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- Week 15 Waiver Targets
By: Tony Kneepkens (@tonytk44)
Bye weeks are finally over and we’re heading into the first round of the fantasy playoffs in most fantasy leagues. Make sure you understand your specific league to know what motivation your fellow league mates do or don’t have for this week and the rest of the year. Is there a consolation bracket? If so, is there a reward for winning it? Do some teams have bye weeks? Etc.
This column will remain focused on this specific week and will be similar to how it has worked all year (assigning a % of FAAB to differentiate/prioritize and assuming you have something close to 11 teams you could potentially be bidding against) but make sure to make your own adjustments to your specific format. If two-thirds of your 12-team league mates won’t be bidding against you this week, it would likely change your waiver strategy.
These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening).
QB Streamer of the Week
Aaron Rodgers, NYJ, Week 15 at JAX
Rodgers had his best game as a Jet in Sunday’s overtime loss to the Dolphins. He passed for 339 yards with an efficient 8.7 YPA. He supported huge games for both of his star WRs. Garrett Wilson had a season-hgh 114 yards and Davante Adams had 109 yards of his own and also caught a TD pass.
Low-priority add. Rodgers seems to be heating up down the stretch of an otherwise lost Jets season. Traveling to Jacksonville against the Jags and their league-worst defense allowing nearly 400 total yards per game is worthy of a spot start of the future Hall of Famer this week, as needed.
5% or less of FAAB.
RB Pickups
Tank Bigsby, JAX, Week 15 vs NYJ
Tank out-carried Travis Etienne 18-4 in last week’s narrow win over the division-rival Titans, and he scored the game’s only TD. Bigsby remains the Jags’ leader in rushing production this season despite missing some time with an ankle injury and splitting carries with ETN (who also gets all of the RB receiving work).
Medium-to-high priority add. While a RB in a timeshare on a bad team isn’t a true high-priority add, Bigsby’s combination of talent (Day 2 NFL draft pick), opportunity (18 carries last week), and upcoming schedule (vs NYJ, at LV, vs TEN) makes him my favorite widely available pickup this week as we head into the fantasy playoffs.
20 - 40% of FAAB.
Patrick Taylor, SF, Week 15 vs LAR
Taylor is the potential next man up in the 49ers’ backfield after rookie Isaac Guerendo suffered a foot sprain in last week’s comfortable win over the Bears. Guerendo was thriving before the injury, racking up 128 scrimmage yards and a pair of rushing TDs. The rookie RB is considered day-to-day as SF hosts the Rams this week on Thursday Night Football.
Medium-to-high priority add. Lots of variables here, but I’m surprised Guerendo hasn’t already been ruled out of TNF (as of this writing). If the rookie does miss time, Taylor is nowhere near the athlete or overall RB prospect that Guerendo is, and I don’t believe he would be afforded the same monopoly on backfield touches Guerendo enjoyed last week. Monitor news and updates on Guerendo’s health before locking in any bids on Taylor.
10 - 20% of FAAB assuming Guerendo is expected to play on TNF; 40%+ of FAAB if Guerendo is ruled out this week before you have to make your bids.
Kimani Vidal, LAC, Week 15 vs TB
The rookie Vidal had career bests with eight carries for 34 yards last week and was more efficient on the ground than veteran teammate Gus Edwards. The Chargers’ top RB, J.K. Dobbins, remains on injured reserve and will not be a factor in the fantasy football playoffs.
Medium-priority add. Vidal, like most RBs in the NFL, profiles as much more exciting and explosive than starter Gus Bus does, but coaches (especially Harbaughs) love Edwards as a “trusty vet”. If Vidal can continue to carve out an increasingly larger role down the stretch, his upside will be huge playing in a strong offense led by an elite NFL QB.
15 - 25% of FAAB.
Sincere McCormick, LV, Week 15 vs ATL
McCormick continues to make the most of his opportunities for the Raiders. Since breaking into their RB rotation three weeks ago, he’s increased his carries, targets, rushes, and scrimmage yards each week, culminating in 89 scoreless scrimmage yards in last week's loss to Tampa Bay.
Medium-priority add. McCormick has been efficient and effective in his opportunities for a two-win Raiders team that has had a revolving door at QB. While never safe to assume rational coaching decisions, it would make more sense to me to continue featuring McCormick than going back to the Alexander Mattisons of the world down the stretch.
10 - 20% of FAAB.
Some additional lower-priority RB adds to consider:
Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Israel Abanikanda (SF) - If Guerendo is out, these are the other two RBs to be aware of on the 49ers’ roster. At least one, and possibly both, would likely complement Taylor on TNF.
Kendre Miller (NO) - Returned from injury / Dennis Allen’s doghouse to rush for 32 yards and vulture a short-yardage TD from Alvin Kamara last week.
WR Pickups
Jalen McMillan, TB, Week 15 at LAC
McMillan led the Bucs with seven targets last week and had his best fantasy day as a pro, catching four passes for 59 yards and a pair of TDs from QB Baker Mayfield. Getting healthy after missing time with a hamstring ailment, he seems to finally be settling into the role we all projected onto him after star WR Chris Godwin was ruled out for the season.
Medium-priority add. McMillan is an exciting rookie WR who seems likely to be a regular contributor on a solid offense the rest of the season. There’s no floor to rely on yet (last week was his first career game of more than 35 receiving yards) but the upside is well worth a bench stash to see if he can show any consistency this week against a challenging Chargers defense.
10 - 20% of FAAB.
Tim Patrick, DET, Week 15 vs BUF
Patrick had a massive 6/43/2 fantasy day on his seven targets in last week’s win over the Packers on TNF. He’s had a larger role in Detroit’s passing game since the team placed WR/KR Kalif Raymond on IR a couple of weeks ago.
Low-to-medium priority add. Patrick is a capable veteran WR on a juggernaut of an offense. I don’t think he’s startable, as-is, in most 12-team leagues, but he’s a speculative add to see if he does keep getting fed targets the rest of the year, as well as for his contingent upside if one of the Lions’ starting WRs misses time.
5 - 15% of FAAB.
Some additional lower-priority WR adds to consider:
DeVaughn Vele (DEN) - Vele, a top waiver add after his breakout in Week 12, is widely available again coming off of a dud (one catch, 16 yards) and then his bye last week.
Josh Palmer (LAC) - Had season bests in targets (nine), catches (six), and receiving yards (78) last week in rookie WR Ladd McConkey’s absence.
Romeo Doubs (GB) - Missed last two games in concussion protocol, had been the highest-snap GB pass catcher this year before his injury.
TE Pickups
Hunter Henry, NEP, Week 15 at AZ
Henry has performed as a top-12 fantasy TE this year and has acted as the top passing game option for the Patriots for most of the season, leading the team in catches and receiving yards. He had three straight games with 8+ targets heading into the Pats’ bye last week.
Medium-priority add. Henry is a no-brainer addition for a team looking for tight-end help heading into the fantasy playoffs. Acting as his team’s top passing option provides him a much stronger floor than most at the position, despite playing on an underwhelming New England offense overall.
15 - 25% of FAAB.
Some additional lower-priority TE adds to consider:
Zach Ertz (at NO) - The veteran safety blanket for rookie Jayden Daniels has 5+ targets in eight of his last nine appearances.
Juwan Johnson (vs WAS) - Had a strong 4/50/1 performance stepping to a larger role in Taysom Hill’s absence.
DEFENSE (Top pickups for Week 15)
Cardinals (vs Patriots)
Falcons (at Raiders)
Jets (at Jaguars)
Commanders (at Saints)