NFL Waiver Wire: Week 15 Deep Dive

It probably goes without saying, but there's no need to be stingy with your remaining FAAB or waiver priority if you're in the position for a starter off the waiver wire at this point of the season. Sure, it doesn't always feel great to blow a large amount of your budget on the likes of a streaming TE, but it feels worse to miss out on the player you need to make it to the next elimination round. If you're the scheming type, it might also be worthwhile to take a look at your opponent's roster and attempt to outbid them on the top option at their position of need. 

This Thursday article is our second waiver wire piece of the week, intended to give a broad overview of players worth fantasy consideration. Every Monday, Kevin Payne's first edition of the Waiver Wire series summarizes the top names.

As usual, for add/drop, start/sit, or any other questions relating to fantasy, just comment below or hit me up on Twitter (@ivilloth). 

The list below includes players rostered in no more than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues and is listed in order of preference based on half-point per reception scoring and a 12-team league. Depending on your league's scoring and roster settings, certain players might warrant higher consideration than what is listed. Each player's listed roster percentage is based on Tuesday's Yahoo statistics, to give a general sense of availability for a given week.

QUARTERBACK

Jalen Hurts at Cardinals (18 percent) - Hurts put up 273 yards against a stellar Saints defense last weekend, 106 of which came on the ground via 18 carries. Doug Pederson has already said he doesn't want the rookie to run 15-plus times a week. But given how effectively Hurts' elite scrambling abilities sparked the Eagles' offense, it's hard to imagine him being restricted against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals.

Philip Rivers vs. Texans (43 percent) - Rivers is on a hot streak, with four straight games of 20-plus fantasy points and multiple TDs. He last faced the Texans in Week 13 and dropped 295 yards and two scores while connecting with T.Y. Hilton for 110 yards and a score.

Mitchell Trubisky at Vikings (12 percent) - Rolling with Trubisky in the fantasy playoffs certainly isn't a move I'd recommend for the faint of heart, but he has thrown three TDs in two of his last three games and has floated around the 250-yard range in each. The Vikings certainly don't boast an intimidating secondary, but they're no longer the bottom-five group from earlier on.

Nick Mullens at Cowboys (5 percent) - Mullens has been under 20 fantasy points in four of six recent starts, but there's reason to believe a matchup against Dallas will bring some success. He provides a decent floor by not having thrown for less than 200 yards in a game where he's started, while San Francisco's many injuries to the skill positions are balanced out by the Cowboys' porous secondary - a unit that's allowed more than two TDs per game to opposing QBs. 

Drew Lock vs. Bills (12 percent) - Lock is coming off the best performance of his career after tossing a career-high four touchdowns against the Panthers. Buffalo's offense has been rolling so Lock will probably have to air it out again, but I'm not eager to trust him against such a tough opposing cornerback group. 

RUNNING BACK

Jeff Wilson at Cowboys (20 percent) - A good rule of thumb this season has simply been to start whoever is healthy in Kyle Shanahan's backfield. Raheem Mostert (ankle) seems like he could be in danger of missing time, while Wilson has recently been working ahead of Tevin Coleman (14 percent) and Jerick McKinnon (40 percent). Over the last three weeks - even with Mostert available - Wilson has handled 30 combined carries. 

Gus Edwards vs. Jaguars (33 percent) - This is J.K. Dobbins' backfield now and Lamar Jackson takes up so much of this team's production that the skill guys aren't too reliable. Nonetheless, Edwards has scored six times in the Ravens' last eight games and has looked substantially better than Mark Ingram (39 percent).

Ito Smith vs. Buccaneers (4 percent) - Though Todd Gurley has started each of the Falcons' last three games, he and Smith have essentially split carries. Gurley played most of the first half against the Chargers in Week 14, while Smith took over in the second half. With double-digit carries presumably on tap, Smith offers enough scoring upside to warrant Flex consideration - even against a tough Tampa Bay front.

