Happy fantasy football championship week! The second week of the fantasy playoffs is over following the Dolphins/Saints MNF game last night. Week 17 begins on Sunday this week since there are no Thursday or Saturday games, just all-day Sunday and a usual MNF game.
Mike Hubbard Jr here, welcome back to my weekly Waiver HUB. Follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard) and Instagram (@fantasyhubbard) for all things fantasy football throughout the season. Feel free to tweet me or message me on either social media with any comments or questions you might have regarding fantasy football.
Fantasy football playoffs are ending after this week so now is the pivotal time to make your most strategic moves and prepare for fantasy greatness. If injuries and performance weren’t hard enough to predict and plan for, we can add COVID to the list so now is another chance to hit the waiver wire and get immediate impact players. Another week gone, another opportunity to make your team stronger and win that league trophy that comes with an offseason of bragging rights.
Below are my waiver wire priorities this week. Go get available players to help your chances at winning the championship. Good luck this week!!
TOP PRIORITY OF THE WEEK
Jordan Howard/Boston Scott – Philadelphia Eagles
Jordan Howard had 9 carries for 37 rushing yards and caught 2 of 4 targets for 19 receiving yards in week 16. Boston Scott carried 12 times for 41 rushing yards and a TD. Miles Sanders left the game with a hand injury that has now been confirmed as a broken bone in his hand. Howard ended the game with a stinger that has the Eagles concerned for his status on Sunday. Monitor that situation moving forward. Boston Scott stole opportunities in the 2nd half of week 16 but Boston is known for his history of scoring on the Giants, so it was not shocking. This week the Eagles take on the Football Team again for the 2nd time in 3 weeks. In that first meeting Sanders had 131 rushing yards, Howard had 69 rushing yards, and Hurts had 38 rushing yards with 2 rushing TDs. Washington just got humiliated on primetime TV Sunday night, so they have to look better against the Eagles, right? Better or worse, the Eagles rushing attack is too much to handle right now so Howard and Scott are interesting plays. If Howard is out, Scott would be the lead back most likely, but if Howard is able to play, they would most likely split the workload somewhat evenly.
Quarterbacks
Taysom Hill – New Orleans Saints
Taysom Hill missed week 16 against the Dolphins on MNF due to COVID but is hopeful to play in week 17 against the Panthers barring any setbacks. The Panthers just let Tom Brady throw for 232 yards and a TD while giving up over 150 rushing yards on the ground. Hill can do both for the Saints through the air and on the ground. I could easily see Taysom throw 1 TD and rush for 1 TD. He is a very interesting, tempting, and risky add for your championship fantasy playoff game. We have seen Hill throw 4 INTs but still rush for over 100 yards, then we saw 175 yards through the air and 2 rushing TDs, followed by a frustrating performance against the Bucs that he won but struggled. Which Hill will we see in week 17 and can he win you a league championship? He is a top 15 QB for me in week 17 with major upside.
Running Backs
Jordan Howard/Boston Scott – Philadelphia Eagles
Jordan Howard had 9 carries for 37 rushing yards and caught 2 of 4 targets for 19 receiving yards in week 16. Boston Scott carried 12 times for 41 rushing yards and a TD. Miles Sanders left the game with a hand injury that has now been confirmed as a broken bone in his hand. Howard ended the game with a stinger that has the Eagles concerned for his status on Sunday. Monitor that situation moving forward. Boston Scott stole opportunities in the 2nd half of week 16 but Boston is known for his history of scoring on the Giants, so it was not shocking. This week the Eagles take on the Football Team again for the 2nd time in 3 weeks. In that first meeting Sanders had 131 rushing yards, Howard had 69 rushing yards, and Hurts had 38 rushing yards with 2 rushing TDs. Washington just got humiliated on primetime TV Sunday night, so they have to look better against the Eagles, right? Better or worse, the Eagles rushing attack is too much to handle right now so Howard and Scott are interesting plays. If Howard is out, Scott would be the lead back most likely, but if Howard is able to play, they would most likely split the workload somewhat evenly.
Rex Burkhead – Houston Texans
The Chargers could not stop Burkhead (or anyone else) in week 16. He was able to rush 22 times for a season high 149 rushing yards with 2 rushing TDs. Burkhead and the Texans take on the 49ers this week who held the Titans to just under 100 total rushing yards in week 16. Burkhead has averaged 14+ carries since returning from their BYE in week 11. Monitor David Johnsons status as it could impact the volume of Rex. Burkhead is looking like a boom or bust this week so proceed with caution. That was Burkhead’s best game of the season by far and we would need lightning to strike twice. Are you feeling lucky?
