It feels impossible, but we have reached Week 16 of the 2023 NFL season. For the majority of leagues, that means we're approaching the penultimate weekend of the fantasy football playoffs. Unless you have your championship round in the final week for whatever reason, a win this week means you've punched your ticket for a chance at fantasy glory. Our waiver wire watchlist will prepare you for that hypothetical, helping you target the potential Week 17 impact adds who could win you a league title.
Injuries always affect every fantasy team by this time of year, so it's imperative that we prepare for the following week. We need handcuffs, insurance policies, and backup plans. The better our level of preparation, the better our chances of winning it all.
All season long, we have looked ahead to the following week to pinpoint the best value on the waiver wire and predict the potential breakouts of the upcoming weekend. When we anticipate which free agents will yield the most rest-of-season value, we give our squad a better chance to succeed now and later.
Yours truly has highlighted studs before their breakouts all season, a big reason why four of my five teams remain alive despite myriad injuries. Our watchlist has pointed readers in the direction of C.J. Stroud, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, Isaiah Likely, and countless other elite producers when they were all under 50-percent rostered. Now, those guys look like league-winners — not bad for speculative adds that cost $0 in FAAB and didn't use up a waiver priority.
We've been telling you all year: make the most of your open roster spots, or one of your opponents will. Try to anticipate who will be Week 17's top pickups after strong performances this weekend. Be proactive about your injury issues and bad matchups by choosing your upcoming streamers now. By adding potential boom players as free agents before they break out, you find solid production without burning a valuable waiver claim or FAAB money.
WEEK 16 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit
Beat your potential championship round opponent to the punch and target your Week 17 needs now. When we plan ahead and get our first streaming choices for the following weekend, we optimize our lineup and set ourselves up for success. Our waiver-wire watchlist helps you think about the future while your opponents are just thinking about the present.
Some shallower leagues don't feature enough roster spots to really take advantage of "planning ahead" — but for those in leagues that do, our week-ahead watchlist will be just as valuable now as it has been all season. These last two weeks are for all the bananas, people — our roster decisions or indecisions now could wind up being the difference between eternal glory and permanent regret.
WEEK 16 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 16, looking forward to the players who could be popular waiver wire targets ahead of Week 17. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are free agent options you could grab early to beat the waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50
percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified.
Week 17 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: QB
Derek Carr, Saints at Buccaneers in Week 17 (39 percent rostered)
Carr always seems to make multiple appearances in this column, as well as my weekly DFS sleepers and values column, each season. He's back in the limelight now because (a) he's coming off his best fantasy performance of the season, a 26-point gem against the Giants, and (b) he faces two of the eight most generous defenses to fantasy QBs in the semifinals and championship round. If he shows out again on Thursday against the Rams in L.A., you might have some competition in your bid for his services in Week 17 against the Bucs. He's a high-floor stream and a high-ceiling backup plan. Roll into the semis with one QB at your own risk.
Jake Browning, Bengals at Chiefs (46%)
Nobody seems to be talking about him, but Browning has been fantastic over the Bengals' three-game winning streak. During that span, he has averaged 26.4 fantasy points per game and accumulated seven total TDs (five passing, two rushing). Next week he faces a Kanas City D that over the past four games has allowed QBs to throw for an average of 232 passing yards and rack up seven total TDs. Put some Browning into your Christmas Eve buffet.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 17 QB STREAMS: Gardner Minshew, Colts vs. Raiders (28%); Tommy DeVito, Giants vs. Rams (7%); Bryce Young, Panthers at Jaguars (12%); Taylor Heinicke, Falcons at Bears (4%)
WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 17 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB
Tyjae Spears, Titans (44 percent rostered)
In case nobody has noticed, Derrick Henry might be over the RB hill. Over his past two games, he has 43 rushing yards in 33 carries. Last week, he became the first back ever to amass fewer than 20 total yards on 20 touches in a game. Just in case this awful run continues for the former two-time rushing champ — or it's revealed he's hurt and he gets shut down — you might want to pick up Spears. Tennessee draws an easy matchup with Seattle this weekend and then the beatable Texans next weekend, so he could wind up a fantasy starter if he becomes the real-life starter.
