Welcome to the post-Week 14 installment of the Waiver Wire weekly series for the 2016 fantasy football season.Below are my Week 15 waiver wire pickups and sleepers (depending on league size) to consider adding for your fantasy teams. As always, ownership levels are from Fleaflicker leagues.

It’s going to take a while for the dust to settle from this week, what with so many studs soiling their britches or getting hurt. We saw Julio Jones (toe), Michael Thomas (foot) and Theo Riddick (wrist) inactive, while Melvin Gordon (hip), Matt Forte (knee), Donte Moncrief (hamstring) and C.J. Fiedorowicz (concussion) were forced out of their respective games early. Matthew Stafford is an absolute baller and orchestrated yet another comeback despite a tearing some ligaments in a dislocated middle finger. Those of you who started Ryan Tannehill got a relatively great line before he suffered a sprained ACL and MCL, and even Kelvin Benjamin got straight up benched after lazing around. Oy vey. Let's sort through the rubble.

Be sure to also check out our weekly rankings and analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all options heading into Week 15.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 15 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

 

Week 15 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

Bilal Powell (RB, NYJ) – 48% Owned

With Matt Forte going in for an MRI on his knee, Powell is the clear pickup in New York. He absolutely destroyed the weak 49ers defense in Week 14, racking up 145 rushing yards and two TDs on 29 totes. He also caught all five of his targets for 34 yards. The man had a feast. If Forte is out or limited for Week 15 against Miami then Powell will be an RB2, even in a Bryce Petty-led offense.

Kenneth Farrow (RB, SD) – 3% Owned

With Ronnie Hillman inactive, it was Farrow who shouldered the rushing load (16 carries for 55 yards, six catches for 23 yards) after Melvin Gordon went down with a hip injury. Initial reports are that Gordon should be fine, but he’ll undergo an MRI on Monday and we all know that early optimism doesn’t really mean much. Farrow would likely be the lead back over Hillman should Gordon not be able to go in Week 15 against Oakland’s questionable defense. And if it were an extended absence, San Diego gets to beat up on Cleveland in Week 16. Eyes on a swivel, folks.

Kenneth Dixon (RB, BAL) – 33% Owned

If there were ever a game where Baltimore might need their versatile pass-catching back early and often, it would be Week 14 against the powerful Patriots. Last week Dixon rushed the ball 13 times for a middling 49 yards, but did tack on 31 receiving yards on four catches. He’s limited by the presence of Terrance West as the primary goal-line back still, but those in PPR leagues should view him as a solid RB3 there. After that, a home date against Philadelphia looms where he would have some tougher sledding, especially if the Ravens defense eats Carson Wentz alive.

*Monday night edit: Dixon stole the show against New England with 11 rushes and eight catches to West's two totes and four catches, as he out-gained West 81 to 26 in the total-yardage department. Dixon also scored a receiving TD, and surely has to be viewed as the "1A" in this committee going into next week. Do keep the respective gamescript in mind here, as Baltimore needed their more agile back as they tried to catch up to New England, but still looked promising despite a few hiccups (drops, blitz pick-up).

Charles Sims (RB, TB) – 48% Owned

Sims looked good in his return to action against the Saints in Week 14, as he rushed the ball four times for 17 yards with three catches for 33 yards. He out-touched Jacquizz Rodgers seven to two and should have some RB3 PPR value moving forward in an offense that is lacking in true receiving options. His snaps should increase a bit in his second game back, and a date with Dallas may yield some fruit considering they struggle against pass-catching RBs before a rematch with the Saints in their dome.

Jerick McKinnon (RB, MIN) – 43% Owned

McKinnon had an awful game on the ground, rushing for only 31 yards on 14 carries for a shoddy 2.2 YPC, but redeemed himself in PPR formats with six catches for 38 additional yards. His skill set should come into play against an oft-burned Colts defense that doesn’t really have a linebacker who can keep up with the running back.

