Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups RBs/WRs: Elijah Mitchell, Justice Hill, Demarcus Robinson, Darius Slayton and More
It's the last week of the season, and these are the gems you can still find on the waiver wire.
We finished our 17th football Sunday, and now it's time to hit the waiver wire. With Week 17 over, we are now focusing on winning your fantasy football championship. Here, we are going to focus on the best running backs and wide receivers that may be available in your league.
Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups
Running Backs
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey is dealing with a calf injury and early reports indicate he is not expected to play in Week 18. With the 49ers locked into the top spot in NFC, there is no reason to risk him playing anyway. The next man up is Mitchell who we have seen have massive fantasy value in the past. If he is available on your waiver wire, he needs to be the top priority, especially if one of you has CMC on your roster. If you have CMC then it's imperative that you grab his handcuff to fill the void. However, if your opponent has him and you can get your hands on Mitchell, that can be a game-changing shift in your fantasy championship.
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are another team locked into the top seed in their conference and we have seen Hill re-emerge as a major piece of the passing attack since Keaton Mitchell went down with a torn ACL. Last week, Hill had three carries for 48 yards and caught all five of his targets for 64 yards and a TD. The previous week, he carried the ball 10 times for 26 yards and caught all three of his targets for 31 yards. He has a very solid floor with a lot more upside this week with the Ravens not playing for anything and potentially resting Gus Edwards. We could see a lot more Hill and Melvin Gordon than usual.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
It appears that Herbert has finally taken control of the starting job in Chicago. Over the past two games, he has taken 38 carries for 236 yards and two TDs while catching three of his five targets. He's been impressively efficient. Last week, he averaged 6.9 yards per carry, topped 120 yards, and scored a TD against the Atlanta Falcons who are allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points in the league to running backs. This week he draws a significantly easier matchup in the Green Bay Packers, who struggle to stop anyone on the ground.
Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints
Last week, Alvin Kamara was forced out of the game with an ankle injury. This left Williams as the bell-cow back in the offense. We do not yet have an update on Kamara's status for Week 18. However, if he is unable to play look for Williams to have a near every-down role. We have seen in the past that Williams is a capable back with the ability to catch passes. He's also proven to be one of the best goal-line backs in the league after leading the league in rushing TDs in 2023.
Pierre Strong, Cleveland Browns
Strong is a popular wavier wire pickup this week with the Browns locked into the fifth seed in the AFC. The assumption is that the team will rest the majority of their key players, including Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt. This would leave Strong with a ton of opportunities against the Bengals who have been struggling on defense as of late. Understand this move does come with plenty of risk as well as a ton of upside.
Wide Receivers
Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams
Robinson continued his hot streak last week when he was targeted 10 times and caught six passes for 92 yards. Over the past five games he has seen 34 targets which he's turned into 319 yards and four TDs while adding a 23-yard carry. Last week was his first game without a TD during this stretch and his lowest yardage output was 46 yards. This week the Rams take on the 49ers who have nothing to play for while LA is fighting for their playoff lives. If Robinson is still available he needs to be on your roster.
Darius Slayton, New York Giants
Slayton is an upside play who has been red-hot since Tyrod Taylor has taken over. Over the past two weeks, he has caught seven passes for 196 yards and two TDs, including 80 and 69-yard TD passes. If you go back another week he still caught four passes for 63 yards with a 33-yard reception. He has become Taylor's big play threat. If you are in your finals this week, odds are you're in some sort of accumulative points championship game that takes place over multiple weeks. If you are trailing and need to make up points then Slayton is a perfect option, especially if your league gives out bonuses for big plays or high totals.
Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals
Every time Dortch is given an opportunity, all he does is produce for fantasy owners. He has slid into a larger role over the past two weeks and he has caught nine of 12 targets for 127 yards and a TD. Last week, he was targeted seven times and caught all seven targets for 82 yards. He is a strong PPR option and has a very safe floor. When he's in he catches passes and produces. The upside is also there as he has caught a 36 and 38-yard pass in each of the last two games as well.