Roschon Johnson, Bears (22%)
We've been waiting for Johnson's breakout all season, and maybe this is the weekend it finally happens. Chicago draws an Arizona defense that Christian McCaffrey just skewered for 41.7 PPR points, pushing the Cards up to the most generous defense to running backs in fantasy land. The rookie back was the only Bears RB to put up a decent game last week, with Khalil Herbert tallying eight yards on six runs and D'Onta Foreman finishing with -6 yards on six runs (I'm not even mad...I'm impressed!). Pick Johnson up in case he finally becomes the man.
Zamir White, Raiders (22%)
How can White be rostered in just 22 percent of leagues? He just had a great game last week in place of the injured Josh Jacobs (quad), and he will clearly be the main man if and when Jacobs misses more time for the six-win Raiders. He's the bruising back of the Vegas backups, so we don't worry one bit about receiving back Ameer Abdullah cutting into his usage if Jacobs gets shut down. Even though it appears Jacobs is on track to return this week, we're still rostering White in 12-team leagues and deeper-roster formats just in case. The Raiders face Indy in championship week, a top-four matchup for fantasy backs.
MORE RB HANDCUFFS AND POTENTIAL STREAMS: Chase Brown, Bengals (20%); Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (47%); Jerick McKinnon (42%) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (39%), Chiefs; Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles (28%); Samaje Perine, Broncos (25%); Joshua Kelley, Chargers (14%); Isaiah Spiller, Chargers (1%)
WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 17 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR
Noah Brown, Texans vs. Titans (47 percent rostered)
It's insane that Brown is rostered in fewer than half of all Yahoo leagues. He just scored over 22 PPR points, the third time since Week 9 he has put up a monster stat line. Nico Collins remains banged up and questionable for Week 16 with a calf injury. Brown is questionable, too, with a knee injury, but if he suits up and Collins does not, Brown seems like a high-upside flex option. If C.J. Stroud gets out of concussion protocol, we're playing Brown regardless of Collins' status. At the very least, you have to stash him in case he goes off again this weekend. Houston draws a lowly Titans secondary in Week 17.
Curtis Samuel, Commanders vs. 49ers (38%)
Samuel has quietly been a very effective wideout for the Commanders this season and has been a diamond in the rough for fantasy owners. He has posted seven double-digit performances throughout the campaign, and he has 50.6 PPR points over Washington's past three games! He's probably not a great start this week against a stifling Jets secondary, but we wouldn't hesitate to throw him in our Week 17 lineups against the 49ers, one of the 12 most generous defenses to wideouts this season.
Demarcus Robinson, Rams at Giants (9%)
Robinson has all but rendered Tutu Atwell obsolete in Los Angeles -- and not just because Tutu has been battling some injuries. Sean McVay has incorporated Robinson on some end-arounds as well as some fade routes for touchdowns, utilizing the veteran speedster's quickness and sure hands. It feels weird starting such a deep sleeper late in the fantasy playoffs, but the dude has averaged nearly 15 PPR points over the past three weeks! If his target share stays friendly this week, he's more than worthy of a flex start in Week 17.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 17 WR STREAMS: Joshua Palmer (40%) and Quentin Johnston (20%), Chargers at Broncos; Rashid Shaheed, Saints at Bucs (45%); Jonathan Mingo, Panthers at Jaguars (13%); Michael Gallup, Cowboys vs. Lions (12%); Rondale Moore, Cardinals at Eagles (9%); Parker Washington, Jaguars vs. Panthers (5%)
Week 17 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE
Gerald Everett, Chargers at Broncos (42 percent rostered)
Everett has been a fairly dependable tight end when healthy this season, making up for the many injuries the Bolts' wide receiver room has sustained along the bumpy road that has been 2023. Even with Easton Stick under center, Los Angeles should be able to get its veteran tight end involved against the Broncos, who have surrendered more fantasy points to tight ends than any other NFL team this season.
