Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups and Free Agent Adds – All Positions

What a start to the fantasy football playoff season! The two games between the Colts vs Vikings and Bills vs Dolphins were two of the most exciting games we've had all season. Not only that, but they provided plenty of fantasy goodness. Or maybe not, if you had to go up against Josh Allen or Justin Jefferson.

Now, that we're heading into Week 16 and the second round of the playoffs, fantasy managers will need to continue making adjustments to their rosters to reach the pinnacle of the fantasy football season.

Let's look at the top Week 16 waiver wire pickups and free agent adds for all positions. In general, we're searching for running backs and wide receivers with a rostership rate below 55% on Yahoo! For quarterbacks, tight ends, and defenses, the cut-off is a bit higher since teams only start one of them, so we're looking at players below 65%. Be sure to check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice, and our free new Who Should I Pickup? Waiver Wire player comparison tool to get an edge on the competition! Let's get to who the best waiver wire additions are this week. As always, the players will appear in the order in which they should be prioritized.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024 fantasy football drafts:

• Fantasy football draft rankings (all positions)
• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Fantasy football rookie rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings

 

Running Backs – Waiver Wire Options

Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts – 2%

Jonathan Taylor left the Colts' Week 15 epic collapse on the third play of the game. While the injury isn't considered serious, with the Colts having no chance at the playoff, the team is expected to be very cautious with Taylor.

Initial tests showed that Colts’ RB Jonathan Taylor suffered a sprained ankle during today’s loss, per source. While it is considered “nothing major”, Taylor will undergo additional testing, and with the Colts 4-9-1 record, it is uncertain when or if he’ll play again this season.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2022

While most fantasy managers would have expected Deon Jackson to have taken the lead role after his earlier audition for the job when Taylor missed time before, it was actually Zack Moss who led the charge. Could this have been due to the one-sided score? It's possible, but based on what we saw on Saturday, it sure looks like Moss should be the priority add here.

#Colts RB Usage with no Jonathan Taylor yesterday.

- Zack Moss: 67% snaps, 24 carries, 1 target (81 yards)
- Deon Jackson: 32% snaps, 13 carries, 1 target (56 yards, TD)

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) December 18, 2022

Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons – 37% Rostered

Could Tyler Allgeier make the Falcons' backfield a full-blown committee? Truth be told, it's already been a committee, even though we still tend to think of Cordarrelle Patterson as the leader. However, from Weeks 10–13 (Week 14 bye), Allgeier had played more snaps than Patterson in three out of four. This past weekend, Allgeier played 36 snaps to Patterson's 37.

Tyler Allgeier recorded a 76.5% success rate in Week 15, the highest by any RB in a game this season (min. 15 carries).

Allgeier leads all rookies with +136 rushing yards over expected this season, ranking 7th overall among RB.#ATLvsNO | #DirtyBirds pic.twitter.com/RWKE6vZdt4

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 18, 2022

Allgeier has been given 13 carries or more in 50% of the Falcons' games since Week 5. This past weekend, he had 17 carries and finished with 139 yards and one touchdown. In the last four games, Allgeier has averaged 6.9, 4.9, 5.2, and 8.2 yards per carry. He's been incredibly effective and it wouldn't be surprising to see Allgeier become the Falcons' primary rusher with Patterson working in more of a specialized, pass-catching role.

Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts – 7% Rostered

While fantasy managers should prioritize Zack Moss over Deon Jackson, we definitely should not be ignoring Jackson by any means. When Taylor missed Weeks 5 and 6, Jackson with a combined 25 carries, 104 rushing yards, and one touchdown. He also had 14 targets, 14 receptions (not a typo), and 108 receiving yards. He finished with 11.1 and 23.1 half-PPR points on those back-to-back weeks. Jackson was more effective on a per-touch basis than Moss and that could lead to more work next week.

Based on early reports, Taylor could be shut down, which means we're likely looking at a committee approach to start. However, fantasy managers should be targeting both players in this backfield because it's possible the coaching staff rolls with the hot hand, which could be either player. Based on what we've seen from Jackson this season and what we know from Moss's career, Jackson would seem to be the smart bet to be that "hot hand".