James White (RB, NE) – 48% Owned

White was in on 29 snaps in Week 13, compared to 20 for Dion Lewis (48% Owned). LeGarrette Blount had 36. It would appear that Bill Belichick is more than content to let White continue working in with Lewis, and making steady contributions leading into some tough matchups. Baltimore boasts an elite run defense, which may force New England to get creative with their primary pass-catching RB on the edge. Week 15 against Denver may bring more of the same, though that could turn into Blount game pretty readily.

*Monday night edit: White was tied with LeGarrette Blount with 29 snaps. This bodes well for White considering Dion Lewis only logged 17, as White totaled 84 yards from scrimmage on five touches to Lewis' 19 yards on four touches. It's still not ideal in a vacuum that White didn't have many touches, but Baltimore is notoriously stingy towards the line of scrimmage. With the snap count and performance totals favoring White, look his way over Lewis moving forward.

Justin Forsett (RB, DEN) - 31% Owned

Forsett had an awful game against the Titans in Week 14, only rushing it six times for 17 yards with 18 yards receiving on three catches. On paper, that really is awful, and we didn’t even bring up that he lost a fumble. But then again, Devontae Booker was practically a ghost as he didn’t record a single second-half carry. Forsett is comfortable with zone-blocking schemes like Denver’s, but unfortunately, their offensive line’s abilities are just not that good. Forsett may see more volume in Week 15 against the Patriots, in a game where Denver will definitely need to put up more than 10 points to even come close.

Dwayne Washington (RB, DET) – 11% Owned

Washington was Detroit’s lead running back with Theo Riddick inactive against the Bears in Week 14, which allowed the seventh-round pick to accrue 64 yards on 16 carries (4.0 YPC) alongside a 10-yard catch on two targets. That missed target could’ve easily been six points for Washington, but that was on Matthew Stafford. If Riddick returns to action in Week 15 against the Giants, then Washington becomes unplayable, but he’ll be a decent RB4/Flex if Riddick remains out.

Shaun Draughn (RB, SF) - 11% Owned

Draughn scored his first rushing touchdown since the first week of the season in Week 14 against the Jets, and has clearly solidified himself as the spell back to starter Carlos Hyde. His 25 snaps were close to Hyde’s 33 even. Although the TD was nice, Draughn has suddenly become a nonfactor in the passing game these last two weeks – with only one catch for -5 yards on three targets in that span. He was really only viable as a deep-league PPR option up to this point, and now his value in those formats has taken a step back. A game against Atlanta’s high-scoring offense should call for plenty of throws from Colin Kaepernick. He’ll be an RB5 in PPR formats next week, with a higher ceiling than usual.

Rex Burkhead (RB, CIN) - 5% Owned

Burkhead played on 27 snaps to Jeremy Hill’s 37, and turned in a season-high nine carries into a season-high 45 yards with a six-yard catch on top. It’s clear that Cincinnati is much more comfortable with Hill out there, but Burkhead has quietly averaged over five yards per carry in his last three games. He remains nothing more than a very deep-league option heading into a divisional battle against Pittsburgh in Week 15, but this guy can make a little noise.

 

Week 15 Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups

Tyreek Hill (WR, KC) – 52% Owned

Hill continued to torch the NFL with his blazing speed in Week 14, as he returned a punt to the house alongside six catches on six targets for 66 yards, buoyed largely by a lovely 36-yard touchdown. All of those sixes, maybe he made a deal with the devil? Sorry. There’s no denying that Hill is an electric talent, a catalyst with game-breaking speed that harkens one back to the days of Donte Hall in Kansas City. Even with Jeremy Maclin back in the fold, Hill is a WR3 with a home date against Tennessee’s uninspiring defense on the agenda.

Dontrelle Inman (WR, SD) – 21% Owned

Inman has now scored in three consecutive contests, with this latest effort yielding a 6-71-1 line against a Panthers defense that really can’t guard receivers anymore. He’s got some serious momentum going into matchups with Oakland and Cleveland, which are two plus matchups. And if Melvin Gordon misses time and the running game has to take a few steps back, that just puts more on Inman and the rest of the receivers. He’s a WR3.

