RADIO
Welcome everyone to the fantasy football Week 16 waiver wire! I’m here as always to help you make the best fantasy waiver pickups for Week 16. There are a lot of other quality players to look at adding this week on the waiver wire. This article is challenging to make relevant to all the different kinds of leagues out there. There are different league sizes, scoring settings, and roster requirements, which can make things difficult. As a general rule of thumb, I'll only be looking at players with a rostership percentage of 50% or lower, according to Yahoo! rostership percentages.
One thing I'll be adding this year is a category distinction for all players. This should help you figure out which players to add based on what your waiver wire goals are. Keep in mind that players can qualify for multiple distinctions. Those distinctions will be as follows:
- BC: Breakout Candidate – This is a player who may not be startable yet, but has a good chance of breaking out and becoming a weekly starter at some point in the season. If you do not need a starter this week, these are the players you should be targeting off the waiver wire.
- WS: Weekly Streamer – This is a player who is not a weekly starter or even someone you cannot drop, but rather they are someone you can target if the matchup is right or if you're desperate for a one-time starter. This is likely to be a quarterback or tight end.
- DP: Depth Player – This is a player who reminds me of a quote from Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners, now can they?" We'd all love to have breakout players, but it's also important to have quality depth players who can be started during bye weeks and be decent injury-replacement players.
- DL: Deep League Add – This is for competitive 12-team leagues or larger.
- IF: Injury Fill-In – This is a player who will be a weekly spot starter during the starter's absence due to injuries.
- MA: Must Add – This is a player who due to any number of circumstances, now finds himself as a weekly fantasy starter and is someone fantasy managers should be adding to their teams.
- UH: Upside Handcuff – This is reserved for our running backs who could become prominent players if the primary starter gets hurt.
All of these players are listed in the order I would advise prioritizing them by position. This includes the "others to consider" sections. If you have any specific waiver wire questions, give me a follow on X @RobFFSlayer, and don’t be afraid to reach out. I’ll be completing the waiver wire column all year here at RotoBaller and I hope to help as many of you as possible win your fantasy football league.
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Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 54% Rostered
Mayfield had three tough games from Weeks 11-13. He had to face the 49ers, Colts, and Panthers. The 49ers and Panthers are in the bottom five of points allowed to quarterbacks. The Colts are in the bottom 15. Not surprisingly, Mayfield struggled. He scored under 14 points in all three contests. That's not good, but Mayfield isn't a weekly start. He's a streaming quarterback. We avoid him in bad matchups -- like those three weeks -- and target him in good matchups.
Before Week 11, Mayfield had three consecutive games of scoring more than 18 points. Mayfield played the Falcons in Week 14 and before their contest, Atlanta had given up the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Mayfield came through for fantasy managers who trusted him in a good matchup, scoring over 20 points. This is what a good streaming quarterback does. He predictably struggled in three tough matchups and did well in a positive matchup.
Despite a very difficult matchup against the Packers this past weekend, Mayfield was lights out. He finished with a perfect passer rating en route to four passing touchdowns and 29 fantasy points. He has Jacksonville in Week 16, who has allowed the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. He'll be the most coveted quarterback streamer this week. Tampa Bay against Jacksonville will likely have one of the higher implied point totals on the docket and has shoot-out potential.
Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts – 25% Rostered
Minshew might be even higher if it wasn't for the injury to Michael Pittman Jr. this past weekend. He sustained a concussion and may not be eligible to play in Week 16. That would be a blow to Minshew's potential. Since their bye in Week 11, Minshew has scored over 14 in four straight games, which includes two games where he scored over 18.5 points. He's been playing fantastically as of late and should be someone fantasy managers are looking to add and stream in Week 16. He's averaging 255 passing yards over his last four games and has thrown for multiple touchdown passes in two of his last four games.
The Colts play the Falcons in Week 16, who have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. It's an excellent matchup and with the way Minshew and the Colts have been playing, he's a player that can be trusted as a high-end QB2 streamer. He'd be more trustworthy if Pittman could pass through concussion protocol and play this weekend, but even if he isn't able to, Minshew is still a player to consider streaming this upcoming weekend.