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers – 39% Rostered

Despite the fact that Chuba Hubbard was given only four carries to D'Onta Foreman's 10, it was actually Hubbard who played significantly more snaps. He played 46 snaps to Foreman's 29. More importantly, Hubbard ran 16 routes, which was significantly more than Foreman's two. While Hubbard didn't receive as many carries as he had in the past two games, he made up for it with three receptions and 57 receiving yards.

In Carolina's last two games, Hubbard was given 31 carries and finished with 139 rushing yards. He also now has back-to-back games with three receptions. While Foreman may be the short-yardage and goal-line back, Hubbard's role as the primary pass-catcher is valuable and can sometimes be more consistent week-to-week.

Royce Freeman, Houston Texans – 1% Rostered

While many fantasy managers expected Rex Burkhead to lead the Houston backfield with Dameon Pierce on IR, it was actually a committee between Dare Ogunbowale and Royce Freeman. While Ogunbowale finished with the most snaps played overall, Freeman seemed to take over the backfield as the game moved along.

Freeman would finish with 11 touches to Ogunbowale's eight and Burkhead finished with just two. Freeman was the best rusher, finishing with 51 yards on 11 carries. Ogunbowale finished with just 14 yards on eight carries.

Based on how these running backs who used as the game moved along, fantasy managers should expect Freeman to operate as the primary first and second down running back next week. He'll also likely get the first crack at any goal-line carries.

James Cook, Buffalo Bills – 53% Rostered

After their Week 13 game, it looked like James Cook was on the verge of taking over this backfield. Unfortunately, that didn't quite translate the way fantasy managers wanted it to in Week 14. While the snaps still ended up fairly split in Week 14, Singletary led the way in total touches, which kept any optimism at bay.

Things got even worse this past week when Singletary not only finished with more snaps (46–28) but also finished with more touches (16–7). However, despite Singletary being given eight more carries than Cook, he finished with just eight more yards. Cook's yard per carry average was 6.8 to Singletary's 3.2. Singletary was more effective through the air in terms of yards per reception, but it was Cook who ended up finding the end zone.

Cook should be viewed as one of the better handcuffs in fantasy football and he's still got a chance of earning of a role that could at least give him flex viability.

Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers – 4% Rostered

Week 15 proved that Joshua Kelley is the running back to have as Austin Ekeler's handcuff. When Ekeler briefly left the game on Sunday afternoon, Kelley took every single snap at running back and handled all of the touches. At this time, Kelley doesn't offer any stand-alone value, but this past weekend solidified Kelley's status as one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football.

Most of the best handcuffs are rostered at this stage of the fantasy football season, but Kelley is one of the few that is still readily available in almost every league. While Ekeler's injury doesn't seem serious at all, based on his return to play and returning to his typical role, stranger things have happened.

Dare Ogunbowale, Houston Texans – 3% Rostered

While it seemed like Dare Ogunbowale got demoted as their Week 15 game rolled along, this is still very much an ambiguous backfield and we're not entirely sure how it's going to shake out. Ogunbowale finished with the most snaps played, ran the most routes, and was just three touches behind Freeman, who paced the Texans' running backs.

Typically, this would be the player fantasy managers should be targeting, but he was dreadful in terms of his efficiency. The coaching staff is likely to take a "hot hand" approach to this backfield, which will give Ogunbowale a chance to earn more touches, but based on what we saw in Week 15, there's not a ton of reason to be optimistic.

Others to Consider: JaMycal Hasty, Jacksonville Jaguars – 6% Rostered, Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers – 12% Rostered, Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers – 13% Rostered, Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears – 39% Rostered, Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens – 44% Rostered, Marlon Mack, Denver Broncos – 5% Rostered

 

Wide Receivers – Waiver Wire Options

Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans – 47% Rostered

Treylon Burks has now missed the last two weeks for the Titans and that's led to many fantasy managers dropping him. However, while it's fairly normal for a player to miss 1–2 games with a concussion, a third game would be outside the norm. Because of this, we should expect him to return to action in Week 16.

