10 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets Heading Into Week 16

Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

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Giovani Bernard's fantasy value this week is hugely dependent on the health of Joe Mixon, who has still yet to clear the concussion protocol. It does look like there's a good chance Mixon will be back in action (he was questionable for most of Week 15, not being ruled out until Saturday), but the Cincinnati Bengals have no playoff hopes left, and they aren't likely to take any risks if Mixon isn't 100%. Bench spots are also virtually meaningless in the last week of the season, so there's not much downside to grabbing Bernard while we wait and see about Mixon's status.

Playing without Mixon in December, Gio has seen 13, 11 and 14 carries while also getting significant work in the passing game (3, 8 and 5 targets). That kind of well-rounded usage makes him all but immune to negative game-script -- giving him an excellent floor.

Our models have the Detroit Lions as a middle-of-the-pack defense, and while Bernard's not likely to explode for a huge game, if Mixon sits, he becomes a guy you can count on for a solid outing without taking on much risk of ending up with a dud in your lineup.