Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
How are you fantasy football owners feeling after Week 15 semi-finals? Are you going to the championship?
We saw a ton of action Week 15 and saw some productive fantasy outings from last week’s article that included Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Elijah McGuire, Damien Williams, Dante Pettis, and Chris Herndon.
Key Tips:
- Handcuffs, handcuffs, and more handcuffs. If you have learned anything this season, you need to make sure you have handcuffs for your stud running backs. Even if your roster is set for the final week we have seen random injuries pop up this season. Be prepared.
Without further ado, here are your waiver wire targets for Week 16 fantasy championships!
Week 16 Waiver Wire QB Pickups
ESPN: Less than 32% owned
The QB1 overall over the past four weeks averaging 21.8 fantasy points per game, the Buffalo Bills QB has been straight balling! He already broke Mike Vick’s record for the most rushing yards over a three-game span and he got it done with his arm on Sunday. Shows that even if he does not rush for an absurd amount he can still be productive. The rushing ability is just an upside factor for Allen. Do you need to buy into him in as your fantasy football playoffs continue? The Bills are playing the Patriots on the road in Week 16. The Patriots have the fourth-lowest ranked pressure rate in the NFL (9.5%) and are allowing 6.44 yards per carry to the QB position this season. Teams facing the Patriots this season are averaging in total five yards per carry (highest in the NFL). Also, teams facing the Patriots in New England throw an average of 40 times per game.
ESPN: Less than 48% owned
So Baker Mayfield is probably going to be pretty good. Hot take? Seems more like an obvious one than anything else. The Browns are finally winning for the first time since iPhones became a thing. Now it’s important to keep in mind that Mayfield has not surpassed more than 14 fantasy points in three straight games and has compiled 4 touchdowns and 5 turnovers. But in Week 16, Mayfield gets the Hue Jackson led Bengals back in Cleveland. At home against his old head coach, I just can’t see a scenario where the Mayfield and Co. don’t ball out. The last time these two teams faced each other, Mayfield threw for over 250 yards and four touchdowns. He’s a QB1 in Week 16.
ESPN: Less than 14% owned
Always look for teams that underperform on the road, and then have a plus matchup in a home game coming up. That is the play here with Carr on Christmas Eve. The Broncos’ defense allows over 250 passing yards per game and allows two passing touchdowns per game. The Broncos are allowing over 21 points per game this season. In home games this year Derek Carr when the Raiders have scored at least 21 points at home averages 26.08 fantasy points per game. No team over the past four weeks have allowed more attempts, completions, or passing yards than the Broncos.
ESPN: Less than 10% owned
As a Patriots fan, I can say with a firm stance that you should not underestimate Nick Foles. As a fantasy owner, you should not either. We have seen him get hot at random times and be extremely streaky. I think there’s a strong chance he shows up against the Texans in Week 16. The Texans have an elite run defense so the Eagles may be forced to throw more. The Texans over the last four weeks have allowed fifth most passing attempts, fifth-most completions, second-most passing yards, and seventh-most fantasy points to the QB position. The last four quarterbacks they have played have all-thrown for 250 yards and three of them have thrown for more than 300 yards. Houston allows two passing touchdowns per game on the road on average this season.
ESPN: Less than 3% owned
So Sam Darnold at home this season is quietly averaging 21 fantasy points per game. He is coming off his best fantasy outing to date, and the Packers are on the schedule. The Packers this season on the road have allowed the 4th highest yards per attempt (8.1), 249 passing yards per game, and 2.1 passing touchdowns per game. Over the past four weeks, they have allowed the eighth most fantasy points to the QB position. In the potential for a sneaky shootout against Aaron Rodgers (The Jets defense is not good), Darnold has some serious upside this week.
Week 16 Waiver Wire RB Pickups
ESPN: Less than 12% owned
Williams rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and added 42 yards on Sunday. Teammate Aaron Jones sprained his knee during the contest, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Seems ironic that Williams finally gets to take on the load of RB work after Mike McCarthy gets fired. Jones looks probable to miss next week and perhaps the rest of the season, so Williams is the go-to guy. The New York Jets this season have allowed 125 yards per game and 118 yards per game over their last three. That in addition to allowing 4.5 yards per carry.
ESPN: Less than 1% owned
Ballage is headed for a key role in the Miami backfield with Frank Gore (foot) expected to miss the rest of the season, ESPN.com reports. With no Gore, fans expected Kenyan Drake to see an uptick in targets? Nope, that did not happen. Drake saw just four touches versus the 12 carries for Ballage. He turned those carries into 123 yards and touchdown. With the Jaguars who have all been given up at this point up next, Ballage offers interesting flex appeal in Week 16.
ESPN: Less than 34% owned
McGuire had 18 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown while catching three of four targets for 29 yards in Saturday’s loss to the Texans. McGuire was the top backfield option for the Jets with Isaiah Crowell out. He was not great in terms of yardage but salvaged the tough matchup with a touchdown score. The Packers have allowed the seventh-most rushing attempts and eighth-most rushing yards to the RB position over the past four weeks. The Packers are also allowing 1.3 rushing touchdowns per game on the road this season.