He returned from his mid-season IR stint in Week 10 and was on a snap count, but from Weeks 11–13, Burks averaged 14.87 half-PPR points per game despite leaving Week 13 after playing just 10 of the team's 53 snaps.

Looking at only Weeks 10–12, when Burks started and finished the game since returning from IR, Burks had averaged 6.7 targets, 4.7 receptions, 68.3 yards, and 75.7 air yards per game. That's the kind of player any fantasy manager could use on their roster.

Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – 55% Rostered

Zay Jones has been a regular on this list ever since I started writing it back in Week 7. That's because he's averaged a ridiculous 8.2 targets per game. This past weekend, Jones once again had eight targets. Despite the ample volume, Jones had just two touchdowns from Weeks 1–14. He had been a quality touchdown regression candidate and boy, oh boy, did that narrative hit home in Week 15.

Zay Jones currently sits 17th at wide receiver in fantasy points this season.

Christian Kirk is also near the top of the WR leaderboard (10th), as is Evan Engram at TE (4th) and Trevor Lawrence at QB (6th).

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) December 18, 2022

He finished with six receptions, 109 yards, and three (!!!) touchdowns. In any PPR league, Jones is a very quality addition. He's averaged 5.7 receptions per game from Weeks 1–14. While his Week 16 game isn't ideal against the Jets, he should still be added in any 12-team league. His target volume will give him the opportunity to be productive in any matchup, especially with the way Trevor Lawrence is playing.

D.J. Chark, Detroit Lions – 51% Rostered

D.J. Chark disappointed in Week 15, finishing with just one reception and 18 yards on two targets. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about this past weekend's outcome. A matchup against the Jets on the road is a tough test for any offense and receiver. However, Chark continued to operate as a full-time player, logging 53 snaps played out of the team's 68. He was second on the team in routes run with 32, only behind Amon-Ra St. Brown's 34.

The matchup gets much better in Week 16. They'll face off against the Carolina Panthers, who have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to receivers this season. While the game is once again on the road, the Panthers aren't nearly as good on defense as the Jets. Chark should be seen as someone with WR3 upside next week. They'll return to Ford Field in Week 17, which gives Chark two startable weeks for the remaining of the fantasy season.

Marquise Goodwin, Seattle Seahawks – 3% Rostered

In any deeper leagues, Marquise Goodwin is likely to be one of the most sought-after players on the waiver wire. With Tyler Lockett highly likely to miss Week 16 and possibly Week 17 as well, Goodwin will shift into a full-time role for the Seahawks

Goodwin played 38 of the team's 64 snaps. The next closest receiver was Dareke Young with three. Goodwin ran 31 routes, which was third on the team behind D.K. Metcalf (47) and Lockett (45). Penny Hart was the only other receiver to run a route – he ran just two.

Marquise Goodwin Set To Take Over No. 2 Role https://t.co/hLFlSOcdwb

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) December 17, 2022

Lockett has averaged 7.6 targets per game from Weeks 1–14, which means there's plenty of opportunity for Goodwin to become fantasy-relevant. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Goodwin to walk into Lockett's same workload because Goodwin simply isn't as good as Lockett, but the defense will likely shift all their attention to Metcalf, which could leave Goodwin in single coverage often.

The Seahawks have the Chiefs in Week 16, in a game where the Seahawks will likely be trailing on the scoreboard, a positive game script for the Seattle pass-catchers. The Chiefs have also allowed the fourth-most half-PPR points to receivers this season, giving up 31.9 points per game.

Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs – 29% Rostered

If you were to ask every fantasy manager who they'd like to see become the Chiefs' No. 2 receiver, 100% of the answers would be Kadarius Toney or Skyy Moore. The reality, however, is the team has been incredibly reluctant to give Moore consistent snaps and Toney has been a part-time player since being acquired. In Week 15, it was Justin Watson who played the second-most snaps among the Chiefs' receivers.

