We are officially halfway through the 2025 NFL season, which means the fantasy football playoffs are drawing closer and closer. As the weeks wane on, the waiver wire is thinning out, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some players worth picking up.

Today, we’re going to go over some of the best waiver wire additions to make this week, plus some players to target in trades before the fantasy trade deadline, which, depending on your league settings, could be as early as next week.

Note: Only players who are rostered in under 60 percent of leagues are on this list. Make sure to check your waivers in case a big name has been dropped/are still available.

Waiver Wire Additions

Luke Musgrave, TE, Green Bay Packers

One of my favorite pickups in fantasy this week is Luke Musgrave. With Tucker Kraft out for the season, Musgrave is set to take over as the starter in Green Bay. People forget he was a second-round pick in 2023, so he has talent, and after Kraft went out last week, he was targeted three times late. He won’t be as efficient as Kraft, and I don’t like his matchup this week, but he could be a valuable asset down the line.

FAAB: 10 percent

Rostered: 4 percent

Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos

I don’t know how Troy Franklin is still available in 46 percent of leagues. He’s been targeted 28 times in the last three weeks alone, and now has more targets on the year than Courtland Sutton. He doesn’t get the big plays Sutton gets, so he’s not as valuable a fantasy option, but Bo Nix trusts him, and if he can average 6-7 targets per game the rest of the way, he’ll be a valuable player to have.

FAAB: 10 percent

Rostered: 54 percent

Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts

One guy I’m dumping FAAB on this week is Alec Pierce. He has emerged as a viable fantasy option in the past few weeks, scoring 9+ points in each of his last three games, which include a 14 and a 19-point performance. During that three-game span, he’s been targeted 28 times, including 13 last week. He’s played over 80 percent of snaps every single week (outside of when he was injured in Week 3), and with AD Mitchell gone, his role will only increase.

FAAB: 15-20 percent

Rostered: 29 percent

Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

After last week’s performance, Colston Loveland won’t be available for much longer. He had a breakout performance, and it’s very obvious the coaching staff wants to get him more involved. Snap counts don’t lie, and he’s played 81 percent in each of the last two weeks. Add on the fact that Cole Kmet isn’t fully healthy, and he should continue to see his role increase each week.

FAAB: 10 percent

Rostered: 29 percent

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy has made three starts in his career, and he’s scored 19+ points in two of them. He’s capable of putting up big games, and he’s probably the best quarterback on waivers, unless you’re in a shallow/uneducated league. He’s a great pickup, not just for now, but for the playoffs. In Weeks 14 and 15, he played the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants, two of the most QB-friendly defenses out there.

FAAB: 10-15 percent

Rostered: 26 percent

Best Defenses to Stream

Cleveland Browns

There aren’t a ton of great streaming options that are rostered in under 60 percent of leagues, but there’s one you absolutely have to capitalize on, and that’s the Cleveland Browns. They play the Jets on Sunday, who are actively trying to lose games (that’s a joke, but after what they did at the trade deadline, maybe it’s not). They have the No. 1 defense upside this week, and they’re available in over 75 percent of leagues on Sleeper.

Matchup: New York Jets

Rostered: 23 percent

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are available in significantly fewer leagues than the Browns, but if they’re out there, I’d pick them up this week. The Dolphins have some good games in them, but their offense is far too inconsistent to be a serious threat. I think the Bills win this game by a decent margin, and Miami might not score more than 14 points.

Matchup: Miami Dolphins

Rostered: 53 percent

Seattle Seahawks

Just meeting the threshold this week is the Seattle Seahawks, who are rostered in 59 percent of leagues. This is the one I’m least certain about. The Cardinals have found a bit of a groove with Jacoby Brissett, but the Seahawks have a really good defense. I don’t think they’ll be a top-five defense this week, but they’re certainly worthy of a start.

Matchup: Arizona Cardinals

Rostered: 59 percent

Trade Targets

Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

I’ve been trying to trade for Justin Jefferson for a few weeks now, and I finally got a deal done this week. He’s been a super steady WR1 this year, but hasn’t really had any breakout games. I don’t foresee that changing too much because the Vikings’ offense is a bit limited, but he’s performed better with McCarthy than he did with Carson Wentz, so his ceiling has been raised for the rest of the year.

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I got away with murder in one of my leagues, and it made me realize how low Emeka Egbuka’s stock is right now. I was offered Egbuka for Alvin Kamara straight up, and when I say I hit accept immediately, I mean immediately. Now, I don’t think getting him for that low is realistic. This guy really needed running back help and was pretty loaded at receiver, but it shows that you can buy him cheap.

I know he hasn’t played well recently, but with Chris Godwin coming back soon and Mike Evans hopefully returning in time for the fantasy playoffs, less attention will be paid to him. Plus, he has a VERY favorable playoff schedule, with two games against Carolina, one against Atlanta, and one against Miami to end the year.

Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Ricky Pearsall might even be available on waivers if you’re in an eight-man league or your league mates just don’t know what they’re doing, but trading for him isn’t a bad option if he’s not on waivers. He should be returning to the field soon, and he’ll instantly be San Fran’s WR1. He played very well when he was healthy, so there’s no reason to think he can’t be a solid WR2/FLEX play when he returns.

D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears

Okay, hear me out on this one. I know all the talk is around Kyle Monangai right now, and he very well could take over as the RB1 in Chicago, so this is a very high-risk, but high-reward move.

How many times has a veteran been injured, replaced by a rookie who goes off, and then takes over his starting job again? It happens quite often, especially at the running back position. There are small things, such as pass blocking, that young guys need to learn. Chicago knew Monangai was a special talent, but there’s a reason Swift was getting the start over him for the entire year.

Again, Monangai could run away with this job, but people are going to be selling low on Swift, and I wouldn’t be all that surprised if he’s still the lead back once he returns from injury.