Nick Mullens, Minnesota Vikings – 4% Rostered
Mullens got the starting nod this past weekend after two implosions by the previous starter, Joshua Dobbs. In his first start against the Bengals, Mullens came through for fantasy managers. He completed 26 of 33 yards for 303 yards and two touchdowns. Mullens, unfortunately, did throw two interceptions. He finished with 17.1 fantasy points. It wasn't always pretty, but he did get the job done. He'll get another week's worth of reps as the starter going into Week 16 before facing off against the Lions. It's another excellent matchup for Mullens. The Lions have allowed the fourth-most points to opposing quarterbacks.
The Vikings were missing Alexander Mattison last week, which left Ty Chandler as the primary running back. Despite Chandler's positive performance, the Vikings' rushing attack is short-handed and could be negatively affected moving forward. With pass-catchers such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, Mullens has plenty of playmakers on the outside to help elevate his performance. With the Week 16 matchup and the playmakers Mullens has, he's a worthwhile streamer.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints – 39% Rostered
Despite missing Chris Olave and Michael Thomas this past weekend, Carr played well against the Giants and finished with over 20 points. Carr has been a roller coaster this season. He has seven games under 11 points, but some of that can be attributed to injuries -- specifically multiple concussions and shoulder injuries to his throwing arm. He has just one game with more than 18 points, so the ceiling is virtually nonexistent. That's something to consider if you're looking at potentially playing Carr. The floor is scary and the ceiling is not as high as most would like. However, if you've encountered multiple quarterback injuries and are now streaming week-to-week, sometimes beggars can't be choosers.
Carr should get Olave back in Week 16, which will be a major boost. Rashid Shaheed, who missed Weeks 13 and 14, returned in Week 15, but should be closer to 100% this upcoming weekend. Michael Thomas could also potentially be back this week. He's eligible to come off of IR; however, there's been no indication he will be activated. Still, that possibility exists.
The Saints are on the road against the Rams, who have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. It's a great matchup. He's coming off his best game of the season and he could potentially have all of his pass-catchers back in Week 16. Fantasy managers will want to follow the receiver injuries in New Orleans to get a better valuation on Carr and his upside.
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets – 23% Rostered / Zach Wilson, New York Jets – 6% Rostered
Reports came out before this weekend's games that Rodgers could be cleared to play in Week 16. Now that the Jets lost and they've been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, it's unknown if upper management will let Rodgers play. I don't anticipate Rodgers being active with the Jets eliminated, but you never know. He seems hellbent on returning this season.
If Rodgers is surprisingly the starter, he makes for an interesting streamer in Week 16. That's because the Jets play the Washington Commanders. They've allowed the most passing yards and passing touchdowns this season. Not surprisingly, they're also allowing the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks at 22.0 PPG. Even if Rodgers isn't the starter, Wilson will at the very least be a potential streamer.
Starting Wilson is not for the faint of heart and he sustained a head injury this past weekend that could impact his Week 16 availability, so that's something to consider as well. The injury situations for both quarterbacks make adding either player a difficult choice, but their Week 16 matchup is as good as they come.
Others to consider: Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns – 25% Rostered, Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals – 47% Rostered, Tommy Devito, New York Giants – 8% Rostered Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons – 12% Rostered, Will Levis, Tennessee Titans – 21% Rostered
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Option
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings – 52% Rostered (MA, UH, WS, DP)
Alexander Mattison left Week 14 early with a sprained ankle. After Mattison exited, Chandler handled almost 100% of the snaps out of the backfield for Minnesota. He finished with 12 carries for 35 yards and also caught all three of his targets for seven yards. Mattison was ruled out for Week 15, which gave Chandler the start. He played on 55 of the team's 68 snaps and ran 17 routes on 39 dropbacks. He finished with 23 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also had four targets, three receptions, and 25 yards. He finished with 23.2 half-PPR points.
Regarding Mattison's status, it's unknown if he'll be ready to play in Week 16. If he's out again, Chandler is a must-start RB2, which makes him a priority add this week. If Mattison returns, based on how well Chandler played this past weekend, Chandler would likely remain decently involved. It wouldn't be surprising if he handled 10-12 touches even if Mattison is back on the field. In that scenario, Chandler should be viewed as a high-end RB3.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs – 40% Rostered (WS, UH, IF, DP)
Isiah Pacheco missed his second week of action and as of right now, it's unknown when he might return. Since he hasn't been placed on IR, we would assume the Chiefs are hoping to have him back either this upcoming weekend or for Week 17. At this time, however, we're uncertain of which.
