Keaton Mitchell Injury: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Replacement Pickups (Week 16)

With the injury to Keaton Mitchell, fantasy football managers are left with a void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your waiver wire this week. And here’s all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 16.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacement Pickups

Injury Outlook

Keaton Mitchell suffers season-ending knee injury
Baltimore Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell suffered a significant, season-ending knee injury, according to head coach John Harbaugh.

Fantasy Impact

Mitchell ended his rookie campaign in an unfortunate manner, and the hope is that he will recover and find success again next year. After missing the first half of his season due to injury, Mitchell appeared in seven games, carrying the ball 47 times for 396 yards and two TDs. He also caught nine passes for 93 yards. His elite efficiency brings hope that he can be even stronger in his sophomore campaign, but the exact nature of his injury is not yet clear. Justice Hill and Gus Edwards will share the backfield the rest of the way for Baltimore.

Jordan Epp – Jepp Sports

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC): 40% rostered

• Next Opponents: LV, CIN, @LAC
• True value: $10
• Desperate need: $17
• Budget-minded: $6

Analysis: While both Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon were fantasy-relevant on Sunday, it was the first-round pick from LSU who dominated touches against the Patriots. CEH turned his 17 touches into 101 yards and gashed New England through the air. Believe it or not, Edwards-Helaire has a great chance to help you win your fantasy league with a soft remaining schedule and a role to die for in Isiah Pacheco‘s absence.

Zamir White (LV): 15% rostered

• Next Opponents: @KC, @IND, DEN
• True value: $8
• Desperate need: $14
• Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: White was a nice plug-in when Josh Jacobs was a late scratch last Thursday. White earned 21 touches and compiled 85 scrimmage yards with a touchdown in the Raiders’ 63-21 thumping of the Chargers. The very obvious play is to try to block a Jacobs manager from grabbing a handcuff in the fantasy playoffs. There isn’t much value with White if Jacobs is tracking toward suiting up in Week 16.

Jerick McKinnon (KC): 41% rostered

• Next Opponents: LV, CIN, @LAC
• True value: $6
• Desperate need: $10
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Despite only receiving seven touches to Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s 17, McKinnon had a touchdown catch and was credited with a passing touchdown to Rashee Rice on a shovel pass. The Chiefs’ remaining schedule is very favorable to RBs. It will require less FAAB to acquire McKinnon than to land CEH anyway, with McKinnon’s role likely not changing if Isiah Pacheco comes back from a shoulder injury this week.

Tyjae Spears (TEN): 45% rostered

• Next Opponents: SEA, @HOU, JAX
• True value: $6
• Desperate need: $10
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Spears earned 10 touches in Week 15, but Houston’s defense completely shut down the Tennessee running game. The rookie from Tulane is a home run threat every time he touches the ball and is a nice complement to Derrick Henry. His semifinal matchup with the Seahawks, the fifth-worst team at defending RBs, makes Spears an intriguing buy-low if he’s available.

Chase Brown (CIN): 20% rostered

• Next Opponents: @PIT, @KC, CLE
• True value: $5
• Desperate need: $9
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: The Bengals have gotten into a groove with Jake Browning at quarterback and have won three games in a row. One parallel development has been Brown’s expanding role behind Joe Mixon. The rookie’s ability as a receiver has not gone unnoticed, and he’s a bigger, more physical player than Trayveon Williams. Cincinnati has a good one here, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if he continued to earn more looks down the stretch.

Trey Sermon (IND): 0% rostered

• Next Opponents: @ATL, LV, HOU
• True value: $4
• Desperate need: $7
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Sermon has bounced around various practice squads since he washed out of San Francisco. RB attrition has been especially brutal for the Colts. Zack Moss left Sunday’s game, and it was Sermon who picked up the musket, chewing up 88 rushing yards on 17 carries. Jonathan Taylor‘s return from thumb surgery is looming, so this might be much ado about nothing. Sermon is not a strong receiver, nor does he endear himself to coaches in pass protection. Tyler Goodson was also effective in Week 15 and might squeeze Sermon out of the picture if Taylor returns for a matchup with the Falcons on Christmas Eve.

Justice Hill (BAL): 13% rostered

• Next Opponents: @SF, MIA, PIT
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: The gruesome leg injury sustained by Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell on Sunday night will mean a bigger role for Hill down the stretch. Hill had a little bit of early-season value, hitting double digits in fantasy points (0.5 PPR) in two of Baltimore’s first five games. But Hill is destined to share work with Gus Edwards, and the Ravens have a difficult Week 16 matchup against the 49ers. Hill is probably only worth RB2 or flex consideration in the deepest of leagues.