Fantasy Football Week 16: Add and drop

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.

Here’s my NFL Week 16 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream in your fantasy football league:

ADD

RB Jerome Ford, Browns (ESPN: 33%; Yahoo: 43%): Nick Chubb broke his foot in the third quarter of Cleveland’s 21-7 loss to the Chiefs. Ford finished with 104 total yards on nine touches and scored the Brown’s only touchdown of the day. Ford has been the more explosive option this season, averaging 5.2 yard per carry compared to Chubb’s 3.3, and he has a premium matchup with the Bengals this week. Also, D’Onta Foreman (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo:

WR Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers (ESPN: 10%; Yahoo: 9%): McMillan is finally embracing the Chris Godwin role, and has nine receptions (13 targets) for 134 yards and three TDs in the last two games.

QB Aaron Rodgers, Jets (ESPN: 44%; Yahoo: 35%): Rodgers finished as the QB4 in Week 15 with only Josh Allen, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson outscoring him in fantasy. Believe it or not, he’s actually the overall QB12 through 15 weeks, completing 62.8% of his passes for 997 yards with eight TD passes and one interception and a passer rating of 101.1 in the last four games.

WR Romeo Doubs, Packers (ESPN: 40%; Yahoo: 38%): All of Jordan Love’s principal targets in Green Bay’s passing game need to be rostered, especially with a potentially high-scoring matchup at Minnesota during fantasy championship week. Doubs had three receptions for 40 yards and two TDs in his return from a concussion against the Seahawks. Your guess is as good as mine on who Love decides to target on a weekly basis, but Doubs continues to lead the way in routes and snaps.

TE Brenton Strange, Jaguars (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 2%): I anticipated Strange would inherit most of Evan Engram’s vacated targets after he was placed on injured reserve. Engram had a 24% target share in four games with Mac Jones primarily under center. Strange saw a 26% target share against the Jets and finished with a career-high 11 receptions for 73 yards. He faces the Raiders this week, who are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends.

BONUS: RB Kendre Miller, Saints (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 11%): Miller finished with 32 yards and a TD on 10 carries against the Giants in Week 14. He had 46 yards on nine carries against the Commanders on Sunday. Alvin Kamara (groin) became the latest New Orleans offensive player to succumb to injury in the fourth quarter against Washington. If Kamara misses time, Miller has RB2/flex upside going forward.

BONUS: QB Drake Maye, Patriots (ESPN: 16%; Yahoo: 13%): Maye is the overall QB12 since he was installed as New England’s starter in Week 6. His upside may be limited due to the lack of playmakers in New England’s offense, but the Bills have allowed a top-10 fantasy QB in each of the last two weeks — Jared Goff (QB2) last week and Matthew Stafford (QB9) in Week 14.

BONUS: TE Chig Okonkwo, Titans (ESPN: 6%; Yahoo: 5%): Okonkwo is the overall TE13 across most fantasy formats since Week 12 with 15 receptions (21 targets) for 164 yards and a TD in the last four games. Tennessee’s next two opponents, the Colts and Jaguars, have respectively allowed the third-most and eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season.

BONUS: WR Keon Coleman, Bills (ESPN: 50%; Yahoo: 41%): All of the principal targets in Buffalo’s passing game need to be rostered with how well Josh Allen is playing.

BONUS: RB Tyjae Spears, Titans (ESPN: 43%; Yahoo: 44%): Spears took advantage of Tony Pollard being banged up, producing 92 total yards and two TDs against the Bengals. He was especially effective as a receiver with six receptions for 87 yards. Both the Colts and Jaguars (Tennessee’s next two opponents) are among the bottom eight teams at preventing fantasy points to running backs.

BONUS: QB Matthew Stafford, Rams (ESPN: 39%; Yahoo: 60%): Stafford is the overall QB10 since Week 8 completing 66% of his passes for 2,071 yards and 16 TD passes against only three interceptions and a passer rating of 104.6 in the last eight games.

BONUS: WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens (ESPN: 19%; Yahoo: 25%): I had Bateman as a sleeper last week, and he came through with three receptions for 80 yards and two TDs against the lowly Giants. He has at least 71 yards or a TD in seven of the last 12 games.

BONUS: TE Stone Smartt, Chargers (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 6%): Smartt finished with five receptions (six targets) for 50 yards in a lopsided loss to the Buccaneers. He has at least 50 yards in two straight games. With Will Dissly expected to miss multiple weeks, Smartt deserves streaming consideration going forward.

BONUS: RB Alexander Mattison, Raiders (ESPN: 37%; Yahoo: 37%): Mattison didn’t play particularly well after replacing an injured Sincere McCormick (ankle) against the Falcons on Monday night, but Las Vegas’ schedule the final two weeks of this fantasy football season are very favorable for running backs. The Jaguars have allowed the third-most fantasy points to the position this season, and the Saints have allowed the ninth-most.

BONUS: QB Caleb Williams, Bears (ESPN: 45%; Yahoo: 62%): Williams is the overall QB9 since Week 12 completing 62.1% of his passes for 921 yards and eight TD passes with no interceptions and a passer rating of 100.3 in the last four games. He’s also added 102 yards on 18 carries over that span.

BONUS: TE Noah Gray, Chiefs (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 19%): Gray is the overall TE3 in standard formats (TE4 in PPR) since Week 11 with at least four receptions or a TD in five straight games. This isn’t a fluke. Kansas City has made a concerted effort to keep him involved in the offense.

BONUS: D/ST Packers (ESPN: 41%; Yahoo: 50%): Green Bay is the fifth-highest scoring defense in fantasy through 15 weeks and has a premium matchup against the Saints at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football.

BONUS: D/ST Bengals (ESPN: 49%; Yahoo: 39%): Cincinnati deserves streaming consideration against Cleveland at home, regardless of who starts at quarterback. It’ll be either turnover-monger Jameis Winston or the inexperienced Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the Browns have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season.

BONUS: D/ST Falcons (ESPN: 15%; Yahoo: 37%): Only the Chiefs scored more fantasy points in Week 15 than Atlanta’s defense did on Monday night against the Raiders. This week’s opponent, the Giants, are busy playing bad QB roulette and have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses this season.

BONUS: D/ST Colts (ESPN: 12%; Yahoo: 21%): Indianapolis have two premium matchups to conclude this fantasy football season. First, the Colts get the Titans, who are allowing the most fantasy points to opposing defenses, and then they finish with the Giants, who are are allowing the fourth-most.

DROP

RB David Montgomery, Lions: Montgomery suffered a torn MCL during Sunday’s loss to the Bills, and will undergo season-ending surgery on his knee.

WR Chris Olave, Saints: Olave has missed the last five games due to suffering his second concussion of the season against the Panthers in Week 9. New Orleans could have opened his 21-day window to practice last week, but chose not to. I’d be surprised if Olave played another game this year.

TE Evan Engram, Jaguars: Engram was placed on injured reserve late last week with a torn labrum, ending his season.

WR Xavier Legette, Panthers: Head coach Dave Canales said Legette is currently week-to-week after suffering a groin injury against the Cowboys. He’s likely out against the Cardinals and could miss a premium matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 17, so feel free to use his spot to help your chances to win your semifinal matchup this week.

RB Nick Chubb, Browns: Chubb suffered a broken foot against the Chiefs, ending his season after only eight games.

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