RADIO
Congratulations are in order for those of you who took home a championship in any of your leagues, especially this crazy NFL season. While winners have been decided in most leagues, we at RotoBaller realize that many others run until the final week of the season. If that's the case, you'll need more help than ever from the waiver wire.
Here is one final list of waiver wire recommendations for the 2021 fantasy football season in order to help you get that well-deserved trophy. News will break throughout the week as we learn which players will sit in Week 18, so check our News Desk frequently and plan accordingly, as some of these recommendations may soon become outdated.
As a reminder, all rostered percentages are taken from Yahoo and players are listed in descending order, not in order of priority. Only players who are rostered in approximately 40% or fewer leagues are considered.
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Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans - 28% rostered
While D'Onta Foreman turned out to be a waiver wire revelation for those who started him in the title game last week, he's not available in most leagues anymore. Hilliard is and he could get more work in Week 18 if the Titans scale back Foreman's workload to prepare for the postseason. Hilliard is averaging a stout 6.2 yards per carry this season and has ripped off some big runs with limited touches. That along with his pass-catching role gives him upside even without a starting job.
Devontae Booker, New York Giants - 22% rostered
Last week, I told anyone who listened to avoid all Giants and Jaguars in fantasy. This week, all bets are off. The G-Men are hard to figure out as far as what direction they are headed as a franchise, but let's focus on the short-term. Saquon Barkley had his best rushing game of the season in Week 17 with 102 yards and was fed a ton, as Joe Judge held a tight leash on the passing game (for good reason). Booker was nearly as involved, however, getting 18 carries. Judge has managed Barkley's touches all year, so it wouldn't be shocking to see him rested more than usual in this contest.
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles - 11% rostered
Tag, you're it. That's pretty much how the Eagles have run their RBBC this season, switching up who the lead back is on a weekly basis. With Jordan Howard returning from injury, he didn't get as many carries as expected. Instead, Boston Scott got first crack and paid off with two touchdowns while Kenny Gainwell only touched the ball once. Now, both Scott and Howard join numerous Eagles on the COVID list and may not suit up in Week 18. The Dallas defense won't be nearly as forgiving as Washington's was but if Gainwell is the only running back of note available then he becomes a strong pickup candidate.
Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team - 8% rostered
It's all but a foregone conclusion that Antonio Gibson won't face the Giants in Week 18. He sat last week due to numerous injuries and the team has announced that it will let its young players get extended playing time in the season finale. Patterson fared well as the starter last week, totaling 98 yards and a touchdown while averaging 4.57 yards per carry. The Giants are a bottom-10 run defense and have seemingly bailed on the season long ago, so Patterson could pile up points. He's a near must-start in this situation.
Duke Johnson, Miami Dolphins - 8% rostered
Since his out-of-nowhere Week 15 outburst, Sir Duke has gone for 39 and 49 rushing yards in the last two games. Not exciting stuff and it makes his 107-yard effort look like he was running over the Jets defense. Wait, he was. On the other hand, the past two games have come against two of the best run defenses in the league and Tua Tagovailoa was simply terrible against Tennessee, stifling the offense. It will be a true test of Johnson's potential in this offense in Week 18 when they face the Patriots. It should be noted that Johnson's positional market share of carries is at 56% since Week 15, ahead of guys like Ezekiel Elliott and Aaron Jones. Myles Gaskin is only getting touches in garbage time these days, so Johnson has a chance to shine if the offense shows up this week.
Derrick Gore, Kansas City Chiefs - 6% rostered
Darrel Williams went hog wild with Clyde Edwards-Helaire sidelined (again) so Gore was left with just scraps, rushing three times for 37 yards. He could get more run in Week 18 now that the Chiefs have clinched the division, although seeding and home field advantage is still on the line. If CEH doesn't suit up, Gore can be considered as a Flex option in deeper leagues.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 4% rostered
Riding with Vaughn for the championship might be an exercise in masochism. After Ronald Jones did absolutely nothing against the worst run defense in the league and cost many people a title in Week 17, it could be Vaughn's turn. After running for a measly 26 yards on 10 carries against the Jets, Jones left with an ankle injury and is scheduled for an MRI. Even if it comes back clean, we could see a lot of Vaughn in the last game of the regular season. He wasn't spectacular in his eight-carry, 31-yard performance last week either but it was better than RoJo and he now may get the backfield to himself. Based on volume alone, Vaughn is a worthy streamer in a mostly meaningless home game for Tampa versus Carolina. Just be prepared for pain.
