Ryan Fitzpatrick, Quarterback, New York Jets
Fitzpatrick is the sixth-best fantasy quarterback over the past quarter season. Overall this season, he's put up the eighth-most fantasy points. We are pretty sure fantasy owners didn't get the memo, as he's still available at an alarmingly high clip heading into Week 17.
Considering Fitzpatrick can hit the 4,000-yard and 30-touchdown plateau this week, that's a whole heck of a lot of lost fantasy points for someone out there.
Now that the Jets know their Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills will mean something, starters will find themselves playing the entire game. That's good news for Fitzpatrick against a defense that's yielded 28 touchdown passes to quarterbacks on the season.
Cameron Artis-Payne, Running Back, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are undecided on whether Jonathan Stewart will return from a two-game absence after suffering a sprained MCL back in Week 14. However, the odds have to be against him playing in what has suddenly become an important game versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With Fozzy Whittaker out after suffering a high-ankle sprain last week, Artis-Payne will likely get a ton of touches in this one. The rookie has put up 149 total yards on 22 touches in the two games since Stewart went down.
Bilal Powell, Running Back, New York Jets
Fresh off a 90-yard performance on just 12 touches last week, Powell has tallied 359 total yards and three touchdowns over the past four games. He's also put up 25 receptions while averaging 7.6 yards per touch during that span.
An argument could be made that Powell is playing better football than Chris Ivory right now. And while that won't lead to him overtaking the Jets starting running back, it will mean consistent touches against the Bills this upcoming weekend.
Karlos Williams, Running Back, Buffalo Bills
You could also go with Mike Gillislee. Any running back receiving a decent amount of touches in Greg Roman's system immediately becomes valuable from a fantasy standpoint. Though, I'd definitely prefer Williams against the Jets this upcoming week. He put up 76 yards and a touchdown against Dallas on Sunday. Overall this season, the rookie is averaging a ridiculous 5.7 yards per run.
While it might be a difficult matchup against a Jets defense that has yielded the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs, the expectation here has to be that Williams will be in the 15-plus carry territory — making him a solid fantasy option.
Willie Snead, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints
Snead needs just 51 yards to cross the 1,000-yard plateau for the season. That's absolutely insane considering he was let go by a then wide receiver-needy Carolina Panthers team last year. After putting up a dud of a performance against Washington and missing the next week's game with an injury, Snead has been on fire. He's recorded 25 receptions for 323 yards over the past four games.
The only real issue here is a lack of touchdowns. The former Ball State standout has just three scores on 66 receptions through 14 games. Still, the expectation has to be that Snead will receiver an ample amount of targets against the Atlanta Falcons to close out the season.
Kamar Aiken, Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens
No one listens to us (and every other site worth a darn out there). This is the seventh time we have had Aiken as a waiver wire options. In those seven weeks, the fifth year receiver has put up 45 receptions for over 550 yards. Maybe it's time the fantasy football world pays attention.
Taking on a Cleveland Browns defense that ranks in the bottom six of the NFL against fantasy receivers, Aiken is an obvious add here. And no, don't be detered by the fact that Ryan Mallett is under center. Aiken proved himself worthy with both Matt Schaub and Jimmy Clausen tossing him the rock.
Zach Miller, Tight End, Chicago Bears
Miller is coming off a seven-catch, 69-yard performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the three games since Martellus Bennett was shelved for the season, this veteran has tallied 18 receptions for 211 yards. Now taking on a Detroit Lions team that ranks in the bottom four against fantasy tight ends, Miller is a tremendous play this week.