The football season is coming to a close after week 17 for even the latest running fantasy leagues. The waiver wire is open for business for a few more days, but this will be it for the waiver wire picks column. Hopefully everyone made some steals from the wire this season and be sure to check back again for the 2017 season.
Week 16 Recommendations Results (Standard League Scoring)
· Dontrelle Inman SD – 3 receptions 44 yards 4 Fantasy Points
· Robby Anderson NYJ – 0 receptions 0 yards 0 Fantasy Points
· J.J. Nelson ARI – 3 receptions 132 yards 1 touchdown 19 Fantasy Points
· Marqise Lee JAC – 3 receptions 37 yards 1 touchdown 1-1 20 passing yards 1 passing touchdown 15 Fantasy Points
Inman and the rest of the Chargers had a rough time as they became the first team to lose to Cleveland in 2016. The absence of Bryce Petty made Robby Anderson completely unusable for week 16. J.J. Nelson reminded fantasy owners that he does not need a lot of catches to make a big impact. A touchdown pass to Blake Bortles from Marqise Lee turned a good fantasy day into a great one.
Week 17 Waiver Wire Picks
Cameron Meredith CHI 29.4% owned
Meredith has been the Bears de facto number one receiver for much of the season and he is playing like it. Another huge game in week 16 should have Meredith as a household name in fantasy, but he is still largely unowned. The Vikings present a tough challenge in week 17, but Matt Barkley is not afraid to wing the ball around even if the wrong team catches it more often than not. Fantasy owners should pencil in Meredith for 100 yards this week, but the Bears will probably get blown out as a team.
Too Late?
Adam Thielen MIN 24.5% owned
Thielen put up one of the best fantasy performances of the year on Sunday, but can he come close to repeating in week 17? Of course, the answer is probably not. The upside for owners that pick him up now, is that he has largely been a usable receiver all season long. He has been in double digit fantasy points 6 times and scored more than 8 points in seven of his last eight games. Thielen is actually one of the more reliable receivers in fantasy at the moment.
The Rest Of The Waiver Wire Picks
Jermaine Kearse SEA 2.2% owned
The Seahawks are going to have to do without wide receiver Tyler Lockett after he went down with an injury, but someone will be getting more targets. Since Jimmy Graham and Doug Baldwin are already busy, Jermaine Kearse is probably the most likely recipient. He has shown in the past that he can be modestly productive, but this season has been a quiet one. Kearse will be out to prove that he deserves more playing time in the playoffs and the 49ers defense should be very cooperative. The Niners cannot stop anyone and Kearse could go off for a big game as the Seahawks may be sitting starters by halftime.
Once Again
Pierre Garcon WAS 49.2% owned
The last seven weeks or so have been kind to Pierre Garcon and he will look to extend his streak of useful performances. The Giants are going to be a tough matchup for the Redskins, but DeSean Jackson may miss the week 17 game. If Jackson cannot go it would stand to reason that Garcon would see an increase in targets. Garcon had 5 catches in the first meeting with the Giants in week 3 and he will look to put up even bigger numbers as the regular season comes to a close.
