Merry Christmas, fantasy football friends! If you're reading this, you most likely advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Congrats! But the work you do right now could be the most important of your entire season. More often than not, the ones who take down fantasy titles are the ones who prepare not just for the current matchup but also for the potential matchup the following weekend. Our Week 17 waiver wire watchlist will highlight the top prospective streams for Week 17 — guys like Russell Wilson, Zack Moss, and Treylon Burks -- who could be added as free agents right now ahead of next week's waiver buzz.
Nobody in fantasy needs to hear me talk about health issues — every owner has been hit by the injury bug to some degree. But the ones who stashed handcuffs, filled their benches with good depth, and anticipated breakouts were able to absorb the blows much more smoothly. Achieving fantasy glory is not just about start-or-sit decisions — it's also about answering your team's hypothetical "what if" questions and staying two steps ahead of your opponents.
Don't wait until under-the-radar players go off this weekend, or a stud comes off the IR early next week. You could find yourself getting outbid by your championship opponent if he has more FAAB or a higher waiver priority. Instead, anticipate the breakouts, recognize your Week 17 needs, and grab the best available streaming options for free right now.
WEEK 16 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
If you've been with us all season, you've been ahead of the curve on a ton of hits. We recently highlighted Jared Goff, Cam Akers, Zonovan Knight, and Chig Okonkwo, all of whom have been coming up big for their respective teams and skyrocketed in fantasy ownership. We were also all over Justin Fields, Jerick McKinnon, and Zay Jones well before they even sniffed high ownership levels. These waiver-wire wonders are all making for a jolly December and prove that thinking ahead leads to wins.
Unfortunately, some shallower leagues don't feature enough roster spots for "planning ahead," but for those in relatively deep leagues, our week-ahead watchlist could serve as a league-winning resource. Let's check out the players who made the "nice" list. Good luck and happy holidays to all!
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 next week's waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo, unless otherwise specified.
Week 17 Waiver Wire Watchlist: QB streamers
Russell Wilson, Broncos at Chiefs (46 percent rostered)
Somehow, here we are again. We have gone back to the DangeRuss terrain over and over this season, whether for my DFS values column or our weekly fantasy sleepers. We must be gluttons for punishment, but a favorable matchup is a favorable matchup. Against the Chiefs, a subpar secondary with a high-flying, fast-moving offense, this is about as good a streaming option as you'll find in Week 17. The Chiefs have surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to QBs this season, and Wilson's top wideouts Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy should both be available. It feels scary to trust Russ with a championship on the line, but it starts to get easier after you take the first couple of steps down the plank. Just imagine the stress of the owners who end up stuck with Zach Wilson.
Brock Purdy, 49ers at Raiders (32%)
We featured Purdy here last week when he was just 18 percent rostered, and he continued his magnificent Rudy-like run for the Niners. We'll admit it, he's starting to look more consistently efficient than we thought he would. What we like the most is that he spreads the ball around the field, looking very comfortable in the pocket and naturally going through his progressions. With the protection he's afforded by his strong offensive line, not to mention Christian McCaffrey in the backfield keeping defenses honest, we view Purdy as a very strong stream against a poor Raiders secondary that has allowed the fifth-most standard fantasy points to QBs this season.
ONE MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 17 STREAMER WITH A FAVORABLE MATCHUP: Colt McCoy, Cardinals at Falcons (2%)
WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 17 Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB
Zack Moss (34 percent rostered) and Deon Jackson (20%), Colts at Giants
Moss finally got his time to shine for Indy in the wake of Jonathan Taylor's ankle injury early into the Colts' bizarre Week 15 loss to the Vikings. The midseason acquisition stepped up as the workhorse back, totaling 24 carries for 81 yards. We'll take even two-thirds of that kind of volume against a Giants D that has surrendered the ninth-most fantasy points to RBs this season. We're also stashing Jackson, who got plenty of opportunities of his own last week. The second-year back turned 13 carries and one target into 56 yards and a TD, so we'll monitor if he continues to be the more efficient back this weekend against an abysmal Chargers rushing defense. For now, stash both. If you absolutely need to stream one, the early leader in the clubhouse appears to be Moss, but as we all know, a lot can change in a week.
Royce Freeman (1%) and Dare Ogunbowale (2%), Texans vs. Jaguars
Dameon Pierce went down with an ankle injury in Week 14 against the Cowboys, launching veterans Rex Burkhead, Freeman, and Ogunbowale into the waiver discussion. Sure, Houston's offense has not exactly been textbook this season, but opportunity often produces results. Freeman turned 12 opportunities into 56 yards last week against the Chiefs even though Ogunbowale started. He handled eight carries for a measly 14 yards. Burkhead is the clear receiving back for now, but Freeman's 4.6 yards per carry straight off the practice squad leads us to believe he's the "leader" of this Island of Misfit Toys for now. Consider stashing at least Freeman this weekend and re-evaluate ahead of the championship next week.
MORE WORTHWHILE RB ADDS: Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Cardinals (46%); Khalil Herbert, Bears at Lions (41%); Chuba Hubbard, Panthers at Buccaneers (38%); all primary handcuffs of your starting RBs
WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 17 Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR
Treylon Burks, Titans vs. Cowboys (48 percent rostered)
Burks sustained a nasty concussion against Philly in Week 13, and the rookie has missed both of Tennessee's games since then. He has been a full participant in the Titans' practices this week, but coach Mike Vrabel could not specify whether he will play this weekend against Houston. Either way, he needs to be rostered in all leagues ahead of the championship match next week. He's IR-eligible, so if you have an open spot, what in the world are you waiting for? Malik Willis has not shown much passing ability in his limited chances this year, but Burks could still be an x-factor in a Week 17 matchup against a Cowboys' defense allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to WRs.