Taylor Gabriel (WR, ATL) – 40% Owned

Gabriel made value in Week 14 on one huge 64-yard touchdown against the Rams in a 42-14 trouncing. With Julio Jones (toe) and Mohamed Sanu (groin) out, Gabriel was in line for lots of work on this day. Unfortunately for him, the Falcons jumped out to an early lead and they really didn’t need to push the pace all that hard against the hapless Rams. The same type of gamescript may occur in Week 15 against the 49ers, with Gabriel’s stock largely tied to the statuses of Jones and Sanu. There’s no denying his involvement at this point though, with six targets giving him chances at the big play to be a WR3/4 dice roll.

Pierre Garcon (WR, WAS) – 46% Owned

Garcon turned in a solid 5-59-1 line in Washington’s Week 14 victory over the Eagles, and has now exceeded 75 yards receiving or scored a touchdown in four of his last five games. Normally known for his consistency, Garcon has really upped his efforts lately. He’s likely being looked to a bit more with Jordan Reed not at 100%, but this is also just a much-improved Washington passing attack. Week 15 brings a Monday night date with a vulnerable Carolina secondary, so mark Garcon down as a solid WR4 in PPR leagues for that one.

Anquan Boldin (WR, DET) – 48% Owned

Boldin may have let many down with a no-show Week 13, but hauled in his seventh touchdown of the season on three catches and 49 yards receiving against the Bears in Week 14. He’s clearly a primary read for Matthew Stafford when Detroit enters the red zone, making him a TD-dependent WR4 entering a really tough matchup against a talented Giants secondary on the road in Week 15.

Malcolm Mitchell (WR, NE) – 36% Owned

Many of you are reading this with your playoff hopes hung on the outcome of Mitchell against the stout Ravens’ secondary, so here’s to you. What's working in his favor is that he saw 10 targets last week against the Rams, catching eight of them for 82 yards and a touchdown. Week 14 (BAL) and Week 15 (DEN) will be huge tests, but if he performs there then we really have an impressive trial run for the rookie. *Monday night edit: Well, Mitchell secured four balls for 41 yards and a touchdown, so it worked out for those of you who took the risk. One has to wonder how things would've gone if Baltimore's secondary didn't lose Jimmy Smith and Jerraud Powers mid-game, but then again, one really doesn't have to wonder that at all. Week 15 against Denver is still an awful spot that this writer would avoid, but Mitchell is definitely a real commodity here.

*Monday night edit: Well, Mitchell secured four balls for 41 yards and a touchdown, so it worked out for those of you who took the risk. One has to wonder how things would've gone if Baltimore's secondary didn't lose Jimmy Smith and Jerraud Powers mid-game, but then again, one really doesn't have to wonder that at all. Week 15 against Denver is still an awful spot that this writer would avoid, but Mitchell is definitely a real commodity here.

Tyler Boyd (WR, CIN) – 40% Owned

Boyd turned in his fourth straight 10+ point PPR effort in Week 14 against the Browns, as he’s really stepped up as a reliable possession receiver for Andy Dalton and the Bengals with superstar A.J. Green sidelined. Know that he is far more valuable in PPR formats compared to standard leagues, but a date against Pittsburgh’s powerful offense in Week 15 should mean Boyd’s chain-moving services are more than required. If A.J. Green returns, his stock does take a hit of course.

Cameron Meredith (WR, CHI) – 22% Owned

Meredith was able to finally regain his former glory in Week 14, as he caught six-of-eight targets for 72 yards and a touchdown against the Lions. Though there’s some serious volatility to this band of backups that comprise Chicago’s current offense, at least Meredith has now shown that he can be the leader. Operating as Chicago’s slot receiver, Meredith should be in line for success in Week 15 against a Packers team that entered Week 14 rated out as 26^th in Football Outsiders' Defense-adjusted Value Over Average against slot WRs.

