Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Wire Targets: Add Brady Cook, Evan Hull, Jawhar Jordan, Adonai Mitchell for Some Playoff Magic
If you’re reading this, hopefully you’re doing so with a smile on your face and a heart that has grown three sizes after dominating your opponent. The semi-finals are a salubrious yet stressful place to be.
As oxymoronic as that may be, making it out of the first round of the playoffs awards managers some sense of bragging rights.
But fantasy wolves don’t settle for bragging rights! Our lupine appetites can only be quenched by the sweet nectar of fantasy championships!
Handcuffs, high-upside backups, and matchup-friendly streamers are the real heroes of December football. Whether you’re chasing a league-winning running back lottery ticket, searching for a boom-bust receiver with big-play potential, or plugging in a quarterback or tight end who can pop in the right matchup, upside is everything.
With a championship in sight, loading your roster with players who can meaningfully move the needle gives you the best chance to survive and advance. Week 16 is here, so let’s find the difference-makers who can carry you all the way to the trophy.
HEADS UP: Each player featured is rostered in 50% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! at the time of publication.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 16 WAIVER WIRE TARGETS
QUARTERBACKS
CJ STROUD, HOUSTON TEXANS (48% ROSTERED)
Looking to replace Patrick Mahomes? Don’t look now, but Stroud is slingin’ it in Houston!
He threw for 260 and 3 TDs in a spanking vs. the Cardinals in week 15. Nico Collins approves of this development.
“When he gets hot, he IS the best QB,” Collins said.
A date with the Raiders in week 16 makes Stroud an attractive option for scrambling fantasy managers. After all, Jalen Hurts and the polarizing Eagles offense just lit up the Raiders in a 31-0 thrashing!
BRADY COOK, NEW YORK JETS (0% ROSTERED)
Is the QB3 for the Jets a viable streaming option in week 16? Well, maybe.
Stepping in for the injured Tyrod Taylor, Cook’s outing was definitely up-and-down.
Cook completed 22/33 passes for 176 yards and a score, along with three picks.
Despite his three picks, Cook showed flashes of good anticipatory throwing and managed to find emerging young receiver Adonai Mitchell in the endzone for his first score.
An athletic quarterback from Missouri, Cook (4.59s 40) offers terrific speed for a QB and put it on display, scooting for 39 yards on six carries.
His week 16 matchup with the Saints isn’t the worst. Their rush defense is the worst in the league, and they’re middle of the pack at surrendering passing TDs.
It may be worth stashing Cook and seeing what he offers in week 16, but with a week 17 date with the Patriots, this may be the last chance to trot him out there.
He may make an interesting super flex spot start.
GARDNER MINSHEW, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0% ROSTERED)
Oh goody. It’s Minshew mania again!
The stashe is expected to be back under center for the Chiefs after Mahomes’ torn ACL late in week 15.
What upside does Minshew offer in an ugly system and a tattered offensive line? Well, fantasy managers may not have the option to ask that question.
Now that Mahomes is done for the season, grabbing his backup makes the most sense, especially in super flex leagues.
Expect the Chiefs to come out with nothing to lose and potentially throw the ball around the yard.
With a soft matchup against the Titans, managers could do worse than Minshew in a pinch.
MARCUS MARIOTA, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (10% ROSTERED)
For the life of me, I don’t understand why Mariota is only 10% rostered.
Are you telling me this is sitting on waivers in 90% of leagues and nobody wants a piece of it? More for me, I suppose!
In Jayden Daniels’ stead, Mariota has averaged 18 fantasy points per game, including 21.5 ppg in three of his last four starts.
Now that the Commanders shut Daniels down for the season on Monday, Mariota could prove to be a real league-winner on the wire. Pick him up and play him with confidence, especially in superflex formats.
RUNNING BACKS
JAWHAR JORDAN, HOUSTON TEXANS (1% ROSTERED)
The 1% who already have Jordan on their rosters are dancing!
The sixth-rounder out of Louisville is VERY interesting if Woody Marks is unavailable in week 16. However, head coach DeMeco Ryans said in a press conference that Marks was available to come back in if needed.
Jordan set the fantasy landscape ablaze, taking 15 carries for 101 yards, including 46 yards over expectation and 80 yards after contact.
“Jawhar did an outstanding job for us. For the young man to come in for his first game to have a debut like he had, he broke a record—most yards as a Texan in a debut game. Showed the explosiveness & speed that we’ve seen in practice. It’s about you taking advantage of that moment & not looking back, and I thought Jawhar handled it very well,” Ryans said in a presser.
Jordan showcased his ability to create, ripping off three different rushes for at least 10 yards.
Jordan is the only Texans RB to eclipse the century mark in 2025. Nab Jordan and tuck him away in case a committee is formed or if Marks misses time for whatever reason.
KEATON MITCHELL, BALTIMORE RAVENS (3% ROSTERED)
“I’ll feed him a big load if the situation calls for it.” Head coach John Harbaugh loves what Mitchell has done on his limited reps.
