X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

Pierre Camus' fantasy football waiver wire pickups, adds and sleepers ahead of Week 15 of the 2019 NFL season. Running backs (RB), wide receivers (WR), quarterbacks (QB) and tight ends (TE) to target or bid on.

You have to love fantasy football. You have to, otherwise you would have given up by now. In a week that most likely represented the first matchup of the fantasy playoffs or a must-win in some form for the vast majority of players, we were treated to the following: Alvin Kamara netting three fantasy points, Le'Veon Bell sitting out with the flu/bowling itch, Tyler Lockett disappearing for a fifth straight week, and some random streamer like Raheem Mostert or Noah Fant on your opponent's team causing you to curse like a drunk sailor for playing head-to-head leagues. Take it or leave it, that's fantasy football. Speaking of random streamers...

Each week, we will advise you which players to consider picking up on waivers that are owned in approximately 35% or fewer of Yahoo leagues so that you can make an educated decision about how to improve your fantasy football team. This list is not meant to be exclusive of all add-worthy players. For a more comprehensive list, check out our weekly Waiver Wire Lightning Round by position, ordered by priority. If higher-owned players not listed here are available in your league, feel free to treat them as higher-priority pickups.

As always, keep checking back here for updated waiver recommendations and always keep tabs on our NFL Player News feed. Be sure to also check out our weekly rankings and analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all options heading into the coming week.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins - 23% owned

It wasn't a great performance but then again the Jets aren't a bad defense. Oddly, Fitzpatrick is bringing a high floor due to his rushing ability. Yes, 37-year-old pocket passer Ryan Fitzpatrick ran for 65 yards and has 186 yards and three rushing touchdowns in 12 games. Hell, he might wind up leading the team in rushing by the time the season ends. As far as passing, he can still do that too and should have an easy time against the Giants and their soft secondary that features two of the worst-rated cornerbacks in the league.

Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears - 19% owned

Not long ago, the mere mention of Trubisky in this column prompted comments like "Stopped reading after Trubisky" and "Can't take this seriously after I saw Trubisky listed." There's no doubt that Mitch helped some lucky teams win their first-round playoff matchup with three passing TD and a rushing score on Thursday. That makes back-to-back games with three touchdowns through the air, not to mention his two rushing touchdowns in the past three weeks. This Bears offense looks completely different than the first half of the year. It may be too late for their playoff hopes but he has to be considered as a high-end streamer despite the road matchup with Green Bay.

Drew Lock, Denver Broncos - 2% owned

Holy ****! That can be the only reasonable reaction to Lock's performance in Week 14 on the road against the #3 seed in the AFC, Houston. Last week I asked if you felt lucky enough to play Lock but I can't pretend I expected this. His value would supposedly lie in volume based on game flow, since the Texans should have been able to rack up points and make this a scorefest. Nobody expected the Texans' defense to simply not show up. The Chiefs probably won't have the same problems on offense but it's an eerily similar situation, as a top AFC team at home faces the upstart Broncos with their young offensive corps. Lock is still worth a shot in deep leagues if you feel doubly lucky that he can repeat his 309-yard, three-TD outburst.

Others to considerKyle Allen, Carolina Panthers (19% owned); Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars (15% owned)

 

Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options

Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions - 34% owned

It might be overly optimistic to expect Johnson to suit up before Week 17 but it's possible. He returned to practice last week and the window to activate him is coming closer. If the Lions want to push him back to action, he is eligible to return for the Week 16 game against Denver. Worst case, he doesn't see the field until the final week of the season, where you really have no business caring in fantasy. If you play your championship in Week 17 (why?) then Johnson is definitely worth a stash but otherwise there are probably smarter ways to use a roster spot during the playoffs.

Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 21% owned

Another Barber-like performance of 34 yards on 11 carries was his latest result. If you're hoping for a touchdown with a small handful of yardage, Barber is always there waiting for you on the wire. There's some hope in Week 15, as only five teams have allowed more rushing touchdowns to running backs than Detroit and the ground game could be featured more with Mike Evans out and Jameis Winston playing with a fractured thumb.

Darwin Thompson, Kansas City Chiefs - 19% owned

It was initially surprising to see Thompson's ownership so low when he should serve as the RB1 for one of the best offenses in the league. After all, Darrel Williams is on IR, Damien Williams remains out, and LeSean McCoy is having his workload limited. It was more surprising to see that he only took four carries in Week 14 while Spencer Ware was brought back and carried it five times, while Shady led the way with 11 rushes. Thompson was the leading pass-catcher among Chiefs RBs though with four receptions for 36 yards. He has the most upside even if Andy Reid doesn't fully trust him yet.

