The Week 16 waiver wire is surprisingly strong for this late in the season. There are multiple high-priority additions, depending on injury news. Here are a few potential RB targets for fantasy football managers on the wire this week.
Top RB Waiver Wire Targets in Week 16
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings (48% Rostered)
I don’t know if Alexander Mattison will return next week. But I also don’t know if it will even matter. Ty Chandler carried the ball 23 times for 132 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals. He added three catches for 25 yards. Chandler’s game was better than anything Mattison has done all season.
Whoever starts at running back for the Vikings next week will have a tough time against the Lions’ tough run defense. But if Chandler is the guy, he’s going to play over 70% of the snaps. He needs to be added everywhere he’s still available.
Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders (16% Rostered)
Josh Jacobs missed last Thursday’s demolition of the Chargers. In his stead, Zamir White not only started but operated as the clear lead back. He played 70% of the snaps and saw 21 opportunities, scoring 17.5 fantasy points.
Jacobs didn’t practice at all last week. It is uncertain whether he will be able to return this week. With just three games left in the season and Jacobs playing without a long-term contract, it is probably in his best interest not to play. Now, that doesn’t mean he won’t. But if he doesn’t, we know White’s role is excellent and that he’s capable of putting up RB1 numbers. Pick him up.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs (40% Rostered)
The time to add Clyde Edwards-Helaire was when Isiah Pacheco first went down. You could’ve gotten two quality weeks out of him.
More Waiver Wire Targets: WR | QB | TE
After his 20-point performance against the Patriots, I have to include him on the list. However, Pacheco is expected to return this week, which would destroy any value CEH currently has.
Nevertheless, Edwards-Helaire has proven he can be worth starting if the Chiefs put him in the lead-back role. Perhaps Pacheco is unable to make it back, affording fantasy managers one more week of CEH as a fantasy RB2.
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals (20% Rostered)
The Bengals are utilizing Chase Brown early and often now. It seems like their plan is to basically split the snaps early in the game to keep Joe Mixon fresh for the higher-leverage plays later in the game.
Brown had seven carries and three targets on Saturday. He scored a respectable 8.3 fantasy points.
There is some standalone value here. But Brown has RB1 upside if Mixon were to go down. Of course, there’s only one more opportunity for that to happen. But still, if you can give yourself a small chance at an RB1/2 for the final, you do it.
Tyler Goodson and Trey Sermon, Indianapolis Colts (0% Rostered)
Zack Moss left the game with an arm injury after an illegal horse-collar tackle on his touchdown reception. He did not return. After he departed, Tyler Goodson and Trey Sermon split the work.
Sermon carried the ball 17 times for 88 yards. Goodson had 69 yards on 11 carries. X-rays on Moss’ arm were negative. It’s entirely possible he plays next week. It also seems likely that if he can’t go, Jonathan Taylor will, making picking up either of these guys moot. But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t at least point them out as potential options in a desperation scenario.
Which RB Should You Roster in Fantasy Football?
Should You Roster Ty Chandler or Alexander Mattison?
At this point in the season, any player not playing the upcoming week is expendable. You absolutely can drop Mattison for Chandler, if necessary, if the former is not playing. Hopefully, we get some sort of update on the situation ahead of Tuesday night when we have to finalize waiver claims.
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Mattison did not practice at all last week and did not appear particularly close to playing. Additionally, Chandler performed well enough that Mattison is almost certainly not returning to the same role he had previously. With both guys active, neither will be worth starting.
If Mattison is out, then Chandler is the clear priority. If we don’t know, then you really have to try to roster both. Regardless, Chandler just put up an elite RB1 performance. If he’s out there, you have to add him on the chance that Mattison remains out another week.
Should You Roster Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Chuba Hubbard?
Don’t look now, but Chuba Hubbard has posted 11+ fantasy points in four straight games. He’s seen 22+ carries in three straight. Miles Sanders has proven to be an afterthought in this backfield despite his significant offseason contract.
With that said, he is still on the Carolina Panthers. That inherently lowers his touchdown upside. His Weeks 12 and 13 performances weren’t much different than Weeks 14 and 15. He just happened to find the end zone in Weeks 12 and 13.
In Weeks 14 and 15, the Panthers scored six and nine points, which proves that there’s very little upside for Hubbard in this offense.
Edwards-Helaire has been woefully inefficient on the ground in his two starts but has been saved by four targets in each game. He also caught a touchdown on a broken play last week.
Given the Kansas City Chiefs’ final two opponents, I would prefer CEH to Hubbard if he were starting. However, with Pacheco expected back this week, I would not be dropping Hubbard for Edwards-Helaire, as CEH won’t be start-worthy once Pacheco returns.
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