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.

Rostered percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are set off a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 60% of leagues are considered.

Quarterbacks

Jalen Hurts, Eagles

Hurts' ceiling as an NFL passer has not been decided yet, but Sunday's performance proved he can be a viable fantasy option moving forward.

The rookie threw for 167 yards and a score while rushing 18 times for 106 yards against a tough Saints defense. Opponents should only get easier to handle defensively from here with matchups against Arizona and Dallas over the next two weeks.

The Cardinals are in the top half of the league in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks and have given up 30-plus rushing yards in six of their last 10 outings.

Hurts is a high-end QB2 streamer with QB1 upside if he can improve his passing numbers in his second start.

Philip Rivers, Colts

Rivers has become a regular in the waiver wire column, and he's continued to deliver with top-16 fantasy finishes in five straight games.

Though he lacks the week-winning upside to be considered a high-end fantasy option, Rivers has been a consistent producer during the second half of the season.

The 39-year-old will now take on a Texans defense he just posted 285 yards and two touchdowns against in Week 13. The Texans followed that performance up by allowing Mitch Trubisky to toss three touchdown passes against them last week.

Rivers can be started with confidence as a low-end QB1 in Week 15.

Streamer options: Mitch Trubisky at MIN (11% rostered), Derek Carr vs. LAC (47% rostered), Drew Lock vs. BUF (11% rostered), Baker Mayfield at NYG (41% rostered), Teddy Bridgewater at GB (32% rostered), Nick Mullens at DAL (5% rostered)

Week 16 streaming options: Jalen Hurts at DAL (17% rostered), Baker Mayfield at NYJ (41% rostered), Mitch Trubisky at JAX (11% rostered), Drew Lock at LC (11% rostered)

Running backs

Lynn Bowden Jr./DeAndre Washington, Dolphins

If you need proof running backs are drying up, we're leading this section with a wide receiver. Bowden mostly lined up in the slot on Sunday, but he's listed as an RB or at least holds RB/WR eligibility on most sites.

That dual status makes him an intriguing add in half PPR or full PPR formats after hauling in seven of his nine targets for 82 yards and adding two yards on the ground in a loss to the Chiefs.

Bowden's inflated stat line came as a result of DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, and Jakeem Grant all leaving the game with an injury. With their statuses for Week 15 in doubt, Bowden becomes a flex play who could lead the Dolphins in receiving once again.

Washington disappointed as an injury replacement filling in for Myles Gaskin (COVID-19), Matt Breida (COVID-19), and Salvon Ahmed (shoulder), but he did lead the backfield in touches by a wide margin with 15.

If that trio remains sidelined, Washington will likely encounter a much more favorable game script this week against the Patriots, making him another flex option.

Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers

Raheem Mostert is playing through the effects of a high ankle sprain, so the 49ers' backfield has devolved into a time-share, with Wilson taking on a larger role in recent weeks.

Wilson has logged 40-plus yards from scrimmage in three consecutive contests, including 44 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to Washington.

With the Cowboys ranking among the 10 easiest fantasy matchups for running backs, both Mostert and Wilson should get a chance to produce in Week 15. Treat them as RB3/flex options, with RB2 upside if they can find the end zone.

High-upside backups Alexander Mattison (28% rostered), Carlos Hyde (27% rostered), and Tony Pollard (21% rostered) should be rostered in most leagues.

Flex options: Gus Edwards vs. JAX (32% rostered), Zack Moss at DEN (52% rostered), Phillip Lindsay vs. BUF (44% rostered), Mark Ingram vs. JAX (40% rostered)

Risky flex options: Peyton Barber vs. SEA (9% rostered), Cordarrelle Patterson at MIN (11% rostered), Trayveon Williams vs. PIT (0% rostered), Kalen Ballage at LV (19% rostered), Sony Michel at MIA (13% rostered)

Injury stash: Rashaad Penny (4% rostered)

Wide receivers

Tim Patrick/KJ Hamler, Broncos

You're forcing me to write about Patrick again?

Patrick, who's still available in 72% of leagues, has now posted 60-plus yards and/or a touchdown in eight of his last 10 games. The one appearance when he didn't hit the mark came when Kendall Hinton played as the Broncos' emergency quarterback.

The wideout should be in the WR3 conversation every week, and he deserves a spot in your lineup.

His teammate Hamler also got in on the action this week, catching two long touchdown passes and finishing with 86 yards. The rookie is a much riskier play than Patrick, but he could be used as a flex in deeper formats.

Allen Lazard/Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers

Lazard and Valdes-Scantling have traded usable fantasy weeks over the last month, with at least one of them putting up 50-plus yards and/or a touchdown each week.

That back-and-forth might change this weekend when the Packers host the Panthers in the second part of the league's Saturday doubleheader. Carolina just allowed Drew Lock to throw for 280 yards and four touchdowns, which clearly means Aaron Rodgers will finish with 500 yards and 10 touchdowns against that same defense.

If Patrick and Hamler came up big for fantasy managers when facing the Panthers, there's a good chance Lazard and MVS will produce in this contest.

Curtis Samuel, Michael Pittman Jr., and Keke Coutee are around the 60% rostered mark and should be rostered in almost all leagues.

Flex options: Sammy Watkins at NO (54% rostered), Sterling Shepard vs. CLE (49% rostered), Rashard Higgins at NYG (12% rostered), Nelson Agholor at LAC (36% rostered), Russell Gage vs. TB (11% rostered), Jalen Reagor at ARI (22% rostered), Chad Hansen at IND (2% rostered), Gabriel Davis at DEN (7% rostered)

Risky flex options: Michael Gallup vs. SF (44% rostered), Emmanuel Sanders vs. KC (40% rostered), Tre'Quan Smith vs. KC (9% rostered), Tyron Johnson vs. LV (0% rostered), James Washington at CIN (5% rostered), Mack Hollins vs. NE (0% rostered), Scotty Miller at ATL (5% rostered), Danny Amendola at TEN (2% rostered), Darnell Mooney at MIN (10% rostered), Mecole Hardman at NO (23% rostered)

Tight ends

Irv Smith Jr., Vikings

Smith was tagged as a potential breakout candidate before the season, but the Vikings' instance on him splitting the workload with Kyle Rudolph - combined with some time missed due to injury - has limited the Alabama product to a pair of decent fantasy days in 2020.

However, Smith showcased his potential with Rudolph sidelined in Week 14, erupting for 63 yards and a touchdown. It was like a glimpse into the future to when the Vikings finally start deploying him as a featured part of their offense.

If Rudolph can't suit up this week, Smith will be a high-end TE2 streamer against the Bears.

Cole Kmet, Bears

Jimmy Graham may have vultured a touchdown this week, but Kmet has been the Bears' lead tight end for the last month, playing over 70% of the team's snaps during that stretch.

The rookie has been targetted 14 times over the last two weeks, turning that into five catches for 37 yards and a score in Week 13, and then four grabs for 41 yards on Sunday.

That's enough to put Kmet into the streamer mix, a rare accomplishment for a first-year tight end.

Streamer options: Logan Thomas vs. SEA (57% rostered), Tyler Higbee vs. NYJ (48% rostered), Trey Burton vs. HOU (36% rostered), Jordan Reed at DAL (24% rostered), Harrison Bryant at NYG (1% rostered)

Defenses

Week 15 streamers

Favorable Week 16 schedules: Browns at NYJ (50% rostered), Texans vs. CIN (18% rostered), Buccaneers at DET (53% rostered)