As we have done every week this season, let’s take a look at the players who performed well in fantasy despite being mostly unowned.
For the player to be eligible to be included, he must have been owned in less than 25 percent of ESPN fantasy football leagues. Each week, one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, and one tight end are highlighted.
Since most fantasy football leagues end after Week 16, there will be only one more week of this list after Week 15. After Week 16, we will look at the players who performed best despite being undrafted in most fantasy football leagues.
QB - Baker Mayfield, Browns (343 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, 23 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown)
Mayfield is the quarterback on here for the second straight week as he fell a little shy of the 25 percent threshold. He has combined to throw for 677 yards and six touchdowns while also scoring once via the run in his past two outings.
Baker Mayfield vs Tom Brady first 41 career starts:
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) December 14, 2020
Mayfield Brady
9,793 Pass yds 9,212
70-42 TD-INT 59-36
61.6 Comp% 61.8
88.6 Pass Rating 84.9 pic.twitter.com/wk5KqCgmpL
RB - Gus Edwards, Ravens (49 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 1 reception, 4 receiving yards)
Edwards scored his fifth and sixth touchdowns on the ground on Monday night, all of which have come since Week 6. Fantasy owners have been slow to pick him up due to his lack of involvement in the pass game as he now has just four catches on the year.
Gus Edwards scores again!
— NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2020
The @Ravens' fourth rushing TD of the game. #RavensFlock
📺: #BALvsCLE on ESPN
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/wVjLQzz43l pic.twitter.com/Juq52f4ssT
RB - Lynn Bowden Jr., Dolphins (2 rushing yards, 7 receptions, 82 receiving yards)
A quarterback at Kentucky, Bowden Jr. (selected in the third round by the Raiders, later traded to the Dolphins) is eligible at both running back and wide receiver in ESPN leagues. With Devante Parker and Jakeem Grant both leaving Sunday’s game with an injury, Bowden Jr. was targeted nine times in the passing game after being targeted just six times entering Week 14.
Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards combined for 3 catches for 18 yards today for #Raiders (all by Ruggs). Lynn Bowden Jr. (Raiders 3rd round pick traded away in summer) had 7 catches for 82 yards for Dolphins
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) December 14, 2020
WR - KJ Hamler, Broncos (2 receptions, 86 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns)
The second rookie on this week’s list (selected in the second round), Hamler took both of his catches for 37 and 49 yards to the end zone. His 86 receiving yards represent a new season-high over the 75 he had in Week 9.
#Broncos Debate with @markkiszla ...
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) December 14, 2020
Will there be enough offensive touches in '21 to keep Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler happy?https://t.co/hjJ9JQsmuh
WR - Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers (6 receptions, 85 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown)
Despite being in the starting lineup, Valdes-Scantling didn’t have as much as one catch in the previous two games. That wasn’t the case on Sunday as he had a reception on all six of his targets, his most catches in a game since he also had six in Week 3 of last year.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling peaks again for Packers https://t.co/ORngn0JvJn
— The Packers Wire (@ThePackersWire) December 15, 2020
TE - Irv Smith Jr., Vikings (4 receptions, 63 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown)
Smith Jr. caught his third touchdown of the season late in the third quarter on Sunday and tied a season-high with four receptions. According to Pro Football Reference, he was able to do this despite only playing 35 percent of the offensive snaps, which is his lowest amount in 2020.
.@KirkCousins8 and Irv Smith Jr. connect for the @Vikings score! #SKOL
— NFL (@NFL) November 8, 2020
📺: #DETvsMIN on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/MXkgo0fhcN pic.twitter.com/e0A0ckKWwp