Sometimes there are losses that just really gnaw at you. This has been a fairly successful season for me, personally. A great number of my teams are 8-5 and looking good for the playoffs. A couple have even survived significant-to-Familia, I want to take a moment before we talk about football to mention the gargantuan loss that the entire country of Mexico is feeling. Vicente Fernandez, aka Chente to the masses, passed away on Sunday on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He’s one of the great voices in the country’s history, and a true rags-to-riches tale that has been as inspiring as his voice has been moving.

I grew up with his songs ringing through our extended familia gatherings. And from my earliest childhood memories, I had learned the words to classics like Volver, Volver and El Rey, and sang along with many mariachis belting out those war horses.

For anyone not of Mexican descent reading this, I’m going to add some context to show what Mexico is feeling today. This is on the level of Elvis Presley dying in 1977. I remember being a kid and feeling the gut punch that this was in the United States. That’s why we’re seeing so many tributes in Mexico and parts of L.A. as well as other areas where there is a heavy Latino population. 

I was at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, watching the Chargers-Giants. With the Chargers winning a blowout, it was a festive atmosphere. The mood changed somewhat in the second half during a timeout, when the PA announcer talked about Chente’s passing, with Volver, Volver bouncing off the roof of the stadium. It was a mass sing-along, the legend’s voice blending with that of the thousands of fans who exercised their lungs particularly on the chorus. It was loud and bittersweet, everyone singing feeling the loss and celebrating a legend. It was a beautiful, moving moment that choked me up. Gracias, Chente. Your music will be sung at weddings, quinceaneras and other large gatherings for years to come.

Now, let’s get to some football. It’s playoffs, Familia. Time to make the right roster decisions, and go for it when you have to. Three weeks of high-stress fun, and loving every second of it. Here are some waiver wire recommendations that will hopefully help you move on. As always, the players are rostered in no more than 50% of Yahoo leagues. Salud!

STREAMING QUARTERBACKS OF THE WEEK

TUA TAGOVAILOA vs NYJ
34%
In Week 11, Tua completed 27 of 33 passes for 273 yards and 2 TDs at MetLife Stadium. Now the game is in Miami, and the Jets are still #32 against QBs. After this week the Dolphins travel to play the Saints and Titans, both defenses that are in the bottom 10 against the QB. If you’ve been counting on Lamar Jackson, Tua is a good streaming option.

JIMMY GAROPPOLO vs ATL
30%
Quietly, Jimmy G is the QB5 since Week 9, with 1,509 passing yards, 11 TDs and 4 INTs. The Falcons are #29 against the QB, allowing 273.8 passing yards a game. Then look at who’s next on the 49ers’ schedule – at Titans and Houston. You could do worse than riding Jimmy G.

RUNNING BACK

RASHAAD PENNY @ LAR
23%
Said Seahawks HC Pete Carroll earlier today:  “We’ll still rotate to keep our guys fresh, but yeah, we’re gonna give him a shot again to come right on back and see if we can keep going.” That’s what 16 carries for 137 yards and 2 TDs gets you. After the Rams, come softer home matchups against the Bears and Lions.

JUSTIN JACKSON vs KC
2%
This is purely speculation and preparation, with Austin Ekeler exiting the last game with an ankle injury that was deemed not to be serious. But just in case, Jackson has been the RB ahead in the pecking order for the Chargers. And there will be lots of points scored in this game, whether Ekeler is in there or not.

CRAIG REYNOLDS vs AZ
1%
Another speculation pickup, with D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams both missing the game last week. That opened the door for the UDFA Reynolds to pile up 99 total yards. The Cardinals are averaging 103.8 rushing yards allowed per game. 

WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END

DEVANTE PARKER vs NYJ
46%
Just in case people dropped him during his bye week, Parker caught all 5 of his targets for 62 yards after missing 4 games with injury. What I wrote about Tua up above also applies to Parker in the upcoming games. He’s definitely flex worthy the rest of the way.

K.J. OSBORN @ CHI
38%
Osborn saw 9 targets in the first game that the Vikings were without Adam Thielen. No one will mistake this, Justin Jefferson is the man in Minnesota. But Osborn is an option as long as Thielen is sidelined.

RASHOD BATEMAN vs GB
36%
Just when you thought you were out on the rookie hype, Bateman sucks you back in with a 7-8-103-0 stat line last week. A lot of that was with Lamar Jackson sidelined, but Bateman has made music with the 2019 MVP before. The Packers are tough against the pass, and the Bengals and Rams follow. So be warned that this is a tough playoff stretch.

JALEN GUYTON vs KC
14%
That 59-yard TD score on probably the prettiest pass I’ve seen live is reason enough to want to pick him up. And with 177 receiving yards plus a pair of TDs the past 2 games, Guyton has been beating teams deep and Justin Herbert is finding him. 

AMON-RA ST. BROWN vs AZ
12%
I talked about him on the Fitz on Fantasy podcast. With 24 targets in the past 2 games, St. Brown is getting the usage you want at the right time. The matchup against the Cardinals is tough, but after that game the Lions take inviting trips to Atlanta and Seattle. 

GABRIEL DAVIS vs CAR
3%
Scoring in back-to-back weeks, Davis saw 8 targets and turned them into 5 catches for 43 yards. With Emmanuel Sanders likely out after spraining his knee, Davis is in line for more targets against a defense that will send the top DBs at the other Buffalo receivers. 

C.J. UZOMAH @ DEN
14%
Insert 1:30 a.m. at the bar pun in here. Pickings are slim at the TE, Familia. Uzomah has seen 6 targets each of the past 2 games, and ran 1 more route than Tee Higgings last week. This is purely a volume play, with the hope that Uzomah catches a TD.

DEFENSIVE STREAMER OF THE WEEK
MIAMI vs NYJ
50%
People must have dropped plenty of Dolphins on their bye week. Well, the defense is worth picking up, and not just because the lowly Jets are up next. The subsequent games are at the Saints and Titans, with both teams using a multitude of backups at their skill positions because of injuries. Miami has 19 sacks and 11 turnovers in the past 4 games. 

SOURCES: PFF / Pro-Football-Reference / Fantasy Pros / Football Guys / Lineups.com