The first week of the fantasy playoffs is almost in the books. (Or not, if you’re a maverick who plays in an 18-week league.)

As always, this piece is meant to give you an early edge on some potential waiver wire claims ahead of Tuesday’s waiver madness.

All players listed played during Sunday’s early slate or before. They are rostered in fewer than 40% of leagues. Let’s dive in.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Early Week 16 Pickups to Add

Jerome Ford (RB – CLE)

Rostered: 32.4%

Nick Chubb exited Sunday’s game, leaving room for Jerome Ford to record nine touches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Ford is a Flex play if Chubb misses time. If Chubb is active, Ford should not be started.

Blake Corum (RB – LAR)

Rostered: 14.7%

Blake Corum isn’t startable at the moment with Kyren Williams healthy. However, he is a solid handcuff. Should Williams miss time for any reason, Corum immediately enters RB2 territory. Corum has 54 total touches for 254 yards and zero touchdowns this season.

Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL)

Rostered: 19.1%

Rashod Bateman caught three of his five targets for 80 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. He’s a bit boom-or-bust, only catching four or more passes in four games this season. However, if you’re in the position where you’re starting someone rostered in fewer than 20% of leagues, you could do a lot worse than taking a shot on Bateman.

Jalen Coker (WR – CAR)

Rostered: 1.4%

Jalen Coker missed three games but made a statement on Sunday in his return. He caught four passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. As a big play threat on a team that should be passing quite a bit because they’ll be losing games and they’re invested in Bryce Young‘s development, Coker is a solid addition in deep leagues.

Brenton Strange (TE – JAX)

Rostered: 2.0%

Evan Engram was ruled out for the rest of the year and Brenton Strange reaped the benefits. Strange caught 11 of his 12 targets for 73 yards on Sunday. Strange is a 2023 second-round pick, so it’s not as if this production is totally out of nowhere. I’ll happily stream Strange at tight end in most formats.

Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR)

Rostered: 39.3%

Before Thursday Night’s rain game, Matthew Stafford had thrown 16 touchdowns in his previous seven games. He’ll get an extra few days rest ahead of the Jets in Week 16, a team that could be tanking for a better draft pick, making Stafford a fine option.

Mac Jones (QB – JAX)

Rostered: 1.5%

Mac Jones, as evidenced by his rostership, is an extremely deep league or Superflex waiver wire add. However, under those circumstances, Jones is a decent play. He’s thrown for 220+ yards three games in a row and gets the Raiders and Titans over the next two weeks.

Los Angeles Rams Defense/Special Teams

Rostered: 5.8%

The Rams are in a playoff push in the NFC West and take on the lowly New York Jets next weekend. Rostered in fewer than 6% of leagues, they’re a consideration, especially if you’re in a deep league.

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