Fantasy football waiver wire for Week 14: Pick up receiver Keke Coutee or running backs Cam Akers or Ty Johnson

It’s not your fault.

How could your terrible Week 13 lineup decisions possibly be on you?

Was it you who told Kyler Murray to throw two touchdowns to the unrosterable Dan Arnold, who may or may not have been Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sidekick in “True Lies” and Roseanne Barr’s ex-husband?

Should you be dinged because someone named Kendall Lamm and seemingly everyone else in Cleveland — except Kareem Hunt — could find the end zone during the Browns’ stunner over the Tennessee Titans?

And Alfred Morris? Really?

Perhaps we should’ve suspected the New England Patriots might shut down rookie Justin Herbert or the New York Giants might lock down Tyler Lockett, but sometimes you just have to ride with your stars despite those little nagging doubts. They pay off more often than not.

Besides, it was Bizarro Week in real-life and fantasy football on Sunday. You learn to expect the unexpected, especially this season.

The task now is to separate the flukes from talent that might help you for a week or two from what’s left of the schedule.

Keke Coutee, WR, Texans

Brandin Cooks briefly left the game against the Indianapolis Colts and was evaluated for a concussion. In any event, the lion’s share of work went to Keke Coutee and Chad Hansen. Both had their first 100-yard games of the season — and Hansen had just been activated off the practice squad.

It’s hard to trust that Hansen is more than a one-week wonder for now, but Coutee is more of a known commodity to fantasy managers. He made a favorable impression while filling in for Will Fuller over the previous two seasons, but this season he has dealt a foot injury and healthy scratches.

With Fuller suspended, Cooks questionable and Randall Cobb on injured reserve — and Deshaun Watson playing the best football of his career — Coutee’s stock skyrockets.

Not having DeAndre Hopkins around to lock in on has helped Watson, but in a way it helps Coutee, too.

“It’s not one guy we’re trying to target,” Watson said via the Houston Chronicle before Sunday’s game. “It’s all the guys. I’m trying to (find) what the defense is trying to give (us), taking that and keeping the chains moving.”

Cam Akers, RB, Rams

Cam Akers’ 3.4 yards per carry against the Arizona Cardinals aren’t going to wow anyone but he had 21 carries (for 72 yards) to Darrell Henderson’s three and added a catch for 22 yards. Both backs scored rushing touchdowns.

That’s two weeks in a row Akers has found the end zone and reached double-digit fantasy points. Unfortunately, the timeshare doesn’t look as if it’s going away and the Patriots are up next, so temper your expectations.

But at least Malcolm Brown’s role appears to be diminished and matchups against the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks hold some promise.

Ty Johnson, RB, Jets

Frank Gore left the game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a concussion. Some question why the 37-year-old would be starting ahead of the second-year man in Ty Johnson, but don’t go down the rabbit hole trying to figure out why the Jets do what they do.

Case in point: The Jets remembering they’re the Jets late in the game — like the Bears remembering they’re the Bears late against the Lions, only the Jets were on defense.

But regardless of how bad the Jets are, Johnson took over for Gore and rushed for 104 yards and a score. It was the Jets’ first 100-yard rushing game of not only the season but the Adam Gase era (an indictment in itself). Josh Adams added 74 yards.

“I think they did a great job,” Gase said. “We were looking to rotate all three of those guys. Those two guys (Johnson and Adams) did a really good job of going in there and being ready to go.”

The Seahawks next week make Johnson a tempting option: The Giants’ Wayne Gallman ran wild for 135 yards on Sunday.

Collin Johnson, WR, Jaguars

The 6-foot-6, 221-pound rookie provides a big target for Mike Glennon. It’s getting to the point Collin Johnson is becoming a viable option whether D.J. Chark is in the lineup or not.

Johnson had 66 yards and a 2-point conversion against the Minnesota Vikings., and had 96 yards and touchdown against the Browns a week ago.

He has speed and jumping ability and coaches have been working with him on his route running. Best of all, the Jaguars say they’re going to keep riding with Glennon at quarterback, so he’ll get to build on the connection he shares with Johnson.

