Using Predictive Adds To Identify Week 15 Fantasy Football Postseason Waiver Wire Pickups
Week 14 is officially in the books after the COVID-stricken Los Angeles Rams upset the Arizona Cardinals on the road last night in Glendale. The Rams certainly made it interesting though by allowing Arizona to recover an onside kick with less than a minute remaining in the game. However, Aaron Donald sacked Kyler Murray as time expired to inch the Rams one game closer in the NFC West. The loss dropped the Cardinals from atop the NFC standings to the No. 3 seed. The Green Bay Packers moved to the top of the conference with a victory Sunday night over the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now the No. 2 seed after defeating Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in overtime. That said, there is still a lot of football left to be played. The postseason picture is still very blurry considering there are only four weeks left in the NFL regular season.
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The fantasy football regular season is now a thing of the past in just about every league. Hopefully, you managed to earn a playoff berth. Heading into the fantasy football postseason, some leagues do not allow pickups off the waiver wire. However, if your league still allows waiver wire moves, you should absolutely take advantage of the opportunity. Claiming the right players off the waiver wire can sometimes be the difference between a fantasy football title and an early exit from the playoffs. Some of last week’s hottest pickups had great performances in Week 14 such as Taysom Hill, K.J. Osborn, and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Week 15 will be the first week since early on in the season that no teams will have bye weeks. The bye-week blues are officially over. Fantasy owners will have their entire roster at their disposal. Week 15 will kick off with a Thursday Night Football matchup between the 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs against the 8-5 Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. This will also be the first week when games will be played on Saturday. Tons of playoff implications from the two Saturday games as the Las Vegas Raiders take on the Cleveland Browns before the night game featuring the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. The rest of the games will be played on Sunday before Week 15 ends with a Monday Night Football matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
This week is also incredibly important because it seems like at this point of the season, year in and year out, a handful of players become big-time contributors who end up on tons of fantasy football champions’ rosters. As we gear up for the fantasy football playoffs, now is the time to make those pivotal waiver wire claims and FAAB bids.
Now that Week 14 is in the books, it’s time to prepare for Week 15 with FantasySP’s unique Predictive Analytics. Keep reading here to access our Predictive Analytics or log into your account, and utilize the Fantasy Assistant. From there, you can see the predictive adds, drops, trades, and FAAB.
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Looking At Week 15 Predictive Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Adds:
[predict="add-2021-15"]
RB Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks
Nobody is being added more off the waiver wire than the injury-prone Rashaad Penny, as fantasy owners fight for the rights to Seattle’s talented running back. The former first-round pick absolutely dominated the Houston Texans, totaling 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. He was barely utilized in the passing game, catching his lone target for a single yard, but he still finished as the second-best running back (26.8 PPR points) in all of fantasy football in Week 14. Although he only saw one target, he did lead Seattle’s backfield with 13 routes run on Sunday.
With Chris Carson still on Injured Reserve, this appears to be Penny’s backfield for the foreseeable future. Alex Collins barely logged any touches before the game was out of hand. The Seahawks have two very tough run defenses on the horizon against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15 and the Chicago Bears in Week 16, however, Seattle faces a Detroit Lions defense in championship week that was just shredded by Javonte Williams (21.3 PPR points) and Melvin Gordon (23.1 PPR points) for two touchdowns apiece on Sunday. Although Pete Carroll and the Seahawks will still keep Alex Collins and Deejay Dallas somewhat involved in the backfield, Penny has earned the starting gig and should see 15+ touches per game down the stretch.
https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/1470532703082582017
RB Michael Carter, New York Jets
If Carter was dropped earlier this season when he went down with an injury that landed him on Injured Reserve, you need to immediately scoop him up if possible. Carter was New York’s most effective offensive player. Before going down in Week 11 against the Dolphins, the rookie running back had accumulated 430 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 111 carries as well as 308 receiving yards on 32 receptions. Head coach Robert Saleh expects Carter to be healthy and a full-go for New York’s Week 15 matchup with the same team that the rookie suffered the injury against, the Miami Dolphins. The Jets’ running game has been abysmal since Carter’s three-game absence. Tevin Coleman struggled to get anything going and Ty Johnson has been nothing more than a decent change-of-pace back. If Carter can return, he will see the majority of touches.
