The fantasy season is winding down and it is time to transition to offseason mode. For non-playoff teams, that means dropping kickers, defenses, and dead-end veterans for young upside. For title contenders, a playoff loss signals their ability to drop similar pieces. The depth of each league alters the available player pool significantly. The stash players will be listed in general order of most-shallow leagues to deep talent diving.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr: Has played better than his situation as a rookie. A legitimate pass-catcher or two would help his growth in year two tremendously.
Zach Mettenberger: May be the Week 1 starter next season. At times has been the best pocket passer of the 2014 rookies.
Sam Bradford: Monitor his situation. Unlikely to rebound in fantasy starter, but still feels more talented than shown to-date.
Matt Barkley: The darkhorse of the Eagles quarterback depth chart, but this offense can turn nearly anyone into a QB1-level performer.
Running Backs
Theo Riddick: The upside of inheriting the Reggie Bush role in Detroit is worth the stash alone. Riddick has largely outplayed Bush in 2014.
Tyler Gaffney: Been off the radar on injured reserve all season. Has the most physical upside of any of the Patriots backs except for LeGarrette Blount. The odds are high Gaffney sees some buzz in the offseason.
James White: It has been months since his short-term buzz of the preseason. The fantasy value rotation in the New England backfield seems to extend to every player at some point, despite White being a forgettable athlete.
Roy Helu: One of the better athletes at the position that remains under the radar. Solid in the passing game and entering free agency.
Ronnie Hillman: Remember him? Like the Eagles offense, Denver churns out fantasy production.
Damien Williams: Skilled as a pass-catcher and one of the better undrafted 2014 running backs by the metrics.
Lache Seastrunk: Was once in the conversation as the top running back in the 2014 class. After not blowing up the combine as expected and showing his lack of passing game chops, he plummeted in the draft. Seastrunk has been simmering on the Tennessee practice squad after flashing with the ball in his hands in the preseason.
Zurlon Tipton: The last Colts running back to NOT outperform Trent Richardson was....? Exactly. Tipton is big and an above-average pass-catcher. With uncertainty on the depth chart, Tipton is worthwhile.
Antone Smith: Flashed big-play ability in the open field prior to season-ending injury. On the old side and entering free agency. Monitor his landing spot.
Wide Receivers
Nick Toon: Joseph Morgan is gone and Brandin Cooks' season-ending injury created an opportunity for more playing time. Kenny Stills is taking advantage, but Toon is also playing (at a tempered level) the best ball of his NFL career. Marques Colston has been in decline for a while now and there is value to be had in the Saints passing game.
Aaron Dobson: Once the highest upside wide receiver on the Patriots roster, Dobson has been in the doghouse or hurt since his run as a fantasy WR2 as a rookie. Whether a team change or turnaround in New England, Dobson's physical abilities dwarf that of his current market value.
Josh Huff: Chip Kelly targeted Huff, a former college player of his, in the top-100 of the NFL draft. That alone should garner a ton of fantasy interest. Add to that Huff is a well-rounded prospect, Jeremy Maclin is a free agent in the offseason, and Riley Cooper has been essentially a non-factor.
Corey Washington: My.Preseason has been pasted to the bench for all but a handful of snaps in the regular season. Outside of Odell Beckham Jr the Giants wide receiver depth chart is murky going forward. Washington could be the primary red zone target next season or at least a strong WR3 on the depth chart.
Jeff Janis: Janis is one of the best late-round or undrafted wide receivers in the metric-based projection model in the past 15 years. He dominated his lower-level college competition, has all the measureable athleticism, and the Packers are pretty good identifiers of talent. Charles Johnson was their last selection with the same story coming of the college and, while Johnson did not break out with Green Bay, he is doing quite well in Minnesota with a legitimate slice of the snaps. Janis is a long-term hold, but one that gets all the tiebreakers over other end-of-roster receivers.
Jaron Brown: Larry Fitzgerald may not be in Arizona next year, Michael Floyd's expected breakout did not happen this season, and Brown has stuck on the roster for a while despite going undrafted. Brown has well above-average athleticism and prototypical size.
Brandon Coleman: He was pinned as the possible long-term replacement to Marques Colston when he signed with the Saints post-draft. Nothing has changed, yet Coleman's shine is gone amongst the dynasty populous.
Marlon Brown: Torrey Smith is a free agent and Steve Smith is in his mid-30s. Brown had a promising 2013 rookie season before shifting down the depth chart this season. Opportunity could arise next year once again.
Chris Hogan: The Monmouth product has been a revelation for the Bills despite bigger names Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods getting all the buzz. Hogan has terrific size and athleticism to expect him to maintain an NFL role.
Devin Street: Street is basically Terrance Williams without the second round NFL draft status. Williams has flamed out since the early part of 2014 that was buoyed by touchdowns. Street could easily fill Williams' role in 2015 if the pattern continues.
Josh Boyce: Like Aaron Dobson, Boyce is buried in New England, but his athleticism shows through when any playing time comes his way. A new team or expanded opportunity would shine the light on his unrealized talent.
Stephen Hill: He is currently on the Panthers practice squad and when taking long shots in deep rosters, upside and opportunity are trump cards. Outside of Kelvin Benjamin the Carolina depth chart is wide open and Hill has athleticism to burn. The odds are stacked against him a la A.J. Jenkins or Jon Baldwin in terms of a full rebound to relevance, but stashing him into the offseason costs but a roster spot earmarked for a 2015 rookie in the summer to find out.
Tight Ends
Richard Rodgers: Tight ends are notoriously slow to become fantasy viable and Rodgers has been in a platoon with run-of-the-mill veteran Andrew Quarless in 2014. As a day two NFL draft pick and paired with Aaron Rodgers, Richard Rodgers is a strong pickup in shallower depth leagues.
Dion Sims: Charles Clay's status in Miami is uncertain and Sims has a legitimate shot to be the Week 1 starter come 2015.
Tim Wright: Wide receiver converts are potential boons for fantasy and Wright has been no exception. While streaky, Wright has shown the ability to flash upside in New England.
Gavin Escobar: He has flashed time and time again as a split out receiving weapon. Jason Witten chugs on as the steady possession option in Dallas, but Escobar is on the Martellus Bennett path from early NFL draft sitting behind Witten to future starter on another team.
Crockett Gillmore: Owen Daniels is a free agent in Baltimore, as well as Torrey Smith. Gillmore is an oversized option that was drafted in the top-100. He could be the main red zone target for the Ravens come 2015.
Luke Willson: Was stuck behind second-round pick Vance McDonald in college and has the athletic profile of a seam stretcher at the NFL level. The Seahawks lack front line pass-catchers and Willson is worth a stash in deeper leagues.
Josh Hill: Prototypical size and an explosive athlete for the position, just happens to play behind Jimmy Graham. Ben Watson out of the way would help his cause for a few more targets, but Hill needs a change of scenery to fulfill his potential.
Colt Lyerla: More of a what might have been than a stash recommendation. Was formerly a top recruit and graded out as the most athletic tight end prospect of the 2014 draft class by my projection model and is not even on a practice squad.