Waiver Wire Pickups & FAAB Advice for Week 15 - Welcome to the Fantasy Playoffs

Welcome to the fantasy playoffs, so let's make sure our rosters are primed for a title run.

If you're reading this article, congratulations! You've made it to the fantasy football playoffs!

This article will look a little different today but hang with me here. Let me start by saying: there are no must-adds on the waiver wire this week. 

That's right—none. 

There's a saying I was taught growing up as a young woman in Texas, "dance with the one who brought you." Sound life advice. VERY sound fantasy football advice. Maybe for you, it was "ride the horse that brought you here," but the sentiment remains: you got here with this team. Let them help you cross the finish line. 

With no teams on bye this week, you should have all your best players available. Now, of course, some matchups will be better matchups than others, but your main concern should be about backing up the guys you've had all season long, not finding an obscure individual player who could suddenly go off in a nice matchup. It's tempting, I know, but rather than looking for that fantasy football playoff unicorn, it's best to focus on the two biggest threats to your off-season goals: injuries and covid. 

What you are looking for on the waiver wire this week is depth. In just the last few weeks, fantasy football coaches have been without Keenan Allen, Darrell Henderson, Amari Cooper, Nick Chubb, Alvin Kamara, Kyler Murray, Dalvin Cook, D'Andre Swift… the list goes on and on. On Sunday, those who backed Keenan Allen with Jalen Guyton or Josh Palmer were rewarded. Remember, if just one player on a team comes down with covid-19, there's a chance the entire room gets shut down for close contact. Have a backup plan for each of your studs. 

Now, I wouldn't say I like to carry different QBs and TEs on my bench during the regular season. The postseason is a different story. Don't wait if there is a QB or TE on your waiver wire that you could trust to finish top-12 down the stretch. Grab that backup. And if you have a bye-week, look ahead. That's the advantage you have earned by playing well all season long. Please don't waste it. 

And, speaking of advantages, you've heard the saying, "defense wins championships?" If you have room on your bench and are already set with your injury contingencies, don't let your opponents pick up their handcuffs. D'Ernest Johnson, for example, is available in 87% of leagues. Kareem Hunt left with an ankle injury on Sunday, and should Chubb be injured; Johnson is next up for a big role. Sure, if you have Jonathan Taylor and Dalvin Cook, you don't need him, but it's a good idea to make sure whoever has Chubb is at a disadvantage. 

And finally: Tinkering. 

Please don't do it. Set your lineups with the best players and in the best matchups. IN THAT ORDER. 

Then WALK AWAY.

Best player, best matchup. Do not start a WR3 in a great matchup over someone that has been a WR1 for you for most of the season. I know it sounds overly simple. But, if you didn't start Dalvin Cook on Thursday and instead rode with Jeff Wilson on Sunday, you'll feel where I am coming from in the pit of your stomach. Don't overthink this.

Now, with all that in mind, a few players on the waiver wire could make a lot of sense for the playoffs, depending on your needs. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all. Your pickups should be unique to you! 

With all of that said, let's dive in!

Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Adds

Taysom Hill (NO)

Taysom Hill may not be a great real-life quarterback, but he is a phenomenal fantasy quarterback. He's still available in 50% of leagues, and should your starter go down, or if perhaps Lamar doesn't go this week, Hill is an excellent substitute. In six career starts, Hill has never finished with less than 15.7 fantasy points, and in both of his two starts this year, he has finished as a top-five QB. His rushing upside continues to negate his interceptions, and though this week's matchup with the Bucs doesn't look good on the surface, Taysom Hill always seems to pull it off. He's a great stash for your playoff run. 

FAAB: 6% 

Tua Tagavailoa (MIA)

Tua is available in 33% of leagues, and he is probably my favorite backup QB down the stretch. He completed 81.8%, 87.1%, and 73.2% of his passes in his past three contests. His connection with Jaylen Waddle is exciting, as is his schedule in Weeks 15-17. He will square off with the Jets, Saints, and Titans: three teams that have been bottom eight vs. the pass across the past four weeks and bottom twelve on the season. Yes, please. 

FAAB: 4%

More QB: Ben Roethlisberger (PIT)

Running Backs - Waiver Wire Adds

Rashaad Penny (SEA)

Ok, remember when I said there was no must add for this week? Rashaad Penny may be. 

Maybe.

We all know Pete Carroll loves to run the ball. We also all know Rashaad Penny is extremely talented. And finally, we all know Rashaad Penny has trouble staying healthy.

That being said, I will pat myself on the back now for playing him in my DFS lineups last week and hesitantly tell you to put down a fair amount of FAAB in case he continues to lead this backfield. He has now put together two very strong starts in a row and, should he remain healthy, he is the one player that could make a huge difference down the stretch. His remaining matchups? Rams, Bears, and then for your Week 17 title game? The Detroit Lions. It's a risk that he won't make it that far, but it's a bigger risk if your challenger picks him up first, and he does. Consider playing the block even if you can't start him. Penny is available in 79% of leagues (coincidentally, none of them are mine.)

Womp, womp.

FAAB: 21%

Jeff Wilson, Jr. (SF)

It wasn't exciting on Sunday, but Wilson saw 13 carries for 56 yards. JaMycal Hasty saw none. It's probably Wilson that you should roster as your Eli Mitchell handcuff, but be aware that superstar hybrid Deebo Samuel could share that role. There's no chance you're getting Samuel, but Wilson is still available in 40% of leagues. 

