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- Week 16 Waiver Targets
By: Tony Kneepkens (@tonytk44)
These are the top players to consider adding from waivers as we head into the fantasy playoff semi-finals this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening).
QB Streamer of the Week
Drake Maye, NE, Week 16 at BUF
Last week, Maye completed over 80% of his passes, passed for a TD, and ran in another. He’s accounted for at least one TD in each of his nine career starts and has added a useful 359/2 rushing line this season, providing a reasonable floor for his weekly fantasy production.
Low-priority add. I’m optimistic that most managers, even those who regularly stream QBs, will have already made arrangements at the position for their semi-final matchups. If not, Maye is my favorite of the widely available QB options. I think he has a chance for an uptick in passing volume while playing on the road as a two-TD underdog this week and makes for an interesting streamer.
5% or less of FAAB.
RB Pickups
Jerome Ford, CLE, Week 16 at CIN
Browns’ legendary RB Nick Chubb broke his left foot in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, ending his comeback season from last year’s gruesome knee injury prematurely. Ford, who has remained involved in the offense all season, scored a 62-yard TD, his first since Week 1, and topped 100 scrimmage yards last week.
High-priority add. With only two meaningful weeks of the season left in most fantasy leagues, there’s no time like the present to add a starting RB against a Bengals defense that just gave up a combined 137 scrimmage yards and three TDs to Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears last week.
All of your remaining FAAB, top waiver priority, etc.
Kendre Miller, NOS, Week 16 at GB
Saints’ legendary RB Alvin Kamara injured his groin and is “undergoing tests” according to interim HC Darren Rizzi. Miller had a 9/46 rushing line last week and dropped his only target. The Saints play at GB on Monday Night Football this week.
High-priority add. Miller is a talented RB who was drafted in the third round just last season and appears to have a clean slate with his interim HC. The 5-9 Saints will be playing a backup QB and recently gave Kamara a 2-year $24.5MM contract extension, I’m not seeing the upside for them to rush him back for a primetime game at Lambeau, opening the door for plenty of Kendre touches on MNF.
All of your remaining FAAB. I do prefer Ford to Miller based on his immediate matchup and having more concrete info on Chubb’s injury, but both are great waiver options this week.
Some additional lower-priority RB adds to consider:
Tyjae Spears (TEN) - Recorded 10 touches for 92 scrimmage yards and a pair of TDs complementing starter Tony Pollard last week.
Craig Reynolds (DET) - Likely the next man up to complement Jahmyr Gibbs after RB David Montgomery’s season-ending injury.
Kimani Vidal (LAC) - Had three carries and three targets last week in a blowout loss to the Bucs. Teammate Gus Edwards had 8/23 rushing and no receiving work.
WR Pickups
Jalen McMillan, TB, Week 16 at DAL
McMillan followed up his multi-TD game from two weeks ago with a strong 5/75/1 performance against the Chargers last week, and he’s been acting as a much-needed complement to Bucs’ star man Mike Evans in his quest for an 11th-consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season.
Medium-to-high priority add. McMillan is an exciting rookie WR who seems to be finding his stride down the stretch of his debut season while catching passes from a red-hot QB in Baker Mayfield. He has set a new career best in receiving yards each of the last two weeks and plays at Dallas and home against Carolina to wrap up the fantasy campaign.
30 - 50% of FAAB.
Romeo Doubs, GB, Week 16 vs NOS
Doubs returned from a two-game absence after working through concussion protocol and had his second multi-TD game of the season, totaling 3/40/2 on his five targets. He’s had 5+ targets in five of the past six games he’s appeared in.
Medium-priority add. Doubs is a regular player on a good offense with plus QB play, making him a better bet for weekly TD upside than most of his readily available WR peers on waivers.
20 - 40% of FAAB.
Rashod Bateman, BAL, Week 16 vs PIT
Bateman had a monster 3/80/2 line in the Ravens’ lopsided win over the Giants in New York on Sunday. He’s now up to 13/207/4 catching passes from reigning MVP Lamar Jackson over Baltimore’s last four games.
Low-to-medium priority add. Bateman is talented, but usually one of the last options in the pecking order for a loaded Ravens offense featuring Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Zay Flowers.
5 - 15% of FAAB.
Some additional lower-priority WR adds to consider:
Jalen Coker (CAR) - The Panthers’ rookie returned from injury last week with a 4/110/1 line, including an 83-yard TD catch.
Keon Coleman (BUF) - The Bills’ rookie returned from injury last week and caught one of his two targets from Josh Allen for a huge 64-yard gain.
TE Pickups
Hunter Henry, NE, Week 16 at BUF
Henry remains the Patriots’ top passing target and leads the team in catches and yards this season. He has 4+ targets in 10 straight appearances for New England and had 8+ targets each of his previous three games before catching all four of his targets for 25 scoreless yards last week against the Cardinals.
Medium-priority add. Henry is worthy of being rostered in pretty much any format that requires you to start a TE. If you’re looking for a reliable floor at the position, look no further.
10 - 20% of FAAB.
Brenton Strange, JAX, Week 16 at LV
Strange did an awesome Evan Engram impression last week, filling in for his injured TE teammate by catching a whopping 11 of 12 targets for 73 yards. He was peppered in the short areas of the field, and none of his catches went for 10+ yards.
Medium-priority add. Strange is worthy of being in the mix of back-end TE starters in PPR formats. His 11 receptions were more than Engram had in a game this season and Engram only exceeded Strange’s total of 73 yards from last week once all year.
10 - 20% of FAAB.
Some additional lower-priority TE adds to consider:
Stone Smart (LAC) - Went 5/50 last week filling in for injured teammate Will Dissly.
Cole Kmet (CHI) - Continues to operate as a nearly every-snap player for a struggling Bears offense searching for players and roles to build around moving forward.
DEFENSE (Top pickups for Week 16)
Packers (vs Saints)
Falcons (vs Giants)
Chargers (vs Broncos)