We’re doing things a little differently for the Week 16 waiver wire. Usually, I’m ranking the below players by position telling you which ones to prioritize to keep your roster strong throughout the season. However, these are different times. It’s Week 16 and fantasy football semifinals. There are only three other managers in your league attacking the wire with you. So, let’s just rank the players by importance regardless of position. Depending on injuries, if you need a specific player at a specific position, obviously rank them higher for your own needs. Other than that, I’ll see you back here next week for finals prep! Good luck!
Week 16 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Players to Target
Ty Chandler, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings
It’s possible that Ty Chandler is still available on your league’s waiver wire. He had just 49 total carries in nine games before his Week 15 breakout. He also played on Saturday. So, if your league didn’t take his potential seriously, you won’t be making the same mistake on the Week 16 waiver wire.
Chandler is now the lead back for the Minnesota Vikings. His 81% of snaps in Week 15 picked up where he left off in Week 14 when he played 83% of the snaps upon Alexander Mattison’s exit due to an ankle injury. Chandler is incredibly explosive and a rare opportunity to add a workhorse back this late in the season. His 132 rushing yards and a top-five finish at his position all speaks for itself.
Noah Brown, Wide Receiver, Houston Texans
It’s no wonder Noah Brown put together another 20+ point performance in Week 15. With both Tank Dell and Nico Collins unavailable due to injury, Noah Brown filled in as the de facto WR1 for the Texans’ offense. This time, though, Brown was catching passes from Case Keenum! His 11 targets are a team-high and good enough for a 32% target share.
Tank Dell is out the remainder of the season, but the Texans may move into Week 16 without Nico Collins once again. He is dealing with a calf injury, something that continues to plague him this season. Brown should remain the top target in an expected return of C.J. Stroud to quarterback this playoff-hopeful team. In a tough matchup against a stingy Cleveland Browns defense, Noah Brown is a volume-based WR3, at worst, especially at home.
Tyler Boyd, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals
Prioritizing Tyler Boyd on the Week 16 waiver wire would be more important if Joe Burrow was under center for the Bengals. However, with Jake Browning, the ball is spread around far more often to players like rookie Charlie Jones and tight end Tanner Hudson. Still, Boyd drew five targets in Week 15 and should see plenty more with Ja’Marr Chase set to miss time with a separated shoulder.
I expect Boyd and Higgins to lead the Bengals in targets when the Bengals head to Pittsburgh in Week 16. Tee Higgins will be the main focus for the Steelers defense, opening things up that much more for Boyd. It’s worth noting Gardner Minshew toss three touchdowns against Pittsburgh last week.
Justice Hill, Running Back, Baltimore Ravens
Let me start by saying that I prefer Gus Edwards to Justice Hill on the Week 16 waiver wire. However, given Edwards’ red zone usage and 11 rushing touchdowns this season, he is likely unavailable. Both of their values go up in the wake of rookie Keaton Mitchell’s season-ending torn ACL. Lamar Jackson is always a threat to log a handful of rush attempts himself, but this team flat-out prefers to run the ball. Period. So, whoever does so is worth having on your roster just in case.
Justice Hill has a chance to lead the Baltimore Ravens’ backfield in snaps and/or touches any given week. While he is 92 carries behind Gus Edwards on the season, Hill does have six more receptions on nine more targets. I know it’s not much, but again, without Keaton Mitchell, we could see Hill’s role increase, especially on third down in the passing game. You should have better options to start in 10 and 12-team leagues, but he should probably be on rosters.
Curtis Samuel, Wide Receiver, Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders lead the league with 545 pass attempts this season. One would think a player like Terry McLaurin is dominating the target share and having a career season. Quite the opposite. While McLaurin is leading the team in targets (112), receptions (66), and yards (835), Curtis Samuel has just 10 fewer receptions and two more touchdowns. In fact, Samuel has more receiving touchdowns (4) than McLaurin (3) alone, but a rushing touchdown, as well.
You may be without Keenan Allen, Chris Olave, Michael Pittman Jr., Ja’Marr Chase, or plenty of other big-name receivers that got you this far. If you need to replace them on the Week 16 waiver wire, don’t overlook Curtis Samuel. His nine targets in Week 15 is not much of an outlier. Samuel averages just shy of six per game. He should be busy in a battle with the New York Jets this Sunday.
Nick Mullens, Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings
Are you really going to start Nick Mullens in the semi-finals of your fantasy football league? If there is ever a year to do so, it’s 2023, baby! I don’t need to tell you how brutal the quarterback position is this season, namely due to injuries. So, if you’re this far into the season playing the streaming game, Mullens is the best option on the Week 16 waiver wire.
The Minnesota Vikings are the fourth pass-heaviest team in the league this season. In Nick Mullens’ first start, they leaned on the run (see Ty Chandler above) throwing the ball 34 times. That ranks 14th in the league for Week 15. On just 34 attempts, Mullens posted 19.1 fantasy points for a QB11 finish. You’re not going to find a quarterback on the Week 16 waiver wire with better weapons than Mullens. He, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison host the Detroit Lions on Sunday in a meaningful NFC North battle.
