The five words you have been waiting to hear all year: Welcome to the Fantasy Football Championship!
If you are reading this column, you obviously have a tremendous team, so the waiver wire should just be used for fine-tuning your superior roster. Hopefully, we can help you identify the one player you could add that helps bring home a fantasy title.
Let's take a look a which waiver wire players should be considered for the ultimate week of Fantasy Football Championships!
Note: We've limited their recommendations to players owned in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues. All data as of Monday.
Running Back Targets
Patrick Laird, Dolphins
Ownership: 45%
Laird enjoyed double-digit touches for the third consecutive week, although with limited production. Laird produced 54 total yards with two receptions in Miami's 36-20 loss at the Giants.
Laird returns home for a very advantageous Week 16 home game against the Bengals. He is a Flex play with potential RB2 upside in for any fantasy owner desperate for running back help due to injury.
Tony Pollard, Cowboys
Ownership: 11%
Pollard enjoyed a monstrous performance against the Rams with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown. Both Pollard and teammate Ezekiel Elliott crested the 100-yard barrier.
Despite clearly earning more playing time, Pollard is not likely to see enough volume in Week 16 as the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia in the hopes of clinching the NFC East division. He should not be claimed in any format.
Mike Boone, Vikings
Ownership: 2%
The most intriguing Week 16 waiver wire running back is Mike Boone of the Vikings.
With Dalvin Cook leaving Sunday's game with a shoulder injury, Boone is thrust into the spotlight at the possible starting running back for Minnesota at home against Green Bay in Week 16.
Teammate Alexander Mattison is still the preferred option, but he missed this week's game with an injury. If both are unable to go, Boone will face a Packers' defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Without a doubt, Boone is the waiver target with the biggest (potentially championship-winning) upside.
Wide Receiver Targets
James Washington, Steelers
Ownership: 32%
Washington tallied 11 targets from quarterback Devlin Hodges in Pittsburgh's 17-10 loss on Sunday Night Football.
Pittsburgh has a great Week 16 matchup against the Jets’ poor pass defense, making Washington a solid Flex play with WR3 upside.
Anthony Miller, Bears
Ownership: 20%
Miller now has double-digit fantasy points in four consecutive games, totaling 118 receiving yards and a touchdown in Chicago's 21-13 loss at Green Bay. Consider Miller a solid WR3 in a favorable home matchup against Kansas City next week.
Chris Conley, Jaguars
Ownership: 22%
Conley totaled 49 receiving yards with two scores in Jacksonville's come-from-behind 20-16 win at Oakland.
If lead wideout D.J. Chark remains out, Conley is an appealing WR4/5 play at home against a decimated Atlanta secondary.
Kenny Stills, Texans
Ownership: 16%
Stills caught two touchdowns on three receptions in Houston's 24-21 win at Tennessee.
While he has three touchdowns in his past three games, it's hard to trust the "feast or famine" Stills in the fantasy football championship week. He is a desperation WR4 play even at pass-friendly Tampa Bay.
John Ross, Bengals
Ownership: 14%
Ross has acclimated slowly after returning from the injured reserve and has only two receptions in each of the past two games. However, he faces an ideal spot in Week 16 at Miami.
Having opened the season with over 200 yards and three touchdowns in Cincinnati's first two games, his big-play ability is worth consideration as a WR4/WR5 play in Week 16.
Breshad Perriman, Buccaneers
Ownership: 11%
Perriman shined after inheriting the starting wideout role from injured Mike Evans with five receptions, 113 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. With fellow wide receiver Chris Godwin also likely to miss Tampa Bay's Week 16 matchup at Houston, Perriman becomes the top wide receiver waiver wire pickup for the fantasy football championship.
He is a very safe WR3 at home against a Houston team with a struggling and injured secondary.
Greg Ward, Eagles
Ownership: 2%
Ward carried the load for an injury-ravaged Eagles receiving corps with seven receptions, 61 receiving yards, and the game-winning touchdown in a 37-27 win at Washington. If Ward is again starting in Week 16, he is a WR4/5 play at home against Dallas.
Tight End Streaming Targets
O.J. Howard, Buccaneers
Ownership: 41%
With the news that wide receiver Chris Godwin has now joined Mike Evans on the Tampa Bay injury report, Howard could project for an uptick in volume in a home matchup against Houston.
Howard totaled his third consecutive game of four or more receptions on eight targets against Detroit in Week 15. This week's matchup against Houston is a high-floor spot for Howard, who should be strongly considered in two tight end formats.
Noah Fant, Broncos
Ownership: 28%
Fant powered through an injury to record two receptions for 56 yards in Denver's 23-3 loss at Kansas City.
However, the rookie tight end has a great matchup at home against Detroit in Week 16. He should be considered as a solid TE1 play for the fantasy championship.
Jonnu Smith, Titans
Ownership: 13%
Smith displayed his all-around athletic ability with a 57-yard rush in addition to five receptions for 60 receiving yards.
With two consecutive games of double-digit fantasy points, Smith in a solid Week 16 tight end option at home against a New Orleans team coming off a short week.
