Top-40 RB Rankings - Week 16

5 Starts & 5 Sits - Week 16

Week 16 DFS: Top Picks & Targets

Week 16 Fantasy Football Waiver Adds

Alex Ciulla

This weekend was slightly disappointing from a fantasy perspective. The NFL action was great, but there were quite a few low-scoring affairs. Normally, I wouldn't bat an eye, but we certainly needed some standout performances in the first round of the fantasy playoffs.

Detroit and Buffalo put up nearly enough offense for all of us, combining for a ridiculous 90 points in an exciting potential Super Bowl preview. While the Lions have been incredible this year, I'm worried the injuries are beginning to take a toll -- particularly on the defense after they lost another two starters for the remainder of the season. The scoring wasn't the only issue, though, as all the good luck we've had with injuries quickly evened out with a slew of critical fantasy pieces suffering ailments.

In minor news, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (shoulder) went for X-rays after his team's stunning 48-42 victory. Fortunately, they returned clean, and it was just for "peace of mind." Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (concussion) left Sunday's meeting with the New Orleans Saints and was ruled out with a concussion. We'll keep an eye on him, but it's unlikely he clears the protocol in time for their Week 16 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (ankle) also did not return to his outing against the New England Patriots. There's been no news on him yet, but with teammate Emari Demercado (back) on IR, Arizona could be down to James Conner and DeeJay Dallas as their only RBs.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (knee) landed awkwardly in the loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football and did not return. As of now, head coach Mike Macdonald noted that Smith seemed optimistic when the two exchanged texts on Monday morning. To that end, there is a chance that Smith suits up next Sunday in a meeting with the Minnesota Vikings. However, the team is still waiting on the results of his testing.

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (foot) sustained a broken foot in Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. While nothing is confirmed, he's likely done for the year. It's a huge blow to the veteran after working back from a devastating knee injury in 2023. Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) will also miss the remainder of the season after tearing his MCL in Week 15. Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed Monday that Montgomery will undergo season-ending surgery.

Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes (ankle) picked up a "mild" high-ankle sprain in their win over the Browns and is considered week-to-week. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley briefly left their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers but later returned. While It's unclear what he injured, the superstar doesn't seem to be concerned, although it wouldn't be surprising to see him limited at practice this week.

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (ankle) left Sunday's game with an ankle injury, though he would also return. There was no update on Pollard after the game. Alvin Kamara (groin) of the New Orleans Saints picked up a groin injury in their loss to the Commanders. It's apparently of the adductor variety, but Saints' interim head coach Darren Rizzi did not comment on its severity. Kamara is slated for more testing. Lastly, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee) avoided serious injury per head coach Mike McDaniel. It's good news for Waddle and the Dolphins, but his status for their Week 16 contest with the San Francisco 49ers is up in the air. 

As always, this column assumes PPR scoring and will only feature players around or under 50% ownership on Yahoo!. Let's get into a critical week of waiver adds.

Additionally, if the players mentioned in this article are unavailable or you’re looking for more options, be sure to check out "Streamers For The Desperate - Week 16" by ASL Founder Leonard LaPadula!

Quarterback Streamers

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (52% Owned)

Atlanta QB Kirk Cousins hasn't been impressive this year; let's get that straight. He's worked to a subpar 0:8 TD: INT ratio over the previous four weeks and eclipsed the 20-point mark for the Falcons just once during that time. However, Cousins has been better against bottom-half defenses, and that's precisely what he's up against in Week 16, as Atlanta will line up with the New York Giants next Sunday.

Curiously, the 36-year-old was better in the first half (typically the opposite of what you'd see from an athlete coming off a severe injury). Still, he's faced quite the gauntlet of defenses over his last three outings (MIN/DEN/LAC), and with the NFC South still up for grabs and the Falcons fighting for a playoff spot, they're not likely giving up on 2024 just yet.

Cousins feels risky, but the Giants have given up the tenth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks (18.4) to go with 19 passing scores and just two interceptions. New York is much more beatable on the ground, but as long as running back Bijan Robinson does not control the entire game, I think the veteran QB Cousins gets at least two passing scores.

Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets (35% Owned)

Like Cousins, Jets QB Aaron Rodgers' season hasn't been what he envisioned. He's been better than the former, though, with just two single-digit fantasy point performances. The long-time Green Bay Packer is fresh off his best outing of the year -- a three-touchdown, 289-yard appearance with an additional 45 yards on the ground. Additionally, his rushing output was the highest in a game since Week 4 of 2019, and he and his BFF Davante Adams turned back the clock -- looking perfectly in sync for the first time in a long time.

The Week 16 streamers aren't great, but Rodgers is my favorite in a showdown with the Los Angeles Rams. LA holds the top spot in the NFC West and has been clicking on all cylinders for a few weeks, so the game shouldn't be without its fair share of points. Additionally, the Rams average the ninth-most fantasy points allowed per game to QBs, and are having trouble stopping any offense through the air, letting up 6.7 yards per attempt -- the third-highest mark in the league.