Ty Montgomery (WR, GB) – 30% Owned

Montgomery showed some signs of life here after fading into the background with some injuries after Week 9, as he put up 86 total yards and a touchdown on 12 touches. He played very well at the outset of the game, but missed some time with an injury in the second quarter that led to his usage being scaled back. Don’t bank on him suddenly returning to that Week 6-9 form, but it’s nice to see they feel comfortable utilizing him like this again. He’ll be an RB4/WR5/Flex in Week 15 against the Bears.

Robby Anderson (WR, NYJ) – 4% Owned

The brief MNF showing with Bryce Petty in Week 13 against the Colts doesn’t appear to have been a fluke, as Anderson totaled 99 yards on six catches as he was drenched in 11 targets from his rookie QB. Anderson saw 12 targets in Week 13, so this is a trend we need to take seriously in a fantasy football season that normally only lasts 16 games. It may not be pretty, but volume can take one a long way. In this case, it takes Anderson into low-end WR3 territory in Week 15 against the Dolphins.

Adam Thielen (WR, MIN) – 22% Owned

Thielen turned in a lovely 101-yard effort in Week 14 against a stout Jaguars secondary, despite only seeing five targets on the day. Minnesota’s offense has really learned to utilize Thielen as a solid #2 receiver behind Stefon Diggs, with the former out-producing Diggs on occasion. Look for Thielen to be a solid WR4 in Week 15 against a porous Indianapolis defense.

Ted Ginn Jr. (WR, CAR) – 28% Owned

Ginn Jr. couldn’t follow up his 55-yard home-run touchdown in Week 13 against the Seahawks with another one in Week 14, but the speedster could only chip in a 2-21-0 line against the Chargers. This broke his three-game TD streak, but that should illustrate his potential here. I’m sure his 10-TD 2015 is still somewhat fresh in peoples’ minds as well. He’ll give it another go against Washington’s secondary in Week 15 as a decent WR4 dart throw.

Brandon LaFell (WR, CIN) – 38% Owned

LaFell couldn’t follow up his big Week 13 with anything useful against the Browns in Week 14, as he only caught three of his six targets for a measly 22 yards. Hopefully a date with a stronger Steelers team will call for more passing out of Andy Dalton, with more to go around for LaFell. Regardless, he just isn’t reliable enough to be more than a TD-dependent WR4/5 right now.

Marqise Lee (WR, JAC) – 19% Owned

Lee somehow went from predictably struggling against the Broncos in Week 13 to blowing up for 113 yards against a solid Vikings defense in Week 14. He saw eight targets in this one, right around his usual mark, and caught five of them – his highest mark since Week 7. With Allen Robinson stinking something fierce and many other Jags’ weapons on the shelf with injuries, Lee should be in the WR4 conversation in Week 15 against Houston.

Kenny Stills (WR, MIA) – 29% Owned

The poor man’s DeSean Jackson struck again in Week 14 against the Cardinals, as he turned in a 28-yard TD en route to a solid 6-97-1 line. He has now alternated hot and cold games over their last eight games. The gambler’s fallacy in us all would have us sit him next week even in a solid matchup against the Jets before he has another great game against Buffalo. Of course, there’s also the small matter of Matt Moore now being Miami’s starting quarterback. Stills will be nothing more than a boom-or-bust WR5 in Week 15.

Jeremy Kerley (WR, SF) – 16% Owned

With Torrey Smith (concussion) and Vance McDonald (shoulder) potentially missing some time, Kerley would be one of the guys who could see a few extra looks. He caught five balls for 50 yards in Week 14 against the Jets, and San Francisco is going to need some firepower in a Week 15 road date with the Falcons. He’d be a WR4 in PPR formats there.

J.J. Nelson (WR, ARI) – 13% Owned

He has touched the ball a grand total of three times over his last two games, and each time it has been for a touchdown. The end results look pretty, but they don’t have much behind them when looking forward.

