Fantasy football waiver wire Week 16 adds: Eight players to pick up in your playoffs

Posted by Admin December 15, 2024 Football

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The first week of the fantasy playoffs is behind us. If you’re one of the lucky few still standing, you may be bloodied, bruised, and broken, but you’re still alive, and that means you’ll need a solid roster to win your semifinal matchup.

Unfortunately, with NFL scheduling getting odd around Christmas time, it will be difficult to understand the severity of some injuries with such short notice, which means teams could be more likely to rest star players in an effort to preserve them for the postseason.

Kansas City Chiefs‘ star Patrick Mahomes suffered an ankle injury late in his team’s win over the Cleveland Browns. With the Chiefs set to play two more games over the next 11 days, the Chiefs could be more inclined to leave Mahomes on the bench. How does that affect the Chiefs on your roster? And who should you grab to replace them? That’s what we’re here to answer.

Here are eight players to pick up ahead of your Week 16 matchups. All roster numbers are provided via Yahoo Sports.

Waiver wire adds for Week 16

RB Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

(Rostered in 42% of leagues)

Ford did not earn more carries than Nick Chubb in Sunday’s loss to Kansas City, but he did outperform him. Ford was more efficient with his carries; he was used more in the passing game; he found the end zone. While not being the bell cow in the Browns’ backfield, Ford has put up at least seven points in three straight weeks, but his volume should increase as he continues to prove valuable to a struggling Cleveland offense.

Ford has averaged just under six yards a carry on 26 carries over his last three games. Chubb has averaged under 3.8 on 29 carries in that same span. It’s only a matter of time before Ford takes the lead role, and Chubb’s injury could give Ford the opportunity to work in that lead role immediately in Week 16.

RB Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills

(Rostered in

Although James Cook and Ray Davis take the bulk of rushing work, Ty Johnson might be the lead pass-catcher out of Buffalo’s backfield. He had multiple receptions over 20 yards on Sunday against Detroit, and has scored double-digit PPR fantasy points in two straight games.

WR Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

(Rostered in 41% of leagues)

Coleman had started to experience a breakout, scoring 34.5 points between Weeks 7 and 8. Then, he suffered an injury that kept him out for four games. In that time, no receiver for Buffalo has been able to take that next step as Allen’s No. 1. Sure, Khalil Shakir might still be the go-to guy, but as Coleman gets healthier, you should bet more on the second-round rookie getting increased passing volume over Shakir.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants

(Rostered in 33% of leagues)

While Wan’Dale Robinson has failed to score double-digit fantasy points in four straight games, he still gets a ton of volume, having earned 20 targets over the last two weeks.

In fantasy football, volume is king, and eventually those targets will turn into production. You just have to have faith, which is understandably tough to have when Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito are throwing the football, but volume overcomes all bad situations eventually.

QB Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

(Rostered in 34% of leagues)

After a 30-point performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Rodgers’ schedule doesn’t get much tougher, facing a Los Angeles Rams’ defense that has given up 20 points per game to opposing quarterbacks. That ranks outside the top-20 in the NFL.

WR Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers

(Rostered in 41% of leagues)

While Ladd McConkey has established himself as Justin Herbert’s top target, Quentin Johnston has been pretty solid for most of the year. He’s scored a touchdown in two straight games, has at least 10 PPR points in 5 of his last 7 contests, and has earned at least five targets in 5 of his last 7.

TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

(Rostered in 2% of leagues)

While Brian Thomas Jr. stole headlines with over 100 yards and two touchdowns, Strange actually led the Jaguars in receptions (11). With Evan Engram out for the season, Strange should continue seeing a very solid workload.

WR Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(Rostered in ~10% of leagues)

Many people believed McMillan would take off as soon as Mike Evans got injured in Week 7. He didn’t. In fact, it took Evans’ return for McMillan to establish a role in Tampa Bay’s offense, but he has done so.

McMillan has earned at least seven targets in each of the last two games for the Bucs and has three touchdowns in that span. Definitely worth a pick up at this point in the season.