Week 16 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Football's Top Pickups and Breakout Candidates
Many fantasy football leagues have already begun their playoffs—but since the advent of the 18-week season, some leagues won't begin their postseasons until Week 16.
As such, if you're lucky enough to still be in contention in your league, you're less looking to stash skill players for a potential future scenario and more looking to plug holes in your roster. Thus, some of the players who follow may only be on your roster for one week, but if you're in a redraft league, that doesn't really matter...as long as you advance to your playoff championships.
Let's take a look at three of the players who broke out in Week 15 you should consider claiming. To be considered breakouts, players must have been rostered in 50 percent of leagues or less.
Joshua Palmer, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
1 of 3
Rostered percentage: 29
Week 15 stats: 4 rec, 113 rec yds, 1 rec TD, 21.30 pts
We've already established that the Chargers were on the wrong end of a 63-21 drubbing on Thursday night, but the player who mercifully ended their two-plus-quarter scoring drought was wideout Joshua Palmer.
That's notable because Palmer was seeing more opportunities given that the Chargers' top receiver, Keenan Allen, was out with a heel injury. And when it comes to this week's waiver wire, Palmer is in the same position as Raiders running back Zamir White.
If Allen returns in Week 16, Palmer's value will drop (though not as drastically as White's). But if Allen misses another week, Palmer is clearly capable of handling a No. 1 role for the Chargers.
Zamir White, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
2 of 3
Rostered percentage: 15
Week 15 stats: 17 att, 69 rush yds, 1 rush TD, 17.50 pts
Second-year Raiders player Zamir White was tasked with starting in Week 15 in place of an injured Josh Jacobs, who has 805 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on the season.
White did more than simply serve as a stopgap for the Raiders against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night; he (along with Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden) was instrumental in the Raiders' jaw-dropping 63-21 victory.
With 17 carries and a successful trot into the end zone, White proved that the Raiders can depend on him for as long as Jacobs is out. Of course, we don't know how long that will be—he could return in Week 16, which would make White's value plummet. But if you're dealing with injuries at the running back position (or if you already roster Jacobs), consider putting in a claim for White ahead of Week 16.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
3 of 3
Rostered percentage: 38
Week 15 stats: 13 att, 37 rush yds, 4 rec, 64 rec yds, 1 rec TD, 20.10 pts
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco, who missed Week 15, had shoulder surgery recently, but head coach Andy Reid anticipates he'll return next week. Still, perhaps fantasy managers should keep an eye on the injury report.
In Week 15, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who is healthy, proved he can handle leading the backfield and also showed off his impressive hands. Not only did Edwards-Helaire lead the backfield with 13 carries, but he totaled 64 receiving yards and found the end zone through the air as well.
if Pacheco does return in Week 16, stashing Edwards-Helaire may not help you much. But if you have some bench space to play around with, why not set yourself up for success should Edwards-Helaire get the nod again?
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