Well folks, we’re finally here … the fantasy football postseason begins in Week 15!
There are no more byes, and you’ll have less competition when adding players off the waiver wire with around half the teams in your league out of the mix (commissioners, be sure to lock out non-playoff teams in seasonal leagues). With that said, the waiver wire still has plenty of value, especially with several players seeing bigger roles this past week.
To help with those decisions, here's a look at 10 players (and other notables) you should look to add off the waiver wire. Also, be sure to check out Fantasy Dirt with me and Lindsay Rhodes five days a week, including Tuesdays when we do a deep dive into the free agents!
Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups
Patrick Taylor Jr., RB, 49ers (ESPN – 4.1%; Sleeper – 8%; Yahoo! – 4%)
Let me know if you’ve heard this before … the 49ers starting running back is hurt. Isaac Guerendo is the latest victim, as he suffered a foot injury in the fourth quarter and was unable to return. That leaves Taylor Jr. as the potential starter when the Niners host the Rams on Thursday night. The former practice squader will be a hot add this week.
Tank Bigsby, RB, Jaguars (ESPN – 35.7%; Sleeper – 49%; Yahoo! – 46%)
Bigsby once again took over the Jaguars backfield in Week 14, seeing 19 touches in a win over the Titans. That was 11 more than Travis Etienne Jr., and his opportunities equated to 13.2 fantasy points. Running backs getting that kind of touch share are hard to find on the waiver wire at this point in the fantasy season, so he’ll be one of this week’s biggest adds.
Braelon Allen, RB, Jets (ESPN – 42.9%; Sleeper – 64%; Yahoo! – 54%)
The Jets were without Breece Hall this week due to an injured knee, which allowed Allen to see 15 touches in a loss to the Dolphins. He did share the workload with Isaiah Davis, who scored a touchdown and is also worth an add off the waiver wire as long as Hall is out. The Men in Green have a plus matchup against the Jaguars defense next on the schedule.
Adam Thielen, WR, Panthers (ESPN – 38.7%; Sleeper - 69%; Yahoo! – 53%)
Thielen had his second solid fantasy stat line in a row, seeing 11 targets for nine catches, 102 yards, and 19.2 fantasy points. He’s now seen 21 targets and scored 43.1 combined points in his last two games, which jives with his quarterback, Bryce Young, playing at a higher level. Thielen could have some flex appeal against the Cowboys.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Steelers (ESPN – 48.3%; Sleeper – 54%; Yahoo! – 62%)
Freiermuth has been solid for fantasy managers lately, scoring at least 9.9 points in all but one of his last five games, including two with more than 13 points. He’s also scored in each of his last two games, and his average points scored per game is now over nine. At what can be a difficult position to fill, Freiermuth should be on the radar if you need a tight end.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Colts (ESPN – 52.3%; Sleeper – 53%; Yahoo! – 55%)
I was surprised to see Richardson still available in around 45 percent of leagues across the major platforms, and I’d grab him now if possible. Coming off a bye week, Richardson has plus matchups against the Titans and Giants during the fantasy playoffs. He does face a tough Broncos defense coming up next, but AR is still worth adding and stashing away.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Jets (ESPN – 39.6%; Sleeper – 37%; Yahoo! – 34%)
Rodgers has not been great this season, both in real and fantasy football, but he does have a great matchup against the Jaguars next on the schedule. Their defense has been one of the most vulnerable against quarterbacks, allowing 18-plus points to eight field generals this season. That makes Rodgers a viable one-week starter for those managers in need.
Christian Watson, WR, Packers (ESPN – 57.5%; Sleeper – 55%; Yahoo! – 51%)
Trying to figure out which Packers wide receiver will be the best fantasy option every week is often an exercise in futility. Still, Watson has scored 13-plus points in two of his last four games including two games with more than 100 yards. For as long as Romeo Doubs is out of action, Watson is at least rosterable in fantasy leagues. He faces the Seahawks next.
Sincere McCormick, RB, Raiders (ESPN – 11.2%; Sleeper – 11%; Yahoo! – 15%)
McCormick isn’t going to light the fantasy world on fire, but he seems to be the new lead back in Las Vegas. That was evident against the Buccaneers, as he saw a team-high 17 touches in the contest … that was 15 more than Ameer Abdullah. While there’s a chance Alexander Mattison or Zamir White returns next week, McCormick is still worth an add.
Juwan Johnson, TE, Saints (ESPN – 13.9%; Sleeper – 18%; Yahoo! – 10%)
The Saints placed Taysom Hill on injured reserve last week, so Johnson should see a nice uptick in playing time moving forward. He scored a touchdown on five targets against the Giants, finishing with 15 points. He’s more of a 12-team league option with no more byes left on the NFL schedule, but Johnson is well worth a look if you’re in need in Week 15.
Notable Waiver Wire Quarterbacks
- Russell Wilson, Steelers
- Jameis Winston, Browns
- Bryce Young, Panthers
Notable Waiver Wire Running Backs
- Isaiah Davis, Jets
- Kimani Vidal, Chargers
- Kendre Miller, Saints
- Sean Tucker, Buccaneers
Notable Waiver Wire Wide Receivers
- Elijah Moore, Browns
- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans
- Ray-Ray McCloud, Falcons
- Rome Odunze, Bears
- Quentin Johnston, Chargers
- Keon Coleman, Bills
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Saints
- Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers
- Tim Patrick, Lions
Notable Waiver Wire Tight Ends
- Austin Hooper, Patriots
- Grant Calcaterra, Eagles
Notable Waiver Wire Kickers
- Will Reichard, Vikings
- Matthew Wright, Chiefs
- Younghoe Koo, Falcons
- Jason Sanders, Dolphins
- Wil Lutz, Broncos
Notable Waiver Wire Defenses
- Ravens
- Bengals
- Cardinals
- Commanders
- Falcons
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Week 15 Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups: Add Tank Bigsby, Braelon Allen and Patrick Taylor Jr..
