Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickup Advice
Is your fantasy team in need of new blood? Each week I’ll bring to you the best pickups to make ahead of the waiver deadline. All the players I list will be owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues, with the roster percentages coming from Yahoo.com.
Quarterbacks
Zach Wilson, Jets (7% Rostered): It’s playoffs time, and all that matters at this point when you are hunting for pickups are matchups and potential immediate impact. Wilson was an unthinkable option mere weeks ago, but in a plus matchup vs. Detroit he delivered 317 yards and two touchdowns. The risk is sky high with Wilson because he makes horrendous decisions and is capable of repeated turnovers, but he also can connect for huge plays and has shown he can scramble for big yardage. Garrett Wilson’s emergence as a legitimate WR1 for this team not only raises Wilson’s ceiling, it also opens things up for a resurgent Elijah Moore, and raises Wilson’s floor. This matchup is against Jacksonville, FootballOutsiders’ worst-ranked pass defense. If you are suffering through injuries to Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts or Lamar Jackson, Wilson can put up the points you need in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Kenny Pickett, Steelers (11% Rostered): Pickett has a similarly juicy matchup with the Raiders, but despite a receiving corps on par with, or better than, the Jets’ guys, Pickett hasn’t shown the ceiling that Zach Wilson hit on Sunday. He certainly has weaponry in Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, so if the Raiders force Pittsburgh into a heavy passing game script, Pickett should be able to provide capable production.
Running Backs
Deon Jackson, Colts (8% Rostered): Jackson saw less volume than Zack Moss on Saturday once Jonathan Taylor bowed out early, but that should shift with a full week of preparation. Jackson is a superior back to Moss, and he’s shown the ability to have big fantasy outbursts this year when Taylor was previously out. The Chargers have a bottom-tier run defense, so Jackson should be able to post an RB2 finish or better.
Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (38% Rostered): Allgeier went off for 137 yards and a score this past week, continuing to show that he is a sturdy, capable NFL RB despite his humble draft position. Allgeier still has to contend with Cordarrelle Patterson dominating opportunities near the end zone, limiting his upside, but he’s a very comfortable option if you are in need of volume and someone who will not goose you in your biggest game of the year.
Alexander Mattison, Vikings (33% Rostered): Mattison has zero standalone value, but if you are well-stocked, it makes sense to take shots at these surefire backups, because they can become league-winners in the event of injury to the starter.
Jaylen Warren, Steelers (13% Rostered): Warren, like Mattison, is mostly valueless except in the event of an injury to Najee Harris. Warren’s upside is less than Mattison’s because the Pittsburgh offense is decidedly less potent, but he’d still see a ton of useful volume nonetheless.
Zack Moss, Colts (4% Rostered): Moss is not an exciting player by any means, but in Taylor’s absence vs. Minnesota the Colts handed Moss the rock a whopping 24 times. He did very little with that insane workload (84 yards) and it was the most favorable game script ever with Indianapolis somehow up 33-0. Oh, and they blew that lead, largely because of Moss’ inability to do much with his volume. But that kind of workload can’t be ignored, so if you’re incredibly desperate, Moss should see double-digit carries and has the potential to score a TD.
Wide Receivers
Jahan Dotson, Commanders (17% Rostered): After a few quiet weeks reintegrating into the Washington offense off his multi-week injury, Dotson has resumed scoring touchdowns by finding the painted area in back-to-back weeks. Dotson is a bit difficult to fully trust because Washington has other high-quality pass-catchers – Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel – and a high-variance QB in Taylor Heinicke. As a high-ceiling WR3 though, Dotson is going to scare your opponent. Please beware of the matchup vs. the 49ers though, and be aware that Dotson is by no means a safe play.
Chris Moore, Texans (18% Rostered): Moore is a safer bet than Dotson, but he’s also in a much weaker pass offense. He’s drawn 19 targets in the past two games; he caught 10 passes for 124 yards two weeks ago, and then turned nine targets into just four receptions for 42 yards on Sunday. Moore is clearly the top target for Houston, but that’s just not worth a lot. A WR3 at best, Moore’s a desperation PPR play who can only really be counted on to not goose.
Mecole Hardman, Chiefs (29% Rostered): Hardman is likely to suit up this week, and while he’s unlikely to see a full slate of snaps coming off an injury, he doesn’t need many plays to get the job done. Hardman’s appeal prior to his injury were a handful of plays designed to get the ball in his hands each week. Sometimes they turned into spectacular touchdowns, and sometimes he turned in massive duds. Hardman isn’t anything more than a dart throw for teams dying for some upside, but he’s my favorite bet as a third banana in Kansas City’s high-scoring offense.
Tight Ends
Taysom Hill, Saints (47% Rostered): We got good Hill last week, as he rushed seven times for 30 yards and managed 80 passing yards and a touchdown strike. Ironically enough, he drew zero targets, which is normally the go-to stat for TEs. He’s an utterly unorthodox option, but his week-to-week ceiling is higher than just about anyone at the position. If you don’t have Travis Kelce, Hill is a viable play in your lineup. He just isn’t a safe one.
Juwan Johnson, Saints (21% Rostered): Johnson is an actual TE for the Saints, and a useful one at that. After missing a few weeks he hopped right back into the lineup for New Orleans and promptly scored two touchdowns, bringing his season total to seven in 13 games. Johnson isn’t going to make you happy unless he scores a touchdown, but that’s most TEs these days. If you’re going to play that game, why not roll with a guy who has scored in half his games?