Welcome to the Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire: Start, Stash, Stream, where we break down the fantasy football free-agent landscape and give you the best picks for the playoff run.
Let’s look back at Week 14 and see our future prospects for the fantasy football Week 15 waiver wire.
Note: Roster % based on Yahoo and should hover around 50% or less
WEEK 15 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
START
- Taysom Hill, QB New Orleans Saints (50% rostered)
- Rashaad Penny, RB Seattle Seahawks (21%)
- KJ Osborn, WR Minnesota Vikings (38%)
- Russell Gage, WR Atlanta Falcons (52%)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR Detroit Lions (12%)
Another subpar passing performance, another QB1 week saved by the rushing upside of Taysom Hill. Again, Hill has league-winning upside for teams with weaker QB play as he went for 73 yards and two scores on the ground. Hill’s legs are good enough to make him a rest of season QB1 and anything he does through the air is just an added bonus — as bizarre as that might sound.
It’s been a long time coming, but Rashaad Penny finally capitalized and showed his first-round ability as a healthy lead back. Injuries have derailed pretty much his entire career, but he’s finally getting the chance to be the Seahawks’ starting running back. Penny went for 137 yards and two scores against the Texans while showing breakaway speed. While the game script really helped, a matchup against the Rams next week will surely be more difficult and could lower his ceiling. However, Penny gets the Bears and Lions to finish out the fantasy season.
With Adam Thielen out on Thursday night, KJ Osborn took full advantage of WR2 duties and caught three balls for 83 yards and a score on nine targets. The night could have been so much more based on volume alone, but in the Vikings’ high-scoring offense, the WR2 role carries significant value. Assuming Thielen remains out, lock Osborn into your WR3 or FLEX.
With the Falcons playing with a lead in Week 14, they leaned on the ground game, which limited Russell Gage’s targets and receiving numbers. Still, Gage operates as the team’s WR1 without Calvin Ridley and leads the team in targets and most receiving categories.
The Detroit Lions have found their target hog in Amon-Ra St. Brown. The rookie wideout has seen 12 target in back-to-back games — making him Jared Goff’s clear No. 1 option. The return of D’Andre Swift and TJ Hockenson will lower his ceiling, but St. Brown has looked like the team’s best wideout and the pass-heavy game scripts will only help him finish out the season.
STASH
- Rashod Bateman, WR Baltimore Ravens (36%)
- Robby Anderson, WR Carolina Panthers (35%)
- D’Ernest Johnson, RB Cleveland Browns (13%)
- Mike Davis, RB Atlanta Falcons (52%)
- Royce Freeman, RB Houston Texans (0%)
- Ameer Abdullah, RB Carolina Panthers (11%)
Rashod Bateman had gone quiet over the last few games, but the rookie receiver is clearly someone that needs to be featured in the Ravens offense. His eight targets were good for a 20% target share as he continues to carve out a role alongside Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown. The offense as a whole would take a hit if Lamar is out long-term, but Bateman is poised for a solid end to the season as Baltimore fights for playoff positioning.
Panthers WR Robby Anderson has had quite a disappointing year, but this week he was the leading receiver in all categories, going for 7-84-1 on 12 targets. With a difficult schedule upcoming for the Panthers against the Bills and Bucs, expect a lot of passes and more opportunity for Anderson.
Kareem Hunt returned to action in Week 12 and limped off the field with an ankle injury in Week 14. The running back is set to miss Week 15 and potentially beyond, moving D’Ernest Johnson back into an elite handcuff role. We all know what he can do when he gets the touches, so stash him on your bench in case Nick Chubb gets hurt.
Make it back-to-back games with double-digit points for Mike Davis. He’s been eating into Cordarrelle Patterson’s rushing share the last few games while continuing to be a factor in the receiving game. With the running back position being as thin as it is, Davis could be valuable to those desperately in need.
With David Johnson out this week, Royce Freeman stepped up into a more significant role with 11 carries and six catches for 51 yards. The receiving work is very intriguing if Freeman becomes a dump-off option for the Texans. Burkhead never capitalized on an increased workload, and Johnson just flat out stinks now.
STREAM
- Gabriel Davis, WR Buffalo Bills (3% rostered)
- Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR Cleveland Browns (10%)
- Adam Humphries, WR Washington Football Team (0%)
- Miami Dolphins D/ST (48%)
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB Miami Dolphins (34%)
- Cleveland Browns D/ST (39%)
- Ben Roethlisberger, QB Pittsburgh Steelers (22%)
Emmanuel Sanders is “week to week” with a knee injury, meaning Gabriel Davis will take his place in the lineup. The speedster snagged five of eight targets for 43 yards and a score against the Bucs and ran a route on 81 percent of Josh Allen dropbacks. Davis gets a beatable Carolina secondary in Week 15.
Donovan Peoples-Jones caught five balls for 90 yards and ran a route on 90 percent of dropbacks in Week 14 against the Browns. Now entrenched as a starter, he gets a juicy matchup against the Raiders, who just got dismantled by the Chiefs.
Terry McLaurin suffered a brutal concussion during Week 14, which allowed Adam Humphries to lead the team with seven targets against the Cowboys. Humphries gets a susceptible Eagles defense this week and should eat — assuming McLaurin sits out this week.
The surging Dolphins defense welcomes the Jets offense to Miami this week. Enough said.
The great QB streamer Tua Tagovailoa was dropped in leagues due to the team’s Week 14 bye week and he gets the Jets this week. Tua racked up nearly 20 fantasy points the last time these two teams met and he should be in line to do the same again.
The Browns defense faces the Raiders next week, who were just absolutely walloped by the Chiefs in Kansas City. The Browns have been playing very well defensively and the Raiders present a great matchup this week.
After all the talk about it being Ben Roethlisberger’s last year, he’s starting to look like the Ben of old slinging the rock all over the place. The vet put up 308 yards and three scores on Thursday Night while playing catchup after going down big early in the game. This week they get the struggling Titans’ pass defense that should be easily exploitable.
