Week 16 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Projections for Top Pickups and Sleeper Targets

All good things must come to an end. Week 16 marks the end of the fantasy football season for those in league play, and if you're still fervently looking for an edge in the waiver-wire market at this point, your season has probably turned out to be a good one.

No NFL team caters to the whims of fantasy football acolytes, so the end of the season can be a bit dicey when it comes to sussing out which fringe players might get a big role.

Some teams' seasons are long over and thus are rotating in new players, while others are firmly in the playoff hunt and have no choice but to bank on their stars, which of course means players already owned in fantasy leagues.

Injuries, of course, will have an impact on many players and teams at this late stage in the season, setting us up for a few final twists in the drama. 

Here's a look at the top pickups in Yahoo Sports and ESPN fantasy football leagues, with projections for the most coveted players and a couple of sleepers worth a closer look as the season comes to a close. In order to account for larger 12- and 14-owner leagues, we will not include players owned in more than 50 percent of leagues in the tables.

Yahoo Pickups
ESPN Pickups
Player	% Owned	No. of Monday Adds
Christine Michael, RB, Seattle	11	17,841
Karlos Williams, RB, Buffalo	32	10,766
Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Carolina	7	9,468
Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington	24	8,927
Steven Jackson, RB, New England	2	6,520
Mike Gillislee, RB, Buffalo	1	5,419
Rueben Randle, WR, New York Giants	35	4,527
Markus Wheaton, WR, Pittsburgh	29	4,397
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Minnesota	3	3,656
Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets	21	3,412
Player	% Owned	% Change Last 7 Days
Bryce Brown, RB, Seattle	51.4	+51.4
Fozzy Whittaker, RB, Carolina	23.5	+23.4
Zach Miller, TE, Chicago	36.9	+17.6
Fred Jackson, RB, Seattle	15.8	+12.2
AJ McCarron, QB, Cincinnati	11.9	+11.8
DuJuan Harris, RB, Baltimore	11.3	+11.3
Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh	41.5	+7.3
Christine Michael, RB, Seattle	8.5	+7.2
T.J. Yates, QB, Houston	7.0	+6.6
Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets	31	+6.3

Week 16 Projections for Top Pickups, Sleepers

Christine Michael, RB, Seattle

Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

It's been a weird season for Christine Michael. He started the season with Seattle, but the Seahawks traded him in September to Dallas, who then waived him in November. Michael then briefly latched on with Washington, who released him on December 15, which paved the way for him to return to a desperate Seattle team in need of a lead back following the season-ending injury to Thomas Rawls, who was starting in place of an injured Marshawn Lynch.

Michael rewarded the team on Sunday with 84 rushing yards on 16 carries against Cleveland, providing the team with a solid rushing option whenever it wanted to give the Browns a break from quarterback Russell Wilson, who is far and away the hottest quarterback in the league right now. 

Seattle has clinched a playoff spot but will be looking to stay ahead of Minnesota for the No. 5 seed in the NFC. The Seahawks host St. Louis in Week 16. The Rams are giving up the 10th-most rushing yards per game this season and allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to running backs, per Yahoo Sports. 

Michael is a low-ceiling, high-floor fantasy play for Week 16 in a favorable matchup. Bryce Brown could again cut into his snaps after rushing for 43 yards against Cleveland, while Fred Jackson figures to get opportunities on passing downs with Michael yet to establish himself as a receiving threat.

The offense should be in fine working order with Wilson playing brilliantly of late, so expect a fairly robust total from Michael, with red-zone opportunities a strong possibility.

Week 16 projection: 80 rushing yards

Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee, RBs, Buffalo

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press/Associated Press

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Buffalo Bills star running back LeSean McCoy is week-to-week with an MCL tear suffered in Sunday's loss to Washington.

Assuming he can't play in Week 16, this paves the way for rookie Karlos Williams, who proved earlier this season he has a real nose for the end zone by scoring in each of his first six games as an NFLer. 

