Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups, Week 16: Michael Carter, Jayden Reed Among Top Players To Target

Michael Carter is on the fantasy radar with the Arizona backfield being hit by more injuries. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Every Monday during the season, Justin Boone breaks down the recommended fantasy football waiver-wire pickups.

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Roster percentages are generated from Yahoo leagues. Free-Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Key injuries to consider

• Patrick Mahomes (ACL, season-ending)

• Javonte Williams (shoulder)

• RJ Harvey (ribs)

• Woody Marks (ankle)

• Devin Neal (hamstring)

• Bam Knight (ankle)

• Bhayshul Tuten (finger)

• Samaje Perine (ankle)

• Davante Adams (hamstring)

• Christian Watson (chest)

• Rome Odunze (foot)

• Luther Burden III (ankle)

• Ricky Pearsall (knee)

• Xavier Worthy (concussion)

• Devaughn Vele (shoulder)

• Noah Brown (ribs)

• Noah Fant (ankle)

Pickups by position

• Quarterbacks

• Running backs

• Wide receivers

• Tight ends

• Defense/Special teams

• Kickers

Week 16’s top-10 overall pickups

1. Blake Corum, Rams
2. Michael Carter, Cardinals
3. Jayden Reed, Packers
4. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders
5. Audric Estime, Saints
6. Jawhar Jordan, Texans
7. Jaleel McLaughlin, Broncos
8. Colston Loveland, Bears
9. Dalton Schultz, Texans
10. Colby Parkinson, Rams

Quarterbacks

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

McCarthy gets the featured quarterback spot in this column yet again, but it’s well deserved. 

Despite an incredibly disappointing season overall, the sophomore passer is finally showing some signs of life down the stretch thanks to easy matchups with the Commanders and Cowboys the past two weeks. 

McCarthy has produced six total touchdowns during those games (five passing, one rushing) and finished as a top-10 fantasy QB on both occasions. 

He’ll have another soft opponent to attack in Week 16. The Giants defense is one of the five easiest matchups for fantasy QBs on the year.

As I said last week, McCarthy is far from a must-start, but he’s likely the best waiver wire quarterback option for desperate managers. 

C.J. Stroud is 48% rostered but would be the No. 1 QB add if available. 

Risky streaming options

• Tyler Shough vs. NYJ (9% rostered)

• Bryce Young vs. TB (18% rostered)

• Aaron Rodgers at DET (27% rostered)

Desperation streaming options

• Tua Tagovailoa vs. CIN (18% rostered)

• Kirk Cousins at ARI (8% rostered)

• Gardner Minshew at TEN (0% rostered)

• Philip Rivers vs. SF (6% rostered)

• Cam Ward vs. KC (8% rostered)

Desperation streaming options (if healthy)

• Tyrod Taylor at NO (8% rostered)

• Marcus Mariota vs. PHI (10% rostered)

Running Backs

Michael Carter/Emari Demercado, Cardinals

Bam Knight was carted off with an ankle injury that’s likely to keep him out of the lineup the rest of the fantasy season. 

Unfortunately for him, the Cardinals have a very favorable schedule with the Falcons and Bengals over the next two weeks. On top of being winnable games that could feature positive game scripts, both Atlanta and Cincinnati are friendly opponents for fantasy running backs. 

Even with Demercado back in the lineup, Carter was the clear replacement for Knight, playing 80% of the snaps in Week 15 and delivering 94 scrimmage and four receptions on 18 total touches versus a tough Texans defense. 

That makes Carter a top priority for fantasy managers in need of a low-end RB2/high-end RB3 moving forward. 

Meanwhile, Demercado becomes an intriguing upside flex play. 

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders

With Chris Rodriguez Jr. being a late scratch due to a groin injury, Croskey-Merritt stepped into the lead back role for the Commanders, handling 18 touches en route to 96 yards and a score. 

Rodriguez was able to get in a limited practice last week, so we’ll need to monitor his availability. However, it’s possible Washington may continue to roll with JCM down the stretch of a lost season, in order to see what they have in the rookie.

The matchup with the Eagles will be much more difficult than what he faced on Sunday, but Croskey-Merritt has the potential to be an upside RB3 if he gets another start. 

Audric Estime/Evan Hull, Saints

Devin Neal left with a hamstring injury on Sunday, which could force him to the sidelines for Week 16 and possibly beyond. 

In his absence, Estime saw more work but Hull was heavily involved in what amounted to a near 55-45 split. 

Estime turned six touches into 50 scrimmage yards in the game, most of which came through the air. Hull had just 12 yards on four carries. 

What makes this more enticing is their matchup in the fantasy semifinals against a Jets defense that’s given up 13 touchdowns to running backs in their last five games. 

Estime should be added as an RB3 with RB2 upside if he can find the end zone. Meanwhile, Hull is a risky flex play. 

Jawhar Jordan, Texans

Woody Marks is day-to-day after suffering an ankle injury over the weekend. His normal backup Nick Chubb was held to just one limited practice last week due to a rib issue and was ultimately ruled out prior to Week 15.

Now, fantasy managers will be hitting the refresh button as they look for updates on this backfield throughout the week. 

If Marks can play, then he’ll remain a low-end fantasy RB2, but a team with Super Bowl aspirations might not want to risk their young back. 

That would put Chubb in line to start, if he can return to practice and prove he’s ready to contribute. In that scenario, the veteran would be a TD-or-bust RB3 versus the Eagles. 

However, if both players are inactive then Jordan would be the most valuable fantasy asset on Houston’s RB depth chart. The 26-year-old racked up 118 scrimmage yards on 17 touches in the win over the Cardinals this week and could be a sneaky RB3 with upside in Week 16.  

