR, but that’s Sean Payton’s kind of guy...see if it repeats next week, then we can have faith in Broncos’ No. 2 for fantasy.”—Jake Ciely (11:33–12:44)
• Action: Stash and monitor usage; could be a late-season asset.

[12:44] Isaac Tesla – Next Man Up in Detroit

• Situation: Amon-Ra St. Brown out with a low ankle sprain.
• Joey’s Suggestion: “Tesla is a guy that we know has talent...especially when it comes to Jared Goff looking for him...I’d like to stream him Thursday Night Football...He’s definitely on my board in deeper leagues.”—Joey P. (12:44)
• Jake’s Caveat: “If Khalif Raymond plays that game...Dan Campbell loves using him as the 2nd or 3rd option...I would be cautious of expectations if Khalif Raymond plays.”—Jake Ciely (13:34–14:29)
• Action: Worth an add; monitor Raymond’s status for upside.

[14:29] Bam Knight & Jordan Mason – Running Back Dart Throws

Bam Knight (with Panthers)

• Jake's Take: “He’s still floating out there...most people are expecting Trey Benson to come back...if Trey Benson doesn’t...he’ll be in the RB2 conversation…he looked good, breaking tackles, best game yesterday.”—Jake Ciely (14:34)
• Advice: RB2/flex value in a pinch if Benson sits.

Jordan Mason (Packers, ins. on Aaron Jones injury)

• Jake's Take: “If Aaron Jones is out...Jordan Mason would be an RB2 because he’s going to get all the work just like he was earlier this year...grab him before we get news…”—Jake Ciely (15:45)
• Action: Preemptively add if RB-needy or in deeper leagues.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Chris Godwin’s Return:
  “Watching Chris Godwin play yesterday gives me hope that we get the good Chris Godwin going forward.” —Jake Ciely (01:28)

• On Darren Waller's Fantasy Relevance:
  “…If Darren Waller gets back to 100% next week and going forward, he’s going to be the same exciting top 10 tight end…” —Jake Ciely (03:23)

• On Kamani Vidal’s Ups and Downs:
  “Every other year is Kamani Vidal at running back.” —Jake Ciely (04:32)

• Joking about AD Mitchell and the Jets:
  “The jets can’t even lose, right? Poor Jet fans.” —Joey P. (05:40)

• On Wide Receiver 4s and Volatility:
  “If Vilay...does nothing, don’t turn around and immediately drop him because that’s what wide receiver fours are. 50/50s.” —Jake Ciely (11:17)

• Jake on his Age:
  “My buddy said Happy 29th on Instagram and somebody messaged me like, ‘how the bleep are you younger than me?’” —Jake Ciely (17:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:44] – Waiver Wire Context and Byes Overview
• [01:18] – Chris Godwin Rest-of-Season Outlook
• [02:38] – Darren Waller’s Waiver Value
• [04:00] – Kamani Vidal and Waiver Pickup of the Year Discussion
• [05:14] – AD Mitchell’s Role and Volume
• [09:49] – Saints WR Devon Vale Analysis
• [11:17] – Denver’s Pat Bryant as a Late-Season Stash
• [12:44] – Isaac Tesla: Potential Amon-Ra St. Brown Replacement
• [14:29] – Bam Knight and Jordan Mason: Emergency RB Options

Tone & Style

• Friendly, witty, and fast-paced with banter peppered throughout, providing humor alongside the actionable advice.
• Jake’s signature off-the-cuff metaphors and deep-dive profiles blend analytic rigor with entertaining commentary.

Takeaways for Waiver Wire Success – Week 14

• Prioritize veterans with proven roles (Godwin, Waller) if available in your league.
• Don’t sleep on high-opportunity WRs emerging from injury-riddled teams (A.D. Mitchell, Devon Vale, Pat Bryant).
• For RB-needy rosters, preemptively add Bam Knight or Jordan Mason if top backs ahead miss time.
• Deep league stashes like Isaac Tesla could pay off if you monitor injury reports and depth chart moves.
• When dealing with “WR4 types,” practice patience—volatile outputs are the norm for these high-upside lottery tickets.

Closing:
“This is playoff push time, baby. This is what we’re here for.” —Joey P. (16:25)

Happy waiver hunting—and happy birthday, Jake!