After seeing the field for no more than 46 percent of the Jets' offensive snaps through the first three weeks of the season, Carter handled at least half of the snaps in six straight games before exiting early with the injury Week 11. During that six-game stretch, Carter averaged 89.3 yards from scrimmage and 0.67 touchdowns on 13 carries and 4.3 receptions per contest. The Jets will be heavy underdogs in Week 15, but Carter is the type of player that can change an entire game. He’s a big-play threat any time he touches the ball and can make things happen in both the running and the passing game. In 10 games this season, the rookie is averaging 12.8 PPR points per game. If you can snag Carter off the waiver wire, he can easily serve as your RB2 or flex in the fantasy football postseason.
https://twitter.com/NBCSEdgeFB/status/1470498019615428609
K Nick Folk, New England Patriots
Since New England has a bye week in Week 14, the top kicker in the fantasy football landscape could be available on your league’s waiver wire. Although New England’s Week 15 opponent, the Indianapolis Colts, have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to kickers this season, that shouldn’t dissuade you from picking up the game’s top kicker in the league. Folk is averaging 10.6 fantasy points per game this season. That’s 1.2 more points per game than the league’s second-best kicker, Matt Gay of the Los Angeles Rams. Folk has nailed 91.7% of his field-goal attempts this season and has converted a league-high 33 kicks. He has converted 11 field goals in his last three games. New England sits atop of the AFC conference with a 9-4 record but is slight underdogs as they head to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the 7-6 Indianapolis Colts. This game will be played indoors, which should only make kicking easier for Folk. Plus, this is expected to be a defensive battle, meaning there will likely be more field-goal attempts than touchdowns. Folk should remain one of the top kickers in fantasy football this week and beyond.
Miami Dolphins DEF/ST
Just like Folk, the Dolphins could very well be available on the waiver wire due to their Week 14 bye. Miami’s defense has been absolutely lights out over their five-game winning streak. They have only allowed more than 10 points in one of those five contests and get a favorable matchup against a New York Jets offense that is allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to defenses this season. Over the winning streak, the Dolphins have produced 19 sacks, forced a whopping 12 turnovers, and have scored two defensive touchdowns. They are averaging 14.4 fantasy points per game over that span, tied for the second-best in all of fantasy football with the Kansas City Chiefs, only trailing the New England Patriots.
Considering the Jets are completely out of rhythm on offense and recently lost their top two wideouts in Corey Davis and Elijah Moore, Miami should dominate New York at the line of scrimmage. The Dolphins have one of the league’s best run defenses, so Brian Flores’ unit will force rookie quarterback, Zach Wilson, to beat the secondary. Something is telling me that is unlikely to happen with Jamison Crowder and Braxton Berrios serving as New York’s top wide receivers in Week 15. Miami could finish as fantasy’s top defense this week. Expect double-digit fantasy points yet again from the Dolphins.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
After hauling in his first touchdown of the season against the Vikings in Week 13, Amon-Ra St. Brown served as Jared Goff’s go-to target in the Lions’ blowout loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The rookie is particularly valuable in PPR formats, as he continues to be peppered with targets and is Detroit’s best playmaker when it comes to moving the chains (outside of the injured D’Andre Swift). St. Brown caught eight balls on 12 targets for 73 yards against the Broncos. He has now scored 15.3 and 24.8 fantasy points over his last two outings and has seen 24 targets over that span. Not to mention, he is seeing more looks in the end zone. The rookie saw three red-zone targets over his last two games, though he only converted one of those into a touchdown. Still, it’s encouraging to see Goff look for the talented rookie in the end zone.
We still don’t know whether or not Swift or T.J. Hockenson will return to the lineup for Detroit’s tough Week 15 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. They are both currently listed as questionable. Regardless of their health, St. Brown is definitely worthy of a roster spot and probably warrants flex consideration given his recent uptick in volume. We all know that opportunities lead to production in fantasy football. The rookie wide receiver is the top pickup of the week if you require a pass catcher. It’s not easy to trust Detroit’s passing game, but if there is one player in Detroit’s wide receiver room that I’d like on my roster, it is definitely St. Brown. Following Detroit’s Week 15 matchup with the Cardinals, the Lions have much more favorable matchups in the final two weeks of the fantasy football playoffs. They face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17. St. Brown could be a league-winning pickup if you need a WR3 or flex play down the stretch.
[lastten="Amon-Ra St. Brown"]
Dallas Cowboys DEF/ST
The Cowboys’ defense has now scored a touchdown in three straight contests. And in their last two games (both victories), they have seven sacks, five interceptions, and three fumbles recoveries. In Week 15, the Cowboys face a New York Giants team that they scored a defensive touchdown against back in Week 5. The G-Men are likely to be without Daniel Jones, which means either Mike Glennon or Jake Fromm will be New York’s starting quarterback. The G-Men only averages 17.9 points per game and are currently allowing the 11th-most fantasy points per game to opposing defenses. The G-Men failed to score a touchdown in Week 13 against the Dolphins and didn’t score their first touchdown against the Chargers in Week 14 until the game was out of hand late in the fourth quarter. Dallas should have no problem shutting down the injury-riddled G-Men this week.