Patrick Taylor, Green Bay Packers - 1% rostered
The Packers currently sit as the #1 seed in the NFC, so we could see starters rested in a game with Detroit that they could probably win with backups anyway. Taylor is a longshot RB3 but those with Aaron Jones or A.J. Dillon may need to be prepared for a last-minute pivot play.
Austin Walter, New York Jets - 1% rostered
Condolences to those who started Michael Carter last week only to watch him leave the game in the first half with a concussion. He may not clear the protocol in time or the team may simply choose to sit out their dynamic rookie out of an abundance of caution. Similarly, Tevin Coleman needs to clear COVID protocols and isn't guaranteed to play much, if at all, in Week 18. That leaves Austin Walter as the proud (?) owner of the Jets' backfield. He has been OK in spot duty so far but it's a far from ideal matchup on the road against Buffalo. He is a last-ditch option.
Others to consider: Dare Ogunbowale, Jacksonville Jaguars (34% rostered); Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans (30% rostered); Latavius Murray, Baltimore Ravens (21% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings - 40% rostered
Even with Sean Mannion at QB, Osborn was solid in a Week 17 loss. He caught three balls for 50 yards and a touchdown. That makes four out of the last five games in which Osborn has reached the end zone. He could easily hit paydirt again versus the Bears defense, who has given up the second-most touchdowns (20) to wide receivers this season.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens - 36% rostered
It's pretty clear who Tyler Huntley's favorite target is. Bateman saw a season-high 10 targets in Week 17, catching seven for 58 yards. The only other team he reached seven receptions in a game was Week 14 in Cleveland when he recorded his season-high of 103 yards. That was the game where Lamar Jackson left in the first quarter and Huntley saw the first extensive action of his career. Bateman has taken over as the primary WR in this offense (Mark Andrews still rules the whole roost) and has a good chance to deliver WR2 value this coming week.
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers - 29% rostered
As we've seen with many players in recent weeks, Marquez Valdes-Scantling wasn't used extensively in his first game back from COVID, seeing just three targets. That opened up an opportunity for Lazard, who caught six passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. He's been solid over the past month, ranking as the WR18 in the last four weeks. If Davante Adams gets a breather in the finale, Lazard could go off against Detroit.
Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills - 25% rostered
Davis failed to catch a touchdown as he had done in his three previous games but he saw an 87% snap share despite being fresh off the COVID list. Josh Allen had a game to forget so none of the Bills' receivers delivered in what should have been a smash spot. The spot gets even smashier when they return home to face the Jets in a game where they could clinch the AFC East. Davis is a high-upside Flex play.
Braxton Berrios, New York Jets - 7% rostered
Playing Berrios in Week 17 wasn't gutsy or lucky, it was smart. The Jets were without Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, or Jamison Crowder, so Berrios had been coming on as Zach Wilson's favorite target. He saw 10 targets in Week 14, six in Week 16, and had 12 this past week, leading to tie his career-high with eight receptions. He's finding the end zone as well, both as a receiver and a runner. This is the type of production I imagined was possible when I evaluated him four years ago. Get on the Berrios train and ride it to a 'ship in Week 18.
Laquon Treadwell, Jacksonville Jaguars - 3% rostered
Maybe he's just a late bloomer. It's easy to forget that Treadwell was just 21 when he was drafted in the first round by Minnesota five years ago. He struggled mightily, bounced to Atlanta before landing in Jacksonville and is now writing his NFL story. Over the past six games, Treadwell is averaging 4.7 receptions and 63.5 yards per game. Not gaudy numbers, but he hasn't fallen below 50 yards since Week 11. If he could find the end zone one of these weeks, he'd put up a top-20 WR game. That isn't likely with the way Trevor Lawrence is playing but Treadwell could provide a nice floor in PPR leagues.
