Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 16

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Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.

Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks

Justin Fields, Bears

Fields makes a repeat appearance as the featured quarterback in this space, which is risky since he hasn't finished his Week 15 game yet.

However, in his last three full games, he had weekly finishes as the QB4, QB10, and QB12 overall.

Assuming he escapes Monday Night Football without injury, the rookie should be set up well for his matchup with the Seahawks next Sunday.

The Seahawks rank 28th in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA and, having played Tuesday night, will be on an even shorter week than the Bears.

If Lamar Jackson remains sidelined, Tyler Huntley (4% rostered) would be the second-best QB add this week.

Streaming options: Jimmy Garoppolo at TEN (41% rostered), Matt Ryan vs. DET (41% rostered)

Streaming options (if healthy): Jared Goff at ATL (7% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Drew Lock at LV (0% rostered), Ben Roethlisberger at KC (25% rostered), Tua Tagovailoa at NO (47% rostered)

Risky streaming options (if healthy): Taylor Heinicke at DAL (27% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options: Cam Newton vs. TB (22% rostered, Zach Wilson vs. JAX (7% rostered), Trevor Lawrence at NYJ (27% rostered), Davis Mills vs. LAC (3% rostered)

Running backs

Ronald Jones, Buccaneers

With Leonard Fournette expected to miss a game or two with a hamstring injury, Jones will be thrust into the Buccaneers' lead back role.

Head coach Bruce Arians already laid out the challenge, suggesting Jones will have an opportunity to do what Fournette did late last season - taking over the starting job and excelling down the stretch.

He certainly looked the part on Sunday, rushing for 63 yards on eight carries and adding another 8 yards on a pair of receptions. Pass-catching hasn't been a strength for Jones, so if he's able to contribute in that area, it'll go a long way toward boosting his fantasy stock.

A game against the Panthers could be a recipe for success as well since he put up 198 yards from scrimmage and a score on Carolina in Week 10 last season.

Jones should be viewed as an RB2 with RB1 upside for however long Fournette is sidelined.

Justin Jackson, Chargers

Jackson is coming off his best game of the season with 99 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches. He saw the field on 54% of the Chargers' snaps as the team reduced Austin Ekeler's workload on a short week.

That trend wasn't likely to continue, but with Ekeler being placed on the COVID-19 list Monday, the star back's status for Week 16 is in doubt.

While the new protocols make it easier for players to get cleared quickly, there are no guarantees Ekeler will be available.

Jackson becomes a must-add now and would be a top-20 option if he gets the start in what should be an extremely favorable matchup with the Texans.

Samaje Perine, Bengals

Similar to Jackson, Perine is a preemptive pickup in the event his starter is unable to suit up this week.

Joe Mixon is dealing with an ankle sprain, and head coach Zac Taylor said he'll be limited early in the week.

We'll be following practice reports closely, but until then you should scoop Perine up off the waiver wire. At best, he'd be a low-end RB2 if Mixon were to miss time. And at worst, he's one of the few high-upside backup RBs still available in most leagues.

Flex options: Craig Reynolds at ATL (13% rostered), Ameer Abdullah vs. TB (8% rostered), Jordan Howard vs. NYG (9% rostered), Tevin Coleman vs. JAX (22% rostered), Latavius Murray at CIN (26% rostered), Rex Burkhead vs. LAC (10% rostered)

Risky flex options: Duke Johnson at NO (2% rostered), Dontrell Hilliard vs. SF (37% rostered), D'Ernest Johnson at GB (23% rostered), Jeremy McNichols vs. SF (8% rostered), Devontae Booker at PHI (23% rostered), Brandon Bolden vs. BUF (16% rostered), Alex Collins vs. CHI (23% rostered), Josh Kelley at HOU (0% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy): J.D. McKissic at DAL (44% rostered), Carlos Hyde at NYJ (9% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Ke'Shawn Vaughn at CAR (0% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Peyton Barber vs. DEN (1% rostered), Jalen Richard vs. DEN (1% rostered), Corey Clement vs. WAS (1% rostered)

Wide receivers

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

The receiver section is filled with names we've recommended in recent weeks ... so shame on those who haven't already picked them up.