He didn't practice in any capacity leading up to last weekend's game. In Week 14, CEH played slightly more snaps than Jerick McKinnon, but for the most part, it was a 50/50 split. Surprisingly, he ran almost the same number of routes as McKinnon, too. He finished with 11 carries for 39 yards. He also caught two of his four targets for 29 yards.
This past weekend, however, CEH took a commanding lead in the snaps, playing 40 of the team's 65 snaps. He also ran more routes than McKinnon and out-targeted him as well. He finished with 13 carries for 37 rushing yards. He played a big role in the passing game, catching all four of his targets for 64 yards and a score. He finished with 18.1 half-PPR points. If Pacheco is out again, CEH will have a great matchup in Week 16 against the Raiders, who are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs this season.
***UPDATE***
Recent reports since the writing of this article has indicated Isiah Pacheco is good to go this week and should return to the lineup. While it's possible the Chiefs will decide to use more of a rotation in their backfield after Pacheco missed the last two games, his return makes it incredibly difficult to trust CEH in your lineup in a must-win game. It doesn't hurt to hang onto CEH if you have the roster space, but this news hurts his Week 16 appeal significantly.
Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders – 2% Rostered (WS, IF, UH, DL)
Josh Jacobs left their game in Week 15 due to an injury. With the Raiders playing on Thursday this past weekend, it was always going to be a long shot for Jacobs to suit up. This is especially true due to Las Vegas' record and Jacobs' one-year contract status. With Jacobs inactive, White ended up playing on 45 of the team's 64 snaps. He even handled the vast majority of the passing work, running 21 routes on 31 dropbacks. He finished with 17 carries, 69 yards, and a rushing touchdown. He also caught all three of his targets for 16 yards. He finished with 16.0 half-PPR points.
It's unknown if Jacobs will return in Week 16. While the injury did not appear to be serious, Jacobs and the team may be extra cautious with him due to their record and his contract situation. Jacobs himself may not want to return this season, risking another injury after essentially playing on the franchise tag this season.
If Jacobs is out again, White should be viewed as a high-end RB3. It's a tough matchup against the Chiefs, who have given up the 15th-fewest fantasy points this season. The Raiders will be significant underdogs and the game script could make it difficult for White to be an effective fantasy producer. However, if Jacobs sits, White should be good for 10-12 touches.
D'Onta Foreman, Chicago Bears – 46% Rostered (DP)
This past weekend's utilization essentially nuked the value of every single Bears running back. Roschon Johnson had five carries. Foreman had six. Khalil Herbert had six. That kind of distribution makes all three of them irrelevant and virtually impossible to trust. That's a major blow because the Bears play Arizona in Week 16, who has been one of the most fantasy-friendly matchups for running backs this season.
Due to how the team utilized their backs this past weekend, none of them are trustworthy. Johnson played 37 of the team's 72 snaps. Foreman played 18 and Herbert played 17. Johnson had the lead in snaps played due to his role in the passing game. He finished with 21 routes run compared to five for each of the other two. Johnson had six targets while Foreman and Herbert both had zero.
Foreman might still be the player to start if you had to start one of the three since he still seems to be the goal-line back and was the primary early-down runner. He's the most likely of the three to score a touchdown and if the Bears play from ahead next weekend, Foreman seems to be the most likely one to prosper.
Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs – 41% Rostered (WS, IF, DP)
Isiah Pacheco was ruled out on Friday before Week 14, which meant it was McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire handling the backfield duties for the Chiefs. They ended up splitting the snaps pretty much 50/50. CEH had 32 and McKinnon had 30. Surprisingly, the routes run were relatively close. Most likely expected McKinnon to hold a significant advantage in this department, but McKinnon only had three more routes than CEH, 18-15.
McKinnon was out-carried by CEH, 11 to four. Despite CEH getting more carries than McKinnon and being bigger than him, head coach Andy Reid prefers to use McKinnon down near the end zone. It was McKinnon who ended up finding the end zone in Week 14.
