10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 16

Injuries and COVID-19 protocols may have you needing a key piece on your bench for a playoff push.

There's a combination, now, of short-term and long-term (long-term meaning multi-week) additions we can eye up on the wire. Here are 10 of the best moves you can make.

(I'll stick to players rostered on 50% of Yahoo teams or fewer and also list some other viable pickups who may be available in shallower leagues or relevant only in deeper leagues.)

Quarterbacks

Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens

Roster Percentage: 4%

Let's be real -- the fantasy playoffs that most leagues kicked off within Week 15 were absolutely wild.

However, nothing was wilder than Tyler Huntley's best impersonation of QB1 and teammate Lamar Jackson with a four-touchdown effort in Week 15. And perhaps the sky is the limit with Huntley; with Jackson leaving early last week with an ankle injury, Huntley tossed his way to 315 yards.

This week? The passing yards were a bit more modest with 215 yards, but he fired in 73 rushing yards and two scores. He faces another bottom-third defense next week in the Cincinnati Bengals, and he could be fantasy gold as long as Jackson remains sidelined.

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Roster Percentage: 7%

Wanna get nuts? Let's. Get. Nuts.

Perhaps the most shocking result this week was an absolutely dominant performance from Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions over the first place (perhaps soon, formerly) Arizona Cardinals.

This game, quite frankly, was an absolute blowout, and the 12.5-point underdogs rode a 17-0 halftime lead to an easy 18-point win. The signal-caller turned in perhaps his most efficient performance of the year -- he only had five incompletions on the day, throwing for three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Goff's 0.60 Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) per drop back mark Sunday was easily the best mark of the season. He faces a porous Atlanta Falcons defense next week, making him an interesting option at least for the foreseeable future.

Others to Consider:
Cam Newton (22%; vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Mac Jones (33%; vs. Buffalo Bills)

Running Backs

Duke Johnson, Miami Dolphins

Roster Percentage: 2%

If you had the foresight to add Duke Johnson already -- absolutely good for you. I'm not sure anyone saw his Week 15 coming.

With Myles Gaskin still working his way back into form following COVID-19, Johnson went absolutely nuts this week. He ripped off 107 rushing yards and two scores. He also added a 20-yard reception.

Keep in mind how improbable this was -- this was the first 20-carry and 100-yard rushing day of the year when he failed to hit those marks without Gaskin.

He faces a very stout New Orleans rushing defense next week, but his performance may lead to keeping his expanded role a little longer.

Jeff Wilson Jr, San Francisco 49ers

Roster Percentage: 55%

Let's be transparent that this is a bit outside the normal threshold for a waiver addition, but there are just fewer difference-making options this late in the season.

Jeff Wilson of the San Francisco 49ers rushed like a king against the Atlanta Falcons. He posted 21 attempts for 110 yards and a score in their Week 15 win. With Elijah Mitchell continuing to work through a knee issue, Wilson carried the bulk of the load and fully took advantage of the situation.

Given that this is a short week and a Thursday night contest, it's unlikely Mitchell comes back for Week 16, either. He is still worth flex consideration in most leagues despite a tougher matchup with Tennessee.

Craig Reynolds, Detroit Lions

Roster Percentage: 13%

We're adding Detroit Lions? What a wild twist this 2021 season has taken.

Craig Reynolds has been a bit of a Cinderella story so far -- he racked up 117 scrimmage yards this week after a 99-yard effort in Week 14. With Jamaal Williams missing time due to COVID-19, and D'Andre Swift dealing with a shoulder issue, Reynolds has logged a whopping 37 carries the last two weeks.

He has been more effective than Williams in an offense now scoring points, so it's safe to presume he is the starter again against a porous Falcons defense.

Others to Consider:
Nyheim Hines (51%), Brandon Bolden (16%), Latavius Murray (26%), Justin Jackson (5%), Ameer Abdullah (8%)

Roster Percentage: 29%

Three Lions? Alright, is this a joke?

After this week's performance -- not really. As T.J. Hockenson has been out, St. Brown has been the major weapon that Goff is focusing on. He received 11 targets this week equating to a massive 42.3% target market share on the day.

In the past three games, Amon-Ra St. Brown has 35 targets -- and, with Hockenson out for the year following thumb surgery, there are no signs that this role lessens in stature moving forward. St. Brown leads the team in target market share.

That role is solid gold into the aforementioned, beatable matchup with Atlanta this week..

Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills

Roster Percentage: 19%

After running a pass route on 81% of pass plays in Week 14, Gabriel Davis of the Buffalo Bills took another leap forward with a monster five-catch, 85-yard day in Week 15. He added two scores.

Davis received his first target of the day on just the second drive, and as long as Emmanuel Sanders remains out due to injury, he's likely to be a huge part of the offense.

The New England Patriots are a very tough defense, but so were the Carolina Panthers. Both are top-five teams in terms of Passing NEP per play allowed.

Expect him to continue to be a major factor, and his upside is great with an 11.5-yard average Depth of Target (aDOT) to his name.

Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons

Roster Percentage: 50%

Russell Gage is a surprising find of the 2021 season.

Once the third fiddle to Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, Gage posted two highlight-reel catches in Week 15 that added to a monster stat line. He had 8 catches (on 11 targets), 91 yards, and a score through the air where he Moss'd some poor 49ers corner.

This isn't a new role. Gage is averaging 95.7 yards per game the past four weeks on nearly 9 targets per contest.

He is worthy of a playoff start into a solid matchup with Detroit.

Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers

Roster Percentage: 9%

Allen Lazard's stat line -- as is the case with many in Week 15 -- left plenty to be desired. The wide receiver put up a stinker by recording just 2 catches for 15 yards.

Lazard did have two end-zone targets, though; that clearly shows he's a decent part of this Aaron Rodgers-led offense. While Marquez Valdes-Scantling tied Davante Adams with seven targets this week, Lazard posted at least six targets in each of the prior two games.

Lazard ranks second on the team in aDOT with a mark of 11.4 yards, and he also clocks in third on the team in target market share.

In deeper leagues, or if MVS is already gone, he might be the target entering Green Bay's Christmas showdown with the COVID-riddled Browns.

Others to Consider:
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (41%), Josh Reynolds (10%), Marquez Callaway (23%), Kendrick Bourne (31%), Laviska Shenault (33%)

Tight Ends

James O'Shaughnessy, Jacksonville Jaguars

Roster Percentage: 8%

Tight end has somewhat turned into a wasteland yet again, so if you're desperate, James O'Shaughnessy makes for an intriguing option in Week 16.

This isn't necessarily of a prisoner of the moment type of approach, but the tight end did enjoy a nice week. He nabbed all four of his targets en route to 60 yards -- and he faces a New York Jets defense that's seventh-worst overall and allows the second-most Adjusted Fantasy Points to tight end entering Week 15, per Brandon Gdula.

He's the most sensible addition that's likely not already rostered in a standard league.

Others to Consider:
Evan Engram (31%), Albert Okwuegbunam (1%)