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Jackson Sparks' deeper-league waiver wire sleepers for Week 17 (2024). His top free-agent sleepers for 14-team fantasy football leagues or deeper.
The time has officially come! It's championship week in the majority of fantasy football leagues. The waiver wire is only useful for one more slate of games, so all of these potential deeper waiver wire adds for Week 17 could reasonably enter your lineup. Even if you're the overwhelming favorite to win your championship, be sure to check out the suggestions below. You never know which players could be surprise inactives later in the week, so stocking your roster with depth for your final matchups is never a bad idea.
If you already have an elite starting lineup and won't be tasked with finding streamers in a pinch, you can always consider blocking your opponent from picking up the top waiver wire options. It's time to do anything within reason to set yourself up for the league crown!
As always, we won't cover chalk wavier wire pickups for shallow leagues like Kendre Miller. Instead, all of these suggestions are rostered in fewer than 45% of leagues or could drop below that figure after a rough outing. Let's waste no more time getting to key waiver wire options such as Trey Benson, Raheem Mostert, Audric Estime, Jalen McMillan, Marquise Brown, Chig Okonkwo, and Bryce Young.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
- Best ball fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Running Back Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues
Patrick Taylor Jr. did not have the fantasy outing many hoped for in Week 16. The 26-year-old posted just 29 yards on nine touches and did not find the end zone. That said, if Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) can't play again in Week 17, he'll be back on the fantasy radar, and many deep leaguers will have to start him.
Ameer Abdullah had an excellent Week 16 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, posting 85 yards and a touchdown. While he's in a timeshare with Alexander Mattison, both backs saw at least six targets on Sunday. If you're in a pinch, he's a solid PPR flex option against the lowly New Orleans Saints in Week 17.
Trey Benson and Michael Carter are firmly on the fantasy football radar if James Conner (knee) cannot play in Week 17. Benson was inactive against the Panthers due to an ankle injury, but if he can play, he could have RB1 upside in a potential workhorse role against the Rams. If he and Conner are both out, Carter will likely lead the backfield with DeeJay Dallas mixing in.
Audric Estime flashed with a limited workload in last Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie out of Notre Dame rushed nine times for 48 yards and found the end zone for the first time in his career. If Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) is held out again in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Estime should approach double-digit touches again. The Bengals just gave up 92 yards and a touchdown on just 11 attempts to Jerome Ford, so don't rule out a big game from the bruising back.
The @Broncos open the scoring with an Audric Estime TD!#DENvsLAC on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/GGilCjO15H— NFL (@NFL) December 20, 2024
Raheem Mostert has not had the spike weeks that people who drafted him late hoped for. However, he's seen at least eight touches in each of the last two games and can be utilized as a desperation flex option. Consider him a touchdown-or-bust guy.
Tyler Allgeier is similar to Raheem Mostert. He's the clear RB2 in his offense, but he usually gets enough touches to consider him a touchdown-or-bust option for fantasy managers in a rough spot at RB. The third-year pro out of BYU has seen 12 touches in each of the last two games and is often given a shot to score a goal line touchdown.
Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues
Jalen McMillan has now scored four touchdowns in his last three games and at least 16.7 PPR fantasy points in each of those contests. It took time for him to get heavily involved after Chris Godwin's season-ending ankle injury, but he's now a real factor, and his ceiling against the Carolina Panthers next week is even higher if Cade Otton (knee) is out another game.
Baker moves in the pocket and delivers a dot to Jalen McMillan for the TD!
📺: #TBvsDAL on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/bMUjTBpSYr— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2024
Rashod Bateman hauled in his eighth touchdown of the season in Saturday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has been held under 50 receiving yards in five of his last seven games, but his end zone prowess has made him a decent flex option. The Texans have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to wideouts, so Bateman's Week 17 matchup is favorable, too.
Quentin Johnston is not unlike many of the wideouts still available on the waiver wire. He is not consistent, but he's playing with a great quarterback and has found the end zone eight times this year. He draws a neutral matchup against the New England Patriots on Saturday, so he's another guy you can roll the dice on as needed.
Marquise Brown saw eight targets in his first game with Kansas City. He was utilized a lot more than expected after a long layoff, but he was still limited to just 9.5 PPR fantasy points. That said, Andy Reid could have bigger plans for him in his second game with the franchise, so can be flexed if you're low on options.
