For your Week 16 waiver wire pickups, players to drop
Yahoo Sports Special
Writing this column after the fantasy football debacle that was Week 15 isn’t the easiest, but I’ll do my best to sort through what went down in order to best prepare you for Week 16. We hope some of you made the last week and have a clean slate to start this round.
Below is a list of some players who could be sent packing and dropped as we enter the final stretch of the fantasy and NFL seasons. I’m not holding back this week, and you shouldn’t either.
Marquise BrownWR, Cardinals (85%) rostered on Yahoo
I know that 85% of you held onto Marquise Brown this long, through injury And illness, but it’s time to say goodbye to Hollywood for the 2022 season. He hasn’t reached the end zone or posted more than 46 yards since his return in Week 12, and despite seeing a decent amount of targets (eight in each contest), Brown isn’t putting up usable fantasy numbers due to the quality of footballs being tossed his way.
Kyler Murray isn’t walking back onto the field this season, and the combo of Colt McCoy and Trace McSorley just won’t be able to sustain multiple fantasy options, particularly when maximum points are needed. The Cardinals’ remaining two contests are WR-friendly, but the way things are shaking out for this team, it’s best to seek WR points elsewhere.
Gabe Davis, WR Bills (94% rostered)
It’s highly doubtful that any fantasy managers reading this will heed my advice on this one, but it’s my job to point out players who can’t be trusted moving forward and Gabe Davis has reached droppable status with just two weeks remaining in the fantasy season. His best weeks were Weeks 5, 6, and 6. He put up 16.8, 30,.6 and 14.9 half PPR points respectively. Then, he only had one more double-digit output, 18.3. in Week 10. In his last five contests, Davis is averaging 5.8 targets per game, which he’s translated to 7.2 half-PPR points per tilt, good enough for WR71 in that time frame.
His low-volume role in the Bills’ offense lands him a seat at the boom-or-bust table, and he’s just too risky to count on with everything on the line. If you can’t part with the 23-year-old, park him at the end of the bench; otherwise, let someone else deal with Davis through the next two weeks.
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Damien Harris, RB Patriots (54% rostered)
It’s still unclear if Damien Harris will suit up this week after missing the last three weeks due to a thigh injury. Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson is now in good health and is the featured back in an offensive that sometimes lacks that distinction.
Even if Harris returns, he hasn’t seen the volume we need from a fantasy playoff RB, as he’s only hit double-digit carries once since Week 4, with an average of 27.4 yards and zero trips to the end zone in his last five games played.
The Panthers dealt with the Carolina back and he has had some heroic moments. Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco earlier this season, D’Onta Foreman’s time as a fantasy asset has reached the end of the line. The 26-year-old was only in on 14 of his team’s 46 offensive snaps last week and has been out-targeted by Chuba Hubbard Since 1996, six to one Sam Darnold Returned to the center
The Panthers will face the Lions in Week 16 and it is a very difficult matchup. This is a sudden strong run defense that has been very stingy with RB production the past five weeks. They held Saquon Barkley Week 11: 4.5 points of half-PPR Devin Singletary James Cook and Travis Etienne combined for only 11.3 points in Week 12. Travis Etienne received only 6.1 in Week 13. Travis Etienne surrendered just 8.1 half-PPR to them in Week 13. Dalvin Cook The last two weeks have seen Michael Carter and Zonovan King score 5.9 points each. You can also seek out Jaylen Warren, Tyler Allgeier or other options at the RB spot this week if you need it.
Jameson Williams WR, Lions (33% rostered)
Jameson Williams’ breakout will be delayed as the Lions appear to be keeping his greatness up until next season. Since the rookie’s debut in Week 13, he’s operating as the team’s WR5, behind not only Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Chark, and Josh ReynoldsIt is after, but also before. Kalif Raymond WR.
With another offseason to heal from an ACL tear he sustained in January, Williams should prove a viable fantasy asset in his second year in the NFL, but for now, he’s not going to help you win any championships this season.
Say Goodbye To These Injured Players
Here are a handful of drop-worthy guys most likely not suiting up during the regular reason, or if they do, aren’t worth hanging onto anymore:
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Dameon Pierce, RB Texas
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Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
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Tyler Lockett, WR, Seahawks
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Kyler Murray, QB, Cardinals
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Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers
This article was originally published on 4for4.com
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Jennifer Eakins, a proud graduate of the UGA Grady College of Journalism has worked in the sports industry for over a decade. She has worked with CNN Sports, Atlanta Hawks, and Colorado Rockies. Her fantasy football draft began in 1996 when she selected Ricky Watters, the first overall selection. Ever since then, she’s been a fantasy degenerate.