Waiver Wire Year in Review: List of 2022 League Winners

A look back at the top Jen Piacenti's waiver wire picks over the 2022 NFL season.

The 2022-2023 fantasy season has wrapped, and if you took home the trophy, you either had the world's greatest draft or were a waiver-wire warrior. With the number one overall pick collectively considered a bust (RB Jonathan Taylor) and a few season-ending injuries along the way (RB Javonte Williams, QB Kyler Murray), those who were aggressive on the waiver wire could stay competitive.

There were many great players available on the wire early, like QB Geno Smith, RB Jamaal Williams, and QB Jared Goff and plenty that came on strong down the stretch to help you win your leagues, like RB Jerick McKinnon and WR Jahan Dotson.

Let’s take a look back at some of the biggest winners from our weekly waivers column for 2022-2023.

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QUARTERBACKS WAIVER WIRE

QB Justin Fields (CHI)

Justin Fields finished as the QB6 on the season and was still available on the Waiver Wire as late as Week 9. Here is what we wrote then:

Justin Fields finished as a top-seven QB in each of the last three weeks, including Week 8, when he faced off with a tough Dallas defense. Fields completed 74% of his passes and earned the fourth-best passer rating of the week (120). Though the Chicago passing game is not high volume—the team's 160 passing attempts are tied for the least in the NFL with the Titans—Fields has the rushing ability to offer a solid floor. The Bears have been looking better of late, and this week they face a Miami defense that has surrendered the third-most passing yards and the sixth-most rushing yards to opposing QBs. Fields is still available in 59% of fantasy football leagues.

Fields not only finished as the QB6, but he also led the QB position with 1,143 rushing yards which included a new single-game rushing record of 178 yards vs. Miami in Week 9. He finished as the QB1 in Week 9 and Week 10, immediately paying off for those who won their FAAB bids. Of his remaining starts for the season, Fields only finished outside the Top 10 once.

QB Geno Smith (SEA)

After Week 4, Geno Smith was still available on the waiver wire. Who could have guessed he would finish as the QB5 on the season? No one, but we were interested enough to throw down some FAAB.

I mentioned Jared Goff above, but on the other side of this game was the QB2 for the week, Geno Smith. After Sunday's performance, fans have to ask: Was Geno always the better quarterback for Seattle over Russell Wilson? Okay, that's going too far, but Smith finished with the best passer rating on the week (132.6), putting up a monster performance and completing 76.7% of his passes for 320 yards and two passing touchdowns. Oh, and he also rushed for another 49 yards and a score. This follows up a QB7 performance from Week 3. A new era has arrived in Seattle, and Pete Carroll may just let Geno cook. This week's matchup with New Orleans is not the best, but the Saints being favored by -5.5 indicates we may see more of Geno looking downfield. He's streamable for your bye weeks, at minimum, and he's available in 87% of leagues.

Geno finished as the QB4 in Week 5 vs. New Orleans, and he had seven more Top 12 finishes after that, finishing the season with a 100.9 passer rating, the eight-most passing yards, and 366 yards on the ground.

QB Jared Goff (DET)

Goff ended up the QB 10 on the season, but he was arguably the best streamable QB because of his obvious home/road splits. If Jared Goff was at home, he was lighting it up. Goff finished the season as the QB 10, and after Week 2, we were ready to put our bids in.

Continuing our trend of the unexpected, Goff is now tied with Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson with the second-most passing touchdowns through two games heading into Monday Night Football. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been a revelation, elevating Goff's value. If you're looking to stream while you wait for Dak to come back, I like Goff's chances for a solid fantasy day vs. the Vikings on Sunday. The Eagles beat them easily on Monday night. SISB has this game total set up at 52.5—the highest of the week. Dan Campbell's team is ready to bite more kneecaps. Goff is available in 78% of leagues.

Jared Goff may have won you your fantasy league, as he finished as the QB2 in your Week 16 semi-finals and the QB7 for the fantasy championship in Week 17.

Others: Daniel Jones (NYG), Trevor Lawrence (JAX)

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RUNNING BACKS WAIVER WIRE

RB Jerick McKinnon (KC)

McKinnon was on our "others" list a few times, but he didn't get his own paragraph until after Week 14. He was our top waiver claim at the position for Week 15, though I still needed to be 100% convinced.

It was impossible to miss Jerick McKinnon's big day on Sunday as he finished as the RB1 in PPR leagues. He caught seven of his eight targets for 112 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 22 on the ground. Sounds like a WR line, doesn't it? Isaiah Pacheco remains the lead back in this offense, but Patrick Mahomes can toss a ball to any receiver at any time. McKinnon's 36 routes last Sunday add him to the long list of weapons for Mahomes that may or may not pay off big on any given day.

Those who were convinced and had money left to bid were rewarded handsomely, as McKinnon finished as the RB1 in Week 15 immediately after you won him and finished as the RB7 in your Week 17 championship week.

RB Cam Akers (LAR)

Cam Akers went from a fourth-round draft pick to waiver wire fodder after the Rams decided they were done with him in Week 6. Luckily for a few, the Rams changed their minds, and he was a league-winner down the stretch. Here's what we said heading into Week 14:

He wasn't efficient, carrying the ball 17 times for an average of 3.5 yards per carry, but in the end, his two TDs made him the RB4 for Week 13. If you're desperate for a warm body at the position, you could do worse than Akers, who will likely continue to see volume in this decimated Rams offense. He's available in 54% of leagues.

