Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16

After a rough first week of fantasy playoffs, here are some additions that can help you advance.

You made it to Week 16! Congratulations! You likely had a lot of depth and a little luck on your side. Or maybe you played well all season, and watched this week’s carnage while you were on a bye. Either way, you earned this.

This week should prove to be another tricky one to navigate. Fantasy managers are now without Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette and possibly also Mike Evans for this week. And, as of right now, Travie Kelce and Austin Ekeler are just a few of the big names on the COVID list.

If there’s one thing you can be sure of, it’s that you can’t be sure of anything.

I cannot emphasize enough: depth, depth, depth. Every position should have a handcuff as last-minute switches could be needed.

For this week, I will once again recommend that if two players are fairly evenly projected, start the player with the earlier game. Don’t take the chance there could be a last-minute Covid surprise. When making decisions on who to add from the wire, make sure you have some options for each time slot. It would be a great idea to have someone available in the Monday night game in case your Sunday game gets messed up.

Finally, remember to be sure you do not put any players from your early games in a flex spot. If you have a WR in the Thursday night game, play him at WR, not flex. Leave yourself max options for the weekend.

I have removed FAAB bids from this week’s article because there really is no standard at this point in the playoffs. Follow your gut.

OK, here we go. Let’s do this!

Quarterbacks- Waiver Wire Adds

Tyler Huntley (BAL)

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY

No Lamar Jackson? No problem. Tyler Huntley has to be the most capable backup QB in the NFL. He nearly led the Ravens to an upset victory vs. Green Bay Sunday, spoiled only by a questionable coaching decision to go for the two-point conversion at game’s end. In the meantime, he was the top-scoring fantasy QB of the week with a whopping 35.9 fantasy points. If you have Jackson – heck, even if you don’t – it wouldn’t hurt to have Huntely on your bench. He’s 96% available.

Jimmy Garoppolo (SF)

Last Sunday may not have been spectacular, but it wasn’t awful, either. And in real life football terms, it was excellent, as Jimmy G finished with a 123.7 QB rating. In fact, Jimmy G has finished with a 90-plus QB rating in his last eight contests in a row. There may not be tremendous upside, but you should be able to count on Garoppolo for the last two weeks of the season should anything happen to your starter. This week he gets Tennessee, and Houston will be his matchup for your Week 17 championship.

Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)

It was not the best performance on Sunday, but it also wasn’t the worst. If you’re looking for a COVID insurance policy, Tua has a decent matchup with the Saints this week. I know the Saints just shut down Tom Brady, but I doubt they will plan to shut down Tua with such a vengeance. Meanwhile, Jaylen Waddle should be back from the COVID list, and Tua should be a capable fill-in if needed. He’s 53% available.

More QB: Ben Roethlisberger (PIT)

Running Backs - Waiver Wire Adds

Ronald Jones (TB)

We have had Ronald Jones in this article for weeks now, and this is exactly why. With Leonard Fournette likely out for a while, Jones should lead this backfield for the rest of the fantasy playoffs. Is Jones as good as Lenny? Probably not. But, let’s face it, Tampa Bay’s options are quickly disappearing, and yours could be, too. If there’s a capable back with opportunity behind a top offensive line available on your waiver wire, you best get on that RIGHT NOW. Jones is available in 65% of fantasy leagues.

Jeff Wilson, Jr. (SF)

There he is! We have had Wilson in this article for a few weeks now, and it finally paid off. Wilson had a great day on Sunday rushing for 110 yards and a TD and finishing with 19.9 PPR points. Wilson was a playoff stud for us last week, and if Eli Mitchell doesn’t return on a short week, he should continue to have a big role in this backfield, even if he does share it with Deebo Samuel.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Craig Reynolds (DET)

Well, it looks like Craig Reynolds is the guy. With no D’Andre Swift, no Jamaal Williams, and no T.J. Hockenson, Detroit won its second game of the year. Reynolds was a big part of that with 112 rushing yards and a score. If you have Swift or Williams, Reynolds is a must-add. Heck, if you can’t get Ronald Jones, Reynolds is a must-add. This week, he faces an Atlanta team that just gave up 162 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to San Francisco. Weirder things have happened in the fantasy playoffs than a guy nicknamed Netflix becoming a playoff stud, but right now, I can’t think of them. Reynolds is available in 87% of fantasy leagues.

