This article gets pared down as we near the end of the fantasy season, and the focus will be much more on one-week additions as we head into must-win games.
As for FAAB bidding, the answer is to spend whatever it takes to get the guy you want.
The good news is that the bidding pool is smaller once the playoffs start, and it is easy to utilize the remaining FAAB pool of those other playoff teams to gauge how much you need to spend.
As a reminder, recommended adds are available in at least 60% of ESPN leagues, and the watch list consists of players worth monitoring.
The deep cuts section for running backs and receivers highlights players who are rostered in fewer than 5% of ESPN leagues, for all you “not in my league” degens.
Finally, I will not be ranking kickers and defenses because, frankly, I don’t care about them and would like to see them disappear from the game.
With those caveats out of the way, let’s get to it.
Contents
Best Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback
- Tyler Shough
- J.J. McCarthy
- Marcus Mariota
Best Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: Running Back
- Michael Carter
- Jaleel McLaughlin
- Tyler Allgeier
- Blake Corum
- Jawhar Jordan
Best Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: Wide Receiver
- Darius Slayton
- Matthew Golden
- Tre Harris
- Olamide Zaccheaus
Best Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight Ends
- Colby Parkinson
- Darren Waller
- A.J. Barner
- Mike Gesicki
Quarterback Waiver Targets, Week 16
1. Tyler Shough, Saints — Available in 93.1% of ESPN leagues
What a time to be alive. Shough has gotten there for fantasy for the last several weeks thanks in large part to his rushing ability. He has at least 6 carries in each of the last four games, and he is averaging 31 yards per game over that stretch. He should be able to find some success as a passer this week with the Jets coming to town. New York just allowed Trevor Lawrence to throw for 330 yards and 5 touchdowns with another 51 yards and a score on the ground.
2. J.J. McCarthy, Vikings — Available in 69.5% of ESPN leagues
Matchups have played a role, but McCarthy has been much better as of late. The good news is the matchup does not get any more difficult this week against the Giants, who on top of not being great against the pass also have allowed the most rushing yards to quarterbacks this season. McCarthy is averaging nearly 20 rushing yards per game.
3. Marcus Mariota, Commanders — Available in 23.3% of ESPN leagues
Jayden Daniels has been shut down for the rest of the season, leaving Mariota as a viable streaming option in most matchups. The Eagles have not been a defense to target through the air, but they have given up a lot of production on the ground. They are second behind the Giants in rushing yards allowed to quarterbacks this season, including big rushing games from Patrick Mahomes, Jaxson Dart, and Justin Herbert. Mariota has 10 carries in each of his last two starts.
Watch List: Anthony Richardson has been cleared, but Philip Rivers will get another start in a quietly good spot against the 49ers. Still, we would need to see a lot more for Rivers to be a real option…I have a hard time chasing Tua Tagovailoa because the Dolphins are going to lean into the run whenever they can — and Mike McDaniel raised questions about Tua's role as the starter on Tuesday — but the matchup this week could force them to throw like they had to in the second half on Monday night…Kirk Cousins is coming off his best game since becoming the starter and gets the Cardinals. There is a case for him…Tampa Bay has been getting lit up including by Cousins last week. Bryce Young has run more in the last two games, going for 49 and 23 yards on the ground.
Running Back Waiver Targets, Week 16
1. Michael Carter, Cardinals — Available in 90.9% of ESPN leagues
Carter is tricky because we have had the rug pulled on us before, but we know Bam Knight is going to miss this week. With Knight out last week, Carter was the clear lead back, playing 50 snaps to just 7 for Emari Demercado. Was that because Demercado was in his first game back from injury? Will Demercado be more involved since they know Knight will be out this week? Those are the forces yanking on the rug, but Carter worked as the clear workhorse on Sunday, and that is worth something for teams in need of a startable option at running back.
2. Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos — Available in 99% of ESPN leagues
I am hesitant about McLaughlin for a couple of reasons. First, we still do not know much about RJ Harvey‘s injury. All we really have is the sideline report from the end of the game that mentioned a rib injury. Second, I don't think McLaughlin would get a full workhorse role even if Harvey were forced to miss time. Tyler Badie has consistently gotten passing-game work, and I would expect him to fill most of that role. That would put McLaughlin in a timeshare against a stout Jaguars run defense this week. It could work out if he gets the carries since a touchdown would be on the table, but McLaughlin is not a smash start even if Harvey is forced to miss time.
