FANTASY FOOTBALL ADD/DROPS

Week 15 working the waiver wire: League winners

Week 15 working the waiver wire: League winners
Photo via: Redskins/Facebook

Congratulations if you're reading this because that means you're in the playoffs. Adding free agents should be easier with many teams already done for the season. Also, be aware that other owners that are in the playoffs will be looking to block you from picking up any players that can help you, so go all-in if you need a certain player this week.

Keep in mind the owner % mentioned is for 10-team standard ESPN PPR leagues. Some of these players below are good for this week, while others could help you in Week 16. You have to make the call on what your team needs. Immediate help to start this week, or a player to stash for next week.

QB

Carr's matchup this week is beautiful. Photo via: Raiders/Facebook

Ryan Tannehill: I had him as the No. 1 option in this article last week, and that certainly paid off with him throwing for 391 yards and 3TDs against the Raiders. He gets the Texans at home this week, so the matchup is good. He might also have to throw a little more with Derrick Henry playing through a hamstring injury. Tannehill is still available in about 60% of ten team leagues.

Derek Carr: Just typing this makes me sick, but you could do worse this week. The Jags have quit on the season, and Carr faces them at home this week. He's terrible in cold weather historically, so being at home really matters for Carr. The Jags on average are giving up over 20 points per game to QBs over the last 4 weeks. He's owned in about 38% of leagues.

Philip Rivers and Mitchell Trubisky: Both of these guys have put up good fantasy numbers lately, but their matchups are ugly this week. Over the last 4 weeks the Vikings and