Week fifteen of the 2019 NFL season is in the books and you’ve made every mistake a person can make. You thought Chris Godwin would lead you through the fantasy playoffs… and you were wrong. You thought Dalvin Cook would lead you through the fantasy playoffs… And you were wrong. You thought you’d make it through the fantasy football playoffs… and boy, were you wrong. You and your team are dead men walking. Lucky for you, there are waiver wire options to save you from defeat. If I don’t mention someone whom you think I should be talking about, just know there are many reasons why I overlooked them. Maybe they are owned in most leagues. Or, maybe they are so bad I don’t even consider them. You are here looking for answers, not excuses. So let us examine our best week sixteen waiver wire players for your championship.
Week Sixteen Waiver Wire Quarterbacks
Should I Pick Up Ryan Fitzpatrick? (25% Ownership)
The fact of the matter is that if you need a desperation quarterback to start and you go with Ryan Fitzpatrick, you either end up the hero or the heel. Fitzpatrick is wildly erratic as a starter. The good news is, he’s done pretty well against mediocre teams this year. The better news is he faces the Cincinnati Bengals, who practically invented mediocrity in today’s NFL. They also have given up the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. So if you need a miracle, pick up Fitzmagic.
Should I Pick Up Gardner Minshew? (15% Ownership)
We started the year learning to love the stache, so why not end that same way? Gardner Minshew is a solid, high-floor guy. In week sixteen, he will be playing an Atlanta Falcons team that has given up the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Only one question remains: Will Minshew Mania be appearing in your fantasy finals?
Week Sixteen Waiver Wire Running Backs
Should I Pick Up Kerryon Johnson? (39% Ownership)
39% Ownership – Remember Kerryon Johnson? He’s back, in RBBC form! The talented sophomore qualifies to come off the IR this weekend, and all signs point to him pulling it off to get his feet back under him. Early reports indicate he’ll be in a running back by committee, as well. He gets a good Denver defense this week, so he isn’t an advised add, but given his name, we had to include him.
Should I Pick Up Alexander Mattison? (39% Ownership)
With Dalvin Cook injured in week fifteen, the biggest question is which handcuff to grab. The Vikings have one of the best running games in the NFL and owning the lead back for the finals could be your golden ticket. The problem with Mattison is he missed week fifteen with an ankle injury. If he is active for week sixteen, he is arguably a top-ten play, as they will be facing a Green Bay Packers defense that has given up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. However, if he doesn’t play, you just picked up an inactive player.
Should I Pick Up Mike Boone? (3% Ownership)
This brings us to Mike Boone. After Cook went down, Boone had 13 carries for 56 yards and one touchdown. While those numbers might not seem impressive, consider that he ended week fifteen as an RB1, despite only seeing major action at the start of the third quarter. If you are desperate for running back help, or more importantly, your opponent is, you should definitely take a hard look at Boone. Also realize that because this is fantasy football, they will probably inject Dalvin Cook with Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup, Cortisone and some blend of the Super Saiyan formula and we will all be wondering why we were scrambling so hard on the waiver wire.
Should I Pick Up Myles Gaskin? (0% Ownership)
We spent like three weeks chasing Patrick Laird, who nobody had even heard of. Now, actual draft pick in the NFL draft, Myles Gaskin, gets touches in week fifteen and plays the eighth-best matchup for running backs next week. He’s a desperation play but lots of touches against a bad defense? I’ve seen some weaker hail mary plays convert.
Week Sixteen Waiver Wire Wide Receivers
Should I Pick Up Anthony Miller? (26% Ownership)
It’s only getting better for Anthony Miller. After posting his first hundred-yard game in week fourteen, Anthony Miller went to town on a tough Packers secondary, hauling in nine catches for 118 yards and one touchdown in week fifteen. Over the last four weeks, Miller has been a top-ten fantasy receiver. Even more impressive, during that stretch, only Michael Thomas has more targets. If you need wide receiver help, Anthony Miller is one of the top options on the waiver wire.
Should I Pick Up Chris Conley? (22% Ownership)
After weeks of teasing us with lots of targets, D.J. Chark’s absence let Conley bust through with a two-touchdown day. Doctors cleared Conley for running and cutting, so he may return this weekend. That throws a wet blanket on the Conley pickup, but he’s worth adding down your priorities list just in case. The Jags wrap up the fantasy football season against the Falcons and their questionable secondary.
Should I Pick Up Breshad Perriman? (12% Ownership)
If your first thought on hearing that Breshad Perriman was the number one fantasy receiver in week sixteen wasn’t “He’s still in the league,” you are a better football fan than I am. But football fans and fantasy owners won’t forget him soon, not after a week fifteen performance for the ages. Five catches, 13 yards, and three touchdowns made fantasy owners take notice. But the concern is, how likely is he to duplicate that? No Mike Evans, and likely no Chris Godwin, Perriman is now the number one receiver in a Bruce Ariens offense, which means he is going to among week sixteen’s target leaders. Even more intriguing is they will be playing a Houston defense that has been known throughout the year for giving up big plays. Breshad Perriman is my top waiver wire WR.
Should I Pick Up Greg Ward? (3% Ownership)
Why do you want to pick up Greg Ward? Because he’s all you got! Alshon Jeffery? DEAD! DeSean Jackson??? DEAD!!! Nelson Agholor??? Dead? The Eagles don’t have a wide receiver left on the roster that they trust. In week fifteen, Greg Ward had all but two of the wide receiver targets. So if the first three receivers aren’t available on your waiver wire, then Greg Ward is all you got!
Week Sixteen Waiver Wire Tight Ends
Should I Pick Up Jacob Hollister? (53% Ownership)
I’m going to end the year with my favorite tight end in week sixteen: Jacob Hollister. Why do I like him? Is it his size? His speed? His rugged good looks? Nope, what I like about him is his opponent. The key to maximizing your tight end value in 2019 has centered around rotating guys who are always playing the Arizona Cardinals. This year, the Cardinals are the worst fantasy defense against opposing tight ends. By. A. Lot. They are giving up an average of 16.5 points to opposing defenses in PPR leagues. Basically, start any and all tight ends against Arizona and grab Jacob Hollister.
Should I Pick Up O.J. Howard? (47% Ownership)
I’ve seen in bandied about in a couple of places that with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin going down, week sixteen might be O.J. Howard’s time to shine. What you have to remember is two less startable receivers on the roster doesn’t have the fact that O.J. Howard is a tight end, which is anathema to a Bruce Arians offense. O.J. Howard has disappointed all year, why should the playoffs change that fact?
Should I Pick Up Jonnu Smith? (13% Ownership)
We’ve been waiting for Jonnu to pop onto the season all season long. It’s been especially frustrating watching him fail to become fantasy relevant with Ryan Tannehill tearing up the field. Now, he has double-digit fantasy points in two straight weeks, so he has some momentum headed into the week sixteen matchup with the Saints. Jack Doyle had just five pathetic targets against them this week, but four-of-five tight ends had at least 70 yards or a touchdown in the five weeks before week fifteen.
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