This past weekend, McKinnon only played 22 of the team's 65 snaps. This time, CEH ran more routes than McKinnon, 18-14. He also out-targeted McKinnon, 4-3. McKinnon still managed to finish with 14.7 half-PPR points. He threw one touchdown pass and caught another. Everyone likely remembers McKinnon's epic surge late last season, which was propelled by a whole bunch of touchdowns, but his playing time was much higher than it was this past weekend.
Truth be told, based on his utilization, fantasy managers who started him this weekend got a bit lucky. Since Isiah Pacheco has missed the last two weeks, CEH's utilization has been far superior to McKinnon's. McKinnon is still worth adding just in case Pacheco is out another week, but since he wasn't placed on IR, Kansas City must be expecting him back this week or next.
***UPDATE***
Recent reports since the writing of this article has indicated Isiah Pacheco is good to go this week and should return to the lineup. While CEH has had the better role during Pacheco's absence, a lot of what CEH does is duplicated by Pacheco. That could mean McKinnon is the more likely of the two to maintain a role in Week 16. Regardless, Pacheco's return makes it tough to trust any of these three backs because the rotation is unknown. They could go back to featuring Pacheco, but they could also use more of a rotation between all three backs. Or maybe, Pacheco handles early-down work, but McKinnon handles almost all of the passing work. Prior to his injury, Pacheco was handling a good deal of the passing work too. These unknowns make it dangerous starting either player. However, with Pacheco being back in the lineup, if I were making a bet on McKinnon or CEH as to who is the better start, it would be McKinnon as of right now.
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles – 28% Rostered (UH, DP)
Gainwell doesn't offer any week-to-week value. He cannot be started with any sort of confidence as long as D'Andre Swift is healthy, but in the event Swift is hurt in tonight's game or Week 16, Gainwell would become an immediate RB2 starter. Fantasy managers are running out of weeks for these injury handcuffs to hit, which is why these guys are lower on the list, but Gainwell qualifies as a quality handcuff. He'd likely get 12 carries in the event of a Swift injury with 2-3 targets. That would be enough for RB2 value, but the touchdown equity would be low.
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals – 20% Rostered (DP, UH)
Brown is a fifth-round rookie and before Week 13, he had played eight total offensive snaps. The Bengals have been looking for a No. 2 running back behind Joe Mixon all season. In the past two weeks, Brown has essentially taken control of that position. In Week 13, he only played 15% of the snaps but made several big plays. He finished with nine carries and 61 yards. His playing time doubled in Week 14.
He finished with a 30% snap share and finished with eight carries and three targets. Once again, Brown made another big play. He took a short pass 54 yards to the house. He finished with just 25 rushing yards but had 80 receiving yards and the touchdown en route to 18 half-PPR points.
Despite the positive performance in Week 14, his role didn't exactly grow as much as some were hoping for. He did leave the game in the third quarter before returning late in the fourth but finished with just 13 snaps out of 70. He ran five routes but was targeted on three of them. He also received seven carries. That means he touched the ball on 10 of his 13 snaps.
The Bengals want to get the ball in his hands. He's not a startable running back right now and is unlikely to become one before the season's end, but if Mixon were to get hurt in Week 16, he'd find himself in a workhorse role for championship week.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons – 48% Rostered (IF, UH, DL)
This entire offense is virtually impossible to figure out. How head coach Arthur Smith divvies up the backfield touches on a week-to-week basis changes routinely and that makes it tough to know what to make of Allgeier. This past weekend, Allgeier had 15 touches, Bijan Robinson had eight, and Cordarrelle Patterson had seven. In Week 14, Robinson had 15 touches, Allgeier had nine, and Patterson had three. In Week 13, Robinson had 23 touches, while Allgeier had eight and Patterson had six. Consistently inconsistent. Still, he's been good for 8-10 touches per week, which keeps him close to RB3 value.
