5 breakout fantasy football stars to pick up for Week 16

ESPN rosters: 57.8%

Yahoo rosters: 52%

Have you ever been sifting through the waiver wire and monitoring your league’s recent activity and see a name available that makes you do a double-take? You know, like looking on the wire and suddenly seeing a name like Le’Veon Bell sitting there?

Well, that specific instance described above might have very well happened to many fantasy general managers as team GM’s have seemingly begun giving up on the former All-Pro running back and dropping him. After Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s injury, his add rate will fly.

Since Bell’s move to the Kansas City Chiefs, his usage and production has almost reflected the exact opposite of what many believed it would be when he joined after his release from the New York Jets. One of his best performances with the team came in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos when he got 11 carries for 40 yards, and he had a strong Week 15.

Bell was brought in to be that change-of-pace back, and someone who could do a ton of damage as a pass-catcher in Andy Reid’s screen-heavy offense. This is where his value is high this week when the Chiefs play the Atlanta Falcons, though he is just the lead back now.

The Falcons have almost negated the team’s strong play against running backs as rushers with their at times poor play against backs receiving passes out of the backfield.

Bell still projects as the red zone option who can lower the pads and punch it into the end zone. That value is always there. However, this week with the Falcons struggles vs backs as pass-catchers, his value is even higher as his usage could jump a ton.