Zay Jones, Las Vegas Raiders - 1% rostered
Perhaps calling him a sneaky start last week wasn't bold enough. Jones had already been quietly overtaking Hunter Renfrow as the top receiver in Vegas but he took it a step further with the best game of his career. Jones caught eight passes for 120 yards and out-targeted Renfrow 10-9. He's virtually unowned across fantasy leagues so the only possible factor preventing him from being a must-add is the return of Darren Waller. Jones gets a tougher matchup with the Chargers as well, who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this year so don't expect another blowup game.
Cyril Grayson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 0% rostered
You likely didn't notice what any of the other receivers on Tampa Bay did in Week 17 as all eyes were focused on the sidelines but it was Grayson who led the team with six receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown. They might give him an extensive target share again in the final week as they prepare for the playoffs.
Cedrick Wilson, Dallas Cowboys - 3% rostered
As soon as Michael Gallup left the game with his knee injury that proved to be an ACL tear, Wilson became involved. He wound up with more targets and catches (six each) than CeeDee Lamb on the day and also bested Amari Cooper in yardage. Wilson came away with a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, sealing the deal that he would be the best Dallas receiver from a fantasy perspective in Week 17, much to everyone's chagrin. Gallup's absence and a matchup with a Philly team that has nothing to play for could be the recipe for an even better day by Wilson.
Antoine Wesley, Arizona Cardinals - 0% rostered
Wesley has stepped up in recent weeks and become a favorite red-zone target of Kyler Murray's. He isn't quite the modern-day Cris Carter and only scoring touchdowns (Google it, millenials) but in the past two games he has three TDs on six receptions. That's notable for standard-league GMs and deep-league players.
Dyami Brown, Washington Football Team - 0% rostered
After playing extensively and getting 20 targets in the first five games of his career, Brown missed a couple of games with injury and essentially disappeared from the offense thereafter. Although he hasn't seen the field too much, he has garnered three targets the past two games and could be in store for more with Washington playing for the future. He's essentially a lotto ticket in the hopes he goes for a long touchdown catch a la DeSean Jackson.
Kristian Wilkerson, New England Patriots - 0% rostered
Could lightning strike twice in the same place? Probably not but then again, the Patriots are among the most unpredictable teams in the league. It only makes sense that this undrafted free agent in 2020 out of SE Missouri State would score twice in fantasy championship week. The Pats won't put up 50 points on Miami like they did on Jacksonville but if you're feeling lucky (or extremely desperate) then take a chance on a repeat performance.
Others to consider: Marquez Callaway, New Orleans Saints (26% rostered); Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots (26% rostered); T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (15% rostered); Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears - 32% rostered
Much of the rationale for Kmet as a streamer is included in the Andy Dalton section (below). The Bears have long been out of playoff contention but still have something to play for in a matchup that favors the passing game. Kmet has only gone over 50 receiving yards once in the past five games but he's seen at least five targets every time. Anyway, he can't go all season without a touchdown, can he? He's due!
Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 4% rostered
Tom Brady doesn't take the final week off. In fact, some of his biggest fantasy games in recent years have come in the season finale, even when it was meaningless for his team. Gronk is a different story. The team will need to preserve him for the playoffs, especially with Chris Godwin out for the season and Antonio Brown out of Tampa. Brate never gets a big target share even when Gronk is out but he cashed in with a touchdown last week and could easily do it again.
John Bates, Washington Football Team - 1% rostered
I recommended Bates last week based on the strength of an excellent defensive matchup for a tight end. He caught three passes for 35 yards but was targeted in the end zone on a pass that Taylor Heinicke airmailed for an interception. The opportunity will be there again in Week 18 as the Football Team runs out rookie starters at RB, WR, and TE in the final game of a disappointing season. The unfortunate injury to Ricky Seals-Jones will leave Bates with a large snap share once again, so he's a relatively safe option in an unpredictable week.