St. Brown tops the list after accumulating 35 targets over his last three outings with D'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson out of the lineup.

He's turned that volume into stat lines of 10-86-1, 8-73-0, and most recently 8-90-1.

That makes him a WR3 with significant upside if Hockenson and Swift remain sidelined. However, his value would take a hit if Jared Goff - who was added to the COVID-19 list Monday - isn't cleared.

Gabriel Davis, Bills

The Bills couldn't have asked for more from Davis this week. The sophomore wideout stepped in for an injured Emmanuel Sanders and delivered a five-catch, 85-yard, two-touchdown performance while playing a season-high 90% of snaps.

He's now made a total of four end-zone appearances over the last three contests and should continue to be a big part of the Bills' high-volume passing attack.

A matchup with the Patriots' defense isn't ideal, but Davis' red-zone prowess puts him in the WR3 conversation until Sanders returns.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers

Valdes-Scantling is starting to see more consistent targets in the Packers' offense.

As teams focus on trying to disrupt the connection between Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, MVS is making them pay.

He's gone over 50 yards in three of the past four games, including stat lines of 4-123-1, 4-50-0, and 5-98-1.

If you're looking for some pop in your WR3 or flex spot, Valdes-Scantling comes with a massive ceiling and a lower floor than the names above him on this list.

Russell Gage is above or close to the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.

Risky flex options: Rashod Bateman at CIN (41% rostered), Donovan Peoples-Jones at GB (14% rostered), K.J. Osborn vs. LAR (47% rostered), Tim Patrick at LV (22% rostered), Robby Anderson vs. TB (36% rostered), Marquez Callaway vs. MIA (23% rostered), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine vs. SF (21% rostered), Josh Reynolds vs. ATL (10% rostered), Allen Lazard vs. CLE (9% rostered), Jamison Crowder vs. JAX (29% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy): Kendrick Bourne vs. BUF (31% rostered), Kadarius Toney at PHI (24% rostered),

Dart-throw flex options: Tyler Johnson at CAR (1% rostered), Laquon Treadwell at NYJ (2% rostered), Laviska Shenault at NYJ (33% rostered), Braxton Berrios vs. JAX (1% rostered), Tre'Quan Smith vs. MIA (9% rostered), Jakeem Grant at SEA (3% rostered), Jalen Guyton at HOU (10% rostered), Quez Watkins vs. NYG (1% rostered), Jauan Jennings at TEN (1% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if healthy): Breshad Perriman at CAR (1% rostered),

Other receivers to stash: Josh Palmer at HOU (2% rostered), Scotty Miller at CAR (0% rostered), Nico Collins vs. LAC (1% rostered)

Tight ends

Cole Kmet, Bears

We'll continue to remind you that tight end is very thin on the waiver wire this time of year, so keep your expectations in check.

Kmet is likely to have another down game Monday night against Harrison Smith and the Vikings' defense. However, he's still seen five targets or more in seven of his last eight outings entering Week 15 and topped 40 yards fives times in that stretch.

His Week 16 opponents, the Seahawks, have yet to play this week but are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends. So, Kmet will be back in the mix as a solid streaming option during the fantasy semifinals.

Risky streamer options: Gerald Everett vs. CHI (36% rostered), Tyler Conklin vs. LAR (47% rostered), C.J. Uzomah vs. BAL (16% rostered), James O'Shaughnessy at NYJ (2% rostered), Evan Engram at PHI (31% rostered)

Dart-throw streamer options: Austin Hooper at GB (33% rostered), David Njoku at GB (20% rostered), Ricky Seals-Jones at DAL (15% rostered), Adam Trautman vs. MIA (5% rostered), Albert Okwuegbunam at LV (1% rostered), Noah Gray vs. PIT (0% rostered), Zach Gentry at KC (0% rostered)

Defenses

Week 16 streamers

Favorable Week 17 opponent: Eagles DEF at WAS (49% rostered), Seahawks DEF vs. DET (35% rostered), Bears DEF vs. NYG (15% rostered)