Waiver Wire Watch: Week 17 Targets

Dec 23, 2019

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This is the season of giving, and here at 4for4, we’re feeling particularly generous. At least enough to give you degenerates one last Waiver Wire Watch article for the year. I know many of your leagues have concluded, but for those of you still battling for a title, I’ve got plenty of suggested waiver-wire pickups below. With so much uncertainty swirling around the Seahawks backfield following the unfortunate news that Chris Carson is done for the year, we’ll need to keep an eye on who steps up there. There are reports that Robert Turbin and, wait for it, Marshawn Lynch could be returning to the team. C.J. Anderson has also been mentioned as a possibility. Once we gain some clarity there someone could climb up this list. For now, this is all I’ve got for you. I’ve enjoyed writing this column for all of you this year, and hope you’ve enjoyed reading it. Happy holidays.

Before we get into the meat of the article, there are a few house-keeping items to clear up. Recommendations are based on a PPR-scoring, four-point passing touchdown, 12-team league, with ownership percentages coming from Yahoo. I try to mention when a player is a better streaming play (short-term/one-week starter) versus a long-term addition. Free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) suggestions are based on a $100 season-long budget. Lastly, the great John Paulsen will edit this article every week and adjust rankings and prices if necessary. Essentially, you’re getting two minds collaborating on this piece instead of one, so lucky you.

Now, with that out of the way, here are some players to target heading into Week 17.

Quarterbacks

1. Jacoby Brissett

2. Derek Carr

3. Gardner Minshew

4. Drew Lock

5. David Blough

Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts, 35% owned ($7)

Brissett has failed to cross 200 passing yards in four of his last six games, but he does have three rushing touchdowns in that span to help his cause. T.Y. Hilton’s return for the Colts is a plus for Brissett as he heads into a favorable matchup next week with the Jaguars. Two of the last three quarterbacks to face the Jags have thrown for 300-plus yards against them. Brissett doesn’t have a massive ceiling given his recent run and the Colts’ preference to lean on the run game, but he’s a more than serviceable streamer for the final week of the season.

Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders, 42% owned ($5)

Carr has thrown at least one touchdown pass in four straight games, but has also failed to cross 300 yards in that span and has thrown multiple touchdowns in just one of those games. Carr will close the season against the Broncos, a team that has allowed three top-10 fantasy finishes in the last five games. The Broncos are at home making this matchup slightly tougher for Carr, but in a week without many clear-cut streamers Carr is a solid option..

Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars, 15% owned ($3)

Minshew hasn’t been electric since resuming the starting role, clearing 200 passing yards just once over the last month. However, his upcoming matchup with the Colts could be a chance for a little of that Minshew mania to return. The Colts shut down Will Grier in his first career start last week, but prior to that their secondary was shredded in back-to-back games by Jameis Winston (456 yards, four touchdowns) and Drew Brees (307 yards, four touchdowns). Minshew likely won’t hit those levels, but they show the potential ceiling he could have in this matchup if the magic returns. .

Drew Lock, Denver Broncos, 9% owned ($3)

Lock didn’t exactly light up the Lions in Week 16, completing 35-of-33 passes for just 192 yards and a touchdown, but his Week 17 matchup might be even more favorable when the Broncos host the Raiders. The Raiders have allowed 32 passing touchdowns this season (third-most) and are one of just six teams with fewer than 10 interceptions. Lock threw multiple touchdown passes in each of his first two starts, but has failed to hit that mark since. Look for the rookie to get back on track in fantasy next week.

David Blough, Detroit Lions, 1% owned ($1)

Although he won much of the nation over with a gritty performance on Thanksgiving, the road for Blough has been bumpy since. Blough has failed to score even 10 fantasy points in each of his last three starts, tossing four interceptions to two touchdowns while averaging under 200 passing yards per game. While that stat line doesn’t invoke much confidence, Blough’s upcoming matchup with the Packers, does (to a certain extent). Prior to their Monday night game against the Vikings, the Packers were allowing just 12.9 fantasy points per game to opposing passers over the last month. However, in that span was a 334-yard outing from Mitchell Trubisky, and Daniel Jones was carving up the Packers a bit before costly interceptions and an injured ankle slowed him down. Blough isn’t a top-end streamer for this week, but he is certainly a target.