Ke'Shawn Vaughn at Falcons (4 percent) - Vaughn is only worth consideration if Ronald Jones (finger/COVID list) misses Sunday's game, and clarity on that front may not come until late in the week. Leonard Fournette was a healthy scratch versus the Vikings and LeSean McCoy probably shouldn't be handling a bellcow role at this point, but it isn't easy to predict what Bruce Arians will do on a weekly basis. 

Peyton Barber vs. Seahawks (8 percent) - Barber was predictably inefficient in his opportunities against San Francisco by only racking up 38 total yards, but he did get 14 touches. He's probably a lock for double-digit carries against Seattle, and Washington may elect to lean hard on the running game if Dwayne Haskins ends up drawing the start. 

DeAndre Washington vs. Patriots (23 percent) - Washington was thrust into a starting role last minute against the Falcons, but he only managed 35 yards on 13 carries and 17 yards on two catches. Whether he's worth a desperation play against New England will depend on whether either Salvon Ahmed (shoulder, 16 percent) or Myles Gaskin (COVID list) return. Matt Breida (21 percent) did return to practice, but the Dolphins have made it pretty clear he isn't an option for the lead role. 

Trayveon Williams vs. Steelers (0 percent) - Giovani Bernard started against the Cowboys but lost a fumble on the opening drive, leading to him being benched. Williams and Samaje Perine (2 percent) then essentially split an even workload, though Williams was marginally better both on the ground and through the air. If Joe Mixon (foot) stays on the sideline, this could turn into an ugly committee to end the year.

Tony Pollard vs. 49ers (21 percent) - A blowout win over the Bengals was exactly what Pollard needed to see a season-high 11 carries. The Cowboys have cut Ezekiel Elliott's snaps down to the 60-percent range in recent weeks, likely an effort to cut the franchise RB's workload in a lost season.

Benny Snell at Bengals (21 percent) - With top RB James Conner tending to a quad injury and coming off one of the least effective games of his career with 10 carries for 18 yards, Pittsburgh's backfield once again appears to be in turmoil. Snell hasn't been great this season, but should definitely be picked up if there's a chance Conner misses time. 

Frank Gore at Rams (26 percent) - Gore returned to action last week but managed a rare lost fumble and only saw eight carries as the Jets lost by 37 points. Though he's likely to handle double-digit touches against the Rams, it's too easy to envision Aaron Donald and company taking over this game to have even marginal confidence in Gore.

Justin Jackson at Raiders (15 percent) - By this point on the list, we're purely looking at upside stashes. As long as Austin Ekeler is around and taking on a workhorse role, neither Jackson nor Kalen Ballage (18 percent) will provide much value for fantasy purposes - but I'd rather have Jackson stashed away if something were to happen. 

WIDE RECEIVER

Sterling Shepard vs. Browns (48 percent) - Shepard has been quiet the last two weeks while Daniel Jones (hamstring) has been in and out of the lineup. If the Giants' top QB is back for a matchup against Cleveland's suspect secondary and at least approaching full health, Shepard will provide a fair floor in PPR formats.  

Nelson Agholor vs. Chargers (47 percent) - Agholor just put forth his second 100-yard performance of the year and he's already hit seven touchdowns. With Henry Ruggs (undisclosed) on the COVID-19 list, expect Agholor to continue drawing a high target volume as Derek Carr has looked his way 20 times over the last two weeks.  

Tim Patrick vs. Bills (31 percent) - Patrick has managed three TDs in his last two games and three 100-yard performances on the year. He's the highest-upside Broncos' pass catcher this week, though the Bills' secondary has tightened up through the second half of the season.  

Lynn Bowden vs. Patriots (27 percent) - Bowden stepped up as Miami's leading receiver after all of DeVante Parker (hamstring), Mike Gesicki (shoulder) and Jakeem Grant (hamstring) were forced out of last weekend's narrow loss to the Chiefs. The rookie has showcased strong chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa, and may be eligible at both RB and WR in your lineup depending on your league.  

Hunter Renfrow vs. Chargers (19 percent) - Renfrow has now drawn six or more targets in three straight games, and the placement of Henry Ruggs on the COVID-19 list figures to allot him more opportunities Thursday night. In PPR leagues, Renfrow makes for a particularly intriguing option due to his evidently high floor.  

