Fantasy Football Today - FFT Express - EARLY Week 16 Waiver Wire TARGETS! Carter, Croskey-Merritt, Reed, Minshew, & More! (12/15 Fantasy Football Podcast)
Episode Date: December 15, 2025Looking for early waiver wire help in Week 16? Adam Aizer and Jamey Eisenberg break down the top fantasy football pickups to target before the rush. (1:00) Headliner (3:20) Quarterbacks (5:...15) Running Backs (6:02) Wide Receivers (7:38) Tight Ends (9:32) DST, Kickers #FantasyFootball #NFL #FantasyFootballAdvice #Podcast Fantasy Football Today is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts Watch FFT on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/fantasyfootballtoday Shop our store: shop.cbssports.com/fantasy SUBSCRIBE to FFT Dynasty on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-football-today-dynasty/id1696679179 FOLLOW FFT Dynasty on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2aHlmMJw1m8FareKybdNfG?si=8487e2f9611b4438&nd=1 SUBSCRIBE to FFT DFS on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-football-today-dfs/id1579415837 FOLLOW FFT DFS on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zU7pBvGK3KPhfb69Q1hNr?si=1c5030a3b1a64be2 Follow our FFT team on Twitter: @FFToday, @AdamAizer, @JameyEisenberg, @daverichard, @heathcummingssr Follow the brand new FFT TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@fftoday To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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If you would have advanced to week 16, who are you picking up on the waiver wire?
Let's take a look right now on FFT Express.
Right.
A lot of names.
A lot of injuries means a lot of names on the waiver wire.
So who are the headliners?
Jamie Eisenberg is here to tell us.
What's up, Jamie?
How is the Raven wire looking?
It's interesting.
Like you said, there's a lot of injuries.
You know, we'll see if these injury replacements can step up and perform at a high level.
But when you lose Patrick Mahomes, you lose most likely Devante Adams.
You have a lot of running back injuries that we could see some replacement guys.
Not ideal for week 16, not ideal for the fantasy semifinals, but here we are.
Yeah, so who's the best player to get or some of the best players to get this week?
I think when you look at the running back position, you start with Michael Carter.
And I know you may say Jacori Kroski Merritt is the better of the two because of body of work and what he's done.
But, you know, you look at the matchup here, Washington's not going to, I think, have a lot of success running against Philadelphia, especially with Jalen Carter returns.
And Michael Carter gets to face an Atlanta defense that, you know, has really been bad against running back.
So I'm going to lean Carter over Crosky Merritt.
You have the situation in Denver with R.J. Harvey out.
So J. Lil McLaughlin most likely is the best bet there.
You have the situation in New Orleans where I'm going to lean Audrick Estimate over Evan Hull in that scenario.
And then at wide receiver, for me, you know,
You know, it's, there's really not a guy in, for the Rams that I like the best.
So you look at the situation with Christian Watson, I'm going to go Jaden Reed,
you know, hope that what we seen from him in his career, a little bit better than Matthew
Golden, but Golden obviously worth adding as well.
But J.N. Reed hopefully has an opportunity here against the Bears defense that he could have
some success.
You said R.J. Harvey out.
Was that just, you meant yesterday he was out?
If R.J. Harvey's out.
If R.J. Harvey. We don't know anything yet, right?
So the running back injuries that we're looking at here,
and we don't know definitively,
except anyone, but Zonovan Knight.
So we're talking about Woody Marks,
looks like he's going to be able to play.
Devon, Neil, we don't know.
RJ Harvey, we don't know.
And Alvin Kamar, we don't know.
Okay.
Yeah, was there anything?
Yeah, it was a rough week for injuries,
sure okay quarterbacks who we looking at here i think you got to go mention number one um you know
it's it's a great matchup and so imagine we have patch mohams taking on the titans it's just
really unfortunate but with mohams out you know just from a one week situation i think you just got
to go week by week at this point you know not looking at week 17 uh but minchu taking on the titans
it's been seven of eight quarterbacks 21.6 fantasy points or more uh four in a row have done that
so i'm going to give minchu a slight edge over brys young and tyler shuck none of these guys are
in my top 12. So you are talking about desperate situations.
I feel like you, I feel like you're missing my man. I don't know why he's my man,
but right now, Kirk Cousins at Arizona. So Cousins on the list, but we never know which
Kirk Cousins is going to show up. Yeah, it looks like Drake London might show up. They're calling him
day to day. But man, it's going to be tempting some of these guys. Like Trevor, we just got
done talking about Trevor Lawrence at Denver. You own Trevor Lawrence or Waverwirewire?
Right now, I have Lawrence still ranked ahead of those guys, but it's close.
It's really close.
Okay.
But I think when you look at it, when you look at Minchu against the Titans, when you look at Shuck and Young, and their matchups, Young taking on Tampa Bay, Shuck taking on the Jets, they just gave up 54 fantasy points to Trevor Lawrence.
And the run game is non-existent right now for New Orleans.
If there's injuries there, he's gotten you 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his last two games on the ground.
So, you know, Shuck is interesting.
Cousins, like you said, you know, taking on Arizona.
and then the game that he just had against Tampa Bay as well.
And then I think you also consider potentially if you're stuck still Marcus Mariotta.
I know it's not an easy matchup, but for the most part, he's had a good body of work.
By the way, for Trevor Lawrence, he's facing the Broncos on the road.
Broncos could be without starting safety Brandon Jones.
He left the game with an injury.
Okay, running backs.
I think you kind of touched on it, actually, but your favorite one would be Michael Carter.
Michael Carter, then Jacoori Crosky Merritt.