Mecole Hardman was eligible to come off of IR this past weekend and although that didn't happen, it will likely occur before Week 16. Prior to getting injured, Hardman had four consecutive weeks of double-digit half-PPR points. He scored 12 points (Week 5), 13.2 points (Week 6), 28 points (Week 7), and 19.9 points (Week 9, the team had a Week 8 bye).

From Weeks 5–9, Hardman averaged 5.5 targets and operated as the clear No. 3 receiver behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdez-Scantling. Kansas City seems to still be looking for their primary No. 3 passing weapon and that could very well be Hardman.

It may be tough to trust Hardman in Week 16, his first game back from his IR stint, but he had been incredibly effective the last time we saw him. In larger leagues, he's worth the gamble.

Chris Moore, Houston Texans – 19% Rostered

Chris Moore is a difficult case because if teammates Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins return in Week 16, Moore is completely irrelevant. However, Cooks has missed the last three weeks and Collins the last two. While Cooks did return to practice last week, Collins didn't practice in any capacity leading up to Week 15.

In Week 14, operating as the team's No. 1 receiver, Moore finished with 11 targets, 10 receptions, and 124 yards despite the tough matchup against Dallas. With both, Collins and Cooks out again in Week 15, Moore once again operated as the team's No. 1 target. He finished with nine targets but wasn't quite as effective with them. He secured four of them for 42 yards. He led the team both weeks in snaps, routes run, and targets.

Chris Moore's team shares without Nico Collins (groin) and Brandin Cooks ("injured") the past two games:

36.4% targets
49% receiving yards

— John Daigle (@notJDaigle) December 19, 2022

If both remain out in Week 16 or even if one of them returns, Moore will stay on the flex radar in larger leagues. That's thanks to an excellent Week 16 matchup against the Titans. Tennessee has allowed the second-most points to opposing receivers this season at 34.7 points per game.

Demarcus Robinson, Baltimore Ravens – 14% Rostered

There's an argument that Demarcus Robinson should be higher on this list, maybe even much higher. However, one of the things holding him back is the quarterback situation. Lamar Jackson could return this week or fantasy managers might get stuck with Tyler Huntley again. That unknown is hurting his potential value.

However, we cannot dispute the fact that he's clearly the team's No. 1 receiver and following the team's Week 10 bye, the volume has been there. In four of the last five games, Robinson has at least six targets or more. He's averaging 6.6 targets since that time and has three games with double-digit points.

The Ravens have the Falcons and Steelers in Weeks 16 and 17, respectively and both of those games are positive matchups for opposing receivers. The Falcons have allowed the eighth-most points to receivers this season (30.8) and the Steelers have allowed the seventh-most (31.3).

Richie James, New York Giants – 14% Rostered

The Giants play against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16. That's the best matchup there is for receivers. They allow 35.6 half-PPR points to receivers this season – no team allows more. For that reason alone, he's worth the pickup.

Over his last five games played, James had found the end zone in three of them. He had scored 13.8, 15.1, and 19.1 half-PPR points in three of his last five games played. While one of the touchdowns came in a game with just three targets, James continues to operate as the team's primary slot receiver.

With the lack of receiving weapons in New York and the exceptional matchup in Week 16, James should be a player that fantasy managers have on their radars in any larger leagues.

Others to Consider in Order: Russell Gage, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 13% Rostered, Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams – 24% Rostered, Elijah Moore, New York Jets – 36% Rostered, Mack Hollins, Las Vegas Raiders – 29% Rostered, Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers – 2% Rostered, Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills – 2% Rostered, Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders – 23% Rostered, Corey Davis, New York Jets – 16% Rostered, Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders – 17% Rostered, Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers – 15% Rostered, Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals – 3% Rostered, Nelson Agholor, New England Patriots – 6% Rostered, Nico Collins, Houston Texans – 22% Rostered

 

Tight Ends – Waiver Wire Options

Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos – 61% Rostered

With any tight end not named Travis Kelce, there are going to be more up-and-down weeks. If we're being honest, there will likely be more down weeks too. With that knowledge, we need to embrace disappointment and seek out opportunity. That means finding tight ends who play pretty much every snap, who run a high number of routes, and who have a pathway to being the team's No. 2 target on any given week.

