This is the Waiver Wire Week 16! Which players should you be prioritizing as the march towards the fantasy football playoffs continues?
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Shallow League Adds
(Players Rostered in 30-40% of Leagues)
Romeo Doubs – WR, Green Bay (38%)
Doubs scored twice as Green Bay cruised to a victory in Seattle. He also drew a long pass interference penalty. While Josh Jacobs is running well, Green Bay’s next two opponents — New Orleans and Minnesota — can be beaten through the air. Doubs is on the flex radar this week.
Tyler Allgeier – RB, Atlanta (33%)
Allgeier is one of fantasy football’s most valuable handcuffs to roster.
If Bijan Robinson were to miss a game, Allgeier would be a top-15 play at the RB position.
Jameis Winston – QB, Cleveland (33%)
Winston was pulled from Sunday’s game against Kansas City and struggled mightily, throwing three interceptions. Please, please, Kevin Stefanski — do not bench Winston in a prime “get-right” spot against Cincinnati.
Standard Roster Size and Deep League Adds
(Players rostered in 30% of leagues or fewer)
Note: Every player is available in at least 70% of leagues. Each player has their roster percentage in parenthesis. For example, if a player has (25%) next to them, then they are available in 75% of leagues.
Quarterbacks
Drake Maye – QB, New England (13%)
Heading into Monday Night Football, Drake Maye is the QB11 on the week. He rushed for a touchdown and passed for another in Sunday’s loss to Arizona. He finished as the QB10 in his previous game. His high-end QB2/low-end QB1 production should continue in Weeks 16 and 17, despite difficult matchups. As a result, he is a top addition at quarterback on the Waiver Wire Week 16.
Cooper Rush – QB, Dallas (8%)
Rush had his best game as a pro, throwing three touchdown passes in Dallas’ win over Carolina. He has a favorable matchup against Tampa Bay this week and should be a Superflex starter. The Bucs have been extremely generous to opposing QBs this season.
Bryce Young – QB, Carolina (7%)
Young had an ugly game with four turnovers against Dallas but did score two touchdowns — one through the air and another on a rushing attempt. This game was a big step back for Young. He will need to turn things around over the next three games to regain momentum heading into 2025.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson – QB, Cleveland (2%) (IF NAMED STARTER)
This is tough for me to write about, as I am firmly Team Jameis. However, HC Kevin Stefanski has yet to name a starter, and DTR would have significant one-week value against Cincinnati.
If he is named the starter, he could put up mid-QB2 numbers with plenty of rushing yardage and would be an interesting add on the Waiver Wire Week 16.
Carson Wentz – QB, Kansas City (0%)
Wentz could be a spot starter if Patrick Mahomes‘ ankle injury proves too much to overcome. A Week 16 matchup at home against Houston is a plus opportunity for QB-desperate managers in Superflex leagues.
Mac Jones – QB, Jacksonville (3%)
Jones finished with 294 passing yards and two touchdowns, adding another 29 yards on the ground. He has a budding star wide receiver in Brian Thomas Jr. and can be considered a Superflex option.
Running Backs
Kendre Miller – RB, New Orleans (11%)
Alvin Kamara left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, and his status for Week 16 is up in the air. It could be “Miller Time.” Miller would likely have a valuable two-way role, making him a viable option even in a middling offense. He ran effectively in relief of Kamara on Sunday, logging nine carries for 46 yards and helping propel New Orleans to a near-comeback win. He is the top add in my overall Top 10 on the Waiver Wire Week 16.
Ty Johnson – RB, Buffalo (2%)
Johnson has carved out a valuable — and ascending — role in the Buffalo backfield as a pass-catching specialist. He had a touchdown catch in Week 14 and followed it up with 123 total yards on Sunday against Detroit in Buffalo’s shootout win. This offense is on fire, and Johnson is on the desperation flex radar.
Kimani Vidal – RB, LA Chargers (12%)
Vidal is a speculative addition. Among all the handcuff RBs, he has the best chance to take over the backfield without an injury. He was targeted early in the passing game but continued to be out-snapped and out-touched by Gus Edwards. Perhaps a 40-17 blowout loss will open the door for increased opportunities for Vidal.
Justice Hill – RB, Baltimore (17%)
Hill caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in Baltimore’s smackdown of the hapless Giants.
He has been targeted at least five times in three of his last four games. If you’re in RB hell, Hill has a chance to deliver again next week even against a tough Steelers defense.
Isaiah Davis – RB, New York (17%)
Davis only had six touches, but his usage could ramp up with Braelon Allen dealing with a back injury. While Breece Hall played and scored, he has also been banged up. There is a scenario where Davis could have the Jets’ backfield all to himself in Week 17.
Dameon Pierce – RB, Houston (2%)
The Texans are optimistic about Joe Mixon‘s ankle after a brief scare. However, I would still value Pierce slightly more than a number of more heavily rostered handcuffs — just in case. If Mixon plays, Pierce is a complete zero, but if Mixon misses time, Pierce could provide critical value.
