Regardless of your fantasy football format, Week 17 means championship week, as some leagues are beginning their championship matchup this week, while others are entering the final weekend of a two-week matchup. Either way, finding that small advantage on the waiver wire can often mean the difference between the spoils of first place and the ignominy of second.
With Week 17 on the horizon, who are the best players to add? These are the top 10 waiver wire pickups for Week 17, based on players who are rostered on fewer than 50 percent of all ESPN rosters.
1) Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs – RB
28.6% Rostered
Jerick McKinnon is on the IR and Isaiah Pacheco is in concussion protocol, likely leaving Clyde Edwards-Helaire as the Kansas City Chiefs' primary running back in Week 17. Edwards-Helaire averaged 15 touches across Weeks 14 and 15 with Pacheco out, and with McKinnon now sidelined, those numbers could continue to rise. Edwards-Helaire is a strong FLEX play and possibly even a low-end RB2 if Pacheco is out.
2) Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints – QB
22.4% Rostered
With notable QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa, and Trevor Lawrence posting underwhelming fantasy performances in recent weeks, many managers have turned to the waiver wire for production at the quarterback position. Gunslingers like Joe Flacco, Nick Mullens, and Jake Browning have been solid fantasy starters despite a proclivity for turnovers.
If you want a lower-stress option in Week 17, then turn to Derek Carr. The Saints quarterback has 20+ fantasy points each of the last two weeks, with six touchdowns to go with one pick. A floundering Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary is up next, making Carr a strong option for those searching the waiver wire for a QB this week.
3) K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings – WR
22.5% Rostered
T.J. Hockenson is out for the season and Jordan Addison is a question mark for Week 17, which means that K.J. Osborn has a good shot to be Nick Mullens' number-two target this weekend. Osborn had a season-best 20.5 fantasy points in Week 16, and with a leaky Green Bay Packers secondary up next, Osborn deserves FLEX consideration in Week 17.
4) Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – WR
28.3% Rostered
With Christian Kirk out for the season, Zay Jones had five catches in each of his last three games before missing Week 16 with a hamstring injury. Jones has an impressive 30 targets during this stretch — making him the fifth-most target wideout in the NFL between Weeks 13 and 15. That volume alone makes Zay Jones a waiver wire pickup.
5) Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns – QB
12.8% Rostered
The veteran gunslinger posted another solid fantasy performance in Week 16, throwing for 368 yards to go with three touchdowns and a pair of picks. Joe Flacco now has multiple touchdowns but at least one interception in his four starts with the Browns. He has exceeded 300 yards in three of them. The 38-year-old is averaging 19.6 fantasy points in four starts this season, making him a fantasy asset even with a tough game against the New York Jets on the docket.
6) Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – RB
41.4% Rostered
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It was another week with 10+ touches for Tyjae Spears in Week 16, making it four games in a row that the Titans RB2 has exceeded that benchmark. While Derrick Henry is out-carrying Spears nearly 2-1 during this stretch, Spears has exceeded 10 fantasy points in three of his last four games thanks to a trio of contests with at least four catches. Spears has managed this production without a touchdown either.
The rookie is worthy of FLEX consideration against the Houston Texans in Week 17.
7) Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans – RB
30.9% Rostered
In Week 16, Chigoziem Okonkwo finally produced the big game fantasy managers and Tennessee Titans fans alike had been waiting for all season. The second-year tight end has six catches for 63 yards — both bordering on career highs — while also finding the end zone for the first time all season.
Week 17 offers a chance for Okonkwo to build on that strong performance as the Titans face off against a Houston Texans defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.
8) Zamir White, Las Vegas Raiders – RB
12.6% Rostered
Zamir White had his breakout game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day, rushing 22 times for 145 yards in the Raiders' upset win. While Josh Jacobs is probably going to return in Week 17, White is a good piece of insurance to pick up on the waiver wire given his recent productivity.
9) Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers – TE
26.0% Rostered
While the insertion of Easton Stick into the Los Angeles Chargers lineup has harmed the rest of the LA offense, tight end Gerald Everett has been the surprise beneficiary of Justin Herbert's season-ending injury. Everett has eight targets in each of his last three games — more than double his per-game average in 10 contests to begin the year. He has averaged around six catches for 40 yards during this stretch. While the ceiling might not be high here, Everett offers surprisingly dependable fantasy production to close out the season.
10) Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears – RB
48.6% Rostered
The choice for Bears Back of the Week this past weekend, Herbert totaled 20 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown as D'Onta Foreman missed the game with a personal issue. Backup Roschon Johnson had just nine carries on the afternoon. While the Chicago backfield is difficult to predict, Khalil Herbert is a smart waiver wire pickup ahead of Week 17 — especially if Foreman misses any more time.
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