Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups - Top Fantasy Football WR Adds for Week 16 Include Quentin Johnston, Jalen McMillan, Jalen Coker, Tim Patrick

December 16, 2024

Justin Carter's fantasy football WR waiver wire pickups for Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season. His free agent wide receivers to add, stream, and stash off waivers.

The fantasy football playoffs are in full swing now. Assuming you don't play in Week 18, you're looking at Week 16 as your biggest week so far, as a win this week will send you to the fantasy football finals.

With the stakes so high, we're paring down the wide receiver waiver wire adds. There's no need for speculative adds. If a player can't deliver results in Week 16, there's no reason to add him off the wire unless you're in a dynasty league.

Below, you'll find our Week 16 wide receiver fantasy football waiver wire pickups list with players you should be targeting on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 16. Not all of these waiver wire options are the same. Some players may be better in PPR or deeper leagues, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all comparison. Use your best judgment when deciding which of these players is the right fit for your roster. Be sure to also check out our Waiver Wire Adds for Week 16 for help at all the skill positions. All players on this list are around 50% rostered or below.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 8% rostered

Jalen McMillan followed up a strong Week 14 with another impressive showing on Sunday as he caught five of his six targets for 75 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers.

With three touchdowns in the past two games and a Week 16 meeting with the Cowboys on the horizon, this is the time to get McMillan on your team. He's firmly beaten Sterling Shepard for the No. 2 receiver role opposite Mike Evans, which is a fantasy-relevant role in this Bucs offense.

McMillan is a potential league winner.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers - 41% rostered

Quentin Johnston caught his eighth touchdown of the season against the Buccaneers on Sunday. He saw a season-high 10 targets in the blowout loss, catching five passes for 45 yards.

Quentin Johnston deciding to become a freight train the past couple weeks is a fun development https://t.co/RtvXxC9iMv

— Tyler Schoon (@tylerjschoon) December 15, 2024

With 17 targets over the past two games, it's clear Johnston is a huge part of this Chargers offense right now. It'd be nicer if his floor wasn't so low, with six games of two or fewer receptions, but his ability to find the end zone and his increased target share recently gives him tremendous upside.

Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens - 25% rostered

I have this theory I'm developing. It's still early in the process so I haven't even looked for any data on it, but here's my hypothesis: Once we reach this part of the season, I want my boom-or-bust plays to be someone I know. Like, it can't just be a name that pops up on the stat sheet. I have to have at least some modicum of trust in him.

Rashod Bateman is one of the guys that I know. He's never going to be an elite NFL receiver, but I know he's capable of making big plays like he did against the Giants on Sunday, catching three of his five targets for 80 yards and two touchdowns.

Bateman now has seven receiving touchdowns this season. He has a tough matchup against the Steelers next week, but his ability to find the end zone makes him a top option off the wire if you're chasing upside.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, New Orleans Saints - 33% rostered

The Saints started Jake Haener on Sunday, which turned out to be a mistake. He was benched, with Spencer Rattler taking over in the second half. If Derek Carr is out against the Packers next week, expect Rattler to be under center.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling has just become a big-play TD machine in New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/BGLTGNnu9M

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 17, 2024

That's good news for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who didn't catch a pass from Haener but who had two catches for 64 yards once Rattler was in the contest. As long as Haener isn't the starter next week, MVS has streaming appeal because of his ability to corral long receptions.

Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants - 33% rostered

I mean... look, this isn't an add that I love, but in full-PPR leagues where you're dealing with injuries, Robinson is a decent floor option. He's been targeted 20 times over the past two games and has a great Week 16 matchup with the Falcons on tap.

On the other hand, Robinson has gone over 50 yards just four times in 2024. His value in PPR reminds me of those old free AOL discs that came in the mail. There are so many of them. They're most useless. But in a pinch, they can deliver on their promise of some free internet minutes, just like Robinson can deliver on getting a handful of opportunities.

Deeper Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Pickups For Week 16

Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers - 2% rostered

Earlier this season, Carolina Panthers receiver Jalen Coker looked like a breakout candidate, but a quad injury cost him three games and stifled that momentum.

But Coker returned in Week 15 against the Cowboys. On a day where Carolina struggled, Coker was a bright spot, catching four of his six targets for 110 yards and a score.

Jalen Coker now holds the record for most receiving yards for an undrafted rookie in #Panthers history, per the team. Coker entered Sunday needing 34 yards to pass Corey “Philly” Brown, who had 296 yards in 2014.

Coker’s line vs. #Cowboys: 4 recs, 110 yards, 1 TD. His reaction. pic.twitter.com/57g3yGn6VX

— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) December 15, 2024

Coker has six or more targets in three of his past four games and has juicy matchups to close the fantasy season. The play of Bryce Young introduces a little too much uncertainty for me to play Coker in shallow leagues, but he's a flex option in 14-team leagues.

Tim Patrick, Detroit Lions - 3% rostered

Last week, Tim Patrick delivered shocking results against the Packers, catching a pair of touchdowns. Those were his first trips to the end zone since 2021 after injuries cost Patrick his 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Lions fans literally chanting M-V-P for Tim Patrick what an absolute king

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 15, 2024

But that seemed like a one-off, right? He was the fourth or fifth option in this Lions offense. He just had one good game, yeah?

Well, Patrick scored another touchdown against the Bills on Sunday, and he was targeted a season-high eight times, giving him 15 targets over the past two games. His growing role in a high-powered offense is worth taking note of, but his value is lowered because he plays the Bears and 49ers in the next two games.

Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars - 3% rostered

In Week 13, Parker Washington caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, but he followed that up with just two catches for 15 yards, halting much of the hype around him emerging as Jacksonville's No. 2 receiver down the stretch.

Washington gained a bit of that momentum back this week, catching three of his six targets for 54 yards against the Jets. The bad news was that with Evan Engram out, Washington was only able to land at six targets, while Brenton Strange was the guy who benefited the most.

The good news? Washington faces the Raiders next weekend, so there's certainly boom potential for him in that matchup.

Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers - 8% rostered

With George Pickens sidelined, Calvin Austin III had a strong showing in Sunday's loss to the Eagles, catching all five of his targets for 65 yards. Austin now has either 65 or more yards or a touchdown in three of the last four games.

Austin is a risky fantasy option if Pickens is back next week, but there's a small bit of upside in 16-team leagues if the hamstring injury sidelines Pickens for the third game in a row.

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