Running Backs

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (44% Owned)

With Tennessee teammate Tony Pollard (ankle) dinged up early in the contest, second-string back Tyjae Spears was featured in Tennessee's 37-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, it wasn't in the way you might think. The Tulane product was abysmal on the ground, totaling five yards and a touchdown on his four carries with a long gain of six. Interestingly enough, he did a ton of damage through the air, bringing in 6-of-7 targets for 87 yards and a second TD.

Pollard returned to the matchup but was far less effective, managing 23 yards on 13 carries -- a stark contrast to the 22 yards and a touchdown he churned out on his first five attempts. While there hasn't been any news about Pollard suggesting he'll be fine, running backs and ankle injuries typically don't mesh well. Additionally, at 3-11 and with their playoff dreams crushed, it's possible that even if the veteran can go he will be benched anyway.

To that end, Spears is a nice preemptive pickup and gets a dream matchup in Week 16 against a porous Indianapolis Colts defense. I liked the second-year back's tape coming out of college, and he could be a valuable asset over the next two weeks if Pollard is out of the equation.

Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns (43% Owned)

We wouldn't be discussing Browns RB Jerome Ford if he didn't break free for a 62-yard touchdown in his team's 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Even though he wasn't inefficient with the rest of his work (generating 84 yards on his seven carries and 20 yards across both of his receptions), it's been hard to get excited over a Browns running back. Despite that, the 25-year-old is marginally interesting with teammate Nick Chubb (foot) likely out for the year.

Ford will be afforded a far softer matchup in Week 16 when Cleveland lines up against the Cincinnati Bengals in a divisional clash and was solid on the ground this past Sunday against a staunch Chiefs defense. To that end, I've got a bit more confidence in him ahead of the fantasy semi-finals. Moreover, he should get most of the Browns' backfield touches with Chubb out.

Additionally, Cincinnati just allowed RB Tyjae Spears to go off through the air (see above), and that just so happens to coincide with the third-year back's preferred area of operation. If Cleveland utilizes Ford in their passing attack, he could be in for a strong performance against a Bengals squad that's been putting up a ton of points.

Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints (11% Owned)

With uncertainty surrounding RB Alvin Kamara (groin) and his groin ailment, backup RB Kendre Miller is another speculative add. The 22-year-old is my second-favorite RB addition this week behind Spears and stands a solid chance of contributing viable numbers if Kamara is forced to miss time. While we haven't seen too much of the former TCU Horned Frog in the NFL, I was in love with his college tape, much like Spears.

Interestingly enough, Miller easily has the worst matchup of this trio -- a road date with the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. Green Bay has been statistically sound against the run, and because they score so many points and control the clock well with superstar RB Josh Jacobs, Miller does slightly scare me. However, if Kamara is unavailable, he's likely to garner a workhorse load, as the Pack has allowed the sixth-most receptions to the position in 2024 (71).

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Wide Receivers

Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (2% Owned)

Carolina Quarterback Bryce Young probably had his worst outing of the year this past weekend, but still produced a viable fantasy performance for one of his skill players. Rookie wideout Jalen Coker returned to action after missing three games with a quad injury and resumed the breakout that had been building since Week 5. The 23-year-old was an intriguing, speculative add before his injury, but is now a full-blown must-add after his first 100-yard game.

I've been sincerely encouraged by Young's progress in his second season, and it's made the Panthers' offense much more exciting. While Coker had a massive game, veteran wideout Adam Thielen still led the team in receptions and targets. While I don't expect the rookie to overtake the veteran quickly, Coker is the more dynamic player and figures to take over sooner rather than later. He's more of a deep-league add, but if you've got a free roster spot and need a potential upside WR3 -- he's your guy.

Tight Ends

Stone Smartt, Los Angeles Chargers (6% Owned)

The tight end position is still a dumpster fire. Unless you drafted Raiders TE Brock Bowers (kudos to you), 49ers TE George Kittle, or Arizona TE Trey McBride, you're likely not very happy. Additionally, Chargers TE Will Dissly (shoulder) was a nice streamer for a few weeks, but with a shoulder issue in Week 15, teammate Stone Smartt ended up being the team's de facto TE1. He performed well and is the most exciting streaming option heading into next week's games. During this past week's 40-17 loss to the Buccaneers, Smartt hauled in 5-of-6 targets for 50 yards and tied wideouts Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston for the team lead in receptions while registering the Chargers' second-most receiving yards.

Dissly was labeled as a DNP for Monday's practice and appears like he could miss Thursday night's meeting with their division-rival Denver Broncos. If that's the case, Smartt is an interesting stream against Denver on the road. While the Bronco's D has been excellent, they've allowed a modest 11.9 fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Like many of the streaming options this week, he isn't the sexiest. Still, quarterback Justin Herbert is one of the better in the league, and the matchup with the Broncos should be a good one.

As the fantasy football playoffs heat up, staying ahead of the competition is critical. Injuries are taking a toll on many key players, but savvy fantasy managers can still capitalize on the waiver wire to fill gaps. Players like Tyjae Spears and Jalen Coker offer intriguing upside, while veterans like Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers can provide necessary consistency. Be proactive and make strategic moves to position your team for success in Week 16. Stay tuned to injury reports, monitor matchups closely, and continue optimizing your roster to make a push for your fantasy championship!