Devin Funchess (WR, CAR) – 34% Owned

Funchess was tapped for more work after Kelvin Benjamin was benched, and rewarded with 33 yards and a touchdown on two catches. It’s unlikely that there’s much to see here, more that his success was fallout from sending a message to Benjamin. This isn’t a bankable effort here heading into a Week 15 matchup against Washington.

 

Week 15 Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickups

N.B. – The top-20 QBs are owned in roughly 70% of leagues or more.

Joe Flacco (QB, BAL) – 49% Owned

Flacco will attempt to outdo Tom Brady on Monday Night Football in Week 13 before returning home to take on the Eagles in Week 15. Baltimore’s offensive line is still hurting enough to the point where their running game isn’t supremely effective. Steve Smith Sr., Mike Wallace and even a resurgent Dennis Pitta provide the best avenues for Baltimore to score, outside of their dominant defense and Justin Tucker, that is. That means Flacco has to generate much of the action, which helps on the fantasy-point front.

*Monday night edit: That first half was scary, but Mike Wallace also didn't do Flacco any favors by basically handing the Patriots an interception on a platter by not fighting for the ball. Flacco came back to deliver 324 yards and two TDs alongside that pick to be a strong QB play. His ceiling may not be as high against Philadelphia if his defense does a good job, but there's still potential here.

Colin Kaepernick (QB, SF) – 39% Owned

Kaepernick did not impress in Week 13, only passing for 133 yards with one touchdown alongside 23 rushing yards in a lackluster effort against the Jets. He didn’t need to be aggressive in this one, as the Jets offense couldn’t muster much either despite their pulling out the overtime win. That should change in Week 15 when Kaep goes into Atlanta to take on the extremely potent Falcons offense, which is paired with a defense that really isn’t that special.

Sam Bradford (QB, MIN) – 30% Owned

In case you missed it, the Colts just lost to Brock Osweiler and the Texans. Their defense is that bad. Sam Bradford also had a decent day (292 yards, one TD) in Week 14 against an improved Jacksonville unit, so his chances of a sneaky 300-yard, two-TD game are actually decent at home in Week 15.

Matt Barkley (QB, CHI) – 5% Owned

Barkley couldn’t do much against a Detroit team that has looked a lot sharper on defense lately, but still managed to complete 20-of-32 throws for 212 yards and a score with his C-squad WR corps. He’ll head home to Soldier Field to take on a Green Bay defense that has gotten healthier and more effective lately, but the upside is there if Barkley is forced to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers. Oh, and he also gets Alshon Jeffery back.

 

Week 15 Tight End Waiver Wire Pickups

Cameron Brate (TE, TB) – 60% Owned

Brate’s 47 yards were actually Tampa Bay’s highest receiving total in Week 14, as the Bucs ground out a slugfest en route to a 16-11 victory over the Saints. While it was disappointing in a fantasy vacuum, the gameflow just destroyed Tampa Bay’s offensive fantasy value all around. Brate’s usage has been solid for the last seven weeks, and he should have a good chance at being a low-end TE1 in Week 15 against the Cowboys in a suddenly dramatic Sunday night showdown.

Ladarius Green (TE, PIT) – 52% Owned

One might look at Green’s paltry 2-25-0 line and think that he plummeted back down to Earth after last week’s beautiful 6-110-1 contribution, but the fact is that Pittsburgh didn’t really have to do much else to win than hand it off to LeVeon Bell in Week 14. It didn’t help that Green was Ben Roethlisberger’s end-zone target on an early interception, which only dampened the enthusiasm for a passing attack. Green should be fine to rebound into TE1 territory in Week 15 against the Bengals.

Dennis Pitta (TE, BAL) – 47% Owned

There are a lot of people interested to see how Pitta will follow up his 90-yard, two-touchdown renaissance party in Week 13, myself included. Monday night will be quite the test for Pitta’s viability during the fantasy playoffs, as New England’s defense ranks out at a lousy 23^rd in DVOA against the TE. Unfortunately, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (his next two opponents) are inside the top 10 in that same metric, though Philly has looked much more vulnerable lately.

