The Week 17 waiver wire is the final opportunity to add players and secure your league’s title. There’s no need to worry about who you drop or which players to stash for the future. Our business for Week 17 is winning championships. Let’s look at players worth picking up to finish the job.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Players to Target
K.J. Osborn, Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings
After losing both T.J. Hockenson (knee) and Jordan Addison (ankle) to injuries in Week 16, the obvious beneficiary in the Vikings’ passing game is K.J. Osborn. His seven targets are second only to Justin Jefferson’s 10 this past Sunday. Osborn caught five of them for 95 yards and a touchdown. Osborn is the top Week 17 waiver wire add with the assumption that Hockenson and Addison do not play this week. Even if one is able to take the field, Osborn should see an uptick is usage in this pass-heavy offense. The Vikings host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, the final game of Week 17. Osborn may be in a position to be a league winner as a Week 17 waiver wire pickup.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs
It’s crazy to think adding a player from the Kansas City Chiefs comes with some risk. Their offense is out of sorts with an average of just 19.25 points per game over their last four. To make matters worse, Isiah Pacheco may be out in Week 17 after suffering a concussion against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday. That leaves Clyde Edwards-Helaire to run the backfield as Jerick McKinnon is currently on Injured Reserve. Edwards-Helaire is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season on 68 total rush attempts. However, he has 28 carries in his last three games, but for just 2.92 yards per carry. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is a volume-based option on the Week 17 waiver wire as he’s drawn 11 total targets in his last three games, as well.
Derek Carr, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
You know we’re in the end game if I’m suggesting picking up Derek Carr. He’s worth adding on the Week 17 waiver wire because it’s for one game and one game only. Carr gets redemption against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers whom he scored just 3.18 fantasy points against in Week 4. As of late, the Bucs defense has allowed at least 284 yards passing and two passing touchdowns in each of their last three games. Carr himself is playing his best football with 537 total passing yards in his last two games with exactly three passing scores in each, as well. If you’re streaming a quarterback in the fantasy football finals, Derek Carr is my top add at the position on the Week 17 waiver wire.
Gerald Everett, Tight End, Los Angeles Chargers
If you’re in your league’s championship, you probably have a tight end on your roster that you trust. If not, or if you’re waiting on T.J. Hockenson’s (knee) availability, my top tight end pickup on the Week 17 waiver wire is Gerald Everett. In two full games with Easton Stick under center, Everett has eight targets in each game. His 16 targets lead the team in Stick’s two starts accounting for a 25.3% target share. Everett has 10 total receptions for 80 total yards but has yet to find the end zone. Lucky for Everett, his Week 17 matchup is against the Denver Broncos defense who have given up a league-high 10 touchdown to tight ends this season.
Other Players to Consider
Jaleel McLaughlin, Running Back, Denver Broncos
McLaughlin could see more touches in Week 17 after the Denver Broncos were all but eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday night. In the loss to the New England Patriots, McLaughlin rushed six times for a strong 37 yards adding four catches on five targets for another 30 yards. He flat-out looked better than Javonte Williams out of the Broncos’ backfield. Williams had just 19 total yards on 14 touches with a fumble but rushed for a touchdown and caught a two-point conversion. McLaughlin has earned more run and could get it in a favorable matchup at home against the porous Los Angeles Chargers run defense.
Baker Mayfield, Quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield is averaging 22.97 fantasy points over his last three games. He and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New Orleans Saints this week. Mayfield’s second-best fantasy output this season was on the road against the Saints in Week 4 after throwing for 246 yards, three touchdowns, and adding another 31 yards as a runner. The Buccaneers are in pursuit of the NFC South division title, as well. They are on a four-game win streak so adding Baker Mayfield as a streaming quarterback on the Week 17 waiver wire is a good call as he has a safe floor in this matchup. It’s worth noting Matthew Stafford just scored 20.72 fantasy points against this Saints defense in Week 16.
Khalil Herbert, Running Back, Chicago Bears
Herbert is hard to trust in Week 17, but did log 20 rush attempts out of the Chicago Bears backfield in Week 16. He led the way for 112 yards in a fantasy-friendly matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. Doing so in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons defense will be difficult. They’ve allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. That includes just one rushing touchdown allowed to the position. I’m only adding and starting Herbert if truly necessary. It’s not common to find a running back on the Week 17 waiver wire that’s capable of rushing 20 times in a game.
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty