Entering Week 17, let’s take a look at the top wide receivers to target on the waiver wire in your fantasy football league. All players listed below are rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo, ESPN, and/or Sleeper leagues.
Note that I have eliminated FAAB recommendations this year, as there are too many variables to account for. Instead, I replaced them with my opinion on how aggressive fantasy managers should be in pursuing the player on a scale of 1-10.
Looking for other players? Check out our Week 17 Waiver Wire article, which covers a plethora of players from all positions.
Hollywood Brown | KC
Rostered: 33%
Making his regular season debut, Hollywood Brown was unsurprisingly eased back into action. He only ran 15 routes. However, he was targeted eight times; that’s a target-per-route-run rate of over 50%.
You have to figure Brown sees an uptick in usage next week. If he’s already doing this on limited snaps, he could be a viable Flex play in Week 17.
Wan’Dale Robinson | NYG
Rostered: 31%
The ultimate PPR scam, Wan’Dale Robinson is the quintessential “won’t get you zero” guy. Against the Atlanta Falcons, he caught seven passes for 62 yards. He saw 13 targets. He’s now seen 9+ targets in three straight games.
The New York Giants may be the worst team in football, but that also means they’re constantly trailing and throwing.
The game environment against the Indianapolis Colts may not quite be as good, but Robinson has proven to have a decent floor.
Olamide Zaccheaus | WAS
Rostered: 0%
Are you really about to start Olamide Zaccheaus for the first time all season in your finale? Probably not, but he’s worth discussing just in case you desperately need a wide receiver.
Noah Brown is done for the season, and Dyami Brown injured his hamstring this week. That forced Zaccheaus into the WR2 role, and he thrived, catching five of eight targets for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
COMMANDERS. 49-yard TD to Zaccheaus for the lead!
📺: #PHIvsWAS on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/7F2CXf7QvT— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024
Will he do it again? Probably not, but if Brown can’t go next week, Zaccheaus should at least be in line for 6-8 targets.
Kayshon Boutte | NE
Rostered: 3%
We often see rookie WRs come on strong in the second half of the season. It’s a bit late for Kayshon Boutte, but perhaps this is the start of his ascent.
Boutte caught five of seven targets for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. It was easily the best game of his young career.
The matchup in Week 17 against the Chargers isn’t ideal, but it’s yet another game where the Patriots are likely to see a negative game script and have to throw the ball. Nevertheless, Boutte is still only worth a look if you have no alternative in deep leagues.