Fantasy owners should be cautious with Williams, who carried the ball four times for 41 yards on Sunday. Little-used back Mike Gillislee ran for 81 yards and a touchdown on just four carries in Week 15, and he received more playing time due to Williams' nagging injury, per DraftKings' Adam Levitan: 

Williams wasted little time in proving himself a capable NFL back this year, so it stands to reason he should get more touches than Gillislee if fully healthy for Week 16's contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Gillislee made the biggest play—a 60-yard touchdown scamper—but it's not like Williams had any trouble carving up the Redskins in his limited action.

Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press/Associated Press

Of course, the Bills could always split the carries evenly between the two and let the better man win playing time in Week 16. One has to track the updates on McCoy and William's health as the week progresses, as well as any sign from the coaches on a committee approach against Dallas.

Williams would make a fine fantasy play in Week 16 if healthy and assured a lead role, especially for erstwhile McCoy owners. Gillislee is a much dicier option. Unless the Bills somehow rule out both Williams and McCoy for the game, or Rex Ryan makes a definitive statement for the 25-year-old as a lead back, Gillislee is no better than a low-end flex option. 

Week 16 projections: 80 rushing yards, 1 touchdown (Williams); 45 rushing yards, 15 receiving yards (Gillislee)

Sleeper: Donald Brown, RB, San Diego

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

According to NFL.com's Conor Orr, the San Diego Chargers have placed rookie running back Melvin Gordon on injured reserve after he suffered a knee injury in his team's 30-14 win over Miami on Sunday.

Nobody is going to mistake the Bolts for a running team as long as Philip Rivers is in charge, but veteran tailback Donald Brown just might be a sleeper fantasy football candidate in Week 16 against the rival Oakland Raiders. 

The 28-year-old back ably stepped in as the main ball-carrier against Miami, toting the rock 12 times for 90 yards while adding 14 more yards in the passing game. Most of Brown's total came on a 53-yard burst late in the fourth quarter that helped ice the game for San Diego. Brown ran with a cool decisiveness, in stark contrast to the often-hesitant Gordon.

Head coach Mike McCoy liked what he saw from Brown, per the San Diego Union-Tribune's Tom Krasovic:

Brown will of course split time with Danny Woodhead, who blew up for four touchdowns in Week 15. Still, there is fantasy potential here, as Woodhead struggled running the ball into the teeth of the Dolphins defense and is in no way a traditional ball-carrier. Brown is much better suited for that task, and he is still quick enough to warrant a few looks in the passing game.

Per Yahoo Sports, Oakland is middle of the pack against fantasy backs, so there is at least some chance Woodhead and Brown could both put in a strong shift.

Brown might also be fresher than anyone out on the field in Week 16, as he's managed just 27 touches all season. While just about everyone else in the league is wearing down at the end of a long season, a little-used player like Brown—still in his athletic prime—could use this game as an opportunity to show his worth.

Week 16 projection: 75 rushing yards, 25 receiving yards

Sleeper: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Perhaps things are finally coming together for Teddy Bridgewater. It's been a tough season for the second-year pro, but it looks like he's hitting a stride as the campaign comes to a close.

Bridgewater threw for 335 yards and one touchdown against a tough Arizona defense in Week 14, then he followed that up with the best performance of his young career in Week 15, torching Chicago for 231 yards, four passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.

It was a performance the likes of which hadn't been seen in the NFL for quite some time, per Randall Liu, the league's director of NFC communications: 

Here's a look at Bridgewater's 12-yard scrambling score—his third of the year—per the NFL: 

The Vikings are looking to either pip Seattle for the No. 5 seed in the NFC wild card or wrestle the NFC North crown from Green Bay. They get the New York Giants in Week 16, a team no stranger to shootouts. The Giants have allowed the second-most fantasy points to QBs this season, per Yahoo Sports.

Carolina's Cam Newton ripped the Giants' hapless secondary for five passing touchdowns in Week 15. Bridgewater is nowhere near the MVP candidate's level, but he should be able to beat these guys for at least a couple of scores in Week 16. 

Bridgewater probably isn't the quarterback you'll want starting in a fantasy championship matchup. However, if you're playing for fun or looking to avoid the shame of last place in your league, Bridgewater just might be your surprise Week 16 savior.

Week 16 projection: 275 yards, 2 touchdowns, 45 rushing yards