Fantasy managers can also at least bank on those random 13+ touch weeks, of which he's had six. If anything were to happen to Robinson, Allgeier would become a weekly RB2 start. This offense isn't very good, so the touchdown potential isn't very high. However, he's got handcuff upside, while also maintaining some weekly value due to a consistent 7-9 touches per week.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – 45% Rostered (UH, DP)
Spears offers little to no week-to-week value for fantasy managers. The reason to stash Spears is in the event of a Derrick Henry injury. If Henry were to miss time, Spears would walk into a role that would afford him 15 or more touches per game. He would end up being ranked as a RB2/3 depending on the matchup. He'd be volume-dependent since the Tennessee offense isn't very good. There are better handcuffs, but if they're already rostered, taking a shot on Spears could make some sense if you're looking for a high-upside, lottery play.
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers – 16% Rostered / Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers – 3% Rostered (UH, DP)
There may be no better situation for a backup running back than the 49ers. If Christian McCaffrey were to get hurt in Week 16, either one of these guys would earn must-start RB2 status. The problem is, Mitchell has missed the last two weeks. Mason has been the primary backup over that time. It's unknown when Mitchell will come back.
Before his injury, Mitchell had been the clear No. 2 behind McCaffrey. If CMC were to get hurt in Week 16 and Mitchell was healthy enough to play in Week 17, it's possible he wouldn't be 100% after missing the past two weeks where we'd have a split backfield. That's a lot of if's, which is why these guys are much lower on the priority list among running backs.
Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts – 1% Rostered (UH, DL)
Zack Moss left their Week 15 game early and did not return. Sermon played well in relief and finished with 17 carries and 88 yards. Moss' x-rays were negative and as of right now, the injury does not seem serious. Jonathan Taylor has also missed the last three weeks. The team elected to not put him on IR, an indication they expected him back in Week 15 or 16.
He didn't play this past weekend, but based on the fact he wasn't put on IR, we should assume he has a good chance to play this upcoming weekend. Sermon isn't higher on this list, because I expect one of Moss or JT to be active.
Others to consider: D'Ernest Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars – 7% Rostered (UH, DP), Latavius Murray, Buffalo Bills – 15% Rostered (UH, DL), Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys – 11% Rostered (UH, DL), Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints – 15% Rostered (UH, DL), Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – 21% Rostered (UH, DL), Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals – 2% Rostered (UH, DL), Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos – 10% Rostered (DL, UH), Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints – 6% Rostered (UH, DL), Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers – 15% Rostered (UH, DL), Chase Edmonds, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1% Rostered (UH, DL), Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals – 25% Rostered (DL), Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars – 4% Rostered (UH, DL), Patrick Taylor, Green Bay Packers – 3% Rostered
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts – 52% Rostered (MA, WS, DP)
Michael Pittman Jr. left this past weekend's game due to a concussion. Recovery times for concussions can vary greatly from player to player, but often, it's typical for a player to miss at least one game. If Pittman were to miss Week 16, Downs would walk into the No. 1 role for the Indianapolis offense.
He's had an excellent rookie season. He has 84 targets, 57 receptions, and 631 yards in 13 games. For fantasy football purposes, he's scored over nine half-PPR points in five games this season. Unfortunately, the last time it happened was back in Week 8. From Weeks 9-15, his highest scoring game has been 6.8. He has five games with seven or more targets and six games with five or more receptions.
Pittman has 99 receptions and 1,062 yards. He's been such an alpha receiver this year that it's been tough for anyone else to be consistent week-to-week. Even if Pittman is out, it's no guarantee Downs will excel. Their Week 16 matchup is against Atlanta, who is allowing the fourth-fewest points to receivers this season. The matchup is not ideal, but if Pittman is out, Downs will be ranked as a high-end WR3. That makes him a must-add this week. It's possible Pittman doesn't miss any time, but it's also possible he misses Weeks 16 and 17.
Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals – 49% Rostered (IF, WS, DP)
Ja'Marr Chase has been diagnosed with an AC sprain, but there is some concern that he could miss some time due to the injury. If that's the case, Boyd would walk into a much more prominent role in the Bengals' offense. Boyd has seven games with seven targets or more. Some of that has been due to an earlier injury to Tee Higgins, but if Chase is out, Boyd's role would be similar to earlier this season.
Despite the ample volume, he has just three games with more than nine half-PPR points. The Bengals play Pittsburgh in Week 16, who is allowing the 13th-most points to receivers. Higgins likely has a date with Joey Porter Jr., but Boyd could find himself with a much more fantasy-friendly matchup. He's a better option in PPR leagues but should be viewed as a mid-WR3 if Chase is out. If he's active, Boyd can be completely ignored.