Patrick Laird, Miami Dolphins - 20% owned

His three-yard-per-carry rushing average is about what you'd expect but it's also an upgrade from Kalen Ballage. Laird is a thumper who won't rip off any long runs but depends on red-zone touches and receiving volume to bring fantasy production. He has caught four passes in consecutive games and has seen his rush attempts steadily climb. The yardage just won't be there but there's at least some semblance of floor and always the chance he finds the end zone.

Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins - 11% owned

Remember him? Thompson comes back healthy just as Derrius Guice suffers another unfortunate injury. It appears that his workload will be enough to keep him under flex consideration in full PPR leagues. He didn't carry the ball but caught seven passes for 43 yards and will likely serve a similar role going forward.

Update: Guice is officially done for the year and has been placed on IR.

Deandre Washington, Oakland Raiders - 8% owned

When Josh Jacobs was ruled out in Week 14 with a shoulder injury, DeAndre Washington stepped in as the lead running back and carried the load. He had 14 rushing attempts for 53 yards and a touchdown, along with six receptions for 43 yards. Jalen Richard was in the mix as well, but only received nine touches. Jacobs is dealing with a fractured shoulder, and the Raiders take on a terrible Jaguars run defense in Week 15, so Washington could emerge as a late-season playoff darling. He is worth adding in all leagues where RB help is needed.

Update: Josh Jacobs is now expected to return and play in Week 15. It is a situation to monitor.

Others to considerGus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (12% owned); Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams (14% owned); Rex Burkhead, New England Patriots (5% owned)

 

Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options

Zach Pascal, Indianapolis Colts - 34% owned

Pascal was a strong recommendation last week and an obvious streamer against the Bucs defense that allows the most fantasy points to WRs. He came through with five receptions, 74 yards, and a touchdown. As long as T.Y. Hilton is out, Pascal figures to be a fantasy WR3.

A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans - 24% owned

It's hard to believe this is the same Titans offense but Ryan Tannehill has made all the difference, along with his rookie receiver. The team put up six touchdowns in Oakland, two of which went to Brown. Even better, he went off for 153 receiving yards. This marks the second time in three games that he's gone over 130 yards. Next up is a home game against a Texans Defense that was just lit up by Drew Lock. Needless to say, Brown is one of the top wide receiver pickups of the week.

Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears - 20% owned

What else are we waiting for? Miller didn't have his best game in Week 14 but he scored a touchdown and came away with 42 yards. That makes 313 yards on 24 catches over the past four games, with an average of 9.3 targets per game. The Packers secondary is fairly stingy on average but you have to follow the targets and Miller begs to be added and streamed as a WR3.

John Ross, Cincinnati Bengals14% owned

This is all about Week 16. Ross is being eased back into action and won't be anywhere close to the fantasy radar next week anyway as the Bengals take on the Patriots and their top-ranked secondary. In Week 16, however, they face the Dolphins. Auden Tate is set to go on IR and we aren't seeing A.J. Green any time soon, so Ross returns to relevance.

Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers - 9% owned

It wasn't a good spot for Lazard in Week 14, as the passing game just wasn't needed against the Redskins. A divisional faceoff with the Bears isn't much better but Lazard has grown into the WR2 role in Green Bay and that's worth something in any given week.

Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers - 1% owned

All he does is catch touchdowns! He's no Cris Carter but Bourne now has five TDs in the last six games after a pair of scores in the Game of the Year versus the Saints. Atlanta's secondary is just as generous as New Orleans, so Bourne can be considered in standard leagues.

Marcus Johnson, Indianapolis Colts - 0% owned

Everything that was said about Pascal (above) holds true for Johnson. Although he serves as the deep threat and has just recently come to be a part of the passing game, he flashed his ability with a team-leading 105 yards and a score in Week 14. With Hilton still out and Parris Campbell heading to IR, Johnson could be busy again the next couple of weeks.

Breshad Perriman / Justin Watson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 0% owned

Naturally, Mike Evans picks the worst possible time to injure his hamstring. It appears he's done for the 2019 season, which means we could see a lot more of backup receivers Perriman and Watson. Each scored a touchdown and went over 50 yards in the team's most recent scorefest. While Perriman had the edge in yardage (70-59), Watson had the higher target share (8-5). Watson might be the safer play while Perriman is always a dice roll. Each has promise against a Lions team that allows the ninth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers though, even with a gimpy Winston.