Blake Corum is 40% rostered but would be the No. 1 RB add if available. 

RB3/flex (if starter is out)

• Jaleel McLaughlin vs. JAX (1% rostered)

Risky flex options

• Devin Singletary vs. MIN (30% rostered)

• Tyler Allgeier at ARI (38% rostered)

• Jaylen Wright vs. CIN (25% rostered)

• Ollie Gordon II vs. CIN (8% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy)

• Samaje Perine at MIA (4% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options

• Malik Davis vs. LAC (1% rostered)

• Sean Tucker at CAR (22% rostered)

• Brian Robinson Jr. at IND (33% rostered)

• Emanuel Wilson at CHI (34% rostered)

• Tyjae Spears vs. KC (27% rostered)

• Isaiah Davis at NO (3% rostered)

• Keaton Mitchell vs. NE (3% rostered)

• Ameer Abdullah vs. SF (0% rostered)

• Jeremy McNichols vs. PHI (2% rostered)

• Rasheen Ali vs. NE (0% rostered)

• Ty Johnson at CLE (2% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if healthy)

• Dylan Sampson vs. BUF (11% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out)

• Tyler Badie vs. JAX (0% rostered)

• Dare Ogunbowale vs. LV (1% rostered)

Upside stashes to roster

• Tank Bigsby at WAS (17% rostered)

Wide Receivers

Jayden Reed, Packers

As always, there are plenty of flex options that you could pick up off the waiver wire and slot into your lineup if you’re desperate. But fantasy teams with real title hopes are looking for more. 

Reed is the top receiver pickup this week after Christian Watson suffered a chest injury that doesn’t appear to be serious, but threatens his availability for Week 16. 

The Packers tend to take a cautious approach with injuries, so Watson missing a game seems to be the most likely outcome. 

Even with Watson in the lineup for most of the past two games, Reed has been productive with 108 scrimmage yards during that span. 

The Packers insistence on a committee approach at receiver makes it hard to project massive stat lines for any of their wideouts, but Reed has shown us a quality fantasy ceiling in the past. 

Going back to his rookie year, Reed finished as the WR23, scoring 10 total touchdowns and adding 119 yards on the ground despite only seeing the field for 56% of the Packers’ snaps. 

In 2024, he averaged WR14 fantasy stats through the first nine games while seeing an increase in playing time up to 66% of the snaps. But after the Packers’ Week 10 bye, his numbers fell off dramatically, topping 50 yards just once in the second half of the season and being the WR62 during that final eight-game sample. 

There aren’t many players on the waiver wire with his kind of upside as a WR3/flex with top-20 potential if everything goes his way. 

Troy Franklin is 51% rostered but would be the No. 2 WR add behind Jayden Reed — if available. 

Rashid Shaheed is 53% rostered but would be the No. 3 WR add behind Jayden Reed and Troy Franklin — if available. 

WR4/flex options

• Adonai Mitchell at NO (16% rostered)

WR4/Flex options (if healthy)

• Luther Burden III vs. GB (17% rostered)

Flex options

• Jayden Higgins vs. LV (43% rostered)

• Jalen Coker vs. TB (5% rostered)

Risky flex options

• Darius Slayton vs. MIN (41% rostered)

• Jalen Nailor at NYG (2% rostered)

Risky flex options (if starter is out)

• Matthew Golden at CHI (32% rostered)

• Olamide Zaccheaus vs. GB (1% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options

• Cooper Kupp vs. LAR (41% rostered)

• Josh Downs vs. SF (43% rostered)

• Chimere Dike vs. KC (16% rostered)

• John Metchie III at NO (7% rostered)

• David Sills V at ARI (0% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if healthy)

• Pat Bryant vs. JAX (3% rostered)

• Devaughn Vele vs. NYJ (14% rostered)

Tight Ends

Colby Parkinson, Rams

Since Week 10, Parkinson is the fourth-highest scoring fantasy tight end on a per game basis thanks in large part to six touchdowns in his last six outings. 

Parkinson reached his highest point of the season on Sunday with five receptions, 75-yards and two TDs. 

Now, he gets to face his former club the Seahawks on Thursday night. Seattle's defense is excellent, but does have a soft spot when it comes to fantasy tight ends. 

Don’t be surprised if Parkinson, who caught a TD against the Seahawks in Week 11, pops up for another strong fantasy outing this week. 

Colston Loveland is 40% rostered but would be the No. 1 TE add if available. 

Dalton Schultz is 49% rostered but would be the No. 2 TE add if available. 

Streaming options

• Theo Johnson vs. MIN (46% rostered)

Risky streaming options

• Oronde Gadsden II at DAL (49% rostered)

• Darren Waller vs. CIN (36% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options

• Gunnar Helm vs. KC (0% rostered)

• Dawson Knox at CLE (3% rostered)

• Luke Musgrave at CHI (2% rostered)

• Isaiah Likely vs. NE (19% rostered)

• Chig Okonkwo vs. KC (16% rostered)

• AJ Barner vs. LAR (12% rostered)

• Mike Gesicki at MIA (5% rostered)

• Pat Freiermuth at DET (11% rostered)

Defenses

Bills D/ST is 54% rostered but would be the No. 1 D/ST add if available. 

Chiefs D/ST is 57% rostered but would be the No. 2 D/ST add if available. 

Week 17 stashes

• Patriots D/ST at NYJ (47% rostered)

• Saints D/ST at TEN (17% rostered)

• Cowboys D/ST at WAS (35% rostered)

• Giants D/ST at LV (5% rostered)

Kickers