Noah Brown, Houston Texans – 40% Rostered (WS, DP)
All of a sudden, the Houston Texans are hurting at wide receiver. In Week 13, they lost star rookie Tank Dell to a fractured fibula. He's on IR and will not return this season. In Week 14, third-year breakout receiver Nico Collins suffered a calf injury and was unable to return. He was inactive this past weekend. Brown was inactive in Weeks 11 and 12, but in Weeks 8-10, Brown finished with 19 targets, 16 receptions, and 382 yards. He racked up 7.2, 24.3, and 20.7 half-PPR points in those three contests. During those three games, Brown had a full-time role. With the injuries to Dell and now Collins, Brown is likely to be a starter for the rest of the season.
In Week 13, despite Dell's early exit, Brown finished with just two targets and zero receptions. In Week 14, he ran 27 routes on 34 dropbacks. This was second to only Robert Woods. The weather was poor and C.J. Stroud ended up getting knocked out of the game for some time. For the second game in a row, Brown finished with zero receptions. He did, however, have six targets, which was the most for the team.
With Collins and Dell both inactive this weekend, Brown ended up leading the way for the Houston pass-catchers. He finished with 11 targets, eight receptions, 82 yards, and a touchdown en route to 18.2 half-PPR. Stroud was not active for this game either, which makes his production impressive since he was catching passes from Case Keenum. Even if Collins returns in Week 16, Brown will maintain his starting role, and the hopeful return of Stroud will give the entire offense a boost.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders – 37% (WS, DP)
Samuel's rostership dropped quite a bit after five weeks between Weeks 7-11, including one week where he was inactive and a couple of other weeks where he was injured and left early. In Weeks 1-6, Samuel played between 62% and 74% of the team's snaps in every game. From Weeks 7-11, due to injuries, Samuel played between 16% and 55%.
That explains why his scoring dropped significantly. His playing time picked up in Week 12 and so did his fantasy production. He had 12 targets, nine receptions, and 100 yards en route to 14.5 half-PPR points. While his production in Week 13 wasn't quite as good, he did end up as Washington's No. 1 receiver. He finished with five targets, four receptions, and 65 yards.
The Commanders were on a bye in Week 14, but Samuel was once again the most productive Washington receiver once the team returned to action in Week 15. He finished with nine targets, five receptions, 41 yards, and two touchdowns en route to 18.6 half-PPR points. Washington ended up switching quarterbacks in the second half, but that didn't stop Samuel. He caught a touchdown from Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett.
The Commanders have a brutal matchup in Week 16 against the Jets. They are allowing the fewest points to receivers this season. The game is also on the road and it's December and in New York. Weather could be an issue. It doesn't get much better in Week 17 with a home date against the 49ers. All Washington pass-catchers should be downgraded due to the matchups and the quarterback controversy.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots – 22% Rostered (DP)
Since Week 7, Douglas has operated as the Patriots' best receiver. Since that time, he has had five straight games with six targets or more and four or more receptions. He was ruled out of their Week 12 game early, but that didn't stop him from racking up nine targets, his second game in as many weeks with nine targets. He finished Week 12 with six receptions and 49 yards. He missed Weeks 13 and 14 with a concussion before returning this past weekend. He returned to his typical role, running 25 routes on 35 dropbacks. He finished tied for second on the team with five targets. He finished with three receptions and 33 yards.
