Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 15

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Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver wire pickups.

Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images Sport / GettyJustin Fields, Bears

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
vs. MIN	19%	$2

Fields delivered top-10 fantasy finishes in his last two full games before missing time with a rib injury.

He returned this week with another strong performance and currently sits as the QB11 with two more passers yet to play Monday night.

His next opponent is the Vikings, who allowed 296 passing yards and three touchdowns to Jared Goff in Week 13 as well as 308 yards and three scores to Ben Roethlisberger this past Thursday.

Fields is definitely in play as a high-end QB2 with QB1 upside the rest of the season.

Taysom Hill is above the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.

Streaming options: Tua Tagovailoa vs. NYJ (33% rostered), Jimmy Garoppolo vs. ATL (30% rostered), Ben Roethlisberger vs. TEN (22% rostered)

Streaming options (if healthy): Taylor Heinicke at PHI (34% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Baker Mayfield vs. LV (29% rostered), Teddy Bridgewater vs. CIN (25% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options: Matt Ryan at SF (41% rostered), Davis Mills at JAX (2% rostered), Tyler Huntley vs. GB (0% rostered)

Running backs Bob Levey / Getty Images Sport / GettyRashaad Penny, Seahawks

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
at LAR	21%	$24

The Seahawks' backfield has been a fantasy nightmare ever since they lost Chris Carson for the season.

But the trend of poor performances came to an end Sunday when Pete Carroll gave Penny extended snaps against a weak Texans team.

Penny saw the field for 57% of Seattle's offensive plays and produced 138 yards plus two scores on 17 touches.

The Seahawks won't likely have that kind of success against tougher opponents, but at this time of year, fantasy managers will gladly accept any running back who's getting significant volume.

Keep your expectations in check, but Penny needs to be rostered in case he can finally stay healthy and realize his potential as a top-24 fantasy option.

Justin Jackson/Joshua Kelley, Chargers

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
vs. KC	2%/0%	$9/$1

This one is a speculative add based on Austin Ekeler's availability for Thursday Night Football.

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley downplayed the ankle injury that resulted in Ekeler's early exit last Sunday. However, the severity of an ankle ailment sometimes doesn't reveal itself for a day or two once the swelling goes down.

It could be difficult for Ekeler to get right on just four days' rest, so scoop up Jackson, who profiles as a well-rounded replacement if Ekeler can't play. In that scenario, Jackson would be a fringe RB2 for fantasy while Kelley serves as a more risky flex option in a complementary role.

Craig Reynolds, Lions

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
vs. ARI	1%	$5

With D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams ruled out and rookie Jermar Jefferson dealing with a non-COVID-19 illness during the week, ESPN's Adam Schefter identified Reynolds as the Lions rusher to roster in Week 14.

His sources were strong as usual, and Reynolds did indeed lead the backfield by playing 46% of the snaps. The 25-year-old practice squad call-up totaled 83 rushing yards and 16 receiving yards on 13 touches in the game.

The only problem is we don't know whether Swift or Williams will be available this week, but there's really no reason for the 1-11-1 Lions to rush them back. In the meantime, you should roster Reynolds in the event he gets another start or carves out a role the rest of the way.

Rhamondre Stevenson and D'Onta Foreman are above the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.

Royce Freeman (0% rostered), Jordan Howard (8% rostered), Kenneth Gainwell (13% rostered), and Malcolm Brown (2% rostered) should be stashed until we know more about the availability of their starters.

Flex options: D'Ernest Johnson vs. LV (13% rostered), Ameer Abdullah at BUF (11% rostered), Ty Johnson at MIA (29% rostered)

Risky flex options: Devontae Booker vs. DAL (24% rostered), Brandon Bolden at IND (16% rostered), Samaje Perine at DEN (18% rostered),

Risky flex options (if healthy): Tevin Coleman at MIA (27% rostered), Rex Burkhead at JAX (15% rostered), J.D. McKissic at PHI (47% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Carlos Hyde vs. HOU (10% rostered), Latavius Murray vs. GB (29% rostered), Jeremy McNichols at PIT (9% rostered), Godwin Igwebuike vs. ARI (8% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Corey Clement at NYG (1% rostered), Tony Jones Jr. at TB (3% rostered), Jaret Patterson at PHI (1% rostered), Peyton Barber at CLE (1% rostered), JaMycal Hasty vs. ATL (18% rostered)

Wide receivers Nic Antaya / Getty Images Sport / GettyAmon-Ra St. Brown/Josh Reynolds, Lions

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
vs. ARI	12%/8%	$9/$7

The Lions have lacked consistent play from their receiving corps all season, but this duo has begun to emerge in the past few weeks.