Dare Ogunbowale – Jacksonville Jaguars
Ogunbowale is a fun name to say and could be a name you hear a lot this week. The 3rd year undrafted RB is set to be RB1 for the Jags in week 17 when they take on the New England Patriots. The Pats have a good defense but have been known to let RBs get some padded stats. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 170 yards and a TD, D’Onta Foreman ran for 109 yards, and Dontrell Hilliard rushed for 131 yards and a TD, all were against New England within the last 30 days. Ogunbowale rushed 17 times this past week and got 57 yards and a TD while adding an additional 15 receiving yards. The Jags just don’t score receiving TDs so if they want to compete, they’ll have to run in a few. I don’t like the matchup much but if you are still alive and are desperate for an RB/FLEX play that should at least start with some touches, he could pay off. I like about 25 RBs more this week to be clear so weigh your options.
Wide Receivers
Isaiah McKenzie – Buffalo Bills
Isaiah McKenzie burst onto the scene in week 16 where he had 11 receptions for 125 receiving yards and 2 TDs on 12 targets. He had 7 receptions in total for the entire season prior to this impressive breakout performance. Only Diggs had more targets in week 16 for the Bills. Next week the Bills take on the Falcons which bodes well for Buffalo on both sides of the ball. Currently it is unclear which pass catchers will be available in this game for Josh Allen to target, but my best guess is that Diggs, Sanders, and Knox will all be available while Davis and Beasley sit out another game because they are unvaccinated with COVID. If Davis and Beasley miss the game again, McKenzie is an interesting play since he would be WR3 on a talented offense playing a subpar defense. I would only take this risk if you are desperate and believe Davis/Beasley will miss another game.
Josh Palmer – Los Angeles Chargers
Josh Palmer played well in week 16 despite losing to the Texans. Justin Jackson stole the show with Austin Ekeler out, but Palmer also produced given his circumstances. Both Mike Williams and Jalen Guyton were out due to COVID giving Palmer a decent spot on the depth chart at WR. Palmer tied Keenan Allen for the lead in WR/TE targets with 6 each, but Palmer had 1 more reception than Allen and also scored a TD. In week 17 the Chargers will take on the Denver Broncos who have had an up and down season, but their defense has shown it can play well. Palmer is worth the waiver add but I wouldn’t start him unless Allen, Williams, Ekeler, or Guyton became unlikely to play.
KJ Osborn – Minnesota Vikings
KJ Osborn scored the 1 receiving TD the Vikings had in week 16. Justin Jefferson did his thing like usual leading the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards, but KJ was 2nd in all of those categories against the Rams defense. Adam Thielen is hurt 1 minute and then back on the field the next so it’s unclear if he is or isn’t injured and if he will or will not miss week 17. I’m going to plan on him playing. KJ and the Vikings take on the good defense of the Packers in week 17 that is hopefully going to be a shootout like in week 11 when they both first played each other. KJ only had 1 reception for 19 yards in that game, but he has scored 3 TDs in his last 4 games.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling/Allen Lazard – Green Bay Packers
Both Marquez and Lazard have been good when they’ve needed to be. Allen scored in week 16, Valdes-Scantling scored in week 15, and Lazard scored in week 14 as well. With Cobb on the IR, Marquez and Allen are WR2 and WR3 in no particular order. Adams is a beast and will get his stats, but 1 or both of these WRs is sure to make a positive impact. Scantling went off for 123 receiving yards and a TD on just 4 receptions the last time these 2 teams met, but Lazard was inactive for that game. Scantling gets a minor bump up over Lazard for me this week but either could explode for a great performance. Grab 1 or both and make an informed decision come game time as to which you feel will have a better fantasy outing.
Tight Ends
Brevin Jordan – Houston Texans
Brevin Jordan isn’t recording eye popping stats, but he is fantasy relevant and it comes in the final weeks of fantasy football. Jordan has back-to-back 4 reception games, has scored 3 TDs in his 7 games this season including 2 in his last 4 games. Jordan takes on the 49ers in week 17 which is not a good matchup for him, but David Mills is playing better than expected and only has Cooks and Collins as other decent pass catchers. The Texans have somehow won 2 consecutive games and scored 71 points in total. I have been down on the Texans all year (still am just slightly up a little), but they have made recent strides that make Jordan and Burkhead streaming options.
Cole Kmet – Chicago Bears
Cole Kmet is around the top 20 in TE fantasy points this season even though he had under 25 receiving yards in 7 games this year. He takes on the dreadful Giants in week 17 which is a good matchup for Kmet. Over the last 4 weeks, Kmet leads the team in targets, is 2nd in receptions and also 2nd in receiving yards. He has 40+ receiving yards in 4 of his last 5 games and is long overdue for a TD. Jimmy Graham has been vulturing his scores, but Justin Fields is expected to start, and he has the best chemistry with Kmet out of all the Chicago QBs. Kmet has top 15 fantasy TE upside so I would grab him and have him ready to start if there aren’t any better TE options for your league championship.