{"id":877777,"date":"2025-12-16T22:20:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T04:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/16\/week-16-fantasy-football-waiver-wire-injury-replacements-take-center-stage-in-the-semifinal-playoff-round\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T22:20:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T04:20:01","slug":"week-16-fantasy-football-waiver-wire-injury-replacements-take-center-stage-in-the-semifinal-playoff-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/16\/week-16-fantasy-football-waiver-wire-injury-replacements-take-center-stage-in-the-semifinal-playoff-round\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 16 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Injury replacements take center stage in the semifinal playoff round"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n Week 16 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Injury replacements take center stage in the semifinal playoff round
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Football Here’s who you should be targeting ahead of your semifinal playoff matchups<\/h2>\n
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Dec 15, 2025
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9:20 pm ET<\/span><\/time>
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Week 16 is not ideal to have several key injuries, but that’s what we’re dealing with in the semifinals of the Fantasy playoffs. Unfortunately, we saw some top players get hurt in Week 15. <\/p>\n

Patrick Mahomes<\/a> (ACL) is out for the season, and Davante Adams<\/a> (hamstring) could miss Week 16 since the Rams<\/a> play the Seahawks<\/a> on Thursday night. And, for those of you in IDP leagues, Micah Parsons<\/a> (ACL) is also out for the season. <\/p>\n

At running back, we’ll be watching for reports on RJ Harvey<\/a> (ribs), Woody Marks<\/a> (ankle), Zonovan Knight<\/a> (ankle) and Devin Neal<\/a> (hamstring), who were all injured in Week 15. Texans<\/a> coach DeMeco Ryans<\/a> said Marks could have returned against the Cardinals<\/a>, but we’ll continue to monitor his status. But Knight is likely out in Week 16 against Atlanta. <\/p>\n

Aside from Adams, the biggest injury at receiver was Christian Watson<\/a> (chest), who could miss Week 16 at Chicago since the game is Saturday. We’ll also be waiting for updates on Rome Odunze<\/a> (foot), Luther Burden III<\/a> (ankle), Ricky Pearsall<\/a> (ankle) and Devaughn Vele<\/a> (shoulder). Hopefully, one of Odunze or Burden can play in Week 16 against Green Bay, otherwise, the Bears<\/a> won’t have much depth at receiver. <\/p>\n

The top guys on the waiver wire this week will likely be the injury replacements, notably Gardner Minshew<\/a>, Michael Carter<\/a>\u00a0and Jayden Reed<\/a>. Jacory Croskey-Merritt<\/a> is also worth adding since Chris Rodriguez Jr<\/a>. (groin) missed Week 15, and we’ll have other names to discuss. <\/p>\n

It stinks to be dealing with injuries at this crucial time. But hopefully you have enough depth to win in Week 16. If not, the players listed here might be needed to get you into the Fantasy championship in Week 17. <\/p>\n

Editor’s note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n Week 16 Waivers
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Injuries:<\/strong> Patrick Mahomes (knee), Jayden Daniels<\/a> (elbow), Geno Smith<\/a> (shoulder), Tyrod Taylor<\/a> (groin), Justin Fields<\/a> (knee) and Anthony Richardson<\/a> (eye). <\/p>\n

Check to see if available in shallow leagues:<\/strong> Jacoby Brissett<\/a> (75 percent rostered) and C.J. Stroud<\/a> (72 percent). Brissett had another standout Fantasy performance in Week 15 at Houston with 26.6 points, and he has now scored at least 20.7 points in all nine starts in place of Kyler Murray<\/a> (foot). Brissett is a must-start quarterback in the final two games of the Fantasy season in Week 16 against Atlanta and Week 17 at Cincinnati. … Stroud scored 29.4 Fantasy points against Arizona in Week 15 and has a favorable matchup in Week 16 against Las Vegas. He’s worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues in that matchup. <\/p>\n

Drop candidates:<\/strong> Patrick Mahomes (100 percent rostered), Sam Darnold<\/a> (84 percent) and Jayden Daniels (74 percent). Mahomes is out for the season with a torn ACL, and he can be dropped in all redraft leagues. Hopefully, he’ll be ready to go for the start of the 2026 campaign. … Darnold only scored 11.3 Fantasy points against the Colts<\/a> in Week 15 and has now scored fewer than 12 points in four of his past six games. He faces the Rams in Week 16, and Darnold had 4.3 Fantasy points in the first meeting in Week 11. … Daniels has been shut down for the season, which makes sense with Washington eliminated from the playoffs. We hope to see Daniels back at 100 percent for the start of next season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Add in this order:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Week 16 Waiver Priority List<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n WAIVER WIRE\n <\/p>\n