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Big Ben has had an up-and-down season and the Steelers host the Tennessee Titans in Week 15 as they attempt to keep their postseason chances alive. Big Ben started slowly in primetime against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14 but finished the day with 308 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He was the QB6 with 24.8 fantasy points last week. In a game that the Steelers are underdogs despite playing at home, Roethlisberger will have to continue to be effective in the passing game against a Titans secondary that allows the seventh-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Although JuJu Smith-Schuster has been sidelined for most of the season, Big Ben has established great chemistry with his top wideout, Diontae Johnson, as well as rookie tight end, Pat Friermuth. The Titans are the third-best team at limiting production from opposing running backs, so Mike Tomlin should run a pass-heavy offensive game plan in Week 15. Roethlisberger could be looking at another 300-yard day with multiple scores. If you lost Lamar Jackson or are quarterback-needy, Big Ben could be the answer as a one-week streamer.
https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1470087967129710603
RB D’Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns
Kareem Hunt went down again in Week 14 with an ankle injury and was unable to return to action. The Browns still have Nick Chubb to lead the backfield, but D’Ernest Johnson could prove to be a valuable pickup if Hunt is unable to suit up for Cleveland’s Week 15 meeting with the Raiders. Vegas allows the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs this season. There is no doubt that the Browns will continue to run the ball at a very high rate, especially with Baker Mayfield battling injuries and the lack of receiving weapons on Cleveland’s roster. When both Hunt and Chubb were out back in Week 7 against the Broncos, Johnson tallied 146 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while also chipping in two receptions for an additional 22 receiving yards. And against one of the top defenses in the NFL in Week 10, the New England Patriots, Johnson accumulated 157 yards on 26 touches (seven receptions). Even with Chubb healthy, Johnson should be picked up immediately. If Chubb goes down with an injury of his own, Johnson would be a low-end RB1 by default. That said if you do claim the talented dual-threat running back off the waiver wire, be sure to monitor Hunt’s health before starting him in Week 15.
WR Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills
Davis has emerged as one of Josh Allen’s favorite red-zone targets in recent weeks. Davis has scored touchdowns in back-to-back outings now. With Emmanuel Sanders suffering a knee injury in Week 14, Davis should serve as the WR3 in Buffalo’s offense behind Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley. The Bills are one of the most pass-happy offenses in the NFL, and they happen to be quite successful airing it out. Davis saw a season-high eight targets in Sunday’s overtime loss to the reigning Super Bowl champs, but the speedster did haul in five receptions for 43 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. He also ran a route on a season-high 80.6% of Allen’s dropbacks.
https://twitter.com/PFF_Bills/status/1468994328160870401
After two consecutive losses, the Bills are desperate for a victory in Week 15 against a stingy Carolina Panthers defense. However, Sanders is looking highly doubtful for this matchup, which means Davis should see plenty of looks like one of Allen’s favorite red-zone targets. Although the Bills have very difficult matchups against the Panthers in Week 15 and the Patriots in Week 16 (though Davis did score a touchdown against the Pats back in Week 13), Buffalo gets a juicy matchup in championship week against an Atlanta Falcons secondary that allows the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Sanders could be back in action by then, but Davis is worthy of a waiver wire claim if you have room on your roster. He creates mismatches due to his speed and has developed an increasingly strong rapport with quarterback Josh Allen.
[lastten="Gabriel Davis"]
RB Justin Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers
Austin Ekeler went down with an injury in Week 14 and is highly questionable for Thursday night’s matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs on a short week. That means that Jackson and Joshua Kelley will likely split touches in this pivotal Week 15 clash of two AFC West contenders. Jackson turned nine carries into 35 rushing yards and caught his lone target for an additional seven yards in Week 14. Although Kelley might be the slightly superior between-the-tackles runner, Jackson has more value in PPR formats. He’s the much better pass-catching option out of the backfield and is more explosive and prone to produce big plays. The Chargers are going to have to throw the ball a ton if they are going to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ high-powered offense. Justin Herbert is the king of dump-off passes, which means Jackson could provide a nice spark for your fantasy team off the waiver wire in PPR formats. Kansas City allows the 12th-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, including 6.5 receptions for 56.8 receiving yards (the third-most in the NFL). Although it may be difficult to trust any Chargers running back not named Austin Ekeler, Jackson is the player to add if Ekeler is unable to suit up on Thursday. Jackson is the guy who should see the bulk of the work in obvious passing situations.
WR DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
After missing four games with an injury, Parker returned to the lineup in Miami’s Week 13 victory over the New York Giants. Parker hauled in all five of his targets for 62 yards. Jaylen Waddle remains Tua Tagovailoa's top target, but Parker should compete with tight end Mike Gesicki for the second-most targets in Miami’s passing game. The Dolphins face a New York Jets defense that has been abysmal all season. They have allowed the sixth-most receiving yards and a league-worst 30.5 points per game.
Before getting hurt, Parker was seeing 8.6 targets per game. In six games this season, he has hauled in 30 receptions for 389 yards and one touchdown. And in the final two weeks of the fantasy football playoffs, the Dolphins face the Saints in Week 16 (the sixth-worst defense against opposing wide receivers) and the Titans in Week 17 (the second-worst defense against opposing wide receivers). Parker could be one of those league-winning pickups.
[lastten="DeVante Parker"]
And that’s a wrap. Head back next week to see which players fantasy owners are flocking towards on the waiver wire ahead of Week 16!
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