961: 15 Transactions for Week 16

JJ Zachariason (0:02)

This is The Late-Round Podcast with your host, JJ Zachariason.

What's up, everyone? It's JJ Zachariason in this episode 961 of The Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast, sponsored by Underdog. Thanks for tuning in. Real quick before we get to the transactions this week. First, I just want to let you know that this week's podcast and content schedule is just like every other week. You get the four episodes and then the one episode of Late-Round Perspective, so five in total. In patrons, you're going to get your live stream Q&A, the rankings, all that good stuff. But next week is the holiday and it's right in the middle of the week. Before the NFL expanded the schedule, it was no big deal because the fantasy season ended after week 16 But it's a big deal now because it's happening during Championship Week. So my plan is the following. I'll be doing a 15 Transactions Newsletter and Podcast episode for you in week 17 I think it's the most important show that I do each week. It'll help you get your lineups ready for the championship. But that will be the only episode of the show that I do next week. Now Late-Round Fantasy Football patrons, you'll still get my rankings and such. But this podcast will have just one episode next week before a little break in early January. Then it's time to start the offseason stuff, which, in my opinion, is the most important content that I do. So hopefully everyone's on the same page. I just want to make that announcement before the show this week. Now second, make sure you're checking out Underdog. If your fantasy season is over, or if you just want some more action, head to Underdog. You can draft teams for playoff contests right now, and you don't need a huge bankroll to play. There's the mitten that you can join right now for just $5 per lineup. If you haven't played yet on Underdog, make sure you use promo code LATEROUND if you go and sign up. That'll get you a nice deposit offer once you get going. That's underdogfantasy.com, promo code LATEROUND. Add Tyjae Spears. So Tony Pollard entered week 15 with an ankle injury. That may have played a role as to why Tyjae Spears out-snapped Tony Pollard in their game against the Bengals. He out-performed him too. Spears saw 8 more snaps than Pollard. He ran 27 routes according to PFF. Pollard ran 7 Now some of that might have been a negative game script, but it also might have been that injury. But Tyjae Spears scored 27.2 PPR points. That was by far a season high. Now there have been times this season where the Titans have deployed Spears as their pass catching back in a negative game script. Maybe that was the reason that we saw more Spears than Pollard in week 15 But maybe this Pollard injury lingers. That's why you absolutely need to have Tyjae Spears rostered.

Add Jerome Ford. So unfortunately, Nick Chubb has a broken foot. That means that Jerome Ford is set to be Cleveland's 1A in their backfield. He's their lead back. Which is more or less what we saw throughout Sunday against the Chiefs. Ford, in week 15, he out snapped teammate Pierre Strong 36-6. He ran 19 routes. Strong ran 3 Now Cleveland closes out their season with two decent matchups for running backs. They get the Bengals, which is the 9th best matchup, according to Adjusted Fantasy Points allowed, and then the Dolphins, which is the 11th best. And those two games could be negative game scripts for Cleveland. And as we know, Jerome Ford is a pass catching running back. So he's a priority off the waiver wire this week.

Add Kendre Miller. Now, another important injury that hit us in week 15 was Alvin Camara. He heard his groin. His week 16 status is completely up in the air right now. Kendre Miller would be the back to benefit if Alvin Camara were to miss anytime. He led the New Orleans backfield and snaps on Sunday. He out snapped Jamal Williams 26 to 6 He ran 11 more routes. The Saints get the Packers and the Raiders to close out the fantasy season. Neither opponent is all that scary, especially since a probable negative game script against the Packers would simply lead to more volume through the air for Kendre Miller. And that's valuable because the Saints don't have many viable pass catchers. So I think Kendre Miller needs to be added this week. Drop Patrick Mahomes. So Patrick Mahomes heard his ankle on Sunday. His status right now is week to week, and that makes him a very easy drop in my opinion. Now, I know he's Patrick Mahomes. Honestly, you could have dropped him earlier this season in shallower leagues. He's been a completely average fantasy option this year. And here's the thing, you're not going to feel very confident using Mahomes this week with this injury. And then in week 17, the Chiefs get the Steelers. Pittsburgh just allowed their first 20 plus point scorer in week 15 to Jalen Hurts. They're the toughest team for quarterbacks by adjusted points allowed. Now, this may seem like a sort of obvious transaction, but it's also a good reminder. Injured players who won't find your lineup over the next two weeks don't need to be on your roster. Instead, just get a hand cuff or something. Honestly, get anything of value. Add Malik Washington. I think Malik Washington is my favorite low key ad this week. Odo Beckham is no longer a Miami Dolphin. He was averaging two and a half targets per game for them. That's not a lot, but it's not nothing. And then all the while, Jalen Waddle's banged up. Right now, I have no idea if he's going to play in week 16 It sounds like his injury is not a major one. But if he's out in week 16, Malik Washington is Miami's wide receiver too by default. And in week 15, Washington ended up hitting a season high and career high 15.4 percent target share. He ran a route on 70 percent of Miami's drop backs. The Zapp model liked Washington, so I think he's the perfect kind of player to add this time of year. Add Brenton Strange. So Evan Ingram is on IR, and Brenton Strange basically just took his role in the Jags offense on Sunday. He ran a route on 84 percent of Jacksonville's drop backs, which is a really good number for a tight end, and he saw a 28 percent target share. He was basically the security blanket for Mack Jones. He had an average up the target of just 4.3 yards. The Jags get the Raiders next week, and Vegas throughout the season, they have been very good against tight ends according to Adjusted Points Allowed. So that makes Strange an obvious streamer.