3. Tyler Allgeier, Falcons — Available in 66.8% of ESPN leagues
We've seen the backfield work tilt heavily in Bijan Robinson‘s direction of late, with Allgeier seeing just 25% of the running back carries over the last three games. The matchup this week against the Cardinals could be a spot for Allgeier to see more work. The Cardinals have been awful against the run recently, allowing 5.3 yards per carry to running backs over their last five games. They just allowed Jawhar Jordan to run for 100 yards, and the week before that, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns. That could certainly be the Falcons' game plan this week, which could open up enough carries for Allgeier to be a fantasy option.
4. Blake Corum, Rams — Available in 70.3% of ESPN leagues
Corum has been outstanding all season (5.5 yards per carry, 19.6% explosive run rate), but things have come together for him from a fantasy perspective the last three weeks because he has consistently found the end zone. He has a tough matchup this week against the Seahawks, though, which could also limit his carries if the Rams are in a close game. Last time against Seattle, Corum rushed 8 times for just 10 yards. Corum remains a high-upside handcuff worth keeping on the bench, but he is a risky start this week.
5. Jawhar Jordan, Texans — Available in 100% of ESPN leagues
There is a lot of injury uncertainty this week at running back, but of those true longshot options, I am most interested in Jordan. First, both Woody Marks and Nick Chubb are injured, and we saw Jordan operate as the primary runner in the backfield over Dare Ogunbowale on Sunday. Second, the Texans get the Raiders at home, which should mean they are in a run-heavy script. Ultimately, I would bet Marks plays, and Chubb is a decent bet to get back on the field after getting a limited practice at the end of last week. Still, there is at least a path for Jordan.
Watch List: I am looking to fill my bench spots with high upside handcuffs this late in the season. Emanuel Wilson, Brian Robinson Jr, Sean Tucker, Tank Bigsby, Jaylen Wright, Ray Davis, and Keaton Mitchell fit the bill…With Tyrone Tracy healthy, Devin Singletary took a big backseat in Week 15, playing just 16 snaps to 51 for Tracy.
Deep Cuts: Audric Estime and Evan Hull have to be mentioned after Devin Neal left with a shoulder injury, and the Saints have a primo matchup this week against the Jets. The problem is we don't know much about Neal's injury, we don't know when Alvin Kamara is coming back, and that duo shared work nearly evenly after Neal left on Sunday…Javonte Williams will almost certainly be fine after returning to the game, but Malik Davis is the name to know behind him…With Bhayshul Tuten out for at least the rest of the regular season, we could see more LeQuint Allen, although it should mostly be the Travis Etienne show.
Wide Receiver Waiver Targets, Week 16
1. Darius Slayton, Giants — Available in 77.8% of ESPN leagues
I am unclear why Slayton is rostered in so few leagues. The overall numbers did not impress in Week 15, but he saw 10 targets and once again ran a route on around 90% of the dropbacks. It is not an ideal matchup this week against the Vikings, but Slayton is a big part of a passing offense that has mostly worked with Jaxson Dart, and he adds in some big-play upside.
2. Matthew Golden, Packers — Available in 59.3% of ESPN leagues
I would rather Jayden Reed, who is available in a shocking number of leagues, but Golden is a decent upside swing assuming Christian Watson sits out this week. Golden was a factor in the second half on Sunday, leading the team with 2 catches for 37 yards. While he ran fewer routes than both Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed and the same number (12) as Dontayvion Wicks in the second half, Golden is the best like-for-like replacement for Watson down the field. The Packers are going to play a lot of guys and spread the ball around, which is a concern every week, but Golden gets a good matchup and has some big-play upside, assuming Watson sits.
3. Tre Harris, Chargers — Available in 97% of ESPN leagues
This all goes away if Quentin Johnston can return this week, but a late-week soft tissue injury followed by a missed game is a big red flag. On top of Johnston coming back, there has to be some concern about chasing Harris in this version of the Chargers passing game given the injuries to the offensive line and Justin Herbert. There are some reasons for hope, though. First, Harris was heavily involved without Johnston on Sunday, running the second-most routes on the team and finishing second on the team in targets. Second, the Chargers have a date with the Cowboys. That means the Chargers passing game has a great matchup, and the Cowboys offense could push them to throw more.