\n Running Backs
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Injuries: <\/strong>RJ Harvey (ribs), Woody Marks (ankle), Zonovan Knight (ankle), Devin Neal (hamstring), Alvin Kamara<\/a> (knee), Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin), Bhayshul Tuten<\/a> (finger), Nick Chubb<\/a> (ribs) and Dylan Sampson<\/a> (calf). <\/p>\n

Check to see if available in shallow leagues:<\/strong> Kenneth Gainwell<\/a> (83 percent rostered), Rhamondre Stevenson<\/a> (82 percent), Tyrone Tracy Jr<\/a>. (82 percent), Tony Pollard<\/a> (81 percent), Tyler Allgeier<\/a> (71 percent,) and Blake Corum<\/a> (69 percent). Gainwell was awesome against the Dolphins<\/a>\u00a0on Monday night with 13 carries for 80 yards and seven catches for 46 yards on seven targets. He has now scored at least 16.2 PPR points in four of his past five games, and he has at least six receptions in four of his past five outings as well. I would start Gainwell ahead of Jaylen Warren heading into Week 16 at Detroit. … Stevenson has scored at least 10.7 PPR points in each of his past two games against the Giants<\/a> and Bills<\/a> while splitting time with TreVeyon Henderson<\/a>. You can use Stevenson as a flex option in Week 16 at Baltimore, and he also faces the Jets<\/a> in Week 17. … Tracy doesn’t have an easy matchup in Week 16 against Minnesota, but he has scored at least 16 PPR points in three of his past four games and should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. He then faces Las Vegas in Week 17, which is a great matchup. … Pollard is ending his season on a high note with consecutive games with over 100 rushing yards against Cleveland and San Francisco. It will be tough to trust Pollard in Week 16 at Kansas City, but he should be considered at least a flex option in all leagues. … Allgeier is worth using as a flex option in Week 16 at Arizona since the Cardinals are No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. He only has one touchdown in his past four outings, but Arizona has allowed 10 total touchdowns to running backs in the past five weeks. … Corum continues to do well in tandem with Kyren Williams<\/a>, and Corum comes into Week 16 at Seattle with at least 13.1 PPR points in three games in a row. He has 23 carries for 199 yards and three touchdowns in his past two outings against Arizona and Detroit, and he should be considered a low-end flex option against the Seahawks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Drop candidates:<\/strong> Zonovan Knight (80 percent rostered), Chris Rodriguez Jr. (71 percent), Isiah Pacheco<\/a> (63 percent) and Bhayshul Tuten (59 percent). Knight injured his ankle in Week 15 at Houston, and he could miss Week 16 and potentially the rest of the year. … Rodriguez was inactive in Week 15 at the Giants, and we don’t know if he’ll play in Week 16 against Philadelphia. When healthy, he’ll remain in a timeshare with Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols<\/a>, and you can’t trust Rodriguez against the Eagles<\/a> even if he’s able to play. … Pacheco has combined for 10.7 PPR points in his past three games against Dallas, Houston and the Chargers<\/a>, and the Chiefs<\/a> offensive line is a mess, along with Patrick Mahomes (ACL) now out. There’s little reason to trust Pacheco in the majority of leagues while Kareem Hunt<\/a> is healthy. … Tuten is expected to undergo surgery on his finger, and he will miss “a few weeks,” according to the NFL<\/a> Network. There’s no reason to roster Tuten in redraft leagues.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Add in this order:<\/strong> <\/p>\n

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Week 16 Waiver Priority List<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n WAIVER WIRE\n <\/p>\n

\n Wide Receivers
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Injuries:<\/strong> Davante Adams (hamstring), Christian Watson (chest), Tee Higgins<\/a> (concussion), Drake London<\/a> (knee), Marvin Harrison Jr<\/a>. (heel), Rome Odunze (foot), Luther Burden III (ankle), Quentin Johnston<\/a> (groin), Ricky Pearsall (ankle), Devaughn Vele (shoulder), Pat Bryant<\/a> (hamstring) and Garrett Wilson<\/a> (knee). <\/p>\n