Since Week 7, Douglas has had just one game over 55 yards receiving and he has yet to find the end zone. Due to his average depth of target, which is low, Douglas is unlikely to have high yardage outputs. Due to New England's limitations on offense and at the quarterback position, he's unlikely to find the end zone with any sort of regularity. Douglas won't be a league-winning addition, but he can be a decent WR3 in PPR scoring leagues who will likely score between 7-12 points.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers – 29% Rostered (DP)
Justin Herbert is currently on IR. Mike Williams is currently on IR. Head coach Brandon Staley was just fired. Keenan Allen missed Week 15. It's unknown if Allen will be back this upcoming weekend. This Chargers team is an absolute mess, but right now, Palmer is the only halfway decent receiver they have. Their defense is terrible, which is most likely going to continue to put their offense in negative game scripts. That isn't the worst thing for Palmer's fantasy value. If Allen returns, Palmer's value takes a big hit. Quarterback Easton Stick can't be depended on to support two fantasy receivers and if there is going to be one startable receiver, it's likely to be Allen assuming he's healthy.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints – 47% Rostered (DP)
Chris Olave was inactive due to an ankle injury and Michael Thomas is still on IR. Olave was a game-time decision, so it sounds like Olave will be back next week. Thomas is eligible to come off of IR, but there's been no indication he's close. Shaheed had missed Weeks 13 and 14 before returning this past weekend. He finished with the most routes run among the Saints' pass-catchers.
He should maintain that role next weekend, too. He finished with just four targets, three receptions, and 36 yards. The Saints play the Rams in Week 16, a game that has some sneaky shoot-out potential. If Olave remains out, Shaheed is a must-start WR3. If Olave is back, Shaheed is a WR4 with some boom potential.
Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars – 5% Rostered (DL)
He's someone to keep an eye on and potentially add due to the injuries at receiver. Christian Kirk is currently on IR. Zay Jones left last night's game with a hamstring injury. He could very likely be inactive in Week 16. That would put Parker Washington into the starting lineup. The Jacksonville offense and Trevor Lawrence have been struggling as of late, but if you need a starting receiver, Washington could be worth the dice roll. However, due to the struggling elements of Lawrence's game and the fact that Washington is just a rookie, it'd be wise to keep expectations in check.
Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers – 3% Rostered (DL)
Christian Watson missed last week's game and Jayden Reed ended up missing time in the second quarter due to an injury before he was able to return. Wicks has been super impressive, albeit on a small sample. Wicks has a yards per route run average of over 2.00 and continues to impress whenever he gets playing time. This past weekend, he ran the second-most routes on the team and finished with seven targets, six receptions, and 97 yards. If Watson remains out for a third week, Wicks would be in play in deeper leagues.
Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – 32% Rostered (DP)
Christian Kirk was injured on his first catch in Week 13 and has since been placed on IR. That put Jones back into the starting lineup on a full-time basis. He finished with eight targets, five receptions, and 78 yards following Kirk's injury. He played on 93% of the snaps and had a 100% route participation rate. In Week 14, he played on 64 of the team's 76 snaps and ran 52 routes on 56 dropbacks. He finished with 14 targets, which was the highest for the team. Calvin Ridley had 11 and Evan Engram had 12.
These three players will be Trevor Lawrence's primary targets moving forward and they should be expected to handle the vast majority of the targets. This past weekend, Jones left early with a hamstring injury, which is why he's much lower on this list. Since he missed time earlier with a knee injury, I don't expect him to play in Week 16. He's worth an add since it's possible he's back in Week 17. He had five receptions and 59 yards before exiting.
Others to consider: Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans – 11% Rostered (DL), DeVante Parker, New England Patriots – 2% Rostered (DL), Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens – 16% Rostered (DL), Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers – 21% Rostered, Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers – 14% Rostered (DL), Robert Woods, Houston Texans – 6% Rostered (DL), Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants – 6% Rostered (DL), Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears – 10% Rostered (DL), Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions – 22% Rostered (DL), JuJu Smith-Schuster, New England Patriots – 14% Rostered (DL), Darius Slayton, New York Giants – 1% Rostered (DL), Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals – 6% Rostered (DL), Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills – 11% Rostered (DL), Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns – 1% Rostered (DL), Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts – 2% Rostered (IF, DL)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos – 7% Rostered (WS)
Dulcich has barely seen the field this season. He injured his hamstring in the very first game of the season and was subsequently placed on IR. After being out for four games, he returned in Week 6 and immediately re-injured the same hamstring. Once again, Dulcich was put on IR. He was eligible to return in Week 13 and started working off to the start before last weekend's game. Hopefully, a return is in sight.
