Fantasy Football Week 16: Waiver-Wire Pickups, Rankings and Stat Projections

The NFL can have its Lombardi Trophy.

It’s championship time in fantasy football leagues across the country, which means bragging rights that will impact friendships for an entire year are at stake. That seems far more important.

It has been a tumultuous fantasy football season thanks to injuries, breakout players and a handful of defenses that have been essentially nonexistent, and it all comes down to Week 16 of the 2015 campaign.

Considering how random some of the performances have been this year (a Danny Woodhead and Kirk Cousins combination was more effective than a Tom Brady and Adrian Peterson combination in Week 15), the best fantasy owners can hope to do is come prepared with as much information as possible. The right lineup decision can make the difference between a title and a disappointing second-place finish.

With that in mind, here is a look at some rankings, projections and waiver-wire targets for Week 16. Players were considered waiver-wire targets if they were owned in less than 60 percent of ESPN.com leagues.

Quarterbacks

Rank	Player	Week 16 Opponent	Projected Fantasy Points (standard scoring)
1	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	Atlanta Falcons	28
2	Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers	Baltimore Ravens	25
3	Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks	St. Louis Rams	23
4	Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals	Green Bay Packers	22
5	Tom Brady, New England Patriots	New York Jets	21

Waiver-Wire Pickup of the Week: Kirk Cousins, Washington

While Cousins will likely never be confused for the Cam Newton, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers group, he has been on an absolute tear in recent weeks. 

Washington is sitting in the pole position in the NFC East, and the fact Cousins has reached 300 yards passing in five of his last eight outings is a major reason why. He was on fire again Sunday during a win over the Buffalo Bills, as the NFL highlighted:

Sports Illustrated put things in perspective from a fantasy standpoint given Cousins’ recent tear:

"

Kirk Cousins throws his 5th TD pass and there's a good chance he's going to decide a BUNCH of fantasy leagues. Think about that.

— SI NFL (@si_nfl) December 20, 2015"

Elsewhere, the usual candidates will put up monster numbers from the quarterback position. While Brady and Newton have battled for MVP status all season, don’t overlook Wilson. NFL on ESPN noted the former Wisconsin Badger made NFL history the past few weeks:

Any of those top guys are fantasy gold heading into Week 16.

Running Backs

Rank	Player	Week 16 Opponent	Projected Fantasy Points (standard scoring)
1	Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings	New York Giants	25
2	LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills	Dallas Cowboys	23
3	Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Chicago Bears	23
4	Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams	Seattle Seahawks	22
5	DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers	Baltimore Ravens	20

Waiver-Wire Pickup of the Week: Bilal Powell, New York Jets

Raise your hand if you thought Bilal Powell would be one of the New York Jets' deciding fantasy football playoff matchups at the end of the season. If your hand is up, there is no chance anyone else in your league made shrewder moves than you on the waiver wire.

Powell found the end zone against the Dallas Cowboys Saturday for his third straight game with a touchdown. He has also turned into a legitimate receiving threat with 191 yards through the air the past three contests as a safety valve for Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

Those of you fortunate enough to have stalwarts like Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, Doug Martin, Todd Gurley and DeAngelo Williams may not have to rely on the waiver wire with guys like Powell, but Peterson and McCoy both left their respective games Sunday with injuries. It is worth monitoring their status as the week progresses.

Wide Receivers

Rank	Player	Week 16 Opponent	Projected Fantasy Points (standard scoring)
1	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Baltimore Ravens	22
2	DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans	Tennessee Titans	20
3	Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars	New Orleans Saints	18
4	Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants	Minnesota Vikings	17
5	Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks	St. Louis Rams	16

Waiver-Wire Pickup of the Week: Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers

Ted Ginn Jr.—history-maker.

ESPN Stats & Info pointed out the former Ohio State playmaker caught at least two touchdowns for three straight weeks, which is the longest such streak in Carolina Panthers history. He is torching defenders in single coverage with his breakaway speed, and Newton has found him in stride at a consistent clip.

Somehow, he is still owned in less than 60 percent of ESPN.com leagues, despite the fact he has 10 touchdown catches and is red-hot heading into the stretch run.

Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. are also fantasy locks, and Doug Baldwin is riding Wilson’s streak right into fantasy superstardom (10 touchdowns the past four weeks). Seahawks coach Pete Carroll discussed the connection between the two key cogs in his passing attack, per Tim Booth of the Associated Press (via the Pensacola News Journal):

"

For those two guys in particular, they’re really on it. The plays we’re calling are not that much different than we’ve ever called them, but they’re seeing it well, they’re taking advantage of all the little nuances that need to be done to take advantage of what’s happening on defense. Just a natural growth has happened there. 

"

What’s more, nobody in the league has more touchdown catches than Allen Robinson’s 13. There are plenty of fantasy difference-makers at the wide receiver spot.

Tight Ends

Rank	Player	Week 16 Opponent	Projected Fantasy Points (standard scoring)
1	Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots	New York Jets	16
2	Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers	Atlanta Falcons	12
3	Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns	Kansas City Chiefs	11
4	Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars	New Orleans Saints	10
5	Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints	Jacksonville Jaguars	9

Waiver-Wire Pickup of the Week: Will Tye, New York Giants

Sometimes all it takes is an injury to create fantasy opportunity, and that is exactly what happened with Will Tye of the New York Giants.

Larry Donnell is out for the year, and Tye has taken advantage with a touchdown in each of the last two weeks. He also hauled in 200 receiving yards the three games before that and gives fantasy owners a solid option at an injury-plagued position.

Outside of Tye, Rob Gronkowski and Greg Olsen are fantasy locks on a weekly basis, and Gary Barnidge, Julius Thomas and Benjamin Watson offer plenty of upside against defenses that are all vulnerable against the pass (the Kansas City Chiefs were 15th in the league against the pass, as of Sunday, while Jacksonville was 25th and New Orleans was 30th).