15 Dec Week 15 Waiver Wire Roundup – Fantasy Semis Edition
Congrats if you survived the first week of the fantasy football playoffs! The waiver wire is live this week with a few injuries leading to more playing time.
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Quarterback
Jalen Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles – Rostered at 18% Yahoo!, 9% ESPN
The rushing floor is unknown with Jalen Hurts, but if Doug Pederson knows what is good for him and his offense, he should scheme a handful of runs for the rookie. The worst case for Hurts is that he uses his legs to create throwing opportunities. He gets a Cardinals defense that is missing Chandler Jones in Week 15.
Mitchell Trubisky
Chicago Bears – 11% Yahoo!, 19% ESPN
Trubisky has been a top 10 quarterback two of the past three weeks. His affinity for Allen Robinson has lifted both of their fantasy stocks the past few games, and David Montgomery’s recent surge in production takes added pressure off the fourth-year signal caller. Trubisky gets Minnesota and Jacksonville to finish the fantasy playoffs.
Derek Carr
Las Vegas Raiders – 47% Yahoo!, 49% ESPN
One week after finishing as the QB1, Derek Carr finished as the QB5 and has three top 10 finishes over the past month. The Raiders running game has been unproductive, leading to Carr’s increased production. That should not change against the Chargers on a short week.
Running Back
Lynn Bowden Jr.
Miami Dolphins – 1% Yahoo!, 1% ESPN
I wrote about Lynn Bowden Jr. in the waiver wire last week, and he delivered. The running back-receiver hybrid finished as the RB22 while running as the Dolphins slot receiver because of injuries. He has plus matchups against the Patriots and Raiders to finish the fantasy season.
Gus Edwards
Baltimore Ravens – 33% Yahoo!, 18% ESPN
Edwards is the clear running mate with J.K. Dobbins and has logged at least seven touches in each of the last three games. The Ravens are one quarterback injury away from being a running team (literally), so expect some more work from Edwards the rest of the way.
Jeff Wilson Jr.
San Francisco 49ers – 19% Yahoo!, 8% ESPN
So many injuries! Wilson has seen the second-most touches since Raheem Mostert returned, and now that Mostert is expected to miss time…
LeSean McCoy
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1% Yahoo!, 2% ESPN
Leonard Fournette was a healthy scratch last week, but with Ronald Jones having surgery on his pinky finger, Fournette or LeSean McCoy should see the majority of touches Week 15. The Falcons have been particularly good against the run so the upside is limited.
Benny Snell Jr.
Pittsburgh Steelers – 31% Yahoo!, 22% ESPN
Snell has been a bust in limited time as the starter, but if James Conner misses Week 15 with a quad injury, Snell should see enough of a workload to be a flex option.
Wide Receiver
Tyron Johnson
Los Angeles Chargers – 0% Yahoo!, 0% ESPN
Johnson stepped up once Mike Williams left Week 14’s game with a back injury (drink). The Raiders are giving up 7.2 yards per pass attempt and allowed noodle-armed Philip Rivers to put up good numbers.
Chad Hansen
Houston Texans – 2% Yahoo!, 3% ESPN
In his first two career games, Chad Hansen has been a top 30 receiver. Deshaun Watson is being maimed on the regular as the Texans limp to the finish line, but Hansen has been a trustworthy target for the beleaguered quarterback. Hansen should see another 5-10 targets against the Colts this week.
Tim Patrick
Denver Broncos – 28% Yahoo!, 20% ESPN
Imagine not rostering Denver’s WR1 as Drew Lock unleashes DGAF performance after DGAF performance. Jerry Jeudy should see a healthy amount of Tre’Davious White, making Patrick a locked-in WR3 at worst this week.
Russell Gage
Atlanta Falcons – 11% Yahoo!, 12% ESPN
It is difficult to imagine Julio Jones playing well or playing at all for the Falcons the rest of the way. Russell Gage has been valuable as the fill-in for Jones and Calvin Ridley and has logged WR3 performances in three of the team’s four games since their bye. Atlanta will have to throw against the Bucs and Chiefs the next two weeks.
Rashard Higgins
Cleveland Browns – 13% Yahoo!, 6% ESPN
The Browns running game has revitalized the Browns passing game as witnessed on Monday Night Football. Baker Mayfield has been much better the second half of this season, and Rashard Higgins has been one of the main beneficiaries. His next two games are against the New York football teams.
Danny Amendola
Detroit Lions – 2% Yahoo!, 5% ESPN
Amendola is a pure waiver wire desperation play if Matthew Stafford is out this week. Chase Daniel is not throwing bombs downfield, and a receiver like Amendola will benefit from Daniel’s timid passing style.
Tight End
Dan Arnold
Arizona Cardinals – 1% Yahoo!, 1% ESPN
Arnold has been the TE5 and TE13 the past two weeks and has four touchdowns in as many games. Kyler Murray’s shoulder concerns has benefitted Arnold’s lower aDOT. The Eagles come to town Week 15.
Tyler Eifert
Jacksonville Jaguars – 6% Yahoo!, 3% ESPN
The Browns just tagged the Ravens for five tight end catches in a high-scoring game. There are zero expectations of the Jaguars winning or leading Week 15 against Baltimore, making Tyler Eifert a waiver wire dart throw play with garbage time upside.
Irv Smith Jr.
Minnesota Vikings – 6% Yahoo!, 4% ESPN
If Kyle Rudolph is out, Irv Smith Jr. is a TE1 play. The Bears gift tight ends fantasy points and Minnesota needs to beat Chicago to stay in the playoff picture. Rudolph logged a 5/63 line during Minnesota’s first meeting with Chicago.
Cole Kmet
Chicago Bears – 6% Yahoo!, 4% ESPN
The rookie has nine catches on 14 targets since overtaking Jimmy Graham as the starting tight end in Chicago, and one thing Mitchell Trubisky loves is his tight end targets.
Jeff has been playing fantasy sports since 2001. He has covered and written about fantasy, high school, and professional sports for over five years. When not grinding articles and fantasy lineups, he spends time with his wife and two kids, runs for charity, and continues to get progressively worse at golf, no matter how hard he tries.