Pigskin Papers: 2023 Waiver Wire Week 17
D-Rob Scores Again!
(Published December 26, 2023)
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Merry Christmas, Happy (almost) New Year, and welcome to the last installment of my Waiver Wire column for 2023. If you’re reading this, you’re probably in your League Championship. Congrats! Hopefully, your roster is in good shape, and you don’t need any more gifts from under the Christmas tree. But injuries continue to pile up, so if you do need to shore up one or more positions, read on. Since we’re no longer looking at players to stash, I’ll keep this week’s column short and sweet, with added focus on the Week 17 matchups. Also, be sure to check out my Week 17 fantasy preview when it posts on Thursday.
The Process: Each week, I try to identify the top Waiver Wire targets. I also do my best to reveal which players who are coming off a big week are fool’s gold. Finally, I endeavor to find streamers who might help you in a pinch. Note that this advice is primarily intended for Season-Long leagues, and NOT Dynasty leagues.
Some of the players I’ll talk about won’t be available in your league. As a general rule, I list players who are available in more than 50% of leagues. But what does that even mean? A 10 team league with 6 bench spots will have a much larger free agent pool than a 14 team league with 8 bench spots. Most leagues fall somewhere in between. This isn’t “one size fits all.”
Week 17 Waiver Wire:
Flacco—The Biggest of the 2023 Late Season Surprises
QB:
Derek Carr (@TB). It’s taken awhile, but Carr is coming to life at the right time. He’s thrown for 3 TDs and topped 20 fantasy points in back-to-back games, and this week he’ll face a Tampa defense that’s allowed the 7th most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to QBs. If you need a QB off the wire this week, Carr might be your best (and safest) option.
Joe Flacco (vs. NYJ). Flacco has been a revelation for the Browns’ passing game, and the 38 year old is slingin’ it all over the yard. The passing volume is elite—He’s attempted at least 40 passes in all 4 of his starts, and has amassed 10 TDs and more than 1,300 yards across those 4 contests. The matchup this week is a tough one though, as the Jets (who Flacco briefly played for last season) have allowed the fewest FPPG to QBs on the season. That’s why I’m listing Flacco below Carr. I don’t expect another huge game and especially since this contest has a very low chance of being a shootout.
Tyrod Taylor (vs. LAR). I’m assuming he’ll get the start in Week 17, but obviously check for news coming out of New York. If you’re truly desperate for a second QB in a Superflex, consider Taylor, who has rushing upside and played well in relief of Tommy DeVito on Christmas Day. With Darren Waller back, this low voltage offense has a little more appeal, and it’s a decent matchup at home. The Giants will need to air it out a bit to try to keep up with the ascending Rams.
Khalil Herbert—A Bear Out of Hibernation
RB:
Khalil Herbert (vs. ATL). The Bears’ 3-headed backfield has been a fantasy headache for much of the season, and is hard to predict week to week. Last week, D’Onta Foreman didn’t dress due to a personal matter, and Herbert took advantage to the tune of a 20-112-1 breakout performance. Herbert is a talented runner and this isn’t the first time we’ve seen him excel when give the chance. It’s unclear if Foreman will miss another week and the matchup with Atlanta isn’t a good one (6th fewest FPPG allowed to RBs, and only 1 rushing TD allowed to an RB this season), but volume is volume and Herbert is definitely worth an add.
CEH (vs. CIN). With both Jerick McKinnon (who missed Week 16 due to injury) and Isiah Pacheco (who suffered a concussion vs. the Raiders) uncertain for Week 17, the disappointing CEH could be in for a bigger role in a plus matchup. The KC offense is sputtering, but one of these weeks they’re going to break out. CEH is worth grabbing to at least have as an option if things break right for him this week.
