Into the business end of the NFL fantasy season with playoffs underway, the waiver wire could be league-deciding with some potential breakout performers in Week 16.
Week 15 was headlined by major injuries to Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons, and Davante Adams. Those absences are inevitably going to impact the waiver wire.
Michael Carter
Bam Knight might not be as high profile as the aforementioned trio, but his injury in Week 15 still had a significant fantasy impact. Michael Carter was the beneficiary posting 94 total yards on 14 carries and four receptions.
Carter will be Arizona’s starting back the rest of the way. Arizona is facing the Falcons in Week 16, who have conceded the ninth most rushing yards and the seventh-most yards per rushing attempt so far this season.
Widely available in fantasy leagues, Carter could be a league-winning player.
Marcus Mariota
Jayden Daniels has finally been put on the shelf for the rest of the season. Marcus Mariota will be leading Washington’s offense as a result after leading the Commanders to a win over the Giants in Week 15.
In a deeper league and needing a quarterback? Mariota might be your answer. The inconsistent Eagles are his opponent in Week 16. The fantasy championship round sees Washington face the porous defense of the Cowboys.
If you’ve been riding with Mahomes, Mariota makes a ton of sense. He’s also a fit if you’ve been streaming quarterbacks or have been taking a shot on Trevor Lawrence.
Jaleel McLaughlin
Sometimes you’ve got to roll the dice to land a winner. In this case, that might mean picking up Jaleel McLaughlin on the off-chance RJ Harvey’s Week 15 rib injury keeps him sidelined for this week and perhaps beyond.
McLaughlin took the field when Harvey exited last week’s game. Denver doesn’t have the most enticing matchup with the Jaguars in Week 16, but don’t rule out a big game from McLaughlin if the Broncos get a lead.
If, and it’s a big if, Harvey misses multiple games, McLaughlin could be a league-altering selection with the Chiefs coming up in Week 17.
Jalen Coker
Jalen Coker was a clear third among Carolina’s wideouts in draft season. His usage has varied depending on game script (he’s rarely been used in sets with two WRs), but the production has been there in recent weeks.
His 8.5 PPR points per game since Week 11 are in the top 25 among wide receivers. He’s scored touchdowns in consecutive games and has passed 50 receiving yards in three of his last four.
It’s not outrageous to trust Coker against the Buccaneers in Week 16. Tampa Bay has been trending in the wrong direction, and it’ll be fascinating to see what the Panthers’ offense can do.
Saints Defense
New Orleans hasn’t conceded more than 24 points since Week 9. The Saints are quietly 10th in EPA per play on defense.
They face the Jets this week, who are one of the worst offensive teams in recent NFL history. They have turned the ball over six times over the last two weeks.
We like the Saints to get a few takeaways here, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they held the Jets to single digits.
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