The lightning rod from East Carolina University has produced whewn on the field:
- Lifetime 7.0 yards per carry
- 7.6 yards per touch
- Yards per reception
He tamed the toothless Bengals defense in week 15, taking 8 carries for 66 yards while being worked back into the rotation after his knee injury.
Mitchell has picked up a first down on just south of 31% of his carries and essentially split work with Derrick Henry.
He split early down and short yardage work with Henry, but yielded high-value touches to Rasheen Ali, and he needs to be added in case he’s needed in championship week!
MALIK DAVIS, DALLAS COWBOYS (1% ROSTERED)
Javonte Williams suffered a shoulder injury in week 15 and saw his snaps plummet as a result.
With Miles Sanders on IR and Jaydon Blue continuing to be a health scratch, Davis is the direct backup should Williams be limited or unable to go.
After Williams’ injury, Davis handled 14 of the 26 snaps and handled 11 opportunities for 37 total yards and a score.
Williams’ role over the last month has been worth 16.8 expected fantasy points, and he’s the RB5 in xFP on the season.
Davis needs to be tucked away in case Williams, who returned and produced nearly 100 total yards and a score, has a setback.
If Dallas loses against the Chargers, the Cowboys could shut down Williams in championship week against the Commanders.
EVAN HULL, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, (0% ROSTERED)
The Saints’ waiver wire hero hurt his hamstring in the first half of week 15, and that was all she wrote.
Hull and Audric Estime split snaps after Neal went down, and the Saints switched to a pass-heavy offense.
Estime served as the primary receiving back for the Saints and carried the ball three times for 11 yards, vs. Hull’s four for 12 yards.
There’s still a chance Alvin Kamara could return this week. With back-to-back matchups against the Jets and Titans, Hull could still produce servicable flex numbers should Kamara miss more time.
Hull should not be a priority FAAB dump add with the likelihood of a gross committee and a likely lack of receiving work without Kamara.
WIDE RECEIVERS
JAYDEN REED, GREEN BAY PACKERS (41% ROSTERED)
Christian Watson suffered a chest injury early in the second half and did not return. Reed’s frustrating usage continued, primarily playing in 11 personnel, according to PFF.
Despite this, Reed led the team in receiving, catching five passes for 55 yards.
In the past, Reed performed better when Watson missed time.
With the Bears and Ravens on tap the next two weeks, Reed has a good chance at being a valuable flex play and should be added to rosters.
JALEN COKER, CAROLINA PANTHERS (5% ROSTERED)
Since returning to the Panthers in week 7, Coker has played nearly every snap in the slot in 11 personnel.
Frustratingly, PFF noted that he seldom sees the field in 12 or 13 personnel, making him more gamescript dependent.
Still, Coker has been heating up, posting at least 50 yards in three of his past four games.
Since week 11, Coker has been pacing for 895 yards and 6 TDs on 74 targets, making him a bit of a risk of boom/bust production.
Tampa Bay is next up for the Panthers, and the Bucs have allowed the fourth-most receptions to slot receivers, making Coker an enticing flex option in week 16.
JAYDEN HIGGINS, HOUSTON TEXANS (43% ROSTERED)
Higgins, frustratringly, is still being limited to playing between 50 and 75% of the offensive snaps.
Week 15 was a step back for Higgins, catching only one pass, but he had consistently been catching three to five balls per game.
The Raiders just allowed every pass catcher under the sun to show out for the Eagles in week 15, and Higgins is in a favorable matchup. Las Vegas has allowed the fifth-most points to wide receivers.
Don’t be surprised if Higgins comes down with a score this week.
Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets (16% ROSTERED)
As I mentioned above, AD showed a good connection with Cook in week 15.
He caught six balls for a team-high 58 yards and scored his second TD in his last three games.
Tracking his utilization since being traded to the Jets, he has firmly established himself as the team’s go-to option with Garrett Wilson possibly done for the season.
With a decent matchup up ahead against the Saints, Mitchell projects to be a good flex option with a strong chance of scoring again.
TIGHT ENDS
BEN SINNOTT, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (0% ROSTERED)
Sinnott caught one ball for 36 yards in week 15 and it was a thing of beauty!
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but with Zach Ertz possibly done for his career, Sinnott could work his way into a healthy dose of targets for a streaming tight end.
Last week, he ran 10 routes and was on the field for 11 passes.
With a lovely championship week matchup against the Cowboys, Sinnott could help leave a fantasy title in managers’ stockings Christmas night!
AJ BARNER, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (% ROSTERED)
Since week 14, Barner has played a healthy dose of snaps for the Seahawks.
A bit of a lackluster performance in week 15 poured some cold water on the Barner breakout, but he still saw six targets.
With no competition for targets at the position and a plus matchup week 16 against the Rams, Barner could push tight end streaming managers over the hump.
BRENTON STRANGE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (% ROSTERED)
Strange is the clear alpha tight end when healthy.
Since returning from injury, he had back-to-back weeks with 13.5+ points scored before a bit of a disappointing 5.7 against the Colts.
With matchups against the Broncos and a rematch with the Colts (7th worst D vs. TE) the next two weeks, Strange could be a league-winning option at the tight end position.