You've got to look again just in case there is no Woody Marks and Nick Chub.
Joe R. Jordan just had over 100 yards rushing and a great matchup this week against the Raiders.
The situation in Denver, again, I'd lean McLaughlin over Tyler Badeh.
Audra Gastime and Evan Hall, you're looking there.
And then there's a few guys that I think are worth, you know, look, if you're stuck.
Keaton Mitchell's gotten you at least 6.6 p.pr. points from more in three straight games.
Sean Tucker looks like he's going to be the goal line guy for Tampa Bay.
We'll see if that continues, but some touchdown opportunities there.
And then we got the scares going into the week or in the week in week 15 of
Christian McCaffrey, was he going to play with the back?
injury, please just put Brian Robinson, Jr.
on your bench. And then Javante
Williams left the game briefly for the Cowboys
Sunday night against Minnesota.
Malik Davis just needs a guy to stash on your bench as well.
Yep. All right.
And we'll be right back. We'll talk about the wide receivers
to add off the waiver wire. When we come
back on Fantasy Football Today Express.
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Okay, who's your favorite wide receiver, Jaden Reed, was it?
Yeah, Jaden Reed, you know, again, we'll see if Matthew Golden can do anything where you can trust them.
But, A, Christian Watson has yet to be ruled out, but it is a Saturday game, you know, knowing his injury track record.
I'm going to guess he probably misses this game, but just something to keep an eye on there.
But obviously, Jaden Reed is, to me, a little bit safer and has just as much upside as Matthew Golden.
I think Golden will hopefully pick up where he left off.
I thought he played well against Denver, but, you know, still not anything there to trust.
I think Reed could be a starter in three receiver leagues.
Anyone else that you really like?
So you got to keep an eye on the bear situation.
both Romo Dunezzi did not, well, Romo Dunez did not play, as we know, with the last minute injury.
Oh, you don't say.
Yeah, last minute injury.
And then Luther Burton left the game.
Burden played great.
We'll see if Burden is out.
If both guys are out, you look at Alameda Zakias, but not in this spot.
But if Burden does play and O'Donze is still out, I think he's clearly worth looking at
and potentially starting against the Packers because, as we know, their defense is not going to be the same.
Once you get past those two situations, Jalen Cokers now played, had two solid games in a row, taking on Tampa Bay.
I think he's worth a look.
could be a starter in three receiver leagues.
Adnan Mitchell, another touchdown for him, you know, had nine targets, caught six
of them.
So, you know, taking on the Saints, I think he's worth, you know, potential starter in three
or serial leagues.
And Rashid for the last two weeks has played well for the Seahawks there.
Rams, we know their secondary hasn't exactly been great.
But again, deeper three receiver leagues, I'd take a look at Rashid sheet as well.
All right.
And then, you know, you talked about Alameda Zakias, but I think Colston Loveland will be
certainly someone that people are gravitating to.
He's been solid, you know, he's been user.
bowl but now might be a really really nice opportunity here against the packers is he your top
i don't even know the mat roster percentages is lovelin your top tight end just misses the cut
66% so he's in the shaller leagues there's actually two guys at 66% uh you should be looking
to add one is lovelin the other is dalton shultz who's just been awesome yeah so 66% for him
cow pits only 81% so some 10 team leagues he may still be out there drake london plays that changes
things a little bit but still you want to be starting right now Kyle Pitts without Drake
London in my rankings is the number three tight end so oh I was going to say too okay you put
kiddle ahead of him I thought he'd be two behind McBride no I think you've got to still give Pitts
due plus his matchup against the Colts but yeah level 66% my number one tight end and this is really
the Rams replacement is Colby Parkinson you know have five catches scored two touchdowns we know
Seattle struggles against tight ends I believe Parkinson I haven't looked at this yet but I believe
Parkinson had a good game against Seattle the first time that they met.
So, like the situation for him, Theo Johnson, just under the threshold, 65%.
He just continues to be a go-to guy for Jackson Dart, like the situation for him.
Orronda Gadsden, I thought, bounced back well and without Quinn Johnson there.
He's somebody I think you can look at with their matchup against Dallas.
He's probably the safest of the Chargers receivers at this point, but great matchup, as we know, taking on that secondary for Dallas.
And then let's give T.J. Hawkinson some credit.
It's been a miserable season for him, but the last two weeks, last three, excuse me.
have been productive and taking on the Giants,
we know that they've been up and down against tight ends.
I think Hawkinson is worth a look.
He's 50% rostered.
Kobe Parkinson caught a touchdown against Seattle a few weeks ago.
Two catches, 14 yards, and a touchdown on two targets.
Obviously, we're not expecting the Vante Adams to play,
so opens up the door for Parkinson, who is 21% rostered.
DSTs, who do you like?
Saints are number one, taking on the Jets.
We'll see who starts a quarterback for them,
but I think you've got to look at the Saints first.
Vikings would be next.
they take on the Giants.
Lions, we'll see what the Steelers' offense looks like tonight.
But at home, we know that they could build a lead
and then, you know, get after the quarterback a little bit.
So the Lions will be third.
And then the kickers, Eddie Pinheiro, Zane Gonzalez,
and Andres Boregalis all have good matchups.
Pinero has just been solid every time he's been healthy for San Francisco.
I apologize for my dog.
She's been a little rowdy to.
She started O'Don's Day yesterday.
She's really fired up about it.
Bad commissioner.
All right, everybody.
Thanks so much for watching and listening.
We will talk to you tomorrow with a much longer look at the waiver wire and a lot to talk about.
For Jamie, I'm Adam.
See you later.