Fantasy Football Week 16 Running Back and Wide Receiver FAAB: Luther Burden III, Jawhar Jordan, and More

With just three weeks remaining in the season (and two in most fantasy leagues), there is no time left to wait. If you have FAAB money left, then any player who would improve your roster might be worth everything you have left.

In the recommended bids below, you'll see the phrase, “The rest of your budget.” If you have $500 left, then you don't need to spend it all on a bench player. What I mean by using the rest of your budget is doing whatever it takes to get that player if you need him, including outbidding what anyone else could if you have the most money remaining.

Let's look at FAAB bid ranges for some of the hottest RB and WR names on the waiver wire as we head into Week 16. Your numbers might be a little different depending on your roster needs and remaining budget, but this is a good baseline to start from. All bids are based on a $100 budget.

Use FantasySP's waiver wire tool to find the players who are being added to fantasy rosters most often each week!

Running Back

Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals

Bam Knight had been leading the Cardinals' backfield over the past several weeks, but Knight was carted off the field on Sunday and is set to have an MRI, though initial reports don't report expected torn ligaments. Even if he avoids major injury, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Arizona shut him down since they are out of the playoff race.

Carter took over after Knight left, leading the team with 14 carries for 56 yards and adding four receptions for 38 yards. No other back on the team had more than two carries or three touches, the most important thing for Carter's future prospects.

Starting running backs don't come available this late in the season. Even for a low-level player in a low-level running game, like Carter, he belongs on a roster in most fantasy leagues because he looks set to lead the way. There's no need to waste money if you are stacked at RB, but anyone who could use an upgrade could do a lot worse than investing money here.

The most likely outcome is that Carter is only a modest player at best, even if he dominates the carries, so this isn't a guy who will carry you to the title. If you could use another depth player, though, there's nothing wrong with throwing the rest of what you have at a possible starting running back without much time remaining.

Arizona's last three opponents are the Falcons, Bengals, and Rams. Atlanta is near the middle as a run defense, but Cincinnati is a phenomenal matchup, so Carter (or whoever starts for the Cardinals) will be a strong flex player in Week 17. The final game is a very tough matchup, but most fantasy leagues are done by that time.

Conservative Bid: $6-11

Need Bid: The rest of your budget

Desperation Bid: The rest of your budget

Isaiah Davis, New York Jets

New York was blown out by the Jaguars on Sunday 48-20; that could be a common theme for the final few weeks. The Jets play the Saints this week, which is a little easier game, but they finish against the Patriots and Bills and will probably spend plenty of game time without a realistic chance to win.

From a fantasy perspective, New Orleans is a middling matchup for running backs, while the Patriots are a tougher opponent, and the Bills have been torn apart by RBs all season. That means New York running backs are middling options at best the rest of the way, with their best opportunity coming in Week 18, when most fantasy leagues are already done.

Davis also has the problem of being firmly entrenched as the backup behind Breece Hall. Davis had nine carries for 58 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, outplaying Hall (who had 12 for 23). That's only the second time all season that Davis had more than four carries, though, and it came in the blowout, where the backup could get more time.

With the Jets far from the playoff race, they could choose to push more work toward the younger player, especially since Hall is a free agent at the end of the season. Until we see differently, it's best to expect that Davis won't get enough touches to be an impact fantasy player.

He had a great day on Sunday, but this is probably as good as it gets for Davis. He's fine to add to your bench in a deep league or if you want a lottery ticket RB, but you're unlikely to see much of a return this season.

Conservative Bid: $0

Need Bid: $1

Desperation Bid: $2

Jawhar Jordan, Houston Texans

A sixth-round pick in 2024, Jordan had never played an offensive snap prior to Week 15. With Nick Chubb out, Woody Marks was expected to dominate the backfield, but Marks exited with an injury of his own, leaving Jordan and Dare Ogunbowale to handle the backfield.

While it seemed like Ogunbowale would be the guy to take over, Houston spent most of the game ahead by double digits and won 40-20, so the young back Jordan was able to get plenty of work. He took full advantage, turning 15 carries into 101 yards and catching two passes for 17 more.

Marks reportedly could have returned to the game if needed, and Chubb might be back next week, so Jordan will be pushed back down the depth chart. This gives him a good data point to get more work in the future, but with the team stacked at running back when healthy, Jordan is unlikely to make an impact again this season. Keep his name in mind for the future.

Conservative Bid: $0

Need Bid: $0

Desperation Bid: $1

Wide Receiver

Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears

In six games since the beginning of November, Burden has averaged around four receptions and 50 yards per game, adding 21 rushing yards on three attempts. His best games in that stretch came in the last two weeks, with four catches for 67 yards against the Packers then six for 84 against Cleveland on Sunday.

Burden left that game against the Browns with an injury, but the Bears had the game well within hand, and Burden is listed as day-to-day and likely to return on Saturday against Green Bay. The issue is that Rome Odunze is also probably coming back for that game, and Burden's best success has come with Odunze out.

Chicago is loaded with pass catchers. Burden had first-round buzz before falling to the Bears in the second round in this year's draft, so he's obviously talented, but it's hard to expect a lot from a young player with so many guys in front of him on the depth chart, including D.J. Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus playing more snaps many weeks (Burden did take some work from Zaccheaus).

With a battle for targets and tougher matchups coming against the Packers and 49ers, Burden probably won't have a hot finish to the season. He will be part of the plan next year and likely get a bigger role, but the rest of 2025 will be tough for Burden to excel.

Conservative Bid: $0

Need Bid: $1-3

Desperation Bid: $4-6

Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers

In a tough game for Carolina's passing attack on Sunday, Coker led the team with four receptions, 60 yards, and a touchdown. The Panthers' passing game is often held to a lower level, so with Tetairoa McMillan usually leading the group by a wide margin, there's not always much left to Coker and others.

Coker missed time with injury, and he hasn't been great when on the field, but he has been at his best recently. Coker has topped 50 yards in three of the past four games and scored in each of the last two, so there's some intrigue that he could finally be finding his place in this offense as the WR2.

The Panthers have a phenomenal matchup against Tampa Bay this week followed by a terrible one against the Seahawks in Week 17. If you play into the final week, Carolina again faces the Bucs to finish the season, so there's a chance for the pass catchers on this team to put together a few good performances.

Coker has some WR3/4/flex value in those games against the Bucs. He is still the second option behind McMillan, but Coker has looked like the top guy at times, and that gives him a decent ceiling in those great matchups.

Conservative Bid: $3-5

Need Bid: $6-11

Desperation Bid: The rest of your budget

Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets

I've written here several times about Mitchell and John Metchie III, two former second-round picks who the Jets acquired near the trade deadline. Both players have found some success with the Jets, averaging just under four receptions per game with two touchdowns apiece.

Mitchell has been more explosive, averaging 47.2 yards per game and 13.1 per reception; Metchie is at 31.8 per game and 8.7 per reception. Mitchell also had the better game on Sunday, catching six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.

The big problem here is that the Jets are starting undrafted rookie Brady Cook. Cook isn't going to play at a high level; no player in his position would. On top of being lightly regarded, Cook is surrounded by subpar skill players and a below-average pass blocking group, so this offense will struggle the rest of the way.

The matchup against the Saints next week is decent, but the final two games against the Patriots and Bills are tougher. I'm not going to be recommending any Jets player much the rest of the way; you can find a better outlook in the fantasy playoffs. Mitchell is a fine deep-league, low-level add if you need bodies in Week 16.

Conservative Bid: $0

Need Bid: $1-3

Desperation Bid: $4-6