Check to see if available in shallow leagues:<\/strong> Troy Franklin<\/a> (79 percent rostered), Romeo Doubs<\/a> (78 percent) and Jayden Higgins<\/a> (75 percent). Pat Bryant (hamstring) missed Week 15 against Green Bay, and Franklin returned to a prominent role with the Broncos<\/a> with six catches for 85 yards and a touchdown on six targets. If Bryant plays in Week 16 against Jacksonville, then Franklin will be tough to trust, but he would be a starter in all three-receiver leagues against the Jaguars<\/a> if Bryant is out again. … In the past eight games with Christian Watson back for the Packers<\/a>, Doubs has scored double digits in PPR just twice. But in six games without Watson this season, Doubs was averaging 13.1 PPR points. Watson (chest) is likely out in Week 16 against Chicago, and Doubs can be a potential starter in all three-receiver leagues. … Higgins had a quiet game in Week 15 against Arizona with one catch for 4 yards on one target, but he scored at least 11.5 PPR points in three of his previous five outings prior to facing the Cardinals. He has another favorable matchup in Week 16 against the Raiders<\/a>, who are No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and Higgins is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy option in all leagues. <\/p>\n

Drop candidates: <\/strong>Xavier Worthy<\/a> (89 percent rostered) and Quentin Johnston (83 percent). Worthy scored 5.5 PPR points in Week 15 against the Chargers and has now scored single digits in PPR in six of his past eight games, with no touchdowns over that span. With Patrick Mahomes (ACL) out for the season, there’s little reason to trust Worthy in the majority of leagues, even with a great matchup against Tennessee in Week 16. … Johnston didn’t play in Week 15 at Kansas City due to a groin injury, and he could be out again in Week 16 at Dallas. Even if he’s healthy, it will be tough to trust Johnston in the majority of leagues against the Cowboys<\/a>, which is a great matchup, since Johnston has one game with more than 12 PPR points since Week 4.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Add in this order:<\/strong> <\/p>\n

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Week 16 Waiver Priority List<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Injuries:<\/strong> Cade Otton<\/a> (knee), David Njoku<\/a> (knee), Mason Taylor<\/a> (neck), and Sam LaPorta<\/a> (back). <\/p>\n

Check to see if available in shallow leagues:<\/strong> Kyle Pitts<\/a> (81 percent rostered), Darren Waller<\/a> (72 percent), Dalton Schultz<\/a> (66 percent) and Colston Loveland<\/a> (66 percent). Pitts has scored at least 15 PPR points in three games in a row, including a monster outing in Week 15 at Tampa Bay with 45.6 points. We’ll see if Drake London (knee) returns in Week 16 at Arizona after missing the past four games, but Pitts will remain a starter in all leagues even when London is healthy. The Cardinals are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and four guys in the past five games have scored at least 12.2 PPR points against Arizona. … Waller had a breakout game at the right time in Week 15 at Pittsburgh with seven catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets. He now gets to face Cincinnati in Week 16, and the\u00a0Bengals<\/a>\u00a0are No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. … Schultz had a huge game against Arizona in Week 15 with eight catches for 76 yards and a touchdown on nine targets, and he scored 21.6 PPR points. He has now scored at least 11.1 PPR points in five of his past seven games, and he should be considered a starter in all leagues in Week 16 against the Raiders. … Loveland has scored at least 10.1 PPR points in three of his past four games heading into Week 16 against Green Bay, and he could be in line for a huge role if Rome Odunze (foot) and Luther Burden III (ankle) are out. Loveland also had four catches for 29 yards and a touchdown on five targets against the Packers in Week 14.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Drop candidates:<\/strong> Hunter Henry<\/a> (84 percent) and Cade Otton (55 percent). Henry struggled against Buffalo in Week 15 like most tight ends do, with one catch for 18 yards on three targets, but he has another tough matchup in Week 16 at Baltimore. The Ravens<\/a> are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, and no tight end has scored double digits in PPR against Baltimore since Week 6. … Otton missed Week 15 against Atlanta with a knee injury, and we don’t know his status for Week 16 at Carolina. When healthy, it will be tough to trust Otton now that Mike Evans<\/a> is back for Tampa Bay, and Otton scored 6.1 PPR points or less in four games in a row prior to Week 15.<\/p>\n

Add in this order:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Week 16 Waiver Priority List<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\tDST streamers<\/strong><\/h3>\n