This is the Waiver Wire Week 17
If you are reading this article, that means that you have reached the end of the line and are competing in the Fantasy Championship. Or maybe you are bitterly competing in the third place game. Nevertheless, you are still here. It’s time to get after it. Every season, we see a few out of nowhere Week 17 heroes. Maybe one of them is on this list.
NOTE: MOST PLAYERS LISTED ARE AVAILABLE IN 75% OF YAHOO LEAGUES OR MORE.
QB Joe Flacco | Cleveland (33%)
Every week I write glowingly about this incredible Joe Flacco comeback, and here I am again in Week 17. Pending MNF, Flacco is currently QB3 overall for Week 16. He has now had three straight games with 300 passing yards or more after shredding Houston with 368 yards passing. Flacco has passed for at least two TDs in four straight games. The Jets defense is stronger than Houston but look for Flacco to continue his hot streak this week on Thursday night. He is a low-end QB1 for the rest of the season.
QB Nick Mullens | Minnesota (13%)
A quick reminder that we do not play regular football. We play fantasy football. Mullens has been abysmal with turnovers over the last two games, including four interceptions against Detroit in Week 16. But what Mullens does have is passing volume. After passing for 303 yards in Week 15, Mullens passed even more in Week 16. He finished with 411 yards passing and two TDs. The Vikings host their rivals, the Green Bay Packers, in Week 17. Green Bay has been shredded for two straight weeks, allowing Baker Mayfield to pass for 381 yards and Bryce Young to pass for 312.
RB Zamir White | Las Vegas (30%)
If Zamir White is still available in your league, it may be time to upgrade your level of competition. Despite White rushing for 69 yards and a TD while adding three catches in Week 15, he remained available in 70 percent of Yahoo Leagues.
After Sunday’s performance, he is Week 17’s top option at any position. In Las Vegas’ win over Kansas City, White rushed for 145 yards on 22 carries. If Josh Jacobs returns, White will take a huge hit. However, if Jacobs misses another week, White is a locked-in Fantasy Finals starter.
RB Chris Rodriguez | Washington (3%)
Rodriguez appeared on this list recently as Brian Robinson Jr. insurance, and anyone who picked him up was rewarded in Week 16. Washington made a second-half comeback, and Rodriguez finished with a career-high 58 receiving yards and two rushing TDs. He easily outproduced Antonio Gibson. Rodriguez is a gut shot flex play in Week 17 provided Robinson misses another game.
RB Justice Hill | Baltimore (20%)
Hill plays on Monday Night Football, after this article is written. He should inherit a good amount of the Keaton Mitchell touches moving forward. Hill could see some work as a receiver out of the backfield and be in a split with Gus Edwards for the carries.
RB Emari Demercado | Arizona (3%)
Multiple WR injuries have caused Arizona to lean more on their RBs.
While James Conner is the lead back, Demercado has played well for back-to-back weeks. After rushing for 64 yards and a touchdown in Week 15, Demercado led Arizona in receptions with seven in Week 16. He tied Trey McBride in targets with eight.
WR Jameson Williams | Detroit (22%)
Williams is knocking on the door of fantasy viability and is a gut-shot flex play in Week 17. He has 13 targets over his past two games. This is by far the most he has had in a two week stretch as a pro. Neither performance has been fantasy-friendly, but the usage increase is noteworthy. Detroit faces off against Dallas in Championship Week, and Las Vegas expects fireworks with a 52.5 point total. If you are desperate, chasing this game makes sense.
WR DeMario Douglas | New England (21%)
Douglas was in this article many times throughout the season and made his return for championship week. He led all New England WRs in targets, catches, and yardage, finishing with five catches for 74 yards, including a 41-yarder. Douglas is not a high ceiling play this week, but he is a solid floor play. After winning in Denver, the Patriots are playing for pride and would like nothing more than a win against Buffalo.
WR K.J. Osborn | Minnesota (16%)
Jordan Addison injured his ankle in Week 16, and Osborn became a major beneficiary of the new opportunity.
Osborn finished with five catches for 95 yards and a TD in Minnesota’s loss to Detroit. If Addison misses another week, Osborn should be treated as a WR3 and a flex consideration.
WR Demarcus Robinson | Los Angeles Rams (10%)
Robinson is on a fantasy heater, and is a dart throw option for fantasy managers in need of a WR3 or flex play. The Rams won 30-22 and Robinson caught a TD for the fourth straight game. He finished with six catches and 82 yards- both season highs. He is low key the Joe Flacco of WRs right now in fantasy.
WR DJ Chark | Carolina (7%)
OK, bear with me here. Chark caught two TD passes and posted season highs of six catches and 98 yards. He now faces one of the worst secondaries in football in Jacksonville. Oh, and this is a revenge game narrative as Chark faces off against his old team? Are we allowed to get excited about Week 17 DJ Chark week?
TE Tucker Kraft | Green Bay (19%)
Kraft continues his strong play and is a low end TE1 for championship week. He has had at least 57 receiving yards and four catches in three straight games. Kraft and Luke Musgrave will have an off-season competition for Green Bay’s TE1 in 2024. Both rookies have flashed this season.
TE Chig Okonkwo | Tennessee (32%)
Okonkwo has been targeted six times in three out of four games.
He had his best game of the season in Week 16, finishing with six catches for 63 yards and a TD. He is a viable streamer if you need a TE in Week 17.
TE Juwan Johnson | New Orleans (12%)
Johnson caught four passes on seven targets- tying season highs. He finished with a season-high 48 receiving yards and caught a touchdown for the second straight week. He will be a mid-TE2 in Week 17.
