Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 15: Best Pickups For Fantasy Playoffs
Injuries to important fantasy football players was a primary theme in Week 14.
Andy Dalton, Tyler Eifert, Thomas Rawls and Greg Olsen were just a few of the fantasy studs who were injured Sunday or didn’t play at all because of previous injuries.
Many fantasy owners are beginning their league’s championship matchup this week. Here are some names to look for on the waiver wire to help replace injured stars.
Quarterback: A.J. McCarron, Cincinnati Bengals
Dalton owners should pick up his backup for the rest of the season. McCarron took over at quarterback for the Bengals after Dalton suffered a thumb injury in the first quarter Sunday.
The former Alabama star threw for 280 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. McCarron has a favorable Week 15 matchup against a San Francisco 49ers defense giving up the sixth-most passing yards per game and hauling in the fifth-fewest interceptions.
Other quarterbacks to target: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Johnny Manziel
Running Back: Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
T.J. Yeldon’s injury suffered Sunday is a setback for fantasy owners because he was finally starting to be a consistent low-end RB1, high-end RB2 performer. If Yeldon is ruled out for Week 15, Robinson is a must-add. He ran for 75 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday on an impressive 5.4 yards per carry. He has the quickness, speed and vision to make plays in the running game as part of the high-scoring Jaguars offense.
Other running backs to target: Isaiah Crowell, DuJuan Harris, Bilal Powell, Tim Hightower, Darren Sproles
Wide Receiver: Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers
Ginn is a classic boom-or-bust fantasy player. He’s capable of producing a monster performance, but just as easily capable of giving you zero points. His fantasy relevance is reliant on the big play, but Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has consistently looked Ginn’s way on deep passes over the last few weeks. Ginn has totaled 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the last two games, including three catches of 45 yards or more. If your team has pretty good skill at other positions, taking a risk on Ginn at a flex spot is a solid gamble.
Other wide receivers to target: Keshawn Martin, Tyler Lockett, Willie Snead, Nelson Agholor
Tight End: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger trusts Miller a lot, and it’s evident in the amount of targets the veteran tight end receives. Miller got 10 targets on Sunday and caught all of them for 66 yards. He hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 2, but fantasy football is all about opportunity, especially this deep into the season, and few tight ends have averaged more than eight targets like Miller over the last five weeks. He’s a must-add in PPR leagues, too.
Other tight ends to target: Eric Ebron, Vernon Davis, Zach Miller
Thumbnail photo via David Kohl/USA TODAY Sports Images