If St. Brown's last two stat lines of 10-86-1 and 8-73-0 are any indication, the rookie might be on the verge of a late-season breakout.

Reynolds isn't far behind with three straight strong performances of his own, going for 3-70-1, 4-69-0, and, most recently, 3-52-0.

At this point in the season, the waiver wire is a tough place to find a steady WR starter, but St. Brown and Reynolds can slide into your lineup as WR3/flex options.

Kendrick Bourne, Patriots

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
at IND	31%	$9

Don't forget about Bourne's big games before the Patriots' Week 14 bye.

The veteran wideout accumulated 201 yards and found the end zone three times in his previous three outings.

He's another solid choice for managers in search of a WR3/flex play in the first round of the fantasy playoffs.

Gabriel Davis, Bills

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
vs. CAR	3%	$7

Veteran Emmanuel Sanders suffered a knee sprain in the Bills' loss to the Bucs and will most likely be out for their Week 15 contest against the Panthers.

That opens the door for Davis, who stepped up when John Brown was sidelined for Buffalo last season and finished with 599 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie.

The 22-year-old, who's scored in each of the past two weeks, will immediately move into a starting role in three-wide sets. As long as Josh Allen is active, Davis will be a WR3/flex option with serious TD upside.

Russell Gage and DeVante Parker are above or close to the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in most leagues.

Flex options: Rashod Bateman vs GB (36% rostered), Robby Anderson at BUF (35% rostered), K.J. Osborn at CHI (38% rostered), Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. LV (10% rostered), Sterling Shepard vs. DAL (26% rostered)

Risky flex options: Tre'Quan Smith at TB (10% rostered), DeAndre Carter at PHI (3% rostered), Josh Palmer vs. KC (2% rostered), Jalen Guyton vs. KC (15% rostered), Laquon Treadwell vs. HOU (1% rostered), Laviska Shenault vs. HOU (33% rostered), Jamison Crowder at MIA (38% rostered), Tim Patrick vs. CIN (23% rostered), A.J. Green at DET (39% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Allen Lazard at BAL (4% rostered), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine at PIT (29% rostered), Breshad Perriman vs. NO (1% rostered), Marquez Callaway at TB (25% rostered), James Washington vs. TEN (1% rostered), Jakeem Grant Sr. at MIN (1% rostered), Keelan Cole at MIA (1% rostered), Curtis Samuel at PHI (12% rostered) Rondale Moore at DET (21% rostered), Braxton Berrios at MIA (0% rostered), DeSean Jackson at CLE (7% rostered), Cam Sims at PHI (0% rostered)

Other receivers to stash: Nico Collins at JAX (1% rostered), Brandon Zylstra at BUF (0% rostered), Terrace Marshall at BUF (3% rostered)

Tight ends Jason Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyAustin Hooper, Browns

Next Up	Rostered	FAB
vs. LV	41%	$1

Tight end is pretty thin on the waiver wire this week, so let's hope you already have a quality starter on your roster.

Hooper would only stand out from the pack if David Njoku remains on the COVID-19 list and Harrison Bryant stays sidelined with his ankle injury. When all three are healthy, they cancel each other out for fantasy.

If you don't have a quality tight end, you'll be forced to cross your fingers and hope for the best with the likes of Hooper or one of the other risky streaming options below.

Risky streamer options: Tyler Conklin at CHI (48% rostered), Cole Kmet vs. MIN (27% rostered), C.J. Uzomah at DEN (14% rostered), Ricky Seals-Jones at PHI (20% rostered), Evan Engram vs. DAL (33% rostered), Brevin Jordan at JAX (0% rostered), Gerald Everett at LAR (31% rostered)

Dart-throw streamer options: James O'Shaughnessy vs. HOU (1% rostered), Ryan Griffin at MIA (1% rostered), Albert Okwuegbunam vs. CIN (1% rostered)

DefensesWeek 15 streamers

Team	Next Up	Rostered
Dolphins	vs. NYJ	48%
Browns	vs. LV	39%
Eagles	vs. WAS	20%
Vikings	at CHI	39%
Texans	at JAX	5%

Favorable Week 16 opponent: Eagles DEF vs. NYG (20% rostered), Dolphins DEF at NO (48% rostered), Falcons DEF vs. DET (4% rostered), Jets DEF vs. JAX (1% rostered)

Favorable Week 17 opponent: Eagles DEF at WAS (20% rostered), Panthers DEF at NO (41% rostered), Bears DEF vs. NYG (16% rostered)

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