Handcuff RBs
Blake Corum – LA Rams
Trey Benson – Arizona
Ray Davis – Buffalo
Cam Akers – Minnesota
Kenneth Gainwell – Philadelphia
Khalil Herbert – Cincinnati
Roster your own handcuff RB or add one of these players as a lottery ticket for Week 17. I listed them in order of how I would value them. Corum, Benson, and Akers are more heavily rostered than Gainwell and Herbert. Corum is my top add among these players due to the potential value he would have if Kyren Williams were to miss a game. Despite Johnson’s involvement, Ray Davis would still be valuable if James Cook were to miss time.
If the injuries to Tony Pollard, Kenneth Walker, and Nick Chubb have taught us anything, it’s that multiple RBs are banged up this time of year. You never know when that one-week start will fall into your lap.
Wide Receivers
Rashod Bateman – WR, Baltimore (25%)
Bateman is a top-3 overall addition this week. Lamar Jackson is red-hot, and Bateman is a major part of it. He led Baltimore with 80 receiving yards and added two touchdowns. Would we like to see more targets (he had 5)? Sure, but Bateman has eight touchdown grabs on the season. If we’re going to use a lower-volume WR, let’s target one in this level of offense. He’s an interesting add on the Waiver Wire Week 16.
Jalen McMillan – WR, Tampa Bay (9%)
McMillan had another strong stat line, finishing with five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown, just one week after scoring two touchdowns against Vegas in Week 14. I had McMillan as the top waiver wire add earlier in the season when Chris Godwin was injured. It is now confirmed — I am never, ever wrong, just early. McMillan is on a heater and should be added everywhere. He is a top 3 overall add this week.
Jalen Coker – WR, Carolina (2%)
Coker returned from injury and had his best game as a pro, scoring a long 83-yard touchdown on his way to a 4-110-1 stat line. With Xavier Legette now banged up and expected to miss at least a week (if not more), Coker has a chance to shine once again in a home matchup against Arizona.
Malik Washington – WR, Miami (0%)
Washington could be in store for a big role if Jaylen Waddle misses time with a knee injury.
The rookie led Miami with 52 receiving yards against Houston and has a chance to build momentum heading into 2025.
Ray-Ray McCloud – WR, Atlanta (21%)
(Written before MNF) McCloud was targeted 23 times in his last three games heading into Monday Night Football. He posted 95 receiving yards in back-to-back games.
Calvin Austin – WR, Pittsburgh (8%)
Austin would be a deep streaming option against a leaky Baltimore secondary if George Pickens misses another game. He led Pittsburgh with five catches for 65 yards in Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia.
Hollywood Brown – WR, Kansas City (26%)
Brown could make his return as early as this week. How much of an impact he can make remains to be seen, but this offense could use another playmaker. There was a ton of steam surrounding Brown during redraft season, and he may finally get a chance to live up to it.
Tim Patrick – WR, Detroit (3%)
Patrick has been red-hot, with three touchdown catches in his last two games played.
Tight Ends
Brenton Strange – TE, Jacksonville (25%)
Strange is a must-add this week. With Evan Engram done for the season, Strange stepped in with an Engram-like stat line, finishing with 11 catches on 12 targets — incredible numbers for a tight end. This is not some “out of nowhere” player — Strange was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He should be added in all formats. Even if you don’t need a tight end, this is a classic “block your league mate from adding TE volume” play on the Waiver Wire Week 16.
Stone Smartt – TE, LA Chargers (6%)
I wrote about Smartt last week and his potential as a sleeper option. He delivered in LA’s loss to Tampa Bay, finishing with five catches for 50 yards on six targets. Smartt also drew a pass interference penalty. He has a valuable near-every-down role in LA’s offense. Expect similar target volume in Weeks 16 and 17.
Chig Okonkwo – TE, Tennessee (5%)
Okonkwo lands inside my top 10 overall this week. He had 10 targets combined in Weeks 13 and 14 but matched that total in Week 15 alone. Okonkwo finished with eight catches for 59 yards.
Two seasons ago, Okonkwo was a red-hot rookie. Fast forward to the end of the 2025 season, and he is having a solid career bounce back.
Noah Gray – TE, Kansas City (21%)
Gray has recorded at least four catches or a touchdown in five straight games.
Juwan Johnson – TE, New Orleans (13%)
Johnson had a complete dud in Week 15 but had 12 targets in his previous two.
Overall Top 10
(Players rostered in 30% of leagues or fewer)
1- Kendre Miller RB New Orleans
2- Jalen McMillan WR Tampa Bay
3- Rashod Bateman WR Baltimore
4- Brenton Strange TE Jacksonville
5- Jalen Coker WR Carolina
6- Drake Maye QB New England
7- Ty Johnson RB Buffalo
8- Kimani Vidal RB LA Chargers
9- Chig Okonkwo TE Tennessee
10- Malik Washington WR Miami
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