Championships are won on smart pickups and if you’re in the fantasy playoffs, or trying to avoid the toilet bowl, you can give yourself a massive boost by looking ahead to Week 16 and Week 17. In the words of Kevin McCallister, “This is it. Don’t get scared now.”
Instead of fighting things out on the waiver wire next week, these players could join your roster for free, now. We use rostership data from Yahoo, which provides a large sample size and tends to be fairly reliable. We understand you’ll be dying to say ‘he’s not available in my league’ to every suggestion, even regarding players available in fewer than 10% of leagues. However, by selecting players typically rostered in 50% or fewer of leagues, we should have a good range of players available in many leagues.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Stashes Ahead of Week 15
CJ Stroud (QB – HOU) – 47% Rostered
Let’s be clear, CJ Stroud is more of a floor play than a ceiling one. He’s been over 15 points once since his Week 6 bye, and he’s only finished inside the top ten QBs once this year, when he took on a Ravens defense obliterated to its worst levels with no Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey or Roquan Smith among others. In Week 16, Stroud takes on the Raiders, who have allowed the ninth-fewest QB fantasy points, but also allow the ninth-highest rate of EPA per dropback. If you’re projecting well across the board but need a QB, Stroud is a reasonable shout.
This is Rookie CJ Stroud we been missing the past year and half. pic.twitter.com/fr3CPn472C
— Sad H-town sports (@rockets_feed) December 8, 2025
J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN) – 34% Rostered
No risk it, no biscuit, as the great Bruce Arians used to say. McCarthy is as volatile as they come for real NFL results, but he has a great fantasy schedule the rest of the way and has had his good moments for this funny little game we play. Last week, McCarthy was the QB10 after throwing for three touchdowns against a poor Commanders defense. That was McCarthy’s first three-touchdown game and he could repeat that against a poor Giants defense in Week 16. The Giants rank 26th against the pass in EPA and have allowed the second-most QB fantasy points this year. Eight quarterbacks who’ve faced the Giants have scored at least 20 points, and McCarthy is a fine plug-and-play option here.
Aaron Rodgers (QB – PIT) – 26% Rostered
Is Aaron Rodgers back? Are the Steelers a downfield passing attack now? Probably not on both accounts but at least his hand looks healthier, and he can take a snap without wincing once again. It was encouraging to see him have four plays of 20+ yards downfield against the Ravens, and if he was going to repeat that, perhaps it’s against the Lions, who have issues across their secondary. Last week was Rodgers’ third top ten QB performance this year, but he’s a fine play against the Lions, who’ve allowed eight QBs to reach 19 points and have given up the sixth-most QB points this year.
Emanuel Wilson (RB – GB) – 35% Rostered
Josh Jacobs continues to be banged up and missed practices with a knee injury that he’s already missed one game for. In that game, Emanuel Wilson finished as the RB3 overall that week. He was the first Green Bay running back to run for 100 yards this year and finished with two touchdowns, also against a good Minnesota defense. The Packers are fighting for seeding but still seem to be taking a cautious approach with Jacobs and Matt LaFleur indicated this week they won’t push him to play if he can’t. For that reason alone Wilson should be rostered. Looking ahead though, Week 16 presents a cupcake matchup with Chicago who rank 23rd against the run.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said RB Josh Jacobs (knee) will practice today in a limited fashion after missing the last two days.
“It sounds like he’s feeling pretty good.”
LaFleur added they will have to see how he feels after the workout. pic.twitter.com/onQ4tKdRbx
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) December 12, 2025
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB – WAS) – 35% Rostered
Why is the RB1 for the Washington Commanders rostered in almost one-third of Yahoo leagues? Last week wasn’t impressive against the Vikings’ defense who allow the sixth-fewest RB fantasy points, but the next few weeks are why we want Rodriguez. This weekend he plays a Giants side who couldn’t stop a warm breeze when it comes to the run, and next week it’s the Eagles who’ve allowed 466 running back rushing yards in their last three games. The Eagles still hold a reputation as being a better defense than they are this league, but the reality is different and we should be happy to play running backs against them.