FAAB: 6%

Craig Reynolds (DET) 

Weird, right? Everyone rushed out to pick up Jermar Jefferson and Godwin Igwebuike, only for them to be outpaced by a guy nicknamed "Netflix." I can't make this up, people. It turns out reading the depth chart is not a foolproof way to guess the next man up. Maybe next time, we all scout the practice squad. I expect Jamaal Williams to lead this backfield after returning from the COVID-19 list if D'Andre Swift remains sidelined. However, if Swift remains sidelined and Williams is out again, perhaps Reynolds is your handcuff. Reynolds finished Sunday with 99 all-purpose yards, and if you're banking on Swift/Williams, invest in Reynolds, too. The Week 17 matchup vs. Seattle is a juicy one. Reynolds is 100% available. 

FAAB: 4% 

Boston Scott (PHI) 

Philadelphia has committed to running the ball. What they haven't committed to is who is running the ball. But now that Miles Sanders could be out with an ankle injury, it could be time to throw some FAAB on Boston Scott. In Week 13, Scott was active but hadn't practiced all week due to an illness. He played only three snaps, but we can write that off in this case. Before Week 13, Boston Scott had played no less than 33% of the snaps since Week 7, and in Week 12, he played 50% of them while leading the committee with 15 rushes as Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders combined for only 17. Howard could be back from his knee injury after the bye, which could muddy this backfield, but I still like the idea of Boston Scott as a bench stash down the stretch. Scott is available in 59% of leagues.

FAAB: 4% 

Kenneth Gainwell (PHI) 

Speaking of Philadelphia's RB committees, Gainwell played 38% of the snaps on Sunday behind Miles Sanders. Gainwell finished the day with 19.7 PPR points vs. the Jets, and with uncertainty surrounding the health of Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard, Gainwell is also worth a bench stash returning from bye. He's available in most deeper leagues as he's 78% available. 

FAAB: 3% 

More RB: Justin Jackson (LAC), Joshua Kelly (LAC), Ronald Jones, Jr (TB), Rhamondre Stevenson (NE), Jordan Howard (PHI), D'Ernest Johnson (CLE), Tony Jones, Jr. (NO)

Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Adds

Russell Gage (ATL) 

Gage is the clear number one in Atlanta, seeing 33 targets across the past four contests. That's eight per game, on average. This Atlanta team averages 35.5 pass attempts per game and often finds itself playing from behind. Gage has delivered double-digit PPR games for the past three weeks, and his Week 16 matchup with Detroit is a nice one. He remains 50% available. 

FAAB: 6% 

Amon-Ra St Brown (DET)

With no D'Andre Swift and no TJ Hockenson, Amon-Ra St. Brown remained the focal point of this offense on Sunday. He caught eight of his twelve targets for 73 yards and finished with double-digit PPR points for the second week in a row. He's now seen 24 targets in his last two games. His Week 16 and 17 matchups are excellent vs. Atlanta and Seattle. Just bear in mind that Jared Goff is still his QB. He's 88% available. 

FAAB: 4%

KJ Osborn (MIN)

We touted Osborn in this article last week, and he delivered with 83 yards and a TD vs. the Steelers on Thursday night football. Should Adam Thielen remain sidelined with a high ankle sprain, Osborn remains in a good post this week vs. the Bears. He's available in 62% of leagues.

FAAB: 3%

Allen Lazard (GB) 

With Randall Cobb now on the IR, Allen Lazard seemed to be the beneficiary of Randall Cobb's targets. He was targeted seven times for 75 yards and a TD on Sunday night. And Weeks 15-17 couldn't get much better: Baltimore, Cleveland, and Minnesota. Lazard is available in deeper leagues. He's 96% available. 

FAAB: 3% 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB)

Lazard had the bigger day on Sunday, but Valdes-Scantling has seen 24 targets across the past three contests for 203 yards and a score. Randall Cobb is on the IR with a groin injury, Robert Tonyan is out for the season, and the Packers have perhaps the best remaining fantasy schedule for Wide Receivers. If you have Adams, grab one of these two now. He's available in 50% of leagues. 

FAAB: 3% 

More WR: DeVante Parker (MIA), Kendrick Bourne (NE), Donovan Peoples-Jones (CLE), Tim Patrick (BUF), Josh Reynolds (DET), Laviska Shenault (JAX), 

Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Adds

Ricky Seals-Jones (WFT)

Is there a better fantasy schedule than facing the Cowboys once and the Eagles twice? The Eagles are league-worst vs. the tight end, even surrendering a touchdown to the Jets' Ryan Griffin two weeks ago. Seals-Jones only played 41% of the snaps on Sunday, but he was likely easing back from injury. Seals-Jones is available in 80% of leagues. 

FAAB: 6% 

Tyler Conklin (MIN)

As mentioned above, Adam Thielen could be out for a while with a high ankle sprain, bringing Tyler Conklin back into the TE conversation. On the season, he's third in line for targets behind Jefferson and Thielen with a 13.7% share, and he has an excellent 74.2% catch rate. He's available in 53% of leagues. 

FAAB: 6% 

Cole Kmet (CHI)

Kmet has been featured in this article more than a few times, and he's going to stay here until he's more than 24% rostered. Kmet has seen 23 targets across the last three games, and he continues to play 83% of the team's snaps with an 18% target share on the season—second only to Darnell Mooney—and a 62.5% catch rate, superior to Mooney's 56.7%. 

FAAB: 4% 

More TE: Austin Hooper (CLE), Gerald Everett (SEA), James O'Shaughnessy (JAX)