Akers finished as the RB1 in Week 16, helping you on your way to a fantasy championship.

RB D’Onta Foreman (CAR)

Here’s what we said ahead of the Christian McCaffrey trade in Week 7:

It's time to play chess while your leaguemates are playing checkers. Robbie Anderson was traded Monday morning, and Christian McCaffrey might not be far behind. Plenty of teams will come knocking for the superstar running back, and should CMC go elsewhere, D'onta Foreman would be the next man up. Foreman has had more than double the routes and carries of Chuba Hubbard. Of course, a trade could include an incoming RB (Cam Akers, maybe?), and this Panthers' offense leaves a lot to be desired, but with the state of the running back position this year, it's worth a small amount of FAAB. Foreman is available in 95% of fantasy leagues.

Foreman's results were spotty, with Chuba Hubbard also getting a lot of work, but he finished as a Top 7 QB three times, including an RB2 finish in Week 16.

Others: Raheem Mostert (MIA), Brian Robinson, Jr. (WSH), Latavius Murray (DEN), Rachaad White (TB)

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WIDE RECEIVERS WAIVER WIRE

WR Zay Jones (JAX)

Zay made the waiver wire list more than any other wideout this season, as after a strong start, many dropped him, only for him to go off in a major way again at the end of the season. Luckily, I picked him up early and held him. I hope you did, too.

We first featured Jones in Week 3.

Clearly, there were better guys than Urban Meyer for Jacksonville. Under Doug Pederson, the Jaguars look like a completely different team, jumping to a 2-1 start and paying dividends for our fantasy teams. Zay Jones gets one of the priority adds this week, as the chemistry between him and Trevor Lawrence seems clear. Jones is the clear WR2, and there is plenty of fantasy goodness to go around. Jones was the WR5 in Week 3 heading into Monday Night Football, racking up nearly 25 PPR points for his fantasy managers. Jones saw eleven targets on Sunday and caught 10 for 85 yards and a TD. He has a healthy 22.6% target share on the season, and though his matchup with the Eagles this weekend will be much tougher, he is at least worth a bench stash. Jones is available in 90% of leagues.

Jones finished as the WR26 for the season with three Top 7 finishes between Weeks 12-15. He finished as the WR1 vs. Dallas in Week 15.

WR Garrett Wilson (NYJ)

Rookie Garrett Wilson's 147 targets are tied for the sixth-most this season, and his 1,103 receiving yards were 14th- ahead of DK Metcalf, Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Lockett, Tee Higgins, Chris Olave, and Chris Godwin—and you could have grabbed him on the waiver wire in Week 3:

Wilson saw a whopping 14 targets for 8 catches, 102 yards, and two touchdowns in the Jets' upset win vs. the Browns on Sunday. He commanded 44.2% of the team's air yards and a 32.6% target share. He has been the most-targeted Jets receiver (22) across the past two contests. With the Jets likely often playing from behind and Wilson's physical abilities, Wilson looks like the alpha in Mike LaFleur's offense. Wilson is available in 76% of fantasy leagues and should be a top priority. FAAB up to 16%

Wilson remained on the waiver list through Week 9, when he was more than 50% rostered.

Others: Jakobi Meyers (NE), George Pickens (PIT), Jahan Dotson (WSH), Donovan Peoples-Jones (CLE), DJ Chark (DET)

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TIGHT ENDS WAIVER WIRE

TE Evan Engram (JAX)

Evan Engram didn't find the end zone until Week 8, but it was well worth the wait. Engram finished as the TE6, and his 98 targets were tied with Pat Freiermuth for fifth at the position. Engram was still available on the waiver wire until the final weeks of the season, even after he put up a monster 39.2 PPR points in Week 14 vs. Tennessee. We were in on Engram since Week 3, but we feel especially proud that we streamed him for Week 14. Here's what we said ahead of that matchup:

Evan Engram has run the fifth-most routes among tight ends this year (319) and played the sixth-most snaps. It's another good matchup for Lawrence vs. the Titans, who targeted Engram seven times on Sunday for five catches, 30 yards and a score vs. Detroit's similarly generous secondary. He's 57% available.

Engram finished as a Top 10 TE seven times this season.

TE Cole Kmet (CHI)

I was big on Cole Kmet coming into the season, and admittedly even I was disheartened by his slow start. However, all of that changed once Chase Claypool came to town. Coincidence? I don't know, but Kmet, not Claypool, was Fields's favorite red zone target after losing Darnell Mooney for the season.

Here is what we wrote ahead of Week 10’s matchup:

Oh, hi, Cole Kmet. There you are. All it took was adding another receiver. Either way, Kmet finally had the game we all had been hoping for, with six targets for 41 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Justin Fields is playing well, and this Chicago offense may be going somewhere. This week the Bears face a Detroit defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Kmet is available in 76% of leagues.

Kmet finished as the TE in Week 10 and the TE7 for the season.

Others: David Njoku (CLE), Juwan Johnson (NO)

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