This isn’t the first time he’s struggled with this same hamstring injury. He was on IR last year to start the season before first appearing in Week 6 after having missed the first five games. His rookie season ended early to you guessed it, a hamstring injury. All of that certainly makes him a gamble, but how he performed in 10 games last year as a rookie makes him worth the gamble. This is true primarily for teams who are streaming tight ends and are looking for a consistent starter. Dulcich, theoretically, has that level of upside.
| Route Participation | Routes Run Per Game | Target Share | Target Per Game | Receptions Per Game | Yards Per Game | Half-PPR PPG |
| 84.1% | 28.5 | 17.2% | 5.5 | 3.3 | 41.1 | 7.0 |
As you can see from the numbers above, Dulcich was very good as a rookie. An 84% route participation rate is elite. A 17% target share is very good as well. His per-game averages, over 17 games, equals 94 targets, 56 receptions, and 699 yards. He did that as a rookie while Russell Wilson was doing his best Zach Wilson impersonation, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett was doing his Urban Meyer impersonation, and the Broncos were one of the very worst offenses in the NFL. Pretty impressive stuff!
Denver opened Dulcich's 21-day window two weeks ago. He practiced in a limited capacity leading up to Week 15 but was ultimately ruled out. Dulcich could be on the verge of a Week 16 return. While he'd be tough to trust in his first game back, stashing Dulcich for his Week 17 matchup against the Chargers makes sense. The Chargers are allowing the seventh-most points to tight ends this season. With Jerry Jeudy's week-to-week struggles, Dulcich could function as Wilson's No. 2 target-earner. He's one of the few tight ends on waivers who has serious upside.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots – 24% Rostered (WS)
Full disclosure, Henry left their game this past weekend early due to a knee injury. It'll be something fantasy managers need to weigh in considering adding him to their lineup. However, in the past two weeks, Henry has come on strong again. This is relevant because it coincides with the quarterback change to Bailey Zappe.
If Mac Jones was still starting, we could just write this off as a two-game hot stretch, but maybe the quarterback change to Zappe has something to do with it. If it does, it's more probable that the hot streak will continue, as long as he's healthy. He had three targets, three receptions, 40 yards, and two touchdowns in Week 14 en route to 17.5 half-PPR points.
We generally do not want to chase touchdowns, so it was fair to be skeptical of his game in Week 14. This week, however, he racked up nine targets before exiting early. He finished with seven receptions, 66 yards, and another touchdown. He ended with 16.1 half-PPR points.
As long as Henry is healthy enough to suit up in Week 16, he should be viewed as a very viable streamer. That's because he faces off against the Denver Broncos. They've allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends per game this season at 14.7 half-PPR PPG. That number will increase even more after Sam LaPorta scored 26.1 points this past weekend against the Denver defense. Fantasy managers will need to track his practice status throughout the week, but if he's healthy, he's worth an add.
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 34% Rostered (WS)
Otton has been up and down all season. Baker Mayfield has been able to elevate Mike Evans, but even the No. 2 target, Chris Godwin, has fallen victim to Mayfield's inability to sustain multiple pass-catchers. That's not to say Mayfield has played poorly, but he's rarely sustained two fantasy-relevant pass-catchers as a starter.
That's been mostly true this season as well. The problem with that for Otton is he often finds himself as the No. 3 or even sometimes No. 4 in Mayfield's target hierarchy. Still, he has six games with five or more targets. However, he has just one game with double-digit half-PPR points and that's despite scoring touchdowns in three different contests. This may not be selling you on Otton, but to be fair, if you're this far down into the tight end waiver wire list, there aren't any good choices.
Here's the positive for Otton in Week 16: he faces the Jaguars. Jacksonville has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. The Jaguars defense has been fairly stringy against running backs, giving up the 14th-fewest points to running backs. Jacksonville has been a pass-funnel defense. That holds true for Tampa Bay's defense as well.
This matchup between Tampa Bay and Jacksonville will likely have one of the highest implied point totals in Week 16. It's a potential shoot-out and both Mayfield and Otton have great matchups. As far as tight end dart throws go, Otton makes for a decent one.
Other Tight Ends to Consider: Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers – 44% Rostered (DL), Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans – 34% Rostered (DL), Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders – 43% Rostered (DL), Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers – 10% Rostered (DL), Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders – 7% Rostered (DL), Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints – 12% Rostered (DL), Tyler Conklin, New York Jets – 17% Rostered (DL), Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams – 39% Rostered (DL)
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