Each week I'll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define "widely available" as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.
Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.
Here's my NFL Week 17 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream for your fantasy football championship matchup:
ADD
— WR Jahan Dotson, Commanders (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 23%): Only Justin Jefferson, AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Tyreek Hill and CeeDee Lamb have produced more fantasy points per game in standard formats than Dotson since Week 13 (he's 10th overall in PPR over that span).
— RB Khalil Herbert, Bears (ESPN: 28%; Yahoo: 40%): Chicago's backfield usage was essentially a 50-50 split between Herbert and David Montgomery before he suffered a hip injury against the Lions in Week 10 — Herbert was the more explosive and efficient option of the two. I actually picked him up a few weeks ago with an eye on potentially utilizing him as a flex this week against Detroit.
— WR Romeo Doubs, Packers (ESPN: 15%; Yahoo: 17%): Christian Watson suffered a hip injury against the Dolphins and could be out or limited against the Vikings this week. Minnesota is allowing the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season and just allowed the top three receivers for the Giants to produce at least 79 yards.
— QB Gardner Minshew, Eagles (ESPN: 27%; Yahoo: 28%): I told you Minshew had been good enough when giving the opportunity and was trustworthy as a replacement for Jalen Hurts in your fantasy lineup — I'd be surprised if Hurts plays against the Saints this week. His 355 yards and three TDs (two passing and one rushing) were good enough to make him the overall QB5 for Week 16.
— TE Tyler Conklin, Jets (ESPN: 36%; Yahoo: 27%): The Seahawks are allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends and Conklin will have Mike White under center.
— BONUS: WR DJ Chark, Lions (ESPN: 31%; Yahoo: 51%): Chark has been the overall WR19 in standard formats (WR24 in PPR) since Week 12 with at least 94 yards in three of the last four games.
— BONUS: RB Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (ESPN: 39%; Yahoo: 49%): The rookie appears to be getting stronger as the year goes on. Allgeier is the overall RB29 in standard formats (RB33 in PPR) since Week 9 with 493 yards and a touchdown on 82 carries — 6.01 yards per carry (!) — in the last seven games.
— BONUS: TE Noah Fant, Seahawks (ESPN: 40%; Yahoo: 24%): Fant has been the overall TE8 in standard formats (TE9 in PPR) since Week 13 on the strength of a TD in three of the last four games.
— BONUS: QB Mike White, Jets (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 17%): White has been medically cleared and will start the rest of this season. He was the overall QB10 in his three previous starts (Weeks 12 through 14).
— BONUS: WR Greg Dortch, Cardinals (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 2%): Dortch's last two games have produced at least nine receptions, 10 targets and 98 yards as Arizona's primary slot receiver with Rondale Moore sidelined. The Falcons have allowed the fifth-most receiving yards to wide receivers in the slot this season.
— BONUS: RB Gus Edwards, Ravens (ESPN: 31%; Yahoo: 41%): Edwards has had at least 55 yards or a TD in six of seven games played this season and is averaging 5.19 yards per carry with double-digit carries in five of seven games.
— BONUS: QB Brock Purdy, 49ers (ESPN: 29%; Yahoo: 37%): Purdy has been the epitome of consistency since Jimmy Garoppolo went down. He has two passing TDs and between 185 and 234 passing yards in every game he's played in so far. The Raiders are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
— BONUS: WR Rashid Shaheed, Saints (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 8%): Shaheed has 264 yards and a TD on 13 receptions — 20.31 yards per reception (!) — in his last four games. Here you go if you're in need of a lottery ticket at flex during your championship matchup.
— BONUS: D/ST Chargers (ESPN: 22%; Yahoo: 35%): The Bolts have been the third-highest scoring defense in fantasy since Week 13. The Rams are allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.
— BONUS: D/ST Jaguars (ESPN: 16%; Yahoo: 18%): Jacksonville is the second-highest scoring defense in fantasy since Week 14. The Jaguars held the Texans to 13 points in Week 5. Houston has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.
— BONUS: D/ST Giants (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 11%): The Colts are the only team allowing double-digit fantasy points to opposing defenses this season. Indy just scored three points, threw three interceptions and was sacked seven times by the Chargers on Monday night.
DROP
— QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins: Tagovailoa has entered the NFL's concussion protocol once again and should probably sit the rest of this season out to allow his brain to heal. We'll see how Miami handles this developing situation.
— RB Kareem Hunt, Browns: Hunt was trending towards being a major bust this season, but most wanted to wait until Deshaun Watson returned before they passed judgment. In four games with Watson, He is averaging 34 total yards, two receptions and hasn't scored a TD. Hunt is still rostered in over 70 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.
— WR Jarvis Landry, Saints: Landry was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury before a game with the Browns, one of his former teams.
— RB James Robinson, Jets: Robinson has been a healthy scratch since Week 13 and is still rostered in way too many leagues.
— WR Nico Collins, Texans: Collins was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury that forced him to miss the last two games.