Update: Mike Evans is officially done for the year.

Isaiah Ford, Miami Dolphins - 0% owned

All the practice squad players are coming out of the woodwork for the Fins. With Devante Parker and Albert Wilson both leaving with concussions in Week 14 and Preston Williams already on IR, Ford became the go-to receiver. He caught six of nine targets for 92 yards. You have to consider him as a streamer with the Giants on deck next week if Parker is ruled out.

Others to consider: Randall Cobb, Dallas Cowboys (33% owned); Mecole Hardman, Kansas City (25% owned); Kenny Stills, Houston Texans (16% owned); Demaryius Thomas, New York Jets (7% owned); Allen Hurns, Miami Dolphins (1% owned)

 

Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns - 37% owned

If Njoku is available in your league, dump all the FAAB you have left into picking him up and stop reading. He only caught one pass for four yards but you had to expect some level of rust after missing 11 weeks. He faces off against the Cardinals in Week 15, which is allowing points to the tight end at a historically bad rate. Add him everywhere and start him everywhere.

O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 32% owned

Make that two productive games in a row for Howard (huzzah!). He came away with a season-high 73 yards in Week 14 and could see just as much success against the Lions next week. With Mike Evans out, Howard is more intriguing than you'd like to admit.

Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins - 30% owned

He let down with one catch for five yards in a loss to the Jets. The good news is that his target count remained high at five. With both Devante Parker and Albert Wilson suffering injuries, Gesicki's star is actually pointing up for next week despite the rough game. The Giants have been stingy against tight ends, if nothing else, so proceed with caution and prioritize the other players on this list first, particularly Njoku and Higbee.

Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams11% owned

Playing matchups sure paid off if you streamed Higbee this week or last. The Rams continue to involve the tight end in the passing game (while completely ignoring Brandin Cooks), completing seven passes on 11 targets for a team-high 116 yards. It helped that Seattle was second-worst defending the tight end, following their matchup with Arizona last week. It's unclear whether Gerald Everett will be available for Week 15 but if not, Higbee must be considered once again. The Cowboys are not only reeling as a team but allow the 10th-most points to the tight end.

Ian Thomas, Carolina Panthers - 1% owned

In his first start since Week 5 and only his second of the season, Thomas saw 10 targets and came away with five receptions for 57 yards and a TD. This begs the question: why wasn't Greg Olsen used this way all year? Thomas now looks to be a low-end TE1 and possibly the best option on the wire against a Seattle team that is second-worst against the position and was just shredded by Tyler Higbee.

Hayden Hurst, Baltimore Ravens - 1% owned

Fantasy owners would have been wise to bench Mark Andrews as he faced a negative matchup in Buffalo. Throw in a bruised leg and you might be needing a replacement altogether for Week 15. Luckily, Hurst seems to have caught Lamar Jackson's eye. He did pretty much all his damage on one play, scoring on a 61-yard catch-and-run. That shows his athleticism though; let's not forget that he was a first-round pick two years ago, going two rounds earlier than Andrews and seven spots higher than Jackson. Hurst is an ideal fill-in for Andrews owners if he doesn't play on a short week. Although the Jets are second-toughest against tight ends, let's face it - the matchup doesn't seem to matter much with Baltimore this year. Hurst isn't the safest play but the upside is undeniable if you are looking for a boom play at TE.

Others to consider: Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5% owned); Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills (6% owned)

 

Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options

Seattle Seahawks Defense - 40% owned

The Seahawks barely pressured Jared Goff on Sunday night, coming away with no sacks, but they intercepted him twice, including a pick-six that made fantasy owners happy. This unit has improved since the bye, forcing 10 turnovers over the last three games. The Panthers are looking to the future and showed it with an ugly effort this week, giving up five sacks and four turnovers.

Oakland Raiders Defense - 10% owned

It's tough to suggest that Oakland's defensive unit, which came into Week 14 as the 28th-ranked unit, would be one to start in the playoffs. A home matchup with the Jaguars makes them at least streamable in deep leagues, as the Jags seem to have thrown in the towel on the season.

Arizona Cardinals Defense - 1% owned

Yes, it's a really bad week to stream DST. The Cardinals have allowed more passing TDs than anyone and have just six INT on the year. Baker Mayfield could put up big numbers in Week 15 but he's usually good for at least one turnover. He's thrown a pick in three straight games, including two to the Bengals today. The Bengals...

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF