Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jawhar Jordan Lead Week 16 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

With injuries piling up at running back, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jawhar Jordan headline a critical Week 16 fantasy football waiver wire for playoff-bound teams.

Houston Texans running back Jawhar Jordan (22) runs with the ball against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at Ford Field. | Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Week 15 is now behind us, and we are heading to the second round of our fantasy playoffs. That starts with claiming or bidding on players on our waiver wire. This is going to be a huge week for running backs. We saw multiple injuries last week, so there are going to be some interesting options available. These are the top running back waiver wire pickups for Week 16. 

Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals

Bam Knight got injured in Week 15, and it sounds like he is set to miss time. There is a good chance he is out for at least the remainder of the fantasy season with what is being described as a "bad sprain." With Knight only getting one carry in Week 15, Carter stepped in and was given 14 carries and four targets in his absence, which he turned into 94 yards. He can be plugged into your lineups immediately, with a strong fantasy playoff schedule with the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals the next two weeks.  

Cardinals RB Bam Knight, who was carted off Sunday with an ankle injury, suffered what is being described as “a bad sprain” but nothing is broken. Knight will undergo an MRI today to confirm the diagnosis. He is unlikely to play this week. pic.twitter.com/9Uh6DfLQDD

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 15, 2025

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (22) runs the ball 16 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Chris Rodriguez Jr was listed as inactive prior to the Commanders' Week 15 game, and Croskey-Merritt stepped in and played great. He carried the ball 18 times for 96 yards and a touchdown. This was already a split backfield that the team didn't seem to have extreme confidence in any of their backs. If Rodriguez misses another game, JCM is a strong start; he could still end up being the lead back after this performance, regardless.   

Jawhar Jordan, Houston Texans

Per usual, Woody Marks left Week 15 with an injury, but this time, he did not return. Frustratingly for fantasy owners, Texans' head coach DeMeco Ryans said he could have returned if they needed him, but wanted to make sure he was healthy moving forward. Thanks for ruining my life, DeMeco.

Moving on... It was Jordan who stepped in for Marks and carried the ball 15 times for 101 yards and caught two passes for 17 yards. While Jordan looked good and he should be picked up, be sure to follow the injury reports this week because you cannot start him if Marks is active.    

Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals

Perine had 14 carries to Chase Brown's 13 in Week 15, which makes little sense. Brown still outgained him 53 to 42 yards, and Brown is also the primary passing back, out-targeting Perine seven to one. Still, with this much volume, Perine has to be considered as a waiver wire option.  

Isaiah Davis, New York Jets 

New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (32) looks on before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Davis was the Jets' lead rusher in Week 15, carrying the ball nine times for 58 yards and a touchdown, while Breece Hall carried the ball 12 times for 23 yards. This isn't an offense that we are excited to get a piece of, but Davis is certainly worth a waiver wire add.