*Monday night edit: Well, Pitta came back down to Earth with a 4-18-0 line. I wouldn't rely on him for much in the future.

Jermaine Gresham (TE, ARI) – 7% Owned

Gresham’s 5-45-0 line won’t win any awards, but his seven targets in Week 14 means that he’s seen six or more targets in four of his last five games. This came even on a day where Carson Palmer was exceptionally below average at throwing the football, as his age has really crept up on him. Still, Gresham has seen enough usage lately to make him a backdoor TE1 candidate in Week 15 against the Saints.

Ryan Griffin (TE, HOU) – 4% Owned

With C.J. Fiedorowicz being forced from Week’s 14 tilt against the Colts with a concussion, Griffin is the next man up at a position that Brock Osweiler likes to pepper with some consistency. Well, “Osweiler consistency”. This wouldn’t be a pretty sight to lean on, but Griffin is still a big 6’6” target out there for deep leaguers to speculate on against the Jaguars in Week 15.

Trey Burton (TE, PHI) – 2% Owned

Despite the Eagles getting Jordan Matthews and Ryan Mathews back, Burton actually saw his target share go up to 10 in Week 14 from last week’s total of nine. The season-high in targets also bore a season-high seven catches and 65 yards, as Philadelphia is apparently serious about using these double-TE sets to cover up their lack of WR depth. Don’t count on Burton for the long run, but there’s no shame in enjoying this deep-league decency while the kettle’s still warm. The glaring issue here is that Week 15 brings a date with the Ravens -- caveat emptor.

Garrett Celek (TE, SF) – 2% Owned

If Vance McDonald (shoulder) misses time, it won’t only be Jeremy Kerley or the running backs who prosper. An obvious beneficiary is the guy behind McDonald on the depth chart, Celek. When McDonald was out in Week 4, Celek turned in a useful 5-79-0 line against the Cowboys. As we’ve stated, the 49ers will need all of the help they can get when it comes to keeping up with the Falcons in Week 15. At 2% owned, Celek is a solid lottery ticket if McDonald is indeed out.

 

Week 15 Defense Waiver Wire Pickups

Houston D/ST – 54% Owned

Facing Jacksonville is a pretty good look these days, with Blake Bortles still being his turnover-prone self and many of Jacksonville’s offensive pieces dealing with injuries. Bill O’Brien and the Texans defense just held Andrew Luck and the Colts to a mere 17 points in a huge divisional win, and will look to ride their defense again at home in Week 15.

Baltimore D/ST – 50% Owned

Going against Carson Wentz hasn’t left many defenses hurting lately, and while Baltimore still needs to make it through Week 13’s Monday Night Football against the Patriots unscathed, there’s no doubting that they’ve played at a very high level this season. They’re the second-best defense in the league per overall DVOA, with their #1 rushing defense holding a serious victor’s margin over #2 (NYJ). They should be a decent play in Week 15 as people are scrambling for a healthy floor with upside.

*Monday night edit: While they're still a good pickup, it'd be really nice if they got Jimmy Smith and/or Jerraud Powers back before Week 15.

Green Bay D/ST – 45% Owned

The Bears may be performing admirably relative to their circumstances, but this is still a very bad offense that is attempting to play within its means while its defense tries to hold the boat steady. Green Bay is getting healthier and more confident, as they just held Seattle to only 10 points in frigid Lambeau Field. That means their last three games have been stellar, with a combined nine sacks and eight turnovers alongside a puny 12 points allowed per game. Not bad at all.

Atlanta D/ST – 25% Owned

The Falcons just put the smackdown on the Rams and now get to square off against the 49ers at home in Week 15. With Atlanta and Tampa Bay currently tied for first place in the NFC South, this is not a team that can take any chances. They should be able to jump out to another quick lead against a soft San Francisco defense and put Colin Kaepernick in a position to take risks and make mistakes. Even without Desmond Trufant anchoring the secondary, this is a solid look.