ESPN: Less than 12% owned
ESPN: Less than 3% owned
Honorable Mentions: Zach Zenner DET, Keith Ford BUF, Rod Smith DAL, Boston Scott PHI, Darrel Williams KC, D’Onta Foreman HOU, Wendell Smallwood PHI, Darren Sproles PHI
Week 16 Waiver Wire WR Pickups
ESPN: Less than 4% owned
ESPN: Less than 18% owned
Over the past four weeks, the Packers have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to the WR position. Anderson has now seen over the past nine games an average of 6.89 targets per game. On the year Green Bay gives up the 3rd most fantasy points to the WR position.
ESPN: Less than 39% owned
We all saw the release of Mike Williams on Thursday night football. If Keenan Allen is held out of next week’s contest Williams is a top-30 option. Though the Ravens allow the 3rd fewest fantasy points per game to the WR position, the receivers that have gotten heavy volume have produced. Williams saw nine-targets in Week 15. Nine receivers that have gotten nine targets versus the Ravens have seen at least 11 fantasy points. Tyrell Williams is also worth an add, as he had 12 targets last week and has often performed well in the absence of Keenan Allen.
ESPN: Less than 38% owned
Pettis is the WR11 in standard scoring in points per game over the last four weeks of the season. Not sure how he is still available, but he needs to be added and started immediately. The Bears over the past four weeks have allowed the second-most targets to the WR position. With 26 targets over the last four weeks that is second on the team only to George Kittle. Also, Eddie Jackson, the Bears safety will be missing in this game due to an ankle injury which could provide further upside for Pettis.
ESPN: Less than 40% owned
Reynolds reeled in five of his twelve targets for 70 yards in the Rams’ loss on Sunday night.
The Rams as an offense were inefficient again, but Reynolds came extremely close to scoring in this game. Reynolds actually is tied with Robert Woods for the most red-zone targets 12 on the season with 6 coming over the past three weeks. The Arizona Cardinals over the past four weeks have allowed the second-most red zone targets, third-most receiving touchdowns, sixth-most receptions, and seventh-most targets.
ESPN: Less than 34% owned
He is the absolute number one target on Cody Kessler’s radar. Over the past three weeks since Kessler has taken over Westbrook has accumulated a 25.32% target market share. The Dolphins have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the WR position over the past four weeks. Specifically, against slot receivers like Westbrook, Bobby McCain is their primary slot cornerback. He is allowing .4 fantasy points per routes run this season via Pro Football Focus. Westbrook leads the team with 104 routes run over the past three weeks.
ESPN: Less than 40% owned
The San Franciso 49ers are bad against opposing wide receivers. Over the past four weeks, they have allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position because of eight receiving touchdowns.
ESPN: Less than 25% owned
Over the past two weeks post-Emmanuel Sanders injury, Hamilton has 14 receptions for 93 yards and one touchdown on 21 targets. He is obviously a favorite of Case Keenum, and against the Raiders he is a solid play across PPR formats. The Raiders have allowed the seventh-most receiving touchdowns to receivers and the most red-zone targets over the past four weeks. It is worth noting that there is a chance Hamilton does not see the same volume of targets in this matchup. The Raiders this season have allowed the fewest completions per game (18.6). Keenum averages just 21 completions per game in road games this season.
Honorable Mentions: Kenny Stills MIA, Jamison Crowder WAS, Taywan Taylor TEN, Tim Patrick DEN, Michael Gallup DAL, John Ross CIN
Week 16 Waiver Wire TE Pickups
ESPN: Less than 1% owned
Jarwin has now had back to back games with seven targets for the Cowboys. Prescott continually seems to look his way. The matchup this upcoming week is also great versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the tight end position this season. The Buccaneers have allowed the fourth-most receptions to tight ends, and fifth-most targets this season.
ESPN: Less than 5% owned
Tight end streamers are rough this week resulting in availability for a one Matt LaCosse. The Raiders rank dead-last over the past four weeks in fantasy points allowed to the tight end position. You could do worse!
FAAB Spend: 1%
Honorable Mentions: Hunter Henry LAC, Gerald Everett LAR, Anthony Firkser TEN
Defense/Special Teams Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups
Great defense at home versus Jameis Winston. Very solid streaming option. At home this season the Cowboys DST have averaged 8.42 fantasy points per game.
ESPN: Less than 37% owned
The Redskins have a fourth-string quarterback and have allowed the second-most fantasy points to the opposing defenses over the past four weeks.
ESPN: Less than 57% owned
Over the past four weeks, the Jaguars have allowed the fourth-most sacks and fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses.
ESPN: Less than 6% owned
– Andrew Erickson is a fantasy writer for Gridiron Experts. Follow me on Twitter: @AndrewErickson_
WEEK 16 CHAMPIONSHIPS: WHO ARE YOU LOOKING TO ADD #FantasyFootball
— Andrew Erickson™ (@AndrewErickson_) December 18, 2018
Thanks for Reading
Andrew is a Roger Williams University graduate where he majored in Marketing. While there he interned at a sports marketing agency where he had the opportunity to work with many professional athletes like Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
After college, Andrew started to write his own fantasy blogs via WordPress.com to show his friends why he calls himself the Fantasy Football Master. He calls himself this because back in ’07 in his first ever fantasy football league he drafted the Bears defense in the 1st round. He then proceeded to win the entire league. #DefenseWinsChampionships
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