Week 16: Pickups of the Week

QB Sam Bradford, ---

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Oft-embattled Sam Bradford had his best performance of the season last week against Minnesota (377 yards, 3 TD) and will be looking to carry that momentum into Tampa Bay, where he squares off against the league's leakiest pass defense. A pure matchup play, Bradford can be used with confidence in two-QB leagues. Unless you're a nervous Robert Griffin III owner, Bradford probably doesn't belong in your fantasy championship lineup if you're in a regular sized standard league. All the other top QBs are active and you should carefully weigh the risk vs. reward before you consider sitting a higher-rated pivot (with belated apologies to James Brown, who could have benefited from this sage advice last weekend re: Freeman vs. Rodgers).

QB Russell Wilson, ---

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This dark horse candidate keeps building on his rookie of the year-worthy numbers as he continues to grow by leaps and bounds. A trusted passer who can pick apart teams with his arm, Wilson showed us on Sunday that he can also kill teams with his legs. He eviscerated the Bills (and confounded Marshawn Lynch owners), putting up 92 rushing yards and three touchdowns on nine rushes -- most of them designed option runs. He faces a stiff challenge this week in the division-rival 49ers, but Wilson has come a long way since their last meeting. In the eight games since his Week 7 clunker, Wilson has totalled sixteen touchdowns against only three turnovers. He also benefits this time around from being able to spend the week studying Tom Brady's blueprint on how to torch San Francisco for more than 370 yards in a single half.

RB Jackie Battle, ---

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It's a sad week to be stuck RB shopping, but Ryan Matthews' second broken collar bone of the season will likely send many owners scrambling to the waiver wire. If Ronnie Brown ( sat out last week with a hamstring injury) can't go, the Chargers will likely roll with a combination of Jackie Battle and Curtis Brinkley toting the rock. As the bruiser of the pair, Battle is the better bet for early down and goal line work. Given a chance in September because of Matthews' first broken clavicle (and subsequent fumbling issues), Battle averaged five yards a carry and scored three touchdowns over a three-game span. Desperate owners may have nowhere better to turn.

RB Curtis Brinkley, ---

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With Ryan Matthews done and Ronnie Brown looking unlikely to play, the Chargers will turn to a platoon approach with Jackie Battle and Curtis Brinkley splitting snaps in the backfield. Brinkley isn't much of a force rushing the football, but he's an effective pass-catcher who could put up decent PPR numbers in a pinch. He could easily turn out to be the busier of the pair if the Chargers get behind or if they start finding success in the passing game. That being said, Brinkley is only recommended for use in the deepest or more specialized of fantasy leagues.

RB Ronnie Brown, ---

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We've listed Curtis Brinkley and Jackie Battle as the likely inheritors of Ryan Matthews' vacated rushing duties. But if Ronnie Brown can heal quicker than expected, he'll be the one getting the call. The veteran former Dolphin is averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry and 3.8 catches per game on the season. His experience and reliability would give him the edge over the younger two Chargers running backs. On Monday, Norv Turner told the San Diego Union Tribune there was "a chance" Brown could play in Week 16. It's a longshot right now, so don't make the claim unless you have dead weight to trim from your roster.

RB Dexter McCluster, ---

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Who knows who will be throwing him the ball -- but if you're desperate enough to be scouring the waiver wire this late in the season, who cares? Dexter McCluster inherited a ton of targets courtesy of Dwayne Bowe's departure (injured reserve: broken ribs). He and Jonathan Baldwin will carry the torch through the final games of Kansas City's dismal season. There's been speculation the Chiefs will roll with second year man Ricky Stanzi at QB down the stretch. He can't be much worse than Brady Quinn, and Quinn somehow managed to complete seven of 10 passes to McCluster during a woeful Week 15 passing performance.

WR Jason Avant, ---

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Though he failed to impress last week, Jason Avant deserves the chance to make good on the opportunity to shine. Washington's porous pass defense provides an ideal foil for the recently minted Eagles starting receiver. Forget about the Bengals game and remember instead that the last time Avant faced sub-par coverage (Tampa Bay in Week 14), he lit up the scorecard with seven catches on 12 targets for 133 yards and a touchdown. He's one of few viable receiving options left on barren, late season waiver wires.

WR Alshon Jeffery, ---

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Any unowned players you're targeting for this week come with a risk -- and few are more risky than Alshon Jeffery. The rookie had a promising start to the season, notching two TD catches in the first five weeks. Just as he was starting to hit his stride, he broke his hand (while making one of the aforementioned touchdown grabs) and missed four games. He returned to the field briefly in Week 11 -- "briefly" because during that Monday Night return he promptly went about injuring his knee. Three weeks and a little arthroscopic surgery later, Jeffery is again the number two receiving option in Chicago. He gives hopeful owners some homerun potential, tempered by the very real possibility of another injury or disappearance behind ball-hogging Brandon Marshall. Arizona's feeble defense helps mitigate those risks.

TE Dennis Pitta, ---

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Pitta was the man on Sunday, monopolizing QB Joe Flacco's attention to the tune of ten targets, seven completions, 125 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort. He now sits among the top ten tight ends in the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. With four scores in the last four weeks he also outstrips all his NFL peers over the last month. New York isn't as weak in TE coverage as Denver, but Pitta is by far the hottest widely available fantasy commodity there is and he remains a viable TE1 option in most leagues.

TE Tony Scheffler, ---

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Though he shares the field with Brandon Pettigrew, Scheffler has stayed consistently productive this season as a check-down option and reliable third-down outlet. He didn't share the field last week, though he underwhelmed with just three catches for 36 yards on his seven targets. With Pettigrew still ailing, Scheffler may have the opportunity for redemption as the likely lone TE option when the Lions take the field against Atlanta this Saturday. Owners playing TE roulette could do a whole lot worse.