Waiver Favors: 2017 Week 15 Fantasy Football Pickups

By Ha Kung Wong  Fantasy Football Pickups

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

As I mentioned last week, I like nothing more than helping all of you make solid waiver pickups in your Fantasy Football league and have some part in your championship run.  That’s just the type of guy I am.  You’re welcome.  Again.

At this point in the fantasy season in the playoffs, I tend to use my pickups as insurance as opposed to trying to catch lightening in a bottle.  Don’t stop scouring the waiver wire, but it might be best to handcuff your stud running back or get a solid backup QB instead of trying to find a fifth high upside WR at this point of the season.  And if you were a Fournette owner, you know that it’s not uncommon for your stud RB to sit out a game.

With that said, here are some thoughts on RB handcuffs you might want to consider.

Los Angeles Rams – Todd Gurley -> Lance Dunbar (0% Owned)

Kansas City Chiefs – Kareem Hunt -> Charcandrick West (2% Owned)

Pittsburgh Steelers – Le’Veon Bell -> Fitzgerald Toussaint (0% Owned) and Stevan Ridley (0% Owned)

Los Angeles Chargers – Melvin Gordon -> Austin Ekeler (30% Owned)

Buffalo Bills – LeSean McCoy -> Mike Tolbert (1% Owned) (unless he remains injured, in which case consider Travaris Cadet (1% Owned))

Jacksonville Jaguars – Leonard Fournette -> T.J. Yeldon (13% Owned) & Chris Ivory (11% Owned)

San Francisco 49ers – Carlos Hyde -> Matt Breida (5% Owned)

So let’s now get on with fantasy football pickups for Week 15!

As usual, all pickups are available in at least 50% of Yahoo standard fantasy football leagues (with some minor exceptions) as of Sunday evening.

Tyrell Williams

WR – Los Angeles Chargers – 38% Owned

Williams has been under-performing all season, but with Philip Rivers turning the corner and slinging it all over the place, he broke out in a big way in Week 14 catching all 4 targets for a whopping 132 yards and a TD.

Fast forward to Week 15, and Williams finally got a little volume with 7 targets.  But the problem was he only caught 3 of them for just 31 yards.  However, Keenan Allen was carted to the locker room with a back injury during the game, and if for some reason he misses time, Williams could be an interesting pick up for desperate teams looking for a WR3/Flex in 14-team leagues or deeper.

Kendell Wright

WR – Chicago Bears – 4% Owned

We all thought newly acquired Dontrelle Inman would get most of the targets in Chicago, but in Week 14, it was Kendall Wright who was the top target catching 7 of 13 targets for 81 yards.  And he kept it rolling in Week 15 with 7 of 13 targets for 81 yards.  He’s clearly Mitchell Trubisky’s current favorite target, which may not be worth too much, but means he at least has a solid floor.  If you’re in need of a WR4/Flex in a 14-team league or deeper, you could do worst than stashing Wright, particularly at the vulnerable Browns secondary in Week 16.

Keelan Cole

WR – Jacksonville Jaguars – 4% Owned

Keelan Cole has definitely showed some promise this season, but he’s really turned it on over the last 3 weeks with Allen Hurns out due to injury.  He totaled 6 receptions for 148 yards and 2 TDs in Weeks 13 and 14, but he blew up grabbing 7 of 9 targets for 186 yards and a TD in Week 15.

And with Marqise Lee going out in the first-quarter with what appears to be a serious ankle injury, Cole looks like he’ll continue to garner plenty of looks.  If Hurns and Lee are out, Cole can be a sneaky WR3/Flex consideration in Week 16 against the 49ers in 12-team or deeper leagues.

Roger Lewis

WR – New York Giants – 1% Owned

No, I don’t trust the Giants offense at all.  But Since Eli has been “reinstated” as the starter in New York, Roger Lewis has been getting a to a of looks, grabbing 7 of 11 targets for 46 yards in Week 14 and another 4 of 10 targets for 74 yards in Week 15.  Honestly, you’d have to be pretty hard up to play anyone on the Giants offense other than Evan Engram, but if you want to stash a flyer in 14-team PPR leagues or deeper, you can give him a little thought.

And here are previous pickups I’ve mentioned that are still worthy of your consideration:

10-Team Leagues or Deeper

Devin Funchess, Josh Gordon, Alvin Kamara 

12-Team Leagues or Deeper

Nelson Agholor, Giovanni Bernard (as long as Joe Mixon is out), Martavis Bryant, Rex Burkhead, Jamison Crowder, Kenyan Drake, Eric Ebron, Joe Flacco, Nick Foles, Jared Goff, Marqise Lee, Dion Lewis, Tyler Lockett, Jerick McKinnon, Latavius Murray, Samaje Perine, Paul Richardson, Theo Riddick, Mohamed Sanu, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Alex Smith, Jamaal Williams

14-Team Leagues or Deeper

Javorius “Buck” Allen, Robby Anderson, Peyton Barber, Jacoby Brissett, Alex Collins, Tarik Cohen, Corey Coleman, Jared Cook, Orleans Darkwa, Josh Doctson, Wayne Gallman, Jimmy Garappolo, Marquise Goodwin, Duke Johnson Jr., Jermaine Kearse, Cooper Kupp, Marlon Mack, Elijah McGuire, Ricky Seals-Jones, Adam Shaheen, Rod Smith, Kenny Stills, Dede Westbrook, Kerwynn Williams, Danny Woodhead

16-Team Leagues or Deeper

Stephen Anderson, Devontae Booker, Trey Burton, Austin Ekeler, Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Grant, Tion Green, J.D. McKissic, Josh Reynolds, Chester Rogers, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jonathan Stewart, Trent Taylor, Mitchell Trubisky, Ben Watson

Pickups Planning for the Future

Teddy Bridgewater

Check back every week for more Waiver Favors!