Last Minute Waiver Wire Pickups Week 16: Jerick McKinnon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hunter Henry and More

The waiver wire period has come and gone and you may have missed out on the guy you wanted. The waiver wire darlings everyone was clamoring for are long gone and you're still looking to fill out your roster and maybe even your lineup. These are the late waiver wire adds that you should be picking up. Everyone listed is rostered in less than 50% of leagues.

Last Minute Waiver Wire Pickups

Quarterbacks

Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals

Rostered: 34.5%

Browning has been featured in this article every week since taking over as the starter in Cincy and we are going to continue to roll with him. It hasn't backfired yet. He has an average matchup this week against the Steelers, but that team doesn't scare us at all. Pittsburgh is falling apart at the seams and is on the verge of a complete collapse. Even without Ja'Marr Chase, Browning has proven to be effective and efficient enough that he's not going to kill you. We don't expect him to win your week, nevertheless, if you're looking for a QB right now that's probably not an option. 

Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Rostered: 11.3%

Flacco has been surprisingly good since taking over in Cleveland. He's actually been better than DeShaun Watson was, which has to be alarming for the franchise, but it's great for desperate fantasy owners. This week he has a good matchup against the Houston Texans who are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. It's shocking to say this in the 2023 fantasy playoffs, but Flacco is a solid streaming option. 

Running Backs

Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs

Rostered: 25.9%

McKinnon is always a nice streaming option late in the season. That's when the team really starts to utilize him. His PPR base gives him a nice floor and the team does use him a lot in the red zone. With Isiah Pacheco fresh off injury this week after undergoing a shoulder surgery he could be eased back into action. That would give McKinnon another added boost. 

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens

Rostered: 1.5%

No one wants to start Hill in their fantasy playoffs and you will be holding your breath if he's in your lineup. However, with Keaton Mitchell out with a knee injury, he's going to see a ton of snaps. We've seen him have big games this season. He is very risky and is more than capable of giving you next to nothing. On the other hand, he's also very capable of catching five passes and finding the end zone. This is only for the most desperate which you may be if you're still looking for a starting running back. 

Wide Receivers

Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers

Rostered: 7.7%

Christian Watson and Jayden Reed as of Thursday have still not been able to practice this week. That propels Wicks into a starting role and he's looked great when given opportunities. He's coming off a 97-yard game, his second 90-yard game in his last four. Over his last two games, he's seen 13 targets and at least four targets in seven straight. If Reed is out, his targets are only going to go up. We love Wicks this week and he will be the best wideout on your wire.  

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals

Rostered: 22.9%

We don't love Boyd, but he's a proven commodity and will see more opportunities with Chase sidelined. He has a capable quarterback and we've seen him do it before. Last week after Chase went down, he had a huge play at the end of the game. This isn't one to overthink. If you aren't a risk-taker and don't want to throw an unproven guy in the lineup then Boyd is your guy.    

Tight Ends

Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Rostered: 28.7%

Likely has emerged as Lamar Jackson's top target with Mark Andrews out. If you're lucky enough to find him still on your waivers he should be picked up immediately and plugged in. The 49ers have also really struggled to slow down tight ends over the past five weeks. 

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Rostered: 19.6%

Henry has been the only useful player in the Pats' passing attack since Bailey Zappe has taken over as the quarterback. He's coming off a nine-target game and has scored three TDs in the past two games. Odds are he's still on your waiver wire and he has the ability to make a nice impact for your team from the TE position. The Pats also take on the Broncos this week, who have given up more fantasy points to tight ends than any team in the NFL.