“He’s stepped up and has made a lot of big plays,” Glennon said via the team website. “So I don’t know if that has to do with our chemistry or just that he’s in the right place at the right time with my reads. He’s playing really well. I feel comfortable with Collin and hopefully we’ll continue to build on that.”

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts

Since we’re doing blasts from the past, are A.J. Green and Dez Bryant suddenly going to make a case for Week 15 1/4 u2032s list?

T.Y. Hilton was completely irrelevant the first 11 weeks but had a then-season-high 81 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 12. He followed it up Sunday against the Texans with his first 100-yard game and second straight touchdown.

We knew eventually he would have a standout game, the question was whether it would be a fluke or something you could expect again.

Quarterback Philip Rivers said via Colts.com, “Yeah, I feel like we’ve said it all year long: it’s just a matter of time till he really gets rolling.”

You certainly could try your hand against the Raiders (10th in points allowed to the position, though they’ve been more vulnerable to slot receivers such as Zach Pascal) and the rematch against the Texans — Hilton historically has had their number.

Philip Rivers, QB, Colts

Maybe it’s the ailing foot or maybe with age comes wisdom, or perhaps it’s a former quarterback in head coach Frank Reich saving one of his brethren from himself. But the Midwest version of Philip Rivers is starting to look markedly different from the Wild West gunslinger we used to know and love.

The Los Angeles Chargers version of Rivers was a turnover factory, and while he still throws an interception every other game or so, he’s not undermining his own fantasy value with three- and four-turnover games like he did last season.

Against the Texans Sunday, Rivers threw for 285 yards, two touchdowns and no picks for 19.2 fantasy points. That gives him five games of 18 points or more on the season (Yahoo format) — three of them 22 points or more — and all of them have been since Week 6.

Rivers has had multiple touchdown passes in three consecutive weeks and plays the Raiders and Texans next. Just be aware his foot injury may require offseason surgery.

“I don’t feel any limitations as far as what I can do out there,” he said, according to IndyStar.com. “It’s just a matter of managing it week to week at this point.”

Adrian Peterson, RB, Lions

D’Andre Swift took his fantasy managers on a roller coaster ride with his injury status last week, but it ended with him missing his third straight game despite clearing the concussion protocol.

Swift’s status needs to be closely monitored this week. It’s too soon to speculate if there’s a lingering problem with his health, but it wouldn’t hurt to cue up Adrian Peterson with a waiver wire claim in case there is.

Peterson has scored two touchdowns in each of the last two games, his latest pair coming against the Bears Sunday.

Even if Swift plays, Peterson could resurrect his role as a goal-line threat.

Cole Kmet, TE, Bears

Against the Lions, Cole Kmet had a season-high seven targets, including his second straight week with a red-zone look, which he cashed in for an 11-yard touchdown.

With tight end talent sparse this season, you have to take notice of any potential sleeper.

The Bears have had Kmet on a plan to steadily work him into the offense as he grows into the position.

“Anytime he’s out there I’m looking for him, and I liked the matchups on the field today,” quarterback Mitch Trubisky said via WBBM-AM. “He does a great job run-after-catch and finding open spots in zone and he’s a nice friendly big target. I think he’s done a great job learning this offense and playing really smart.

“Today I found him a good amount of times. We’ve just got to keep feeding those guys and keep feeding our playmakers.”

Quintez Cephus, WR, Lions

It didn’t take long before Darrell Bevell made a significant move as interim head coach.

The Lions waived Marvin Hall a couple days before the game against the Bears, a curious move since Quintez Cephus said he wanted more big plays on offense.

Cephus gave us an inkling why when Matthew Stafford connected on a 49-yard touchdown pass against a Bears secondary that had given up only seven touchdowns to wide receivers. Cephus hadn’t had more than two targets since Week 2 but had four on Sunday.

If Kenny Golladay continues to miss time (six straight games with a hip injury), Cephus should get flex consideration on the hunch Bevell wants to feature him more.

Sam Darnold, QB, Jets

Sam Darnold had just his second game over 20 fantasy points, putting up 21 against the Raiders on Sunday. Heck, it’s the only two games over 15 points.

He has had a train wreck of a season but upon further reflection he has been hampered by injuries and some really tough matchups, including the Colts, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

So the Seahawks matchup looks like a perfect opportunity to stream or help fill out DFS lineups.

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