Week 16 of Fantasy Football has arrived (aka the Fantasy Football Playoffs), and I’ve highlighted my top waiver wire targets. These players are rostered in fewer than 55% of Fantrax leagues. To accommodate different league formats and roster sizes, I’ve provided plenty of options.
More Week 16 Fantasy Football Fun!: | Sneaky Starts | Fantasy Football Waiver Wire | Weekly Sleepers & Streamers | Starts & Sits | Skrip’s Week Winners | NFL DFS | NFL Player Props | IDP Analysis | Bold Predictions | Survivor Picks | NFL Injury Report | Dynasty Trade Targets | Weekly Rankings | Dynasty Risers and Fallers
Waiver Wire Winners for Fantasy Football – Week 16
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB, Commanders)
With Chris Rodriguez out in Week 15, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt rushed 18 times for 96 yards and a touchdown, which was 15.6 Fantasy Points. JCM has some Fantasy relevance early on this season with 82 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1 for 14.2 Fantasy Points, and 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 5 for 27 Fantasy Points. If JCM continues as the lead back, he can continue to earn quality touches and be of Fantasy use for managers.
Jayden Reed (WR, Packers)
In Jayden Reed’s first game back from injury in Week 14, he caught all four targets for 31 yards and rushed twice for 22 yards. Then in Week 15, Reed caught five of his six targets for 55 yards. Reed’s receiving production grew, and so did his snap percentage from 47% to 65%. Christian Watson suffered a chest/shoulder injury that has been deemed not serious, but Reed’s role can even further rise if Watson misses Week 16. For me, Reed is the most talented and dynamic receiver on the roster for the Packers, and we have seen him produce at high Fantasy levels in the past.
Luther Burden III (WR, Bears)
Luther Burden III exited Week 15 with an ankle injury in the third quarter, so you will need to monitor this situation before picking him up for Fantasy Football. Burden caught six of his seven targets for 84 yards before this injury, which was 14.4 Fantasy Points. The week prior, Burden caught four of his six targets for 67 yards. Burden is a very talented and dynamic rookie receiver who has seen a boost in his role, especially with Rome Odunze injured.
Michael Carter (RB, Cardinals)
Bam Knight left Week 15 early due to an ankle issue that is likely to keep him out of Week 16 as well. Michael Carter ended up playing 80% of the snaps, rushing 14 times for 56 yards, and he also caught four balls for 38 yards, which was 13.4 Fantasy Points. Carter now has three weeks of double-digit Fantasy scores, and should see useful volume in Week 16 for managers looking for a running back getting work.
Colby Parkinson (TE, Rams)
Colby Parkinson caught five of his seven touchdowns for 75 yards and two touchdowns, which was 24.5 Fantasy Points, in Week 15. Parkinson finished Week 15 with season-high’s across the board with Davante Adams out of the mix. Since the Week 8 BYE, Parkinson has finished four games with five or more targets, four games with four or more receptions, three weeks with 41+ receiving yards, he has scored six touchdowns, and finished with 14+ Fantasy Points three times.
Colston Loveland (TE, Bears)
Colston Loveland has finished with double-digit Fantasy Points in three of his last four games played. During this stretch, Loveland has been targeted five or more times in each of those games, scored two touchdowns, and produced 63 yards in Week 15. With Rome Odunze missing time due to his foot injury, and Luther Burden III injuring his ankle in Week 15, Loveland’s role can take an even bigger step forward in Week 16.
Audric Estime (RB, Saints)
Devin Neal left Week 15 with a hamstring injury, which meant Audric Estime and Evan Hull earned additional work. Hull rushed the ball four times for 12 yards while Estime rushed three times for 11 yards and also caught three balls for another 39 yards. I was a fan of Estime’s as a prospect, and seeing his role both on the ground and through the air is encouraging if Neal and Kamara miss Week 16. The Jets matchup in Week 16 is also appealing if Estime is the 1A RB1 for the Saints. If either Neal or Kamara are back for Week 16, then you can scratch this one.
