Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players who can
help your squad and may still be available in your league. I’ll
also provide a brief update on the players I covered the previous
week.
Jared
Goff, DET – Don’t look now, but
Goff (less than 5% owned) and the Lions receivers seem to be clicking.
The embattled QB threw for 216-3-0 on Sunday and faces the Falcons
in a favorable Week 16 matchup.
UPDATE: Goff was placed on the
Covid list Monday ahead of Week 16. Tim Boyle would start if Goff
can't get cleared.
Matt Ryan,
ATL – I’m also interested in the Atlanta side of this
matchup, and Ryan is only owned in about 30% of fantasy leagues,
so he could be available for a spot start in yours. With so much
uncertainty relating to COVID moving forward, having a veteran
QB as a backup on your roster for the playoffs is a must.
Tua
Tagovailoa, MIA – Tagovailoa completed
16 of 27 passes for 196-2-2 in Sunday’s 31-24 win over the Jets,
adding 19 yards on seven carries. He’s got a much tougher matchup
in New Orleans in Week 16.
Justin
Fields, CHI –UPDATE:
Fields had a decent day but once again, the poor coaching limited
his numbers. He completed 26 of 39 passes for 285 yards and a
TD while adding 35 yards on seven rushes in the loss to the Vikings
on Monday night. He has two favorable matchups coming against
the Seahawks and Giants, and his rushing prowess provides a solid
fantasy floor with potential for serious upside if he can throw
multiple TD passes.
Taysom
Hill, NO – The Saints won 9-0, but
Hill didn’t do much in the shutout of Tom Brady and the Bucs,
throwing for 154 yards and rushing 11 times for 33 yards with
no touchdowns or turnovers.
Baker
Mayfield, CLE –UPDATE:
Mayfield was still in COVID protocols and Nick Mullens was called
up from the practice squad on Monday night.
Running Backs
Jeff Wilson,
SF – Wilson (40-50% owned) rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown
in the Week 15 win over the Falcons, adding two catches for nine
yards. HC Kyle Shanahan wasn't optimistic earlier in the week that
Elijah Mitchell (knee) would be able to play in Week 16, so Wilson
could keep the starting job against the Titans, where he projects
as a solid RB2 option.
Ronald
Jones, TB – Leonard Fournette left
Sunday night’s game early with a hamstring injury and could miss
multiple weeks. Jones (25% owned) is going to handle a much bigger
workload moving forward. Jones was effective in relief of Fournette,
averaging 7.9 YPC (eight carries for 63 rushing yards) and should
be an RB2 against the Panthers in Week 16 and against the Jets
in Week 17.
UPDATE: Fournette is likely headed
to IR, which means Jones is the Tampa RB to own for weeks 16 and
17.
Duke
Johnson, MIA – Johnson (0-1% owned)
rushed 22 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 31-24
win over the Jets, while Myles Gaskin assumed a backup role after
returning from the COVID list. Johnson also caught his only target
for 20 yards and may have established himself as the Miami RB
to own.
UPDATE: This is looking like a
timeshare, but both Johnson and Gaskin are worthy of RB3/FLEX
consideration for Week 16.
Rashaad
Penny, SEA –UPDATE:
Penny rushed 11 times for 39 yards and added two catches for 5
receiving yards in Tuesday night’s 20-10 loss to the Rams.
He ended up splitting touches with second-year back DeeJay Dallas,
who scored the team's only touchdown. Pete Carroll indicated he’d
use a committee to close out the season, but that Penny probably
assumes the “starter” role against the Bears on Sunday..
Craig
Reynolds, DET – Reynolds rushed
26 times for 112 yards while catching his only target for five
yards during Sunday's 30-12 win over Arizona. D’Andre Swift and/or
Jamaal Williams could return in Week 16 against Atlanta, it otherwise
seems like Reynolds could get a heavy workload against a Falcons
defense that ranks 24th in fantasy points allowed to running backs.
Royce
Freeman, HOU – Both Rex Burkhead
and David Johnson were available in Week 15, so Freeman had three
carries for eight yards in Sunday's 30-16 win over the Jaguars.
Additional notes:
• Chargers RB Austin
Ekeler could be placed on the COVID list this week, which
could jeopardize his status for Week 16 against the Texans. If
he’s out, Justin
Jackson would carry the largest load in the backfield and
assume RB2 status.
• Jaret Patterson
stepped in for Antonio
Gibson (toe) and rushed for 20 yards and a TD on four carries
Tuesday night. He’d be in line for a big workload in Week 16 against
the Cowboys if Gibson were forced to sit out. Jonathan
Williams is the other Washington RB worth considering in deeper
formats.
Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
Marquez
Valdes-Scantling, GB – Valdes-Scantling
caught five of seven targets for 98 yards and a TD in Sunday’s
31-30 win over the Ravens, benefiting from Baltimore’s plan to
double Davante Adams for much of the game. He’s only about 15-20%
owned.
Antonio
Brown, TB –UPDATE:
Brown is owned in about two-thirds of ESPN leagues, so he may
be available in yours. The Bucs WR returns from suspension and
could immediately be thrust into a high target share considering
the WR corps lost Chris Godwin to a torn ACL on Sunday night.
Amon-Ra
St. Brown, DET – Just 25% owned
in ESPN leagues, St. Brown had another big game on Sunday with
8-90-1 on 11 targets in Week 15 against the Cardinals and should
be busy gain in Week 16 in Atlanta.
Marquez
Callaway, NO – Callaway (25-30%
rostered) accounted for much of the passing offense on Sunday
night, hauling in 6-112-0 on nine targets from Taysom Hill. He’s
a solid WR4 play vs. Miami in Week 16.
TE Hunter
Henry, NE – Henry’s ownership is still less
than 50%, and he’s fast becoming the most popular target for Mac
Jones in New England. Henry caught 6-77-2 on eight targets in
Saturday’s 27-17 loss to the Colts, and he should get another
7-10 targets against the Bills in Week 16.
• JAC TE Dan Arnold
is being activated from IR. If he plays in Week 16, he’d likely
split snaps with James
O’Shaughnessy, making them both risky DFS and season-long
plays.
• BUF WR Emmanuel
Sanders is participating in walkthroughs, so that could compromise
the fantasy viability of Gabriel
Davis except in DFS and deeper formats.
• TEN WR A.J. Brown
is expected back this week, so make the necessary adjustments
to your expectations for Nick
Westbrook-Ikhine and the other Titans receivers.
UPDATE:
Allen
Lazard, GB – Lazard had just 2-23-0
on four targets Sunday while MVS had a big game.
Gabriel
Davis, BUF – Davis took advantage
of more snaps with Emmanuel Sanders on the shelf for Week 15,
hauling in five passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns on seven
targets against Carolina. Hopefully some of you too advantage
too!
Jalen
Guyton, LAC – Guyton saw just targets
but caught both for a total of 10 yards and a TD in the 34-28
loss to the Chiefs on Thursday.
K.J.
Osborn, MIN –UPDATE:
Cousins didn’t have a great day (87 total passing yards)
and Osborn hauled in just 3-21-0.
TE Austin
Hooper, CLE – Hooper landed on the COVID list for
Week 15 and is not expected to play.