Kenny Yeboah, New York Jets - 0% rostered
Another team with nothing to play for and few quality options at receiver is the Jets. They gave rookie TE Kenny Yeboah his first taste of extensive playing time in Week 17 and it led to his first two NFL receptions. He had a 61% snap share last week and could exceed that in the last game of season.
Others to consider: Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings (39% rostered); Brevin Jordan, Houston Texans (1% rostered)
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints - 46% rostered
If Hill is still available on waivers, he makes a strong case for the top priority among QBs. He didn't have an especially strong game from a fantasy perspective in his return in Week 17 but he did enough to earn the Saints a victory on the road in Carolina. Now, he heads to Atlanta in a far friendlier matchup with a playoff berth on the line. Atlanta will battle to play spoiler to their division rival but Hill has great upside as always due to his rushing ability. His newfound connection with Marquez Callaway is a boon to his passing numbers as well.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - 27% rostered
It looks as if this will be the last time Big Ben can be recommended as a waiver wire add or streamer but this isn't a sentimental pick. The Steelers are somehow still in the playoff hunt and have a showdown with Baltimore in the final weekend. You've heard for weeks about how bad Baltimore's secondary has been but they did kick it up a notch against the Rams, picking off Matthew Stafford twice. Roethlisberger isn't a lock to finish as a QB1 this week but the matchup is still good and he should be ready to go out with guns blazing in an effort to make the postseason one more time.
Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens - 22% rostered
Will Lamar Jackson return for a win-and-in game against Pittsburgh or will it be Huntley behind center again? Monitor practice reports throughout the week to find out for sure, but as of now the best guess is Huntley will be the one to determine the team's postseason fate. Jackson has been a gametime decision but hasn't looked anything close to healthy with a bad ankle in practice. Huntley wasn't nearly as impressive in his second NFL start but he possesses the running ability that always creates fantasy value.
Andy Dalton, Chicago Bears - 2% rostered
Not only is Justin Fields injured, but Matt Nagy is fighting for his job. His team showed up big in a 29-3 humiliation of the Giants but it will be a true test if they can take down division rival Minnesota and make opposing coach Mike Zimmer's seat hotter instead. The Vikes' biggest downfall this year has been pass defense. On the season, they have allowed the fifth-most passing yards and fantasy points to quarterbacks; over the last eight weeks, they have allowed the most passing touchdowns to quarterbacks. Dalton also has something to prove for himself, making him the type of streamer you aim for in the last week of the season.
Others to consider: Davis Mills, Houston Texans (5% rostered)
Team Defense (D/ST) - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Chicago Bears Defense - 48% rostered
Ahead of Week 17, I labeled the Bears DST "the perfect streaming option" as my lone low-rostered team defense recommendation. I had no idea they would be that good. Some fantasy teams might be looking at Chicago as their highest-scoring position after they held New York to three points and collected four sacks, four turnovers, and a touchdown. The Week 18 matchup isn't nearly as appetizing but the Vikings are eliminated from wild card contention and might roll with Sean Mannion for another game. If so, feel free to fire up this defense yet again.
Washington Football Team Defense - 25% rostered
This defensive unit was a trendy sleeper pick in preseason drafts and projected by many to be a top-10 fantasy defense. Entering the final week of play, they are 27th in total yards per game allowed and 28th in points allowed. Injuries have played a big part down the stretch but they were disappointing from the beginning. They have a final shot at redemption when they take on the Giants' "offense" in Week 18. Based on Mike Glennon's last outing (4-11 for 24 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT), it's safe to say they have a strong chance.
Cincinnati Bengals Defense - 14% rostered
Fantasy managers didn't want any part of the Bengals' defense facing KC and rightly so. They didn't register a sack or turnover and allowed 31 points. That was Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, this week it's Baker Mayfield and the Browns. The last time these teams met in Week 9, the Browns got the best of the Bengals and put up 35 points on this squad. Either they will get their revenge or history will repeat itself. The Bengals have clinched their division and are coming off an emotional victory so this could also be a letdown game. Not a rousing recommendation but know that this DST comes with risk even if the matchup is good on paper and there simply aren't many other low-rostered defenses worth streaming.
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