Cade Otton, Buccaneers vs. Saints (33%)
Otton has scored just 16 PPR points over the past two weeks, but he draws two top-10 TE matchups the rest of the way. First up is the Jaguars, who have surrendered a whopping 45.1 PPR points to tight ends over the past two weeks. Then in Week 17, the Bucs face the Saints, who surrendered 82.9 combined PPR points to Cole Kmet, T.J. Hockenson, and Sam LaPorta between Weeks 9 and 13. Otton also scored against New Orleans earlier in the year, so the streaming floor and ceiling are both high for the Bucs tight end the rest of the way.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 17 TE STREAMS (last resorts): Chig Okonkwo, Titans at Texans (33%); Jonnu Smith, Falcons at Bears (15%); Tucker Kraft, Packers at Vikings (13%); Hunter Henry, Patriots at Bills (27%); Juwan Johnson, Saints at Bucs (12%)
Week 17 fantasy defense streamers and sleepers
Indianapolis Colts vs. Raiders (48 percent rostered)
The Colts have been incredible — at least as a D/ST — over the past two months, and yet nobody seems interested in picking them up. Indy has averaged 15.3 fantasy points per game since Week 9, aided by 25 sacks, nine interceptions, four fumbles recovered, and four defensive TDs (and a partridge in a pear tree?)! A home game against Aidan O'Connell and the Raiders seems like a very viable championship-round start.
Atlanta Falcons at Bears (41%)
The Falcons' defense has completely transformed this season with Jessie Bates II at safety and a handful of stud veterans on the defensive line. Justin Fields and the Bears make enough mistakes to warrant stream consideration in Chicago next week, especially if cold weather and the elements come into play.
Houston Texans vs. Titans (37%)
You had me at "home game against Will Levis or Ryan Tannehill and the Titans." Tennessee has turned the ball over six times in the past three weeks, and even Derrick Henry is struggling. Houston has logged double-digit D/ST points in two of the past three weeks and now draws Joe Flacco and the turnover-prone Browns this weekend. This D won't be available in over 65 percent of leagues after waivers process next week.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Panthers (41%)
The Jaguars' secondary has been porous this season, but Carolina struggles to pass the ball anyway. Jacksonville has a high enough floor to make it a solid start next week considering Panthers' opponents have averaged the fourth-most D/ST points in fantasy this season. Just don't necessarily expect a week-winning defensive performance.
Chicago Bears vs. Falcons (26%)
Arthur Smith doesn't know who to start at QB, he thinks it's smart to punish stud rookie back Bijan Robinson for fumbling, and he just managed to let Atlanta lose to the Panthers in Week 16. The guy couldn't coach himself out of a paper bag. Chicago as a stream would have been laughable earlier in the season, but over the past three weeks, this defense has scored 15 fantasy points per game! The sack and takeaway opportunities should remain strong against Arizona this week and Atlanta next week.
Los Angeles Rams at Giants (20%)
Aaron Donald and the Rams aren't as dominating as they used to be, but they might look like All-Pros against Tommy DeVito and the Giants in a cold-weather game. There's plenty of upside here.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Steelers (21%)
It has been a bit volatile, but the Seahawks' defense has enjoyed plenty of big moments this season. Plenty more big moments lie ahead for this unit, starting with a matchup with Will Levis and the Titans this week and then a Week 17 tilt with either Mason Rudolph or a gimpy Kenny Pickett next week. Fortune favors the bold, fantasy friends!
It has been a pleasure putting together the waiver wire watchlist for our loyal readers this season. Thanks for reading, and please have a happy and safe holiday with your loved ones! And may the odds be in your fantasy teams' favor the rest of the way! -Sloan