Justin Jackson (LAC)

Justin Jackson looked good on Thursday, carrying the ball 13 times for 86 yards. With Austin Ekeler now on the COVID list and still dealing with an ankle injury, Jackson is a must-add. It’s clear he is next in line and ahead of Joshua Kelley, and this week the Chargers square off with Houston’s extraordinarily generous run defense.

Duke Johnson (MIA)

To the Myles Gaskin owners: go ahead and punch a pillow. You’ve earned it. Duke Johnson appeared out of nowhere and stole all your fantasy points. But, here we are. Johnson found the end zone twice vs. the Jets on Sunday and totaled 107 yards on the ground. Now, bear in mind it was the Jets, but if you are desperate at RB, Johnson is available everywhere. You do have to be desperate, though, as Miami will square off vs. New England’s top run defense. Proceed with caution.

More RB: Jarret Patterson (WFT), Joshua Kelley (LAC). Samaje Perine (CIN), DeeJay Dallas (SEA), Le’Veon Bell (TB)

Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Adds

Russell Gage (ATL)

I can’t talk anymore about how important it is to pick up Russell Gage. I won’t even mention that he’s facing Detroit this week, I’ll just tell you he’s still 50% available, and he was 50% available last week, and that means a whole lot of you missed out on 23 PPR points in Week 15.

Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)

Just like with Gage, if you didn’t grab St. Brown already, please don’t tell me. The world’s smallest violin is getting too much of a workout. St. Brown was dominant yet again with eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown and racked up 23.5 PPR points. He has now seen 35 targets across the past three weeks. Thirty-five. In THREE weeks. He’s 70% available and this week he’s facing the Falcons. You know what to do.

Gabe Davis (BUF)

Does it matter that you are “touchdown dependent” if you always score a touchdown? Gabe Davis has found the end zone three weeks in a row, and even scored twice on Sunday with no Emmanuel Sanders. The great thing about Gabe Davis is that he can fill in for any receiver in Buffalo. And Buffalo is a team that scores a lot. I don’t want to over-simplify it, but, maybe it’s just that simple. Sanders could remain out with a knee injury, Cole Beasley is on the COVID list, and Davis is available in 81% of leagues.

Breshad Perriman/Scotty Miller (TB)

Yeah, I’m lumping these two guys together because it remains to be seen what is going on in Tampa Bay. We know Godwin is out for the season, and we are still waiting to hear about Evans. It’s pretty certain at least one of these receivers will get an uptick in targets, even with Antonio Brown set to return, but I can’t really guess which one. I don’t love either of these guys, but if you’re in a deep league, you may not have many choices. Both are available in 99% of fantasy leagues.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB)

Valdes-Scantling made this list last week, because even though Allen Lazard had the bigger fantasy day a week ago, Valdes-Scantling had seen 24 targets across his past three contests for 203 yards and a score. Well, let’s add Sunday to the pile, and change those stats to 31 targets for 301 yards and two scores in four. It’s nice to have a reigning MVP’s top target, and you still can, because instead of picking him up last week, people dropped him! I like the matchup with Cleveland this week and I LOVE it vs. Minnesota in Week 17. MVS is currently on the COVID list, but he has the chance to clear before Saturday. He’s available in 60% of fantasy leagues.

More WR: Jamison Crowder (NYJ), Mecole Hardman (KC), DeMarcus Robinson (KC), Kendrick Bourne (NE), Donovan Peoples-Jones (CLE), Tim Patrick (BUF), Josh Reynolds (DET)

Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Adds

Jame O’Shaughnessy (JAC)

O’Shaughnessy has seen 21 targets in his four games since returning from injury. On Sunday, his 60 yards was the most among Jacksonville’s wide receivers, and this week he faces the Jets, who have been generous to opposing tight ends. It’s not exciting to roster any Jags, but O’Shaughnessy is available in 98% of fantasy leagues.

Cole Kmet (CHI)

Here he is again. Kmet continues to play 83% of the team's snaps with an 18% target share on the season—second only to Darnell Mooney—and a 62.5% catch rate, superior to Mooney's 56.7%. In Monday night’s action, Kmet led all Chicago receivers with nine targets and 71 yards. He’s seen 32 targets across the past four games, and next up is a Seattle team that has surrendered 9.46 yards per target and three touchdowns to the tight end in Weeks 12-14.

More TE: Gerald Everett (SEA), Foster Moreau (LV)