Executing the waiver wire in fantasy football is what will separate the champions from the chumps. Here are some players you should target in Week 16.
Welcome to championship week. For all of you owners out there who are playing for the title, congratulations! Now all you need is one more win and you have full bragging rights for at least a year. This week we are going to switch up our format for the top waiver wire targets.
Instead of breaking it down into the top-five players plus some other players who are flying under the radar, I’m going to give you my favorite players from each position.
Let’s get to it and good luck to all!
For these purposes, we will being using ESPN Fantasy Football as a guideline. Any player that is 50 percent owned or less is eligible.
Quarterbacks
1. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars (39.3 percent owned) – He now has four-straight games with 18.5+ fantasy points and in three of those four games he’s had at least 22.6 points. This week he gets a 49ers defense who has given up two-or-more touchdown passes in eight out of their last nine games. If you are targeting a quarterback on the wire, Bortles is your man.
2. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (45.3 percent owned) – In his first start of the season last week, Foles put up 25.5 fantasy points. His matchup against the Raiders this week is favorable, but isn’t as juicy as people might think. Since John Pagano took over as the Raiders defensive coordinator in Week 12, no quarterback has reached 17 fantasy points. With that said, I still have faith in Foles considering the weapons he has around him.
Running Backs
1. Mike Davis, Seattle Seahawks (35.3 percent owned) – Last week, Davis only finished with six carries, but that was because Seattle was getting their doors blown off by the Rams. This week’s game against the Cowboys will be closer (I mean, it has to be, right?), so Davis should see around 15 carries just like he did in Weeks 13-14.
2. Kerwynn Williams, Arizona Cardinals (35.8 percent owned) – He’s the Cardinals starting running back and has seen 16+ carries in three-straight games. He is dealing with an injury and that’ll be something to monitor. However, if he’s healthy enough to get the start in Week 16, he’ll be a RB2/3 against the Giants.
Wide Receivers
1. Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers (42.1 percent owned) – He now has four-straight games with four-or-more receptions and he’s averaging 11.83 PPR fantasy points over that span. With Antonio Brown already ruled out for Week 16, Bryant should see an uptick in targets and fantasy production.
2. Mike Wallace, Baltimore Ravens (34.4 percent owned) – Since Week 9, Wallace has averaged more PPR fantasy points per game than A.J. Green, Doug Baldwin, Dez Bryant, T.Y. Hilton, Stefon Diggs and Mike Evans. You think about that and then realize he’ll be facing the Colts 30th-ranked passing defense in Week 16.
3. Kendall Wright, Chicago Bears (3.7 percent owned) – The dude has 17 receptions over the last two weeks and has averaged 17.9 PPR points during that span. He’s worth a look in deep PPR leagues.
4. Keelan Cole, Jacksonville Jaguars (1.3 percent owned) – Since Week 12, he’s been the fourth-best PPR wide receiver. Just like with Kendall Wright above, he’s worth a look in deeper leagues.
Tight Ends
1. Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions (30.9 percent owned) – Over the last two weeks, he’s totaled 15 receptions, 127 yards and one touchdown. The Bengals aren’t a spectacular matchup, but they have given up a touchdown to an opposing tight end in two-straight games.
Next: 2017 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings, Week 16: Cam Newton on the Rise
D/ST
1. Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns (29.1 percent owned) – It’s the Browns people. Do I honestly need to say more? In case I do, the Bears have averaged 9.33 fantasy points per game over the last three weeks and I believe they can score at least that many points in Week 16.
2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins (46.1 percent owned) – The Chiefs have now scored double-digit points in back-to-back weeks and opposing D/STs facing the Dolphins have scored double-digit points in four out of the last five games.