4. Olamide Zaccheaus, Bears — Available in 98.4% of ESPN leagues
Rome Odunze aggravated his foot injury before the game, and Luther Burden left late with an ankle injury. Odunze could be shut down for a while, and Burden could find it difficult to return in a short week — the Bears play the Packers on Saturday. That would leave just D.J. Moore and Zaccheaus as the primary options at receiver.
Watch List: Devaughn Vele would be an option for me this week if we knew his status, but he left the game late with an injury…I remain hesitant about chasing the Jets passing game, but AD Mitchell is coming off another good game, and Isaiah Williams is on the rise…Parker Washington is back healthy, but he is the No. 3 receiver for a team going up against the Broncos…We got our yearly Marvin Mims praise from Sean Payton, who then played him fewer snaps than Lil'Jordan Humphrey…I remain skeptical of Andrei Iosivas‘ ability to consistently earn targets even if Tee Higgins remains out.
Deep Cuts: Dontayvion Wicks ran as many routes as Golden in the second half on Sunday, and he gets targets when he is on the field…Jalen McMillan did run 20 routes in his first game back and made some big plays, but he is the No. 4 receiver right now…The injury to Ricky Pearsall could open up a larger role for Kendrick Bourne, who has had pockets of production this year…I am more focused on the tight ends for the Rams, but Davante Adams sitting would open more work for someone. Tutu Atwell ran just 4 routes in his first game back from injury, while Konata Mumpfield worked as the No. 3 receiver…Jalen Coker could be a blind spot for me, but I have trouble really trusting the secondary options in that passing game.
Tight End Waiver Targets, Week 16
1. Colby Parkinson, Rams — Available in 89.5% of ESPN leagues
Tyler Higbee is eligible to return from injured reserve, but he is not expected to be active against the Seahawks on Thursday night. The Rams have not shut the door on Davante Adams playing in that game, but it seems unlikely after he aggravated his hamstring injury on Sunday. That should force the Rams into a lot of big sets, which they have been using anyway this season. Over the last two weeks, the Rams have used 13 personnel on 61% of their snaps. The Bears are in second at just 15.9%. That high rate of 13 has led to a lot of routes for Parkinson, and he has taken advantage. Among 50 tight ends with at least 150 routes this year, Parkinson leads the league with a target on 25% of his routes. The Seahawks have been at their weakest against tight ends, allowing 8.0 yards per target to the position over the last five games, 23rd in the league.
2. Darren Waller, Dolphins — Available in 80.6% of ESPN leagues
We targeted Waller for a few weeks because of his potential role in Miami's offense. The periphrials were there for him, but the Dolphins simply were not throwing enough for him to hit. That turned around in a big way on Monday night, with Waller going for 66 yards and 2 scores. To be fair, Tua Tagovailoa still only attempted 28 passes, and most of that production came when they were chasing the game. Still, it is fair to expect Miami to be pushed to throw more this week against the Bengals, who have by far the worst tight end defense in the league.
3. A.J. Barner, Seahawks — Available in 84% of ESPN leagues
Barner was up to an 81.1% route rate with Elijah Arroyo out in Week 15, his second-highest rate of the season behind the last time he played the Rams. He had 10 catches for 70 yards in that game. Assuming the Rams offense can force the Seahawks to a more passing-heavy game script, Barner should run enough routes to be fantasy viable in a matchup he did well in last time around.
4. Mike Gesicki, Bengals — Available in 96.1% of ESPN leagues
We successfully avoided Gesicki last week because of concerns about the Ravens defense and his lack of routes in previous weeks, and that ended up working out. Still, it was encouraging to see him run a route on 75% of the dropbacks against Baltimore, and Noah Fant left that game with an injury. It won't matter if Tee Higgins returns this week, but that kind of route rate against the Dolphins should result in fantasy success.
Watch List: Parkinson is the best bet among the Rams tight ends, but Terrance Ferguson also got a big route boost last week. He just has not earned targets as consistently…Brenton Strange is running a lot of routes in a good passing offense, but the ceiling has not really been there this year, and a matchup with the Broncos is not the time to hit that ceiling…Luke Musgrave is coming off a solid game, but he is still sharing routes with John FitzPatrick…Dawson Knox found the end zone twice and now has two great fantasy outings in a row, but he is still running a route on 44% of the dropbacks. That makes him volatile.