Chris Rodriguez and Antonio Gibson (vs. 49ers). Speaking of headaches…If you’re really stuck at RB, consider adding one or both of these backs. They combined for 3 TDs on Sunday with Brian Robinson missing a second straight game. You probably don’t want to go here—the 49ers are a bad matchup, Rodriguez has been the lead back the last 2 weeks but was seen in a walking boot after the game, and Robinson could return next week. Still, there’s some value here for whichever backs are active next Sunday.
Tyjae Spears (@HOU). The takeover of the starting role isn’t going to happen as some predicted, but Spears has gotten enough volume (at least 10 touches in 4 straight games) to warrant consideration as a Flex if you’re stuck, and especially in Full PPR. Spears has seen an uptick in snaps and touches the past couple of weeks, and 2 weeks ago, Derick Henry had his worst game as a pro against these Texans. The Titans haven’t quit, and Spears has an established role in the offense.
Osborn—The Next Man Up
WR:
DeMarcus Robinson (@NYG). Robinson (6-82-1 vs. the Saints on Thursday, and a TD in 4 straight games) is the clear #3 WR for the Rams, but given how this offense is playing, and who they face in Week 17, Robinson has good upside as a WR3 or Flex plug-in. The Giants allow the 5th most FPPG to WRs, and Matt Stafford has been balling out since around Thanksgiving. He’s tossed 14 TD passes over his last 5 games, and 4 of those have gone to Robinson.
Romeo Doubs (@MIN). Doubs’s production and role fell behind several of his teammates in recent months, which led to him being dropped in lots of leagues. Well, a recent wave of injuries has opened the door for him. With Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and now Dontayvion Wicks all iffy (at best) for Week 17 with a variety of ailments, Doubs is the last man standing for a game Jordan Love and the Packers have to have. Doubs had 4 grabs for 79 yards and a score last week (his 8th TD of the season) and could have a big target share this week.
K.J. Osborn (vs. GB). Let’s stay in the same game. Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson both got hurt during the Vikings’ Week 16 loss to Detroit. Osborn stepped up with 5-95-1 on 7 targets. The Packers’ pass defense has been atrocious over the past month, and has made both Tommy DeVito and Bryce Young look like Peyton Manning. Osborn figures to have an expanded role in Week 17.
Juwan Johnson is Heating Up
TE: A torn ACL and MCL has been confirmed for T.J. Hockenson, which is a very tough break for him and for the Vikings, and of less importance, for fantasy managers. So some of you may be in the market for a tight end. I’ll assume that Isaiah Likely is scooped up in most leagues, but here are some players you can probably grab if you need a TE plug-in for your Championship:
Juwan Johnson (@TB). See what I wrote above about Derek Carr. Johnson has scored a TD in 2 straight, and has a very good matchup this week (the Bucs have allowed the 5th most FPPG to Tight Ends).
Gerald Everett (@DEN). With Keenan Allen (heel) out of the lineup (perhaps for the rest of the season), Everett has emerged as Easton Stick’s favorite target, and he’s seeing enough volume to make him worth consideration, even if TD catches are unlikely. Everett has seen 8 targets in 3 straight contests, and last week he hauled in 7 of them, albeit for just 42 yards. The matchup this week is ideal. The Broncos have allowed the most FPPG and TDs (10) to TEs on the season.
Chig Okonkwo (@HOU). Chig was a big disappointment for most of the season (which is why he’s widely available on waivers), but he’s finally starting to emerge. He had 6 catches and a TD last week (thrown by Derrick Henry on a trick play, but still), and some of that came after Nuk Hopkins left the game with an injury. If Hopkins is unable to go this week, he’ll again have more opportunity for volume. The Texans pass defense has fallen apart in recent weeks (just ask Joe Flacco, Amari Cooper, and David Njoku), so it’s also a plus matchup.
PK Streamers, Week 17: M. Badgley (@DAL), C. Santos (vs. ATL), L. Havrisik (@NYG), and W. Lutz (vs. LAC).
D/ST Streamers, Week 17: LAR (@NYG), DEN (vs. LAC), and CHI (vs. ATL).
Good luck with your waiver claims and you Championship matchup!
DH
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