Rashard Higgins at Giants (19 percent) - With six catches and a score in each of his last two games, Higgins looks like a tempting Flex option. The Giants have limited opposing WRs to just 10 touchdowns this season and Higgins figures to see a fair amount of James Bradberry. 

A.J. Green vs. Steelers (37 percent) - Green flashed life against the Cowboys (6-62-1), but he's still gone without a catch in three of his last five games. Pittsburgh's defense hasn't been nearly a shutdown unit the last few weeks, but it's still probably too much to ask for a 32-year-old to put up numbers this week - especially if it ends up being Ryan Finley throwing him the ball.  

Russell Gage vs. Buccaneers (14 percent) - Gage has seen 32 targets in the four games since Atlanta's bye, making him someone who can be played with confidence as long as Julio Jones (hamstring) sits.  

Chad Hansen at Colts (2 percent) - It'll take some courage to throw Hansen in your lineup, but he should be a solid play if Brandin Cooks (neck) can't go against the Colts. He has a 21 percent target share over the last two weeks, having drawn five more looks than Keke Coutee (42 percent) during that span.  

Gabriel Davis at Broncos (8 percent) - Davis has scored a TD in three straight games, but has also only managed three catches in each. As long as John Brown (ankle) remains sidelined, Davis will be on the Flex radar but is unlikely to return much value if he fails to get into the end zone.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Panthers (23 percent) - MVS is a true boom-or-bust option, but it wasn't surprising to see him blow up for 6-85-1 against Detroit's secondary last week. The Panthers have allowed six receiving TDs over the last two weeks, and Allen Lazard (34 percent) still appears to be working his way back into a full-time role. 

KJ Hamler vs. Bills (5 percent) - Hamler has gone under the radar as one of the better rookie WRs of the year - at least by the eye test - and scored on each of his two targets against the Panthers last week. Fantasy consistency hasn't been there, but Hamler is at least a high-upside Flex option for desperate teams.  

Julian Edelman at Dolphins (25 percent) - Edelman has been designated for a return to practice, though it remains to be seen when he'll actually retake the field. Given how washed the veteran slot man looked last we saw him, I can't imagine anyone would be willing to trust him in their lineup without first seeing him do well in action. That leaves very little time for Edelman to regain fantasy value this year, but he's fair game as a stash if you've got an open spot.  

Laviska Shenault at Ravens (16 percent) - Shenault drew a career-high 11 targets last weekend, though a few were uncatchable leading to just six catches for 49 yards. All of Jacksonville's weapons are being suppressed by a barely functioning offense, and it's tempting to just pencil this matchup in as a get-right game for Baltimore's defense.  

TIGHT END 

Jordan Akins at Colts (4 percent) – Akins dropped a wide open touchdown last week but did draw six targets, so the methodology for playing him was at least on the money. With Houston's lack of quality receiving options, he remains a quality streaming option at tight end. But Akins' play over the last three weeks (five catches for 30 yards on 11 targets) hasn't been encouraging.  

Irv Smith vs. Bears (12 percent) - Smith enjoyed a solid day against the Buccaneers in his return from injury, hauling in all four of his targets for 63 yards and a TD. If Kyle Rudolph (13 percent) misses another game due to his foot injury, Smith will once again stand to handle a key offensive role. The Bears have also allowed nine TDs to opposing tight ends this season.  

Cole Kmet at Vikings (9 percent) – Kmet has now posted two straight games with seven targets and has played over 70 percent of offensive snaps in four consecutive contests. The Vikings haven't allowed more than 50 yards to an opposing TE since October, but Kmet's consistent involvement gives him about the type of upside Jimmy Graham offered earlier this year.  

Dan Arnold vs. Eagles (2 percent) - Arnold has scored four touchdowns in the last four weeks, but only has 11 targets over that span. That's the type of efficiency that almost certainly isn't sustainable, and things are compounded by the fact Arnold only has compiled two games this season with more than three catches.