Hollywood Brown’s 1st catch as a Chief is a 4th down conversion!
📺: #HOUvsKC on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/L3yUZyvt1p— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2024
Romeo Doubs has multiple two-touchdown games this year and is tied to a great quarterback. Stop me if you've heard this one before, but he's yet another touchdown-or-bust dice roll in a favorable matchup with the pass-funnell Minnesota Vikings.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine secured his ninth touchdown reception of the season in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Now, he heads into a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have allowed the third most fantasy points per game to wideouts.
Brandin Cooks is not a great fantasy option in 2024. However, Cowboys wideouts CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Tolbert were banged up in Sunday night's win over Tampa Bay. If one of those two can't face the Philadelphia Eagles this week, Cooks will have to be heavily involved if Dallas has a chance to win.
Olamide Zaccheaus enjoyed a monster game against the elite Philadelphia Eagles secondary. The veteran hauled in five of his eight targets for 70 yards and two scores. Next on tap? A matchup with the Atlanta Falcons secondary that has been shredded through the air by several competent offenses.
Ray-Ray McCloud III has seen his target total dip over the last two weeks. He has seven games with at least five targets this season but has earned just seven looks over the last two weeks. That said, if Drake London (hamstring) is forced to sit out, he will be the No. 2 wideout behind Darnell Mooney. Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looked sharp considering it was his first NFL start in Week 16.
Calvin Austin III has posted nine receptions for 130 yards in the last two games during the absence of George Pickens (hamstring). He seems to be the clear WR1 for Russell Wilson if Pickens remains out, and he possesses game-changing speed that can lead to chunk-play touchdowns.
Tight End Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues
Juwan Johnson has hauled in 18 touchdowns over the last four years despite being a part-time player at TE. He's a key weapon in the red zone, so he's firmly on the fantasy radar against a Las Vegas Raiders defense that has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Chig Okonkwo notched season highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (81) against the Colts with Mason Rudolph at the helm. If Rudolph starts again, Okonkwo could see another high-volume game in a matchup with the Jaguars, who present a top-10 matchup for tight ends.
Chig Okonkwo:
Week 15: Set career-highs in targets (10) and receptions (8)
Week 16: Sets career-highs in targets (11), receptions (9), receiving yards (81) and fantasy points (19.1)
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) December 22, 2024
Brenton Strange failed to deliver in a great matchup against the Raiders on Sunday, but we cannot forget his 12-target game from the week prior. PPR fantasy managers should give him a look if you feel like you have no obvious starting option at TE.
Stone Smartt remains the lead tight end in Los Angeles as long as Will Dissly remains sidelined. The 26-year-old is averaging 13.2 yards per reception and has big-play upside that fits perfectly with the rocket-armed Justin Herbert. In a matchup with New England, he's a fine play if you're in a super deep league.
Noah Gray has four receptions inside the 10-yard line, which ranks tied for fifth among all NFL tight ends. He was close to catching his sixth touchdown of the season last week against the Houston Texans. Here we go again -- another touchdown or bust play.
Quarterback Waiver Wire Targets for Deep Leagues/Superflex Leagues
Bryce Young scored a season-high 27.1 fantasy points against Carolina on Sunday, marking the second time in four games he's scored over 23 points. He posted 23.6 fantasy points against Tampa Bay in Week 13 behind 298 passing yards and two total touchdowns. In Week 17, he gets the Buccaneers again. The Bucs have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to signal callers in 2024.
Drake Maye has reached at least 18.4 fantasy points in four of his last five games and is largely matchup-proof due to his rushing skill set. The Chargers present a neutral matchup for him this Saturday, but he's proven to be productive despite a mediocre supporting cast.
Mason Rudolph has scored at least two touchdowns in his last four game appearances. Believe it or not, he's averaging 18.6 fantasy points per game over that stretch, and he now draws the best overall matchup for fantasy QBs this weekend (Jaguars)
Perfect placement from Rudolph to Ridley for a 38-yard Titans TD!
📺: #TENvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/HlwAYdfone— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024
Kenny Pickett epically flamed out as the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is why he is now a Philadelphia Eagle. That said, he has some upside if he's forced to start in the potential absence of Jalen Hurts (concussion) against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.
Dallas has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, and a supporting cast featuring an elite offense line, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith gives Pickett enough help to have a multi-touchdown game.
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