Adonai Mitchell (WR, Jets)
Adonai Mitchell caught six of his nine targets for 58 yards and a touchdown for 17.4 Fantasy Points in Week 15. Back in Week 13, Mitchell caught eight of his 12 targets for 102 yards and a touchdown, which was 24.2 Fantasy Points. So in two of Mitchell’s last three games, he has proven to have some quality FLEX upside, even with two different Jets quarterbacks. Mitchell has been a solid target earner as well in the five games as a Jet this season, with six, seven, 12, six, and nine.
CJ Stroud (QB, Texans)
CJ Stroud threw 22/29 (75.9%) for 260 yards and three touchdowns, and had 10 rushing yards for 23.4 Fantasy Points. This was the fourth time Stroud finished with multiple passing touchdowns, the third time he produced 260+ passing yards, and his third week of 21+ Fantasy Points. Up next for Houston is a friendly Raiders matchup in Week 16.
Tyler Shough (QB, Saints)
Tyler Shough threw 24/32 (75%) for 272 passing yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 32 yards, which was 18.08 Fantasy Points. Shough has finished with 17+ Fantasy Points in four of his last five games and with 18+ in three of those. Some other flashes include 282 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in Week 10, 239 passing yards and two touchdowns in Week 13, and 55 rushing yards with two rushing touchdowns in Week 14. The Jets are up next.
Troy Franklin (WR, Broncos)
After seeing a dip in usage in Weeks 13-14, Troy Franklin had a great Week 15 with rookie Pat Bryant out of the mix. Franklin caught all six targets from his former Oregon teammate, Bo Nix, for 85 yards and a touchdown, which was 20.8 Fantasy Points. We cannot just tie this performance to Bryant being out because Franklin has finished four games with 84+ receiving yards, he has scored six touchdowns on the year, and has finished with 20+ Fantasy Points three times. Franklin was once operating as the WR1 for the Broncos for a stretch of weeks, so this big week is encouraging.
Darren Waller (TE, Dolphins)
As I am typing this, Darren Waller caught six of his seven targets for 60 yards and two touchdowns in Week 15 for 24 Fantasy Points. Waller has scored six touchdowns through six appearances, and in three of those weeks, he scored 17+ Fantasy Points. A healthy Waller has plenty of upside when on the field with Tua Tagovailoa.
Jalen Coker (WR, Panthers)
Jalen Coker caught all four targets in Week 15 for 60 yards and a touchdown, for 14 Fantasy Points. This comes after Coker caught four of his six targets in Week 13 (before the Week 14 BYE) for 74 yards and a touchdown, which was 17.4 Fantasy Points. Coker has finished back-to-back games with 15+ yards per catch and FLEX-worthy Fantasy scores.
Theo Johnson (TE, Giants)
Theo Johnson caught three of his four targets for 72 yards in Week 15 for 10.2 Fantasy Points. Johnson led the Giants in receiving yards for Week 15, and this was the third time across the last five weeks he produced 72+ receiving yards. Johnson has finished seven weeks with double-digit Fantasy Points this season.
Tre Harris (WR, Chargers)
Tre Harris caught three of his five targets for 49 yards in Week 15, playing a season-high 85% of the snaps with Quentin Johnston out. The second-round rookie could again operate in an expanded role in Week 16 in an extremely friendly Cowboys matchup that would put him on the FLEX radar if Johnston again is out. I was a big fan of Harris’ prospect profile and believe he can make some splash plays if given the opportunity.
Darius Slayton (WR, Giants)
Darius Slayton caught four of his 10 targets in Week 15 for 53 yards. This comes after catching two balls for 41 yards and a touchdown in Week 13 before the Week 14 BYE. Slayton has three weeks of double-digit Fantasy Points and has historic big-play upside. The Malik Nabers field-stretching role can be Slayton’s weekly with Wan’Dale Robinson operating primarily in the slot.
Jawhar Jordan (RB, Texans)
Jawhar Jordan stepped into the Texans’ RB1 role in Week 15 with Nick Chubb out and Woody Marks exiting the game early. Jordan rushed 15 times for 101 yards (6.7 yards per carry) and also caught two balls for 17 yards. Solid volume resulted in solid production. Head Coach DeMeco Ryans said that Woody Marks could have come back in the game, so this suggestion is only in a world where both Woody Marks and Nick Chubb would miss Week 16.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 16 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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