Updated Waiver Wire Week 16: Best fantasy playoff pickups, with Michael Carter, David Sills V, Jalen McMillan FAAB tips originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
With the fantasy playoffs here, it's essential to stay alert when managing the waiver wire. NFL news and performances continually present new opportunities and challenges.
Staying updated with the fallout from each week's games can help you spot missed waiver-wire pickups, plus reading ahead on any possible ways to get ahead of the pickups crowd, giving you an edge for the week or even the remainder of the playoffs.
Keep scrolling for every player pickup suggestion in our Week 16 fantasy football waiver wire report.
With Bam Knight (ankle) shut down for the season, Carter and Demercado will likely split work for Arizona -- a further boon for their workloads after Arizona also ruled Trey Benson (knee) out for the season last week.
Their messy group now turns into a near 50-50 split, meaning both could be flex options for the fantasy playoffs against weak defenses in the Falcons and Bengals .
Carter is the more complete back and better in less than full PPR, though Demercado at least is a 1B to his 1A; it probably won't be a huge difference. Michael Carter FAAB: 26% | Emari Demercado FAAB: 21%
It's incredibly apparent that, with Drake London out, Kirk Cousins likes throwing to David Sills. Sills had a career-best performance in the Falcons' Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
The college quarterback-turned-wide-receiver from West Virginia saw 10 targets from Cousins. Sills hauled in six of these for 79 yards.
Unfortunately, Sills dropped a relatively easy pass that could have resulted in a long touchdown.
This would have made the fantasy stat line stand out. Still, his usage will be noticeable going forward, and Sills should be rostered until London returns at the very least. David Sills V FAAB: 10%
© Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
While Dare Ogunbowale did not do much in Week 15, the opportunity moving forward could be present. Nick Chubb missed Week 15, and Woody Marks injured his ankle.
Jawhar Jordan took advantage of his chance when Marks went down. The sixth-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft was elevated from the practice squad and balled out in Week 15 with 17 touches for 118 total yards.
If Chubb and/or Marks miss more time, Jordan (5-foot-10, 186 pounds) or Ogunbowale could find themselves as the lead backs in a favorable matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders . They could at least be backup plans for flex problems. Jawhar Jordan / Dare Ogunbowale FAAB: 5%
While the fantasy performance wasn't quite there, anyone who watched Thursday Night Football in Week 15 saw Jalen McMillan's impact on the game. McMillan made his long-awaited season debut after missing a majority of the season with a neck injury.
McMillan caught two passes from Baker Mayfield , both 19-yard receptions. One of them was initially called a 20-yard touchdown, before being reviewed and brought back to the 1-yard line.
McMillan is not the flashiest pickup, but at this point in the fantasy season, you need to take dart throws on the waiver wire. There is no rush to start him, but you never know when you might need to pivot fast in fantasy football. Jalen McMillan FAAB: 5%
With Alvin Kamara missing the previous three weeks due to a knee/ankle issue, and Devin Neal injuring his hamstring, there is an opportunity for the backups on the Saints.
Evan Hull out of Northwestern and Audric Estime out of Notre Dame receuved work in Week 15 when Neal went down. While they looked to be in a committee, Estime outperformed Hull mainly due to his receiving ability.
Both RBs are worth looking at if Neal is to miss time. The schedule coming up is extremely favorable as they'll face the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans . Evan Hull and Audric Estime FAAB: 5%
MORE: Track our weekly fantasy rankings
There are still some valuable fantasy assets sitting on the waiver wire that has been in one of these reports before. Check to see if any of these players slipped through the cracks.
Blake Corum , RB, Rams (41%):Corum has surpassed his previous role as simply a back up or handcuff, he's a legit flex option. In the past three weeks, the young back out of Michigan has scored four touchdowns along with 280 rushing yards.
Darren Waller , TE, Dolphins (37%):There is a good chance that anyone who played Waller in Week 15 got their fantasy season saved. After a hot start to the year, he was placed on IR. This can explain the availability being so high. Waller has played in only six games this season, but has six touchdowns to show for it.
Jalen Coker , WR, Panthers (6%):Coker continues to be a reliable target for Bryce Young . It seems as if Coker is more involved in the offense than popular rookie Tetairoa McMillan is. Since Week 10, Coker has been targeted 22 times by Young.
Adonai Mitchell , WR, Jets (16%): Brady Cook is getting Mitchell the ball and it's working for fantasy. Cook has targted Mitchell 15 times in his two starts as a Jet.
Consider spending a few of your FAB dollars on these one-week plays for your fantasy football playoffs.
Bryce Young, Panthers (17%)
Young gets a more than favorable matchup in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many credit Todd Bowles as a defensive mastermind, but his unit has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. In Week 15, Kirk Cousins put up a season-best 26.9 against this Bucs defense. Young should have little problem producing a viable fantasy effort.
Tua Tagovailoa . Dolphins (18%)
There would be little comfort if anyone were to start Tagovailoa in their playoffs, but the matchup is there. In desperation, you could do worse than a QB that gets to face the Cincinnati Bengals, who have allowed the third most fantasy points per game to the position.
Evan Engram , Broncos (37%)
The consistency with Engram for fantasy football has never been there, but the upside always is. We've seen him draw north of seven targets on several occasions this season. In Week 16, he'll face the Jacksonville Jaguars , who have allowed 16.3 FPPG to TEs.
Mike Gesicki , Bengals (5%)
In Week 14, Gesicki had a fantastic game for fantasy purposes. Now he'll get two of the bottom 10 defenses at defending the TE position ( Miami and Arizona) in Weeks 16 and 17.
New York Giants (4%)
There is a legit argument to start the Giants' defense in Week 16 with the hopes that "Nine" shows up for the Minnesota Vikings . Anyone who has been on social media knows that J.J. McCarthy isn't just being made into a meme for fun; he's been playing poorly for most of the season. The Giants D/ST offers a ton of upside in this game.
Atlanta Falcons (21%)
The Falcons D/ST has been all over the place this season, making it a headache to know when to start them in fantasy football. However, against the Bucs in Week 15, they were flying around. Now they'll face the Arizona Cardinals , who are less than threatening.
Eddy Pineiro , 49ers (16%)
Being that Pineiro is coming off an injury, he's still widely available in leagues. The 49ers' kicker was more than reliable before he went down with a hamstring injury. Now in Week 16, he gets an indoor matchup against the Indianapolis Colts .
Zane Gonzalez , Falcons (3%)
When you enter December, it's as simple as this: Gonzalez plays a below-average defense in a controlled environment. He's a better start than any other kicker who plays a tough defense outdoors.
