Week 16 is here, and for those who earned first-round byes, the playoffs begin here. There are some intriguing short-term options for those in need, with yet more injuries piling up over the weekend. The erksome Christmas scheduling also begins, with two games to be played on Saturday this week. That’s nothing close to the mayhem of championship week, but it is something to be wary of.

So, for the second-to-last time this season, here are some players to prioritize on waivers this week, whether to improve your own team or to stop your playoff opponents from improving theirs.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Washington Commanders

For those needing to replace Patrick Mahomes this week, Marcus Mariota is a far less sexy alternative, but he has a solid schedule for the next two weeks. The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t a great matchup on paper, but Mariota has produced a huge fantasy week against the elite Denver Broncos defense less than three weeks ago.

The Giants scored 21 points against the Commanders on Sunday, the second-fewest total any team has managed against Washington since Week 5. Mariota attempted only 19 passes in that game, the fewest of any of his seven starts this season. The Eagles can comfortably put up far more than 21 points against Washington’s miserable defense, and Mariota will almost certainly be far more active.

Then, in Week 17, comes another divisional matchup, against the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas boasts another high-powered offense, but unlike Philadelphia, it has given up a league-high 258.4 passing yards per game this season. Mariota is unlikely to win either game, but he is in a great spot to be aggressive and rack up some fantasy points in the closing weeks.

Michael Carter, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Trey Benson will not be returning from IR this season, and he has now been joined on the sidelines by Zonovan “Bam” Knight. Knight was a key part of the Cardinals’ running back rotation, taking on most of the goal-line work. Emari Demercado is likely to see some more opportunities with both players out, but Michael Carter is the clear next man up for Arizona.

Carter carried the ball 14 times against Houston in Week 15 and caught all four of his targets, totaling 94 yards on the day. He will now take on the Atlanta Falcons defense in Week 16, followed by the Bengals in Week 17. The Falcons have allowed 4.5 yards per carry this season, tied for the seventh-most in the NFL. The Bengals, meanwhile, have allowed 5.3 yards per carry, fewer than only two other teams.

Game scripts should also be more favorable, after the Cardinals found themselves down 0-17 after the first quarter on Sunday.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders

Jacory Croskey-Merritt went from a seventh-round pick to one of the most hyped “sleepers” of the preseason, before falling back into relative obscurity. The rookie disappointed fantasy managers who took a shot on him, and even lost his starting role recently to former practice squad member Chris Rodriguez.

However, with Rodriguez ruled out shortly before a dream matchup with the New York Giants, Croskey-Merrit stepped in and delivered a great fantasy week for those who added him late. Rodriguez may be back for Week 16, which would, at the very least, remove any potential goal-line work.

However, the Eagles have also allowed 4.5 yards per carry, and JCM would be a worthwhile desperation add for those in need at running back. The game script is unlikely to favor a lot of volume for either Rodrigues or his rookie teammate, with Jeremy McNichols dominating pass-catching work. Also, don’t be fooled by the green lettering for Dallas in Week 17, as they have been far better against the run since partnering Kenny Clark with Quinnen Williams.

Luther Burden III, WR, Chicago Bears

Luther Burden III continues to grow in importance for the Chicago Bears and is a high-upside add this week in fantasy. The rookie is carrying an ankle injury, though, and will need to be monitored, having missed the opening practice of the week.

However, there is a very real chance that Chicago rests Rome Odunze for another week, which would make Burden a near must-start if healthy against the Packers. The Bears have leant on the run in recent weeks, but the Packers don’t give up much to running backs. Caleb Williams and Jordan Love combined for 420 passing yards and five passing touchdowns in Week 14, and it could be a similar story on Saturday.

The Bears’ offensive line is rock solid, and the Packers just lost star edge rusher Micah Parsons to a torn ACL. Caleb Williams could realistically have all day to let deep plays develop downfield, which would make Burden a nightmare for Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine.

Burden isn’t a guarantee, but if healthy, could be a week-winning flex play that sends you into your fantasy championship game.

Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers’ receiver room can be tough to navigate in fantasy and has often left managers frustrated. However, with Tucker Kraft already out for the year, Christian Watson is now questionable for Week 16 after landing awkwardly against the Broncos on Sunday.

Jayden Reed is one of Green Bay’s primary offensive playmakers, even with everyone healthy. If Watson can’t go, Reed would be Jordan Love’s most dangerous weapon in a game that could quickly turn into a quarterback shootout.

Against that elite Denver defense, Reed finished just outside WR3 territory, after catching five of his six targets for 55 yards. The Bears defense doesn’t compare to Denver’s, and Reed could easily add a touchdown at Soldier Field, given his versatile usage in the Packers offense and his nose for the end zone.

Darren Waller, TE, Miami Dolphins

Darren Waller was back in the end zone on Monday night, having excelled in that area of the field before missing five games through injury. Waller was targeted eight times in the disappointing loss to Pittsburgh, catching seven of those for 66 yards and two scores.

This week, he faces a Cincinnati defense that has allowed at least 307 more yards and five more touchdowns to tight ends than any other team in the NFL this season. Because of this, the Bengals have given up 6.7 more PPR points per game to tight ends than any other team, and Waller should benefit from that this weekend.

Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

The continued absence of Rome Odunze would not only benefit Burden but also fellow rookie Colston Loveland. The tight end has had at least five targets in four consecutive games, and has scored a touchdown in two of those, including last time out against the Packers.

With Burden also missing practice, Loveland has a chance to be the second option in the Bears’ passing attack this weekend, in what I believe could be another shootout. Again, vigilance is required regarding Burden and Odunze’s injury status, but aggressive moves on the waiver wire could pay off in a big way if things fall in your favor.

That’s all for this week’s waiver targets; best of luck with your bids. I’ll be publishing my opening Week 16 rankings on Wednesday, and will then update again before Thursday Night Football and the weekend’s games. You can find my socials from the links at the top of the page, where you’ll also find a link to my rankings page.

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I’ll be back on Thursday with my Starts, Sits, and Streamers article. Until then, thanks for reading!