As if we didn’t deal with enough RB injuries during the season, now the first week of the playoffs claims more victims. The good news is that you probably weren’t relying on Nick Chubb anyway. However, David Montgomery and Alvin Kamara are key players, and your championship hopes are on the line. Thankfully, there are still some solid options on the Week 16 waiver wire, and you should have less competition to land them. I won’t be listing any FAAB recommendations this week. If you need them to win a championship, BID. IT. ALL! Here are my favorite pickups as we head into the semi-finals.
Week 16 Waiver Wire Additions
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
Available in 57% of Yahoo leagues, 68% of ESPN leagues, and 57% of Sleeper leagues
With Nick Chubb out for the year, Ford will take over as the primary back in Cleveland. He showed his health and readiness in Week 15 with a long touchdown run, finishing with seven carries for 84 yards and a TD. He was a top-10 RB last week and has that upside moving forward. It’s been an up-and-down season for Ford. He’s missed two games due to injury and has been ineffective in splitting time with Chubb. However, his best two games were Week 1 and Week 15, both with Chubb out of the way. He is the top option on waivers as you fight for your spot in the championship.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
Available in 56% of Yahoo leagues, 57% of ESPN leagues, and 53% of Sleeper leagues
Like Ford, Spears has been battling injuries for weeks, but in Week 15, we saw a glimpse of the 50/50 split envision for him and Tony Pollard. Pollard still handled most of the carries, but Spears finished with seven targets. He also scored a rushing and receiving TD. The receiving work is very valuable for fantasy managers, but there might also be more carries on tap. With Pollard dealing with his own injuries, Spears should see more run against a very favorable schedule to end the fantasy playoffs.
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints
Available in 89% of Yahoo leagues, 92% of ESPN leagues, and 84% of Sleeper leagues
As of this writing, it has not been confirmed how much time, if any, Alvin Kamara will miss. The Saints’ new coaching staff was already trying to get Miller more involved, and he scored a TD in Week 14. He was held in check this week but averaged over five yards per carry, taking nine rushes for 46 yards. With Kamara banged up, Miller should see enough work to fill RB2 or Flex holes for the next two weeks. If Kamara misses time, the receiving work heading Miller’s way makes him a top-20 prospect, even on a bad team.
Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Available in 91% of Yahoo leagues, 90% of ESPN leagues, and 85% of Sleeper leagues
There are plenty of decent WR options on waivers this week, but McMillan is the best of the bunch. We’ve been waiting for weeks for someone to step into the #2 role opposite Mike Evans, and with three TDs in two games, it looks like McMillan is the guy. The rookie has shown some upside, and now we’re seeing consistency. On top of the touchdowns, he’s had 13 targets over those last two games and six or more targets in four of his previous six games. With the way Baker Mayfield is slinging the ball around, McMillan is a solid Flex option for your championship run.
Brenton Strange, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Available in 98% of Yahoo leagues, 98% of ESPN leagues, and 93% of Sleeper leagues
Strange has been just excellent when Evan Engram misses games, and that continued in Week 15. Strange is the TE2 overall for Week 15 and led the position group with 12 targets and 11 receptions. You simply cannot ignore that volume from a position that continually lets most down in fantasy. Engram is done for the season, so Strange should be the second receiving option in this Jags offense to end the season. If you don’t have one of the Top 5, Strange is an excellent consolation prize for the last two games.
**Bonus Pick**
Craig Reynolds, RB, Detroit Lions
Available in 100% of Yahoo leagues, 99% of ESPN leagues, and 100% of Sleeper leagues
Not many know who or what Craig Reynolds is, but the Lions like this guy. Despite all the talent they’ve had at the position for the last four seasons, they’ve kept Reynolds on as their third back. He survives mainly on special teams reps, but they will use him during an injury to one of their starters. He is averaging over four yards per carry on limited touches this season and scored a TD in relief of Montgomery last year. Reynolds is a desperation play, but if you need a running back, the Detroit backfield seems a good place to look.
A friendly reminder: This article gives you our Top 5 picks from the Week 16 waiver wire, but if you need more help, check out our YouTube channel every Tuesday morning to catch WireTapped. We break down all of the popular waivers and answer your questions live.
Be sure you’re following Ryan on Twitter! Also, you can find Club Fantasy’s Week 16 rankings here and the rest of our Week 16 content here!