Marquise Goodwin, Seahawks vs. Jets (18%)
Goodwin has quietly enjoyed a solid season as Seattle's third wideout, posting two fantasy performances of 20-plus points and three in double-digits. He could break out this weekend against a very beatable Chiefs secondary, especially with Tyler Lockett (finger) out due to a broken finger. News out of Pete Carroll and Who-ville is that Lockett's surgery went so well he could be available for Week 17, but as someone who has broken a digit, I must say that sounds a bit ambitious. At the very least, stash Goodwin to see what he can do in a plus matchup this weekend. If he balls out and Lockett sits again next week, you may have hit the jackpot. With Sauce Gardner busy with DK Metcalf and/or Lockett, Goodwin might be a solid stream either way.
MORE SOLID WEEK 17 WR STREAMS: Demarcus Robinson (15%) & DeSean Jackson (1%), Ravens vs. Steelers; Chase Claypool, Bears at Lions (42%); Chris Moore, Texans vs. Jaguars (16%); Romeo Doubs, Packers vs. Viking (17%); Noah Brown, Cowboys at Titans (3%)
WEEK 16 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 17 Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE
Tyler Conklin (29 percent rostered) and C.J. Uzomah (1%), Jets at Seahawks
The Seahawks have achieved this season what most of us thought was impossible: They're allowing the most standard-league fantasy points to TEs. Take a bow, boys! You have made Conklin and Uzomah relevant start 'em-sit 'em pieces. Of course, Uzomah deserves a little praise himself, as he erupted for two TDs out of nowhere last weekend against the Lions, another horrific defense, but Conklin is the more productive, less TD-dependent of this TE room. He's posted 7.8 PPR points in seven different games this season, but we're more interested in his ceiling, like what we saw from him versus New England in Week 8 (six catches, 79 yards, two TDs). Imagine the championship glory!
Jordan Akins, Texans vs. Jaguars (1%)
Akins posted 11.2 PPR points last weekend against the Chiefs, and now he has juicy matchups against the Titans and Jaguars to close out most leagues' fantasy playoffs. We aren't quite ready to promote him to start-worthy status, but with at least five targets in three of the past four games, he's absolutely stash-worthy. Tennessee and Jacksonville both sit amongst the eight most generous defenses to tight ends.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 17 STREAMERS WITH FAVORABLE MATCHUPS: Hunter Henry, Patriots vs. Dolphins (44%); Trey McBride, Cardinals at Falcons (4%); MyCole Pruitt, Falcons vs. Cardinals (1%); Jeff Driskel, Titans vs. Jaguars (13%)
WEEK 16 DFS: Best values | Best stacks
Week 17 Defense Streamers and Sleepers
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Rams (29 percent rostered)
The Chargers have looked much better over the past few weeks, not just on offense. Maybe this defense realizes it has an actual shot at a playoff run now that its pass-catchers have returned to full health. Maybe the defense is just healthier. Either way, this is a terrific Week 17 stream — the Rams are the most-sacked and the second-most intercepted team in the NFL this season.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Texans (13%)
The Jaguars quietly scored 12 standard fantasy points in Weeks 14 and 15, and they have a Week 17 date with Davis Mills, Jeff Driskel, and the lowly Texans. Me gusta.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Jets (33%)
While the Seahawks don't look like a very good defense on paper (they aren't), they have certainly put together a bunch of decent fantasy performances this season. A home game against Zach Wilson or a banged-up Mike White (ribs) sounds very appealing.
Detroit Lions vs. Bears (8%)
Detroit is a relevant D/ST? What the Dickens? It's true, the Lions D has accumulated four double-digit fantasy performances since Week 10, including a nice 13-point effort in a big Week 15 win over the Jets. The Bears allow the fourth-most fantasy points to D/STs, so Detroit has big upside in Week 17.
Miami Dolphins at Patriots (25%)
Not to pile on the Patriots, but their offense is a pile of reindeer excrement. The Dolphins always play the Pats tough late in the season, and they could boat-race them this time around. Considering New England allows the ninth-most fantasy points to D/ST, Miami looks like a great Week 17 option.
Arizona Cardinals at Falcons (20%)
The Cardinals D/ST has had some big performances this year, including four double-digit fantasy performances. Atlanta looks pretty friggin' terrible — like coal in the stocking terrible — with Desmond Ridder under center. Plenty of sacks and turnovers are on the horizon in Week 17.
Cleveland Browns at Commanders (46%)
The Browns are another team that has turned it up defensively for a late-season surge. All-Pro Myles Garrett will have plenty of rest to gear up for a Week 17 holiday feast against Taylor Heinicke and a Commanders' offense that allows the eighth-most fantasy points to D/STs.
New York Giants vs. Colts (11%)
The G-men logged 17 fantasy points in a massive Week 15 win over division-rival Washington, and now they get Nick Foles without the luxury of Jonathan Taylor in fantasy championship week? Yeah, I could imagine worse situations for a streaming D.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Cardinals (3%)
Streaming the Falcons D against either Colt McCoy or Trace McSorley for the 2022 fantasy title is a story you will one day tell your grandkids. It may be worth it just for the potential lifelong bragging rights.