Bam Knight (RB – ARI) – 32% Rostered
Trey Benson wasn’t activated this week and has reverted to injured reserve for the rest of the season, in a cruel twist of what could have been. Last week Knight finished as the RB40 against the Rams’ elite defense, and this week against the Texans likely won’t be much better. However, cast your eyes ahead to the glories of Week 16 and 17 and Knight becomes a must-roster player. In Week 16, Knight takes on Atlanta who have been brutal against running backs, allowing top-five numbers in yards per carry and top-seven in yards per game since Week 10. Then in Week 17 it’s the Bengals who lead the league in points allowed to the running back position and have given up the highest yards per carry since Week 9.
Backups To Stash If You Have Room
These are ordered by priority:
Blake Corum (RB – LAR) – 40% Rostered
Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – SF) – 24% Rostered
Tank Bigsby (RB – PHI) – 17% Rostered
Isaiah Davis (RB – NYJ) – 3% Rostered
Keaton Mitchell (RB – BAL) – 3% Rostered
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI) – 17% Rostered
Rome Odunze doesn’t sound likely to take the field anytime too soon while dealing with a stress fracture. While Luther Burden didn’t jump straight to WR2 duties last week, he did lead the team in targets with six, catching four for 70 yards against a strong Cleveland defense. Burden now has 224 yards over the past five weeks and continues to flash upside. Burden has been a top 36 WR in two of the last three games, making him a WR3 or flex-worthy play in every league. Week 17 against the 49ers looks particularly friendly with their secondary unable to stop anyone.
Adonai Mitchell (WR – NYJ) – 17% Rostered
Last week wasn’t a classic week for AD Mitchell, but it never looked like a great one on paper and once Brady Cook was inserted into the lineup, things looked even worse. Next week however, Mitchell plays the New Orleans Saints who are one of the biggest pass funnels in the league. The Saints rank ninth-against the run in EPA allowed but 19th against the pass and teams have had success throwing on them all year. If either Tyrod Taylor of Justin Fields are able to return to the lineup for that game, Mitchell becomes a much more appealing play.
Jalen Coker (WR – CAR) – 5% Rostered
The Carolina Panthers could be headed to the playoffs, and while that’s not going to help your fantasy teams, the fact they have something to play for just might. It’s not been quite the season that Jalen Coker truthers had in mind with him missing the first seven weeks, but there are signs of life for him as the season rounds down. The Panthers are coming off their bye week into a matchup against the Saints who, as we just mentioned, are a pass funnel. Then in Week 16, Coker gets a matchup with the Bucs who haven’t stopped anyone through the air lately and allow the 12th most fantasy points to the position. Coker has been over 50 yards in two of his last three games and after finishing 2024 strong, has a chance to do the same in 2025.
4th & 3 goes to Jalen Coker for his first TD of the year!
LARvsCAR on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/TnLgaqgOmO
— NFL (@NFL) November 30, 2025
Theo Johnson (TE – NYG) – 45% Rostered
In the games Theo Johnson and Jaxson Dart have played together, Johnson averages 9.88 PPR points and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Those are strong numbers and Johnson has a nice schedule to finish the season with games against the Commanders in Week 15, who rank 32nd in pass defense EPA and allow the fifth-most TE fantasy points. Johnson also plays the Vikings who allow the 14th most before a cupcake finish against the Raiders in Week 17.
Darren Waller (TE – MIA) – 35% Rostered
This one is really simple. If you have a chance to play a tight end against the Bengals, you take it and that’s who Darren Waller plays in Week 16. The Bengals have allowed a 70% catch rate to tight ends, have allowed over 1200 yards to tight ends at 9.2 yards per target, and have given up a massive 15 touchdowns to the position, six more than any other team. This is the most production a defense has given up to the tight end position in the last decade and Waller will be in an excellent spot.
Good luck.
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