While Michael Fabiano serves up the top waiver-wire options in fantasy football each week, I am here for those who need to dive a little deeper. Depending on your league, you may have no shot at the guys on Fabiano's list. Whether it's because of huge rosters, too many members or a low priority on the waiver wire (because you rule at fantasy), sometimes the top options simply aren't available. With that in mind, here are some deeper waiver-wire targets if you're scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Many of these "deep" waiver pickups have graduated to Fabiano's top-10 in recent weeks, such as Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Latavius Murray, Dan Herron, Donte Moncrief, Kenny Stills and Colt McCoy. This piece is here to try and help you get ahead of the competition, or find gems in deep leagues. Of course, for each of those successes, I recommend a Chad Henne-type. Welp, you can't win them all. Let's hope we can find a winner in this crop below.
Quarterbacks
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (2.7 percent owned): With Fabiano including four quarterbacks in his waiver column this week, the pickings were a little slim for me. However, Bortles looked better in the second half against the Giants, making some good throws to lead the Jaguars on a scoring drive to help bring home their second win of the season. He has a cushy upcoming schedule (vs. HOU, at BAL, vs. TEN) and could be a nice value add/play in two-QB or very deep leagues.
Worth keeping an eye on: Teddy Bridgewater (MIN)
Running backs
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers (14.5 percent owned): If the Panthers still weren't aware Stewart was the best back on their roster, hopefully Sunday's showing made it evidently clear. Stewart looked good, rushing for 85 yards on 12 carries and adding another 25 receiving yards on two catches. DeAngelo Williams injured his hand on Sunday, which could lead to an even higher volume of touches for Stewart. He needs to be owned in all leagues as he has a favorable upcoming schedule (at NO, vs. TB, at CLE). Submit your waiver claims now before it's too late.
Robert Turbin, Seattle Seahawks (3.7 percent owned): Turbin had some nice production on minimal touches last week thanks to his 34-yard reception on a screen pass and a short touchdown reception. I've added him to the deep dive this week as a reminder to Marshawn Lynch owners that he's an important handcuff and if you don't currently have him stashed on your roster, you might want to make a move in case something happens to Lynch or his back injury flares up.
Marion Grice and Michael Bush, Arizona Cardinals (0 and 0.3 percent owned): With Andre Ellington suffering a hip injury last week (even if it's not deemed serious), the Cardinals could start looking for help in their backfield. Grice filled in pretty well for Ellington on Sunday, while Bush was inactive after just signing with the team on Tuesday. The Cardinals rushing attack has been so poor lately that it's made members of the local media consider if the team should signRay Rice. If that's the state of affairs in Arizona, it wouldn't surprise me to see either of these backs with an increased workload in the coming weeks. Grice would likely do most of his damage between the 20s, with Bush reassuming his former role as a goal-line specialist. Tread with caution, though, as these would both be purely speculative adds.
Worth keeping an eye on:* Bryce Brown (BUF), Charles Sims (TB), Theo Riddick (DET)
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Wide receivers
Stedman Bailey, St. Louis Rams (0.2 percent owned): I wanted to wait a week on Bailey to see if he could do it again, and now it appears his stock is very much on the rise in the Rams' offense. Bailey caught five of his six targets for 100 yards on Sunday -- all in the first half. Had the game not been a 38-0 blowout at that time, he could have had an even bigger day. Over the last two weeks, Bailey has caught 12 of his 15 targets for 189 yards and a touchdown, and not only appears to be Shaun Hill's favorite target, but the new No. 1 WR in St. Louis. Grab him if you can as the surging Rams face the Redskins, Cardinals and Giants in the next three weeks.
Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (6.3 percent owned): Adams has appeared in this space plenty of times, but I felt the need to bring him up again after his solid game on Sunday against the Patriots. Adams caught six of his 11 targets for 121 yards, and that includes a few overthrows and two mistakes by Adams that both would have been touchdowns (one drop and one tough catch where he failed to remain in bounds). With teams doing everything they can to slow down the combo of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Adams' value remains high down the stretch. Aaron Rodgers has gone on the record before saying his favorite receiver is the "open one," and Adams should be able to get open plenty in the coming weeks.
Harry Douglas, Atlanta Falcons (1.2 percent owned): Douglas was very efficient filling in for the injured Roddy White on Sunday, as he caught nine of his 12 targets for 116 yards (12.9 ypc average). If White's ankle sprain lingers (as it did last year), Douglas will have some value down the stretch. He has an OK matchup in Green Bay this week, but faces Pittsburgh and New Orleans after that.
Robert Woods, Buffalo Bills (1.7 percent owned): Figuring out which Bills receiver to play this season has been a bit like whack-a-mole, but Woods has emerged in recent weeks as the quality receiver some of us thought he could be this offseason. Woods has caught 13 of his 18 targets over the last two weks for 189 receiving yards with one touchdown. Sammy Watkins has caught just six of his 14 targets for 46 yards with no touchdowns over the same span. If you're in need of wide receiver help in deeper leagues, Woods has a nice matchup against the Broncos in Week 14.
Worth keeping an eye on: Nate Washington (TEN), John Brown (ARI), Paul Richardson (SEA), Charles Johnson (MIN)
Tight ends
Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts (39.5 percent owned): Fleener is owned in way more leagues than usual for a player in this column, but since Fabiano didn't talk about him I wanted to give him a little digital ink. Despite having one of the worst drops of his career on Sunday, Fleener still reeled in four of his seven targets for 127 yards and two touchdowns. This had as much to do with Washington's inability to cover anyone as it did with Fleener's ability, but he made plenty out of his opportunities for the second time in three weeks, which is a good sign. Dwayne Allen is getting closer to returning, but until he does Fleener remains firmly on the TE1 radar.
Worth keeping an eye on:* Heath Miller (PIT), Packers TEs, Seahawks TEs, (the disaster continues) *
-- Alex Gelhar is a fantasy and features writer for NFL.com. He saw "The Babadook" this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. He recommends fans of the horror genre check it out if they can. Hit him up with your fantasy football questions or to talk movies @AlexGelhar.
