Tyler Shough headlines four under-the-radar fantasy football players who could smash projections in Week 16

The fantasy football semifinals are upon us. At this point in the season, you can't afford to make any lineup mistakes. Luckily for you, we're here to help with four under-the-radar options who could smash their projections in NFL Week 16.

New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough vs. New York Jets

We've been pounding the table for Shough for a while, and there's no reason to stop now. The rookie QB threw for 272 yards and scored 18.08 fantasy points against the Carolina Panthers in Week 15, giving him at least 239 passing yards or 17 fantasy points in four of his past five starts.

You couldn't ask for a better matchup in Week 16, as the Jets just gave up six total touchdowns and 44.3 fantasy points to Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence in Week 15. If you had Indianapolis' Daniel Jones or Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes and are desperate for a QB, Shough is a decent fill-in for the semifinals. 

Cleveland Browns RB Quinshon Judkins vs. Buffalo Bills

Judkins is a frustrating fantasy player because he can easily flop when the Browns stumble to a large deficit and must abandon the run. That's obviously a possibility against the Bills in Week 16, but if the Browns can stay competitive for a while, Judkins could have a big game. 

The Bills rank 28th in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to running backs, 31st in yards allowed per rush (5.4) and last in rushing touchdowns allowed to RBs (18). Judkins is a risky play, but his upside in this matchup makes him worth a start.

Green Bay Packers WR Jayden Reed vs. Chicago Bears

Reed is slowly ramping up to a full workload after missing 11 games with a broken collarbone. He played 47 percent of the team's offensive snaps in Week 14 against Chicago and increased to 65 percent in Week 15 against Denver. He could be closer to 80 percent this week, making him an intriguing flex start.

Not only is Reed in line for more snaps, but he should also see more targets with WR Christian Watson (left shoulder) banged up and questionable to play Saturday. The Bears rank 26th in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, so Reed could be worth a dart throw if you're in a pinch.

Miami Dolphins TE Darren Waller vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Waller has been an effective red-zone weapon for the Dolphins this season. He scored two touchdowns and put up 25.6 PPR points in Week 15 against Pittsburgh, and he could be in line for another big day in the fantasy semifinals. He'll have a new starting QB, though, because Miami has benched ineffective Tua Tagovailoa for rookie Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round draft pick.

The Bengals are by far the worst team in the NFL at defending tight ends. Cincinnati has given up the most catches (99), receiving yards (1,276) and touchdowns (15) to opposing TEs this season. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will surely feature Waller in his game plan for this matchup.