Hunter Henry, Tight End, New England Patriots
It’s hard to watch the Patriots each week, but Hunter Henry is an occasional bright spot. Henry continues to be the lead target for a team that desperately lacks receivers. His nine targets in Week 15 are a season-high of which he hauled in seven for 66 yards and a score. He now has three touchdowns in his last two games.
You probably have a tight end on your roster already worth starting over Hunter Henry. It’s hard to imagine you made it to Week 16 without one, but crazier things have happened. Henry does have the absolute best matchup for a tight end which is mostly why he is the top player at his position on the Week 16 waiver wire. The Denver Broncos allow the most fantasy points per game to tight ends including a league-leading nine receiver touchdowns. That also includes the second-most total yards (958) and third-most total receptions (85) this season.
Tyjae Spears, Running Back, Tennessee Titans
Week 15 is a forgettable one for the entire Titans backfield. Spears and Derrick Henry combined for 9.7 total PPR points. After averaging just over four targets per game coming into Week 15, Spears drew just one for only the second time this season. He is still a flex in some formats alongside, not behind, Derrick Henry making him worth picking up on the Week 16 waiver wire in 12 or more team leagues.
If something were to happen to Derrick Henry this week, Spears would be the lead back in another crack at the Houston Texans after losing to them this past week. Despite the poor performances, Spears played just one less snap than Henry, but has three more total snaps than Henry this season.
Other Players Worth Consideration
Zamir White, Running Back, Las Vegas Raiders
I believe that if the Raiders played on Sunday rather than Thursday in Week 15, Josh Jacobs would have given it a go. I’m not a doctor, of course, but from scouring practice reports and inside info, it sounds like Jacobs was close to playing after what appeared to be a potentially serious knee injury a few days prior. Zamir White carried the load in a 63-21 win rushing 17 times for 69 yards, one touchdown, and 17.5 fantasy points. He is the best bet to lead the way again in Week 16 if Jacobs sits for a second straight week. He’s only this low on my Week 16 waiver wire rankings is my belief Jacobs returns to the field. If you feel differently, make him a priority!
Joshua Palmer, Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Chargers
Obviously, a 79-yard touchdown catch is going to make you a talking point after Week 15. However, since the Chargers got blown out, and on Thursday, it seems many have forgotten about Palmer’s big night. He caught all four of his targets for 113 yards and a touchdown. We’ve seen him play in place of both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams before. If Allen remains out in Week 16, I expect Palmer to lead L.A. in targets this week in a negative game script when hosting the Buffalo Bills.
Gerald Everett, Tight End, Los Angeles Chargers
It’s only right to follow up Palmer with his teammate Gerald Everett if in need of a tight end on the Week 16 waiver wire. His eight targets did lead the Chargers in Week 15 lending to a healthy 25.8% target share. Quarterback Easton Stick has some extra time to prepare for Week 16, his second game as a starter. With a new, interim head coach and not much left to lose, Stick might just push the ball to whoever he’s most comfortable doing so. Gerald Everett fits that mold.
Jake Browning, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
It’s hard to rank Jake Browning any higher on the Week 16 waiver wire targets list without Ja’Marr Chase available to him. However, Browning does have three straight weeks of 20 or more fantasy points. He is the QB4 with 23.4 points per game over his last three. I can’t suggest Matthew Stafford all throughout last week, knowing he has played very similarly in the short-term, and not mention Browning as a top Week 16 waiver wire add for quarterback needy teams
Rashid Shaheed, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints
Coming off of a quad injury, Rashid Shaheed is one of 10 New Orleans Saints to catch a pass in their 24-6 win over the New York Giants. His 6.6 fantasy points are nothing special, but Shaheed could see an increase in work the further he’s removed from the injury. Speaking of injuries, Chris Olave will be the player to watch as the Saints prepare for Thursday Night Football in Week 16. If Olave is unable to go due to his Week 14 ankle injury, Shaheed is a boom-or-bust flex play in deeper leagues and teams that need upside. He is one deep shot downfield from plugging him into your lineup worth it. He is not worth the roster spot upon Olave’s return, though.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs
Choosing to keep Isiah Pacheco off of the Injured Reserve a few weeks back indicated he may not miss the mandatory four games for players placed as such. After missing the last two, it sounds like Pacheco has a real shot at playing in Week 16. That absolutely tanks Edwards-Helaire’s value if so, especially with the presence of Jerick McKinnon. Edwards-Helaire has led the backfield in snaps and carries each of the last two weeks, as well, but with just 76 total rushing yards to show for it. I still prefer McKinnon to him, but he’s most likely not available on the Week 16 waiver wire.
Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver, Detroit Lions
Williams’ seven targets in Week 15 are a career-high. It’s his first game with more than two touches in his career. If this were Week 3, I would be ranking Williams higher on the Week 16 waiver wire, but banking on this volume to continue is playing with dynamite this late in the season. After all, he only caught four of his targets for 47 scoreless yards. We just know he’s able to break open a game and rack up fantasy points with one big play.