Week 16 is a very active waiver wire thanks to injuries and solid performances from several players. However, none carry more intrigue than Detroit Lions mystery man and current lead running back, Craig Reynolds. Reynolds has been the beneficiary of injuries to D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams along with an unexpectedly positive game script against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

So, what can fantasy managers make of Reynolds? Our analysts are here with their thoughts.

Check out our full Week 16 waiver wire rankings and suggested FAB bids

Reynolds was an extremely difficult player for the analysts to rank this week. As a result, there is a wide range of FAB they’d recommend spending on the running back.

8% of your remaining FAB
Will D’Andre Swift come back from a shoulder injury, or will he be shut down? If Jamaal Williams comes off the COVID-19 list in the coming days, will he be Detroit’s clear lead back in week 16, or will the Lions continue to audition Reynolds (a former UDFA who’s playing on a one-year deal) for a second contract? It’s not clear what sort of role Reynolds will have when the Lions face Atlanta on Sunday, but he’s accumulated 216 yards from scrimmage over the last two weeks, and the matchup with the Falcons is favorable.
– Pat Fitzmaurice (@Fitz_FF)

50% of your remaining FAB
There’s an argument to be made that Reynolds should rival only Ronald Jones as the top pickup after an outstanding game against the Cardinals where he rushed for over 100 yards. But there’s no way to tell yet whether either D’Andre Swift or Jamaal Williams will be ready to return next week against the Falcons and, if either is, what that means for Reynolds’ role. He could be a strong RB2 or entirely without value next week.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)

5% of your remaining FAB
Craig Reynolds has been a dynamic fantasy asset over the past couple of games and he’s literally come out of nowhere to help lead some fantasy rosters to the next round of their playoffs. However, we still don’t know if he’s done enough to work his way into a significant role if everyone in this backfield is healthy. With Jamaal Williams most likely returning in Week 16, Reynolds might not see enough volume to be a reliable option. However, if we knew that D’Andre Swift and Williams were going to miss this next week again, Reynolds would be a top-3 pickup on the week.
– Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

As a result of all the unknown surrounding Reynolds, Yates and Dan both feel the running back carries a high risk of being a waste of FAB budget for Week 16.

The majority of the top options this week seem pretty likely to at least have some value, even if it’s just as a usable fantasy option. But Reynolds’ value depends on both the health of other running backs and Dan Campbell’s plan. It has the potential to be a worthless pickup.
– Dan Harris (@danharris80)

As mentioned earlier, Craig Reynolds has the potential to be a top-3 pickup on the week and a smash start in Week 16 due to his recent play. However, we don’t know what his role is in this offense when everyone’s healthy and we don’t have clarity on that aspect at the time of writing. He’s worth picking up, but you might not be able to play him confidently this next week.
– Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)

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