Hello! Happy holidays and welcome to the Week 17 waiver wire watch for quarterbacks!
This is the end of the line. Championship week is here for most fantasy leagues and whether you’re gunning for the title or trying to avoid the humiliation of finishing last, your fantasy season comes down to one final matchup. So its time to start looking for ways to fortify your rosters for the grand finale.
We’ll go over some performers that you should consider scooping off the waiver wire ahead of Week 17 and as always, we’ll classify a waiver add as someone who is rostered in 60% of leagues at the max. There are three games set for Christmas on Thursday and two games set for Saturday, so make sure to get your lineups situated early this week.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (57.5%)
The Jaguars are arguably the hottest team in the NFL right now and they picked up their sixth straight victory in a huge 34-20 road triumph over the Broncos. It took a while, but Lawrence is finally looking like the franchise QB that was drafted No. 1 overall as he put 279 passing yards and four total touchdowns on a Broncos defense that had only allowed 30+ points once prior to Sunday.
This was an excellent follow-up to his five-touchdown performance against the Jets the week prior and he now has 12 passing touchdowns to zero picks over his last four games. We’ve seen some impressive stuff from the QB as the team is not only nearing the AFC South title, but is now in the mix for the No. 1 seed in the conference. If you need a QB off the wire to lift you over the top in this final week, then Lawrence is your guy.
Week 17 matchup: @ Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET
Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks (40.4%)
Darnold came out on the winning side of what could be the game of the year in the NFL, as a successful two-point conversion strike to Eric Saubert in overtime lifted the Seahawks over the Rams in a 38-37 thriller. Things looked bleak for the team late as they were staring down a 16-point deficit with less than 10 minutes to go. However, a punt return touchdown, a defensive stop, and a 26-yard strike to AJ Barner allowed them to tie the game just mere minutes later. After L.A. put a TD on the board to start OT, Darnold marched the Seahawks down the field, found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown, and delivered the dagger with the successful two-pointer to put Seattle on top of the NFC West standings.
He racked up 21.5 fantasy points with 270 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, finishing the week as a top-10 fantasy QB for the fifth time this season. The Seahawks have business to handle with an inside track to the No. 1 seed in the NFC, so he may be dialed in for Sunday’s showdown against the Panthers.
Week 17 matchup: @ Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers (22.0%)
Speaking of the Panthers, they now control their own destiny after knocking off the Buccaneers 23-20 to take the lead in the NFC South. Young was able to step up with a solid effort in this high-stakes showdown, delivering 191 passing yards and two touchdowns while also scrambling for 40 rushing yards on the ground. 17.6 fantasy points is what he ended up with, a respectable day for the former No. 1 overall pick.
The Panthers are nearing their first playoff berth since 2017 and can pull that off this week with a win over the Seahawks and a Bucs loss to the Dolphins. Can this former No. 1 overall pick secure a division title for the franchise? We’ll find out and if you have confidence that he’ll be locked in, then he’ll be sitting right there waiting to be scooped up.
Week 17 matchup: vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1 p.m. ET
Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints (14.6%)
Hey, the Saints have won three games in a row and were able to demolish the Jets in a 29-6 victory. Sure, their playoff hopes have been long dead, but they may have actually found their QB of the immediate in Shough. The rookie has had a growing connection with Chris Olave and that allowed him to light it up for a career-high 308 yards and a touchdown through the air on Sunday.
Shough has seemingly gotten better with each passing performance since he took over as the starter mid-season and he’s sure to open 2026 as QB1 in New Orleans. It’s debatable whether momentum can carry through the offseason, but the Saints look determined to close the season strong. Deeper league managers in particular should give him a thought this week.
Week 17 matchup: @ Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ETHello! Happy holidays and welcome to the Week 17 waiver wire watch!
