This article is part of our NFL Waiver Wire series.
We've finally made it to championship week. I assume those of you reading have a chance for glory. Let's seize it! I'll be providing updates throughout the week, but we'll cut off the usual cadence of articles by Wednesday. Reminder there will be three games played on Christmas, so make sure to set all your lineups prior to that point.
For the audio and video component of the article, I also went through a fully developed list on the RotoWire YouTube channel that you can view below.
Be sure to keep an eye on our NFL injury report and the latest fantasy football news. For player usage updates and roster context, check out RotoWire's NFL depth charts, and don't miss the weekly projections to see how this week's matchups shape up.
Quarterback
Tyler Shough, Saints - We're talking about an incredibly bleak QB streaming situation, but with a third of the league down to effectively third-string quarterbacks, I'm comfortable recommending the matchup over most things. A second-round rookie, Shough has quietly played extremely well lately with four 20-plus point fantasy outings in the last month, and this week he faces one of the league's worst pass defenses in the Titans. Shough can also give you a bit of a floor from a rushing perspective (32 rushing yards on average the last four weeks prior to Sunday), which just makes him a safer play if you're desperate for a QB fill in.
Malik Willis, Packers - Jordan Love suffered a concussion in the mind-numbing loss to the Bears in Week 16. Complicating matters is that Green Bay just needs to win one of the next two to make the playoffs. Willis appeared to injury his shoulder in the waning moments of regulation during Saturday's loss, and some beat-writer reports suggest the backup could be considered more unlikely than Love to play against the Ravens in Week 17. I don't know how much I buy that premise, but in the event Willis is available, we've seen him give teams fits due to his sheer athleticism. Unfortunately, Baltimore might be the one team in the league that won't be bothered by the unique play from Green Bay's backup, but Willis should safely be considered a top-24 play if a fantasy manager is that dire for a play.
Running Back
Michael Carter, Cardinals - It's a repeat from last week, but given the carnage at the position the last month, I think it's just worth reinforcing that I believe Carter is a fringe RB2 with Bam Knight (ankle) done for the yaer. You'd like to see Carter more involved as a pass catcher than he was in a pretty favorable passing game script in the loss to the Falcons last week, but the Bengals are last against fantasy running backs and should give Carter more opportunities from a PPR perspective.
Raheim Sanders, Browns - Quinshon Judkins suffered a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula in the loss Sunday to the Bills, ending his season. Coupled with Dylan Sampson (hand/calf) not practicing at any point the last two weeks, it appears that Sanders will get some run. I was a bit surprised the South Carolina product wasn't at minimum a Day 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft because he was a prolific collegiate runner plagued by injuries in the previous few years. But there are a number of steps that need to happen for Sanders to get any sort of run. First, Sampson has to be out once again. It's possible the Browns didn't have interest in rushing the 2025 fourth-round rookie through the recovery process with Judkins looking sharp, but maybe the onus changes now. On top of that, Cleveland isn't exactly motivated to make Sanders a "thing," so to speak. They acquired him after a preseason cut by the Chargers and he's largely been languishing on the practice squad/active roster without much work. Then there's the matter of Trayveon Williams, the former Cincinnati backup, who has played ahead of Sanders in the few snaps available prior to Sunday's injury. I have no doubt that the rookie undrafted free agent is talented, but I could easily see Williams more involved as a pass catcher, which seems like arguably the more fruitful role with a Week 17 matchup against the Steelers on tap.
Wide Receiver
Parker Washington, Jaguars - I expect there will be more wide receiver names to add throughout the rest of the week, but for now I just wanted to highlight the only one that matters. Washington exploded for a massive game after previously taking a step back following the acquisition of Jakobi Meyers. I think some of the credit goes to Patrick Surtain removing Meyers from the equation, but people forget that Washington was effectively Trevor Lawrence's No. 1 target for a good chunk of the season prior to the Week 14 hip injury that kept him out. I have been a fan of Washington's for awhile now and I'm comfortable assuming Jacksonville is just going to have its way passing against Indianapolis throughout Week 17. Washington is absolutely capable of having another boom week if you're looking for a favorable dice roll to aid in a fantasy championship.
Tight End
Taysom Hill, Saints - I assumed Audric Estime would take over with Devin Neal (hamstring) done for the year. I allowed the possibility that Evan Hull could even carve out an opportunity to be more than just a change-of-pace guy. I did not expect Hill to just operate as the lead back (12 carries, 42 yards), though I guess shame on me. It's possible the Saints wanted to give a proper send off to the veteran who could be playing his last season in the NFL, and I think there's validation to that assumption given the Saints sort of needlessly let Hill throw a 38-yard touchdown that put him in an exclusive club of players to pass, run and catch more than 1,000 yards in each category. But what if this is just the solution that the decimated Saints have come to? A tight end who gets that sort of volume is incredibly valuable, and I guess I'm admittedly intrigued that this wasn't just New Orleans' version of Kobe Bryant's 60 points on 700 shots, or whatever the number was.
Brenton Strange, Jaguars - This is a far safer choice if you've lost Travis Kelce (bad QB play and wedding planning) or just need to change things up in a position that has never been more impactful towards the outcome of a league championship. I expect Jacksonville to have its way passing the ball against the Colts come Week 17, and Strange really has been such a strong option for Trevor Lawrence whenever they look his way. There's effectively zero ceiling for the TE who has not scored 15-plus PPR points this year, but the floor is pretty enticing given how often Strange is called upon.
