There is only one week more important than Week 16, which is obviously Week 17 and the fantasy football championship. However, next week means nothing if you don’t win this week. Two wins left; let’s get the first one. Here are the best Week 16 Waiver Wire options to help you secure your spot! This list will basically be a preview of my Stream of the Week for the semi-finals. If I won’t start them this week, I will not mention them. There is no point in stashing now.
Week 16 Waiver Wire
Quick Note: All players listed are available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues. While not everyone plays on ESPN, studies show most do. So, if they’re available there, they’re likely available on your Week 16 Waiver Wire. Pick ‘Em Up!
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield just torched Green Bay and now gets Jacksonville, who gives up the 30th-most points to QBs. This should be a shootout.
Jake Browning
Browning is coming off three consecutive games with multiple TDs. The Pittsburgh defense is tough, but the Bengals are fighting for their playoff lives. This is a less appealing play with Ja’Marr Chase out, but look for Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd to step up.
Running Backs
Ty Chandler
Am I expecting 20+ fantasy points again if Alexander Mattison returns? No. But even if Mattison does come back, Chandler will be involved, and we should see his efficiency improve. He has averaged over five yards per carry in two of his last four games. While Detroit gives up the fewest points to RBs, they have also allowed double-digit points to a back five times since Week 7.
Jerick McKinnon / Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Lots of ifs surrounding this play. If Isiah Pacheco is out, I am cool with starting either of these guys as my RB2 against the Raiders. If Pacheco plays, I think McKinnon still has some appeal, but CEH can probably be ignored again.
Antonio Gibson
Gibson is cementing a role for himself with Brian Robinson missing time, and there is no guarantee that Robinson will be ready for Week 16. Over his last six games, Gibson has averaged 10 fantasy points. That makes him playable against a poor Jets’ run defense, whether he is the starter or not.
Roschon Johnson
It’s an excellent matchup for Chicago RBs, as the Cardinals give up the 2nd-most points to the position. Johnson seems to have the fantasy edge here, as he handled almost all the passing work for Chicago in Week 15,
Zamir White
Another big IF situation. If Josh Jacobs is out, fire White up against the Chiefs. If Jacobs plays, feel free to jettison the backup RB.
If you missed our new Monday Hangxiety show, you missed a great time! Josh and Ryan recapped Sunday’s action, and we will let you know whether it’s time to panic or Chill TF Out! We’ll be live every Monday at 11 AM EST. Check out this week’s episode now!
Wide Receivers
Noah Brown
With Nico Collins and Tank Dell out, Brown stepped up big, even with a backup QB. Week 16 should see C.J. Stroud return against an increasingly beatable Cleveland secondary.
Josh Palmer
Keenan Allen will hopefully be back for Week 16, but Palmer should hold value as the WR2 against Buffalo. The Chargers will certainly be playing from behind again and throwing a lot. Garbage time points still count.
Curtis Samuel
While the Jets do a good job of slowing WRs for fantasy purposes, Samuel is running safe underneath routes and seeing plenty of volume, regardless of who the QB is in Washington. He’s more of a Flex play, but the WR2 upside is there.
Zay Jones
Speaking of volume, Zay Jones has 22 targets over his last two games. The matchup with Tampa Bay is a dream, but Jones is dealing with a hamstring injury. I don’t play WRs with the Q-tag, but fire him up if he gets off the injury report.
Tyler Boyd
With Ja’Marr Chase set to miss this must-win matchup, Boyd must step up. He managed 53 yards on just two catches last week, but will see A LOT more volume sans Chase.
Tight Ends
Isaiah Likely
It is laughable that Likely survived in 50% of leagues on waivers, but there is still time to fix this mistake. LaPorta, Hockenson, McBride, Njoku, and Kelce are the only TEs I would play over Likely this week.
Hunter Henry
If there is one thing Bailey Zappe and a gruesome lack of WRs have brought to this Patriots’ offense, it’s the return of Hunter Henry. He has 38 fantasy points over the last two games and now gets a Denver defense that allows the most points to the position.
Cade Otton / Tucker Kraft
We’re dealing with opposite sides of the TE coin here. Kraft has been heavily involved but has a tough matchup against a Carolina team that allows the 6th-fewest TE fantasy points. Otton has been hit or miss but plays Jacksonville, who gives up the 5th-most to TEs. I lean on matchups, so give me Otton, but there may not be a wrong answer here. Both feel like borderline top-12 plays.
Be sure you’re following Ryan on Twitter! Also, you can find our Week 16 rankings here and the rest of our Week 16 content here!