Fantasy Football: Top 10 waiver wire pickups for Week 16

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Fantasy Football: Top 10 waiver wire pickups for Week 16

Mike Johrendt, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Dec 16, 2025 ·

6 min read

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Fantasy Football: Top 10 waiver wire pickups for Week 16 appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

If you are reading this article, then congratulations! You escaped the injury bug in the first round of the fantasy football playoffs, and you are one step closer to playing for a championship. The Week 16 NFL Power Rankings includes quite a few options to help plug some gaps in any of your rosters, as the likes of Davante Adams and Patrick Mahomes both suffered injuries this past week, with Mahomes now out for the rest of the season.

The following list includes players rostered on 50 percent or more of ESPN rosters, as this week's list focuses on potential game winners rather than depth pieces. Heading into the first week of the playoffs, try your best to find that final missing piece your roster needs to win your opening-round matchup.

Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

1. RB Blake Corum , Los Angeles Rams
29.7% Rostered

The ascension of Blake Corum from infrequently-used backup to a guy who regularly earns double-digit touches has elevated this Los Angeles Rams offense to a new level this season, in turn providing your team with a FLEX option at running back.

Corum has scored four touchdowns over the past three weeks, averaging 10 touches across that stretch of games, stepping into a sizable workload in Sean McVay's offense. While Kyren Williams remains the lead back for the Rams, Corum should be the top target in your Week 16 waiver wire pickups, as he has entered RB2 territory.

2. RB Michael Carter , Arizona Cardinals
9.1% Rostered

With Bam Knight leaving Week 15 early with an injury, the Arizona Cardinals turned almost exclusively to Michael Carter to lead their backfield. His backfield workload shows that this Drew Petzing offense definitely trusts Carter to carry the load moving forward, something he should be asked to do again in Week 16.

A matchup with the Atlanta Falcons on deck in Week 16 gives Carter another chance to be a FLEX option for your lineups in round two of the fantasy football playoffs.

3. WR Jayden Reed , Green Bay Packers
45.9% Rostered

Jayden Reed has been heavily involved in the Green Bay offense the past two weeks, his first action since being injured in Week 2. Reed caught five passes for 55 yards in Week 15, a week after catching four passes and seeing two carries.

The injury to Christian Watson puts his status up in the air for Week 16, which would help elevate Reed into a larger role in the Green Bay offense. Look for Reed to jump into a larger role moving forward, even if Watson is healthy enough for next week.

4. TE Colby Parkinson , Los Angeles Rams
10.5% Rostered

The waiver-wire darling of Week 15 was tight end Colby Parkinson, who won quite a few fantasy football matchups as the best tight end streamer of this week. Two touchdown catches from Parkinson helped the Los Angeles Rams stave off the Detroit Lions , and he might be in for a larger workload in Week 16.

Davante Adams left Week 15 early with a hamstring injury, and with the Rams playing on a short week in Week 16, his odds of suiting up are very slim. If Adams were to miss time, Parkinson would move up the food chain for Los Angeles, as they are looking to lock down the top seed in the NFC playoff picture.

5. QB Jacoby Brissett , Arizona Cardinals
44.1% Rostered

The loss of Mahomes for the rest of the season leaves a glaring hole in a lot of fantasy football rosters for the second round of the fantasy football playoffs, and Jacoby Brissett could be a solid option off the waiver wire.

Even the stout Houston Texans defense couldn't slow down Brissett, as he threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Next up are the Falcons, a beatable defense that Brissett and Michael Wilson should be able to exploit.

6. QB C.J. Stroud , Houston Texans
51.7% Rostered

The other quarterback in the Week 16 waiver wire pickups is C.J. Stroud, who threw for 260 and three scores in Houston's Week 15 win over the Cardinals. The Texans, who are in the thick of the AFC South race, face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16, a beatable opponent that should give Stroud another easier defense to pick apart, great news for your fantasy football lineup.

7. WR Adonai Mitchell , New York Jets
29.6% Rostered

While it is a lost season for the New York Jets, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is showcasing why he was a necessary add-in to the Sauce Gardner trade with the Indianapolis Colts . Mitchell, in place of the injured Garrett Wilson , has been this team's top target, even with all of the issues at quarterback.

Mitchell saw nine targets, catching six for 58 yards and a touchdown, from undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook , as the Jets face the New Orleans Saints in Week 16, a much better matchup next week.

8. TE Dalton Schultz , Houston Texans
54.7% Rostered

If Parkinson is not available, try to scoop up Houston's Dalton Schultz to improve your tight end room for Week 16. Five of his past seven games saw Schultz earn eight-plus targets and six-plus receptions, including an eight-catch, 76-yard showing in Week 15 that saw him find the end zone.

Targeting beneficial matchups is what can win you your playoff matchups, and Schultz has a plus-plus matchup in Week 16 against the Raiders.

9. RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt , Washington Commanders
47.9% Rostered

Stepping in for the injured Chris Rodriguez , rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt stepped into the largest workload of his season, racking up 18 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown.

While the health of Rodriguez will determine just what kind of workload Croskey-Merritt will have in Week 16, it's fair to assume that the Commanders will look to give their rookie RB a bigger workload next week after his impressive performance in Week 15.

10. WR Jalen Coker , Carolina Panthers
3.5% Rostered

Two consecutive weeks of wide receiver Jalen Coker filling the final role in the Week 16 waiver wire pickups, as he is coming off of his second-consecutive game with four receptions and a touchdown. Settling in nicely as Bryce Young 's second-favorite target, Coker hauled in four passes for 60 yards and a score.

With matchups against Tampa Bay and Seattle upcoming, and the Panthers still fighting for a playoff berth in the NFC, look for Coker to remain a FLEX option moving forward.

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