Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Early Must-Adds for Week 16
Here are your early must-adds from the Week 16 fantasy football waiver wire.
Week 15 of the 2024 NFL schedule is almost done, with a Monday night doubleheader to be completed. The season may be over for a lot of fantasy football managers as we look to Week 16, but those who still have something at stake have to keep an eye on the waiver wire.
Here are your early must-adds from the fantasy football waiver wire for Week 16.
Note: Yahoo! scoring (0.5-point PPR) is the scoring cited unless otherwise noted.
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
A 62-yard touchdown accounted for a lot of his 84 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but Ford also had two catches for 20 yards as he has five catches on six targets over the last two games.
The biggest headline for Ford is this. After Sunday’s game, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said running back Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot. He is surely out for the season. So Ford is the new lead back in Cleveland, with a couple solid matchups coming (Week 16-Cincinnati Bengals, Week 17-Miami Dolphins).
A running back who’s in line for 15-20 touches a game is a rare breed off the waiver wire at this point in the season. Ford is a must-add in all leagues where’s he’s available.
ESPN Ownership: 32.4%
Yahoo! Ownership: 42%
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints
Miller had nine carries for 46 yards against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Over the last two games, since coming off IR and with Dennis Allen no longer around, he has 19 carries with a rushing touchdown.
Alvin Kamara suffered a groin injury on Sunday, so looking to the new week his status has to be tabbed as questionable. Even if he does play, Miller has earned a noticeable role and the Saints’ coaching staff minus the departed Allen seems inclined to give it to him.
If news on Kamara’s injury turns sour, Miller’s fantasy stock heading into a couple decent matchups (Week 16-Green Bay Packers, Week 17-Las Vegas Raiders) goes up in-kind. In any case, he should be added in 12-team leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 8%
Yahoo! Ownership: 11%
Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets
Rodgers went 16-for-30 for 289 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, while also adding 45 rushing yards on six carries. He has at least 289 yards and/or multiple passing touchdowns in four straight games.
The Los Angeles Rams’ standing against quarterbacks is skewed by the 50-plus fantasy point outing Josh Allen had against them in Week 14, but it’s still a fairly favorable matchup for Rodgers in Week 16. A negative game script is virtually assured against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17, and Rodgers had 294 yards and two touchdowns against them in Week 6.
Rodgers is a solid streaming option in each of the remaining playoff weeks, and if Week 18 matters in your league the Miami Dolphins aren’t a bad matchup either.
ESPN Ownership: 43.8%
Yahoo! Ownership: 34%
Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McMillan had five catches (on six targets) for 75 yards and a touchdown on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. He has three touchdowns over the last two games, with nine catches on 13 targets over that span.
Week 16 brings a favorable matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, who entered Week 15 allowing the 11th-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers doesn’t look quite as good, but they allowed a touchdown to two Cowboys’ wide receivers not named CeeDee Lamb on Sunday. If Week 18 matters in your league, McMillan gets a nice matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
McMillan is shaping up to be a solid WR3 with upside in leagues with at least 12 teams for the rest of the season. He should be rostered in a lot more leagues.
ESPN Ownership: 10.2%
Yahoo! Ownership: 8%
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
Tony Pollard dealing with an ankle injury and a negative game script late brought more opportunity for Spears on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. He had a rushing touchdown (five yards on four carries), along with six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Pollard doesn’t seem to be in danger of missing time, but it’s notable he did not practice at all last week before having to exit Sunday’s game with that ankle issue. So there could be room for Spears to produce in nice matchups against the Indianapolis Colts (Week 16) and Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 17), who entered Week 15 allowing the fifth and second-most fantasy points to running backs respectively.
Spears is still mostly an add in case Pollard misses time. But he’s got a path to being a flex option in 12-team leagues each of the next two weeks
ESPN Ownership: 43.2%
Yahoo! Ownership: 44%
Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
The "boom" side of Bateman was in play on Sunday against the New York Giants, with touchdowns of 49 and 20 yards among his three catches for 80 yards. He has scored in three of his last five games though, and one of the ones he didn’t he he was injured in (Week 13).
A low target share and a high average depth of target (aDOT) is the combination that yields ups and downs in production for a wide receiver, and Bateman is a card-carrying member of that group. Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers is a tough matchup for wide receivers, but Week 17 against the Houston Texans (fourth-most fantasy points allowed to wide receivers entering Week 15) looks pretty good for championship week.
The risk-reward, boom or bust element is inherent with Bateman. But as an upside play, especially in Week 17 (or Week 18, against the Cleveland Browns) he’s worth considering in leagues with 12 or more teams.
ESPN Ownership: 19.1%
Yahoo! Ownership: 25%
