Welcome to the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 15. For most leagues, the fantasy playoffs are here. If you made it in, congrats! If you didn’t, well, you probably aren’t reading this column.
Whether
you’re playing for a Championship, or in a Toilet Bowl bracket to avoid a last-place penalty, there might be some tweaks you want to make to your roster, or players you want to claim so that nobody else does. Read on.
The Waiver Wire is thin again this week, but there are still options to consider.
The Process: Each week, I try to identify the top Waiver Wire targets and evaluate the short- and long-term prospects of those players. I also do my best to reveal which players who are coming off a big week are fool’s gold. Finally, I look at streamers who might help you in a pinch.
Note that I’m writing this column BEFORE the Week 15 Monday night game (PHI@LAC).
Some players discussed won’t be available in your league. I try to list players who are available in more than 50% of leagues. But what does that even mean? A 10-team league with six bench spots will have a much larger Free Agent pool than a 14-team league with eight. Most leagues fall somewhere in between. This isn’t “one size fits all.” By way of example, I won’t list Jacoby Brissett, Chris Rodriguez, Tyler Allgeier, Devin Neal, Bam Knight, Jayden Reed, Mike Evans (who will be back this week or next), or Harold Fannin, Jr., among others who probably aren’t available in any of your leagues.
WEEK 15 BYES: NONE
Week 15 Waiver Wire
Quarterback:
Quarterback availability varies widely between 1-QB and Superflex/2-QB leagues.
There are a two QBs in particular that jump out, in terms of those who can provide playoff help as a streamer or second QB in a Superflex if you’re in need.
J.J. McCarthy returned from a one-game absence and finally unleashed “Nine” on Sunday, in a favorable matchup at home against the Commanders. He’s hard to trust, but his fantasy playoff schedule couldn’t be better. The Vikings face the Cowboys, Giants, and Lions the next three weeks, and those teams have allowed the first, second and third most fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. As bad as he’s been all year, it’s a phenomenal set-up for fantasy, and maybe the big win on Sunday will give him some much-needed confidence.
Lots of people made fun of the Saints for drafting Tyler Shough, but it’s the Saints who are laughing now, as he’s been pretty good. That’s real life, but he’s also been viable for fantasy. He’s scored at least 18 fantasy points in three of his last four outings and showed off some real athleticism with two longer-range rushing TDs on Sunday. His playoff schedule (CAR, NYJ, @TEN) isn’t at all scary.
Others to consider:
Tua Tagovailoa also has a very favorable schedule (PIT, CIN, TB), with all three games at home. Tua has always struggled in colder weather, but the rest of his December games are all at home in South Florida. Miami has won five of its last seven, but they’re doing it with rushing and defense, and Tua hasn’t needed to throw a lot. He’s a mediocre option.
Bryce Young has been very hit-or-miss, in what’s mostly been a run-heavy offense. His schedule is favorable over the next two weeks (@NO, TB), and don’t tell anyone, but the 7-6 Panthers are tied with the Bucs for the NFC South lead and have a lot to play for.
Running Back:
Jaylen Wright got the vast majority of the work after Devon Achane left the Jets game with a rib injury late in the second quarter. Wright made the most of the opportunity, with more than 100 rushing yards plus a short score. It sounds like Achane avoided serious injury and could have re-entered the game if it was close. Still, Wright is worth adding in case Achane misses time or re-aggravates the injury.
Chuba Hubbard could be on some waiver wires, since the Panthers were off last week. He’ll continue to rotate with Rico Dowdle, while likely serving as the preferred option on obvious passing downs. Hubbard outplayed Dowdle in the Panthers’ last game. Add him if he’s available.
Repeat entry from the last four weeks: Devin Singletary is getting enough work to be serviceable if you’re stuck at RB. Tyrone Tracy, Jr. got hurt in Week 13, but should be back splitting work with Singletary in Week 15.
Blake Corum should be rostered in all formats. He continues to see increased playing time, is coming off the best game of his career (12-128-2), and has scored in back-to-back games.
Depth adds: Kenneth Gainwell, Malik Davis, Bhayshul Tuten, Brian Robinson, Jr., Rasheen Ali, Dare Ogunbowale, and Jaleel McLaughlin.
Wide Receiver
Ryan Flournoy really stepped up when CeeDee Lamb left the Thursday night game at Detroit with a concussion. He was targeted 13 times and came down with 9-115-1 to lead the Cowboys’ receivers. Lamb has an extra three days to make it back, but even if he doesn’t miss time, Flournoy could continue to be a factor in Dallas’s high-octane passing offense.
Alec Pierce has been a mainstay in this column. He’s still rostered at under 50% on some platforms. Daniel Jones’s season-ending injury is probably not going to help him, but he’s been making big plays all season.
Others to consider for depth: Jayden Higgins, Malik Washington, Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Rashid Shaheed, Xavier Legette, Devaughn Vele, and Luther Burden III.
Deeper depth: DeMario Douglas, Chimere Dike, Mack Hollins, Pat Bryant, Isaiah Hodgins, and Jalen Coker.
Tight End:
A week after hitting his high yardage total for the year, Isaiah Likely scored in Week 14 and came awfully close to a second one. Ravens fans would tell you he did get a second one, but that’s another story. The point is that Lamar Jackson is targeting him more, and the team is desperate for offense. he’s worth considering.
Mike Gesicki had a big game on Sunday at Buffalo (6-86-1 on six targets), and with Joe Burrow slinging it and the Bengals’ porous defense ensuring shootout after shootout, Gesicki is someone you can consider if you need tight end help.
Rinse and repeat: Brenton Strange, Theo Johnson and Juwan Johnson are three players I’ve listed for multiple weeks running. All are serviceable if you need a tight end, with upside.
Colby Parkinson has a TD in four of the last five games, but no more than four catches or 41 yards in any of those five contests. At the tight end position, that’s just fine.
Others to consider for depth, or an emergency stream if you need them: Darren Waller, Chig Okonkwo, and Dalton Schultz.
PK and D/ST Streamers, Week 15: (ranked outside the Top-12 for the week):
PK: C. Boswell (@MIA), C. Little (vs. NYJ), M. Gay (vs. TEN), C. Santos (vs. CLE)
D/ST: JAC (vs. NYJ), CAR (@NO), NO (vs. CAR)
Good luck with your waiver claims!
***This column appears each Monday right here at Big Blue View. Each Thursday, my weekly fantasy preview with my rides, fades and sleepers (start/sit) appears here, and on Fridays you can find my weekly Giants Props of the week, also right here. ***