With that in mind, Greg Dulcich fits all three criteria. This past week, despite Dulcich finishing with just one reception for 11 yards, he still played on 47 of the team's 69 snaps. He also ran 28 routes, which was second to only Jerry Jeudy's 30. While he finished with just two targets in Week 15, he had back-to-back weeks of eight targets in Weeks 13 and 14.

This next part may sound hard to believe, but the return of Russell Wilson, which should be expected to occur this week, will help Dulcich's fantasy value. There's a possibility that Courtland Sutton also remains out. He did not practice in any capacity last week and if that remains the case, Dulcich will remain Denver's second-best receiving weapon.

Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans – 29% Rostered

Chigoziem Okonkwo's role continues to increase with each passing week. This past week, Okonkwo played more snaps than any other tight end on the roster. He also ran more routes than any other tight end on the roster. He also finished as the Titans' most-targeted player.

He ended up with four receptions and 54 yards, another quality outing. That makes three straight games with at least eight half-PPR points. He has at least four receptions in his last three games and at least 45 yards in each of his last three contests.

It's no mystery that the Titans are lacking quality pass-catchers and until Treylon Burks returns, fantasy managers can reasonably consider Okonkwo's best option. He's certainly played that way the past three weeks. Even if Burks returns, Okonkwo should remain the team's No. 2 option.

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints – 20% Rostered

Rule #whatever to fantasy football, don't chase touchdowns. However, every rule has an exception and this particular rule, when it comes to tight ends, can be very flexible. Especially when we're entering Week 16 and have 15 weeks of data to point to.

Johnson missed Week 13, but in his last seven games, he has seven touchdowns. During that seven-game stretch, he has earned 28 targets, which is four per game. Expecting a touchdown per game on just four targets is not very likely, but here we are, seven straight weeks in a row. During this stretch, Johnson has just one game where he hasn't scored at least 12 half-PPR points. He has more 20+ point games during this seven-game stretch than he has of games of less than 10.

This past weekend, Johnson played roughly half of the team's snaps and only ran 13 routes. However, he earned a target on six of them. He's become one of the team's best offensive weapons, so if you're in a pinch at tight end, where the vast majority of the position is touchdown or bust, Johnson has played his way into fantasy relevance.

Others to Consider in Order: Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants – 3% Rostered, Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks – 22% Rostered, Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders – 6% Rostered, Jordan Akins, Houston Texans – 1% Rostered

 

Quarterbacks – Waiver Wire Options

Daniel Jones, New York Giants – 59% Rostered

Daniel Jones is the best streamer of Week 16. In fact, Jones probably shouldn't even be considered a streamer at all. That's because Jones is currently the QB14 in terms of PPG with a 17.1 average. The QB10 is averaging just one point per game more than Jones. That's Trevor Lawrence at 18.1.

Prior to his Week 15 against Washington, he had scored over 17 points in four of his last five games. He has three games with more than 20 points. He's been a safe option all year, scoring below 10 just one time.

In Week 16, Jones will have one of the best matchups of the season. The Giants will face off against the Minnesota Vikings. They've allowed the fourth-most points to opposing quarterbacks this season at 21.3 PPG.

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers – 20% Rostered

I'm not entirely sure that Brock Purdy is #good, but right now it really doesn't matter. Kyle Shanahan's offense is one of the most fantasy-friendly in the NFL and the weapons he has at his disposal are unbelievable. Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, and George Kittle, oh my.

He's now started two games and has 21.7 and 16.48 points to show for it. He's not going to "win" anyone their fantasy matchups, but he's unlikely to lose it either. It's pretty much the same mantra as the real-life San Francisco 49ers' quarterbacks.

While he's played well, there are some reasons to be a bit skeptical. In his two starts, he has thrown just 21 and 26 passes. He also has one rushing touchdown despite having just two rushing yards. Can fantasy managers continue to expect two touchdowns on just 23.5 passes per game? It's not likely, but with Shanahan and those three pass-catchers, who knows?

The matchup for Purdy in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders is smack dab, middle of the pack. They've allowed 17.2 points to opposing quarterbacks, which is the 15th-most in the league. In any superflex league, Purdy is certainly worth the start. In a typical 12-team league, he's still best viewed as a high-end QB2 for Week 16.

However, in Week 17 the 49ers play host to the Arizona Cardinals. They've given up 20 points per game to quarterbacks this season, which is the seventh-most. He'll be an excellent streaming option during championship week.

Jets Starting Quarterback

If we knew this would be Mike White, he'd be a higher-priority add than Brock Purdy. However, Zach Wilson played decent in Week 15. He finished with 317 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. On the final drive, Wilson kept the play alone on two consecutive long third-down plays and ended up converting them both to keep both drives alive, along with the victory chances. He got them into field goal range, albeit a long one, but that's all you can ask for. This situation has possibly become one fantasy managers are forced to have to avoid because we may not know who the starter will be.

Will Mike White be healthy enough to return? We don't know. Did Zach Wilson do enough in Week 15 to reclaim the starting job? We don't know. What we do know is the Jets play host to the Jaguars in Week 16 who allow 19.6 points to quarterbacks, which is the eighth-most.

Others to Consider in Order: Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos – 46% Rostered, Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans – 41% Rostered, Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts – 14% Rostered

 

Team Defenses – Waiver Wire Options

Denver Broncos – 69% Rostered

Their 69% rostership percentage is technically a bit higher than what I typically look for at quarterback, tight end, and defense, which is 65%, but their talent level on defense and their Week 16 matchup is too good to ignore.

In Week 16, they'll face off against the Los Angeles Rams. They'll be without starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford and starting receivers, Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson. The Rams have employed one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. On a talent level, Denver's defense will be miles ahead of what the Rams are trotting out on offense. The Rams have given up 10 points to fantasy defenses this season, which is the second-most. Granted they didn't have Baker Mayfield, but let's not pretend he isn't good for a turnover or two or three per game.

Tennessee Titans – 47% Rostered

The Titans are on a four-game losing streak and their playoff chances have significantly decreased, as you can imagine. The team desperately needs a win and what better way to get back in the winning column than to face the Houston Texans. Houston is giving up the third-most points to defenses this season at 10.5 per game. With Tennessee in do-or-die mode, fantasy managers should expect Tennessee comes ready to play. That matchup is a great one and they should be viewed as a top-12 option for Week 16.

Los Angeles Chargers – 24% Rostered

The Chargers defense hasn't been very good this season, but they couldn't ask for better matchups in Weeks 16 and 17. In Week 16, they play against the Colts. They're likely to be without Jonathan Taylor, their best offensive player for the game. On top of that, the Colts have allowed the most points to opposing defenses this season. In Week 17, they'll play against the Rams, who give up the second-most points to opposing defenses. They're also coming off two of their best games of the season when they held the Titans to just 14 points and the Dolphins to 17. Over their last seven games, they've generated nine turnovers.

Cincinnati Bengals – 29% Rostered

The Cincinnati Bengals will face off against the New England Patriots for Week 16. The Patriots offense has been struggling all season. Meanwhile, the Bengals have scored 42 points, 37, 20, 27, and 23 points in their last five games. Why does that matter? Because with their offense clicking on all cylinders, the Bengals' offense is likely to put Mac Jones and company playing from behind. These are the kind of game scripts we want to target for our fantasy defenses. These types of game scripts lead to more pass attempts, which increases the chances for sacks and turnovers. The Patriots have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing defenses, which makes it a positive matchup.

Cleveland Browns – 25% Rostered

The Browns' defense has been playing quite well as of late. In fact, the only team to score more than 20 points against them in the past four weeks is the Cincinnati Bengals who scored just 23. In the last four games, they have had seven turnovers. The Browns will play against the New Orleans Saints in Week 16, who have been one of the better matchups for fantasy defenses this season. They've allowed the sixth-most points to opposing defenses this season.

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