Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups - Top Fantasy Football WR Adds for Week 17 Include Hollywood Brown, Calvin Austin, Olamide Zaccheaus, more

December 24, 2024

Justin Carter's fantasy football WR waiver wire pickups for Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season. His free agent wide receivers to add, stream, and stash off waivers.

This is it. Unless you're in some weird league that plays in Week 18, this upcoming week is the finals for your fantasy league. If you're still alive, it's you against one other person for the fantasy championship.

With this week being the final chance for you, we're narrowing the focus of our wide receiver waiver wire column. If a player can't help you right now, he's not worth mentioning. These are players who could be starters in your Week 17 fantasy lineup.

Below, you'll find our Week 17 wide receiver fantasy football waiver wire pickups list with players you should be targeting on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 17. 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 17 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

Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chiefs - 32% rostered

The Chiefs finally got Marquise Brown on the field this week as he made his season debut from a shoulder injury. Against the Texans, Brown was targeted eight times, catching five passes for 45 yards.

4months no Ball , Felt Good To Take The Field With My Bruddas ❤️🤞🏿 … 🚀

— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) December 21, 2024

It wasn't the greatest game, but Brown finishing second on the team in targets in his Kansas City debut was an encouraging sign. Injuries have really hurt the receiving group in KC this year, but a healthy Brown has a chance to transform an offense that hasn't looked like itself in 2024. Consider him a WR3 option against the Steelers on Wednesday.

Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants - 31% rostered

Wan'Dale Robinson was targeted 12 times on Sunday against the Falcons, which isn't shocking. All season long, the Giants offense has featured a number of targets for Robinson as the team's No. 2 wideout behind Malik Nabers.

But most weeks, those targets don't add up to much. In the previous two games, Robinson averaged 10.0 targets but finished both games with identical lines of four catches for 38 yards. He bettered that this week, catching seven passes for 62 yards.

Robinson has really struggled to put up consistent numbers despite how often the ball comes his way, but he has a decently high floor and ceiling heading into next week's game against the Colts, who allow the 14th-most passing yards in the NFL.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers - 39% rostered

Quentin Johnston's overall numbers weren't great this week as he caught just three passes for 18 yards, but his usage was encouraging as he was targeted six times. This was the fourth time in the past five games that Johnston has five or more targets.

Johnston's value is fairly dependent on touchdown scoring, but he's found the end zone eight times this season and should have upside against the Patriots next week, though New England's defense deserves credit for playing relatively well against Josh Allen and the Bills this week.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans - 26% rostered

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine's string of games with a touchdown catch ended for a couple of weeks, but he found the end zone again in Week 16 against the Colts, giving him nine touchdowns over the past 11 games.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has 9 TDs on 24 catches this season

📺: #TENvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/GFrv4EzDzh

— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024

Next week, NWI takes on the Jaguars, who have allowed 27 passing touchdowns, the fourth-most in the NFL. If you're dealing with injuries and need someone who you know is capable of finding the end zone, Westbrook-Ikhine is a solid option.

Deeper Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Pickups For Week 17

Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers - 8% rostered

With George Pickens out with a hamstring injury, Calvin Austin III served as Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver this week. Austin tied with running back Jaylen Warren for the team lead in targets with five, catching four of his targets for 65 yards.

Wow. How about this release from Calvin Austin. Try covering that… pic.twitter.com/ULEaLX5gSl

— Kevin Smith (@KTSmithFFSN) December 21, 2024

This is now two games in a row with 65 yards for Austin, who has been playing his best football recently. If Pickens remains out on Wednesday against the Chiefs, Austin will be a strong flex option in 14-team or deeper leagues.

Olamide Zaccheaus, Washington Commanders - 0% rostered

Olamide Zaccheaus was one of two Commanders wide receivers with multiple touchdown receptions this week, with the other being veteran Jamison Crowder. If I'm taking a shot on one of the two next week, it's Zaccheaus, who had twice as many targets as Crowder.

With Noah Brown on the IR, there's definitely room for someone to emerge as the team's No. 2 receiver, and Zaccheaus now has 12 targets over the past two games. With Dyami Brown now banged up as well, Zaccheaus could continue to see expanded work against the Falcons next week, who allow the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.

Robert Woods, Houston Texans - 0% rostered

Tank Dell suffered a gruesome knee injury on Saturday against the Chiefs which led to him spending the night in a Kansas City hospital. With Dell out, the Texans are now down two of their top three receivers, which likely leaves Robert Woods as the No. 2 guy behind Nico Collins.

Lets talk about Robert Woods & his importance when it comes to blocking pic.twitter.com/DbrU1V7EUQ

— CJ Anderson SzN 💫 (@AyooTexanNation) December 16, 2024

Woods certainly isn't an exciting option, but he'll be third in the pecking order behind Collins and tight end Dalton Schultz when Houston faces the Ravens on Christmas Day. Baltimore has allowed more fantasy points to wide receivers than any other NFL team has, so Woods certainly has appeal as a boom-or-bust play in Week 17.

Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars - 2% rostered

The injury-riddled Jaguars have turned to Parker Washington as the team's No. 2 receiver behind Brian Thomas Jr. He's been targeted six or more times in three of the last four games and has at least 50 yards in all three of those games as well.

Washington ends the season against the Titans, a team that held him in check in Week 14, as he caught just two passes for 15 yards. Still, that's his only misstep since the team's bye. His recent run of strong play makes him a streaming option in 16-team leagues.

Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots - 3% rostered

It's definitely risky to play Kayshon Boutte in fantasy, but Sunday marked the third game in a row with at least five targets for him. He was targeted seven times against the Bills, catching five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.

Boutte has shown distinct flashes this season but hasn't put those flashes together consistently. Still, there's definitely some streaming appeal against the Chargers, who allow the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Advice