2025 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 17
Updated: Monday, December 22, 2025
Every week, I compile a list of players that could either help your fantasy team(s) in the short and/or long term.
As we head into Championship Week in fantasy football leagues, this week's rankings are based on the potential they have for this week only (based on what we know now).
To maximize the potential that these players are available in your league(s), only players available in 50% or more of Yahoo! leagues are considered.
Week 17 Fantasy Football RB Waiver-Wire Rankings
Below are my running back waiver-wire rankings heading into Week 17:
1. Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals (42%): Carter has operated as the primary back since Bam Knight's injury. Cincinnati ranks dead last in rushing defense (156.0 YPG).
2. Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (41%): Corum has 11-plus carries in each of past three games and has scored 12-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games. As 8.5-point favorites, Corum should have another flex-worthy workload in Week 17.
3. Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (29%): Rodriguez returned from a one-game absence and led the Commanders with 15 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown in Week 16.
4. Raheim Sanders, Cleveland Browns (0%): After Quinshon Judkins' injury yesterday, Sanders handled 15 touches and scored a touchdown. He could be the team's primary back in Week 17.
5. Trayveon Williams, Cleveland Browns (0%): Williams also handled 14 touches including seven receptions in Week 16.
6. Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (25%): While Tony Pollard has three consecutive 100-yard rushing performances, Spears had a big game himself in Week 16 with 18 total touches for 105 scrimmage yards and a score.
7. Devin Singletary, New York Giants (25%): Singletary has 12-plus touches in four of his past five games.
8. Jawhar Jordan, Houston Texans (8%): Woody Marks could return in Week 17, but Jordan once again operated as the lead back with 15-plus carries and 17-plus touches in back-to-back games.
9. Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins (14%): Wright has scored with double-digit touches in two of his past three games.
Week 17 Fantasy Football WR Waiver-Wire Rankings
Below are my wide receiver waiver-wire rankings heading into Week 17:
1. Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars (23%): Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars have been on fire lately, and Washington is coming off a monster game (6/145/1 on 10 targets). The third-year receiver is having a career year (45/645/4 in 14 games).
2. Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets (19%): The change of scenery has helped Mitchell, who has at least six targets in six consecutive games.
3. Mack Hollins, New England Patriots (3%): Hollins had 7/69 on nine targets in Week 16. Over his past six games, he has averaged seven targets per game with 64-plus yards in three games over that stretch.
4. Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans (15%): Dike has now scored in three of his past five games.
5. Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (15%): Coker has three-plus catches in six consecutive games with a touchdown in two of his past three games.
6. Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (16%): If Burden (ankle) is active and Rome Odunze (foot) is not, he'll be in the WR3/flex mix in Week 17.
7. Olamide Zaccheaus, Chicago Bears (2%): If both Burden and Odunze are out again, Zaccheaus will operate as Chicago's WR2 with some sleeper appeal.
8. Isaac TeSlaa, Minnesota Vikings (6%): TeSlaa just scores touchdowns (five on 12 career receptions). Not only has he scored three times in four games, he set career highs in receptions (four), targets (seven) and yards (52) in Week 16.
9. Tre' Harris, Los Angeles Chargers (2%): Harris has a combind seven catches, 104 yards and 10 targets in the past two weeks.
MORE: 2025 NFL Strength of Schedule
Week 17 Fantasy Football QB Waiver-Wire Rankings
Below are my quarterback waiver-wire rankings heading into Week 17:
1. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (13%): Shough has scored 17-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games and five of his past six.
2. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (10%): Cousins has accounted for three scores in back-to-back games. Although he was quiet in Week 16, Drake London's return only helps.
3. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans (8%): Ward has only three games with two passing touchdowns, and all three of those games have occurred in the past three weeks.
4. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders (13%): Smith hasn't been great, but the Week 17 matchup is great if you're desperate (and still alive).
Week 17 Fantasy Football TE Waiver-Wire Rankings
Below are my tight end waiver-wire rankings heading into Week 17:
1. Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (43%): Loveland has at least three catches in 10 consecutive games. During that stretch, he has averaged 3.7/47.4/0.4 per game.
2. Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams (31%): Parkinson was quiet in Week 16 (2/21 on four targets), but he had scored a total of six touchdowns in his previous six games.
3. Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans (16%): Cam Ward is playing his best football of the season, and Okonkwo had 6/44/1 on eight targets in Week 16.
4. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (1%): Hill led the team in rushing (12/42), threw a 38-yard touchdown pass, and had four catches for 36 yards in Week 16.
5. AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks (12%): Barner has averaged six targets per game over his past six games, and he finished with 4/49/1 in Week 16.
6. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals (4%): Gesicki had 3/35/1 on four targets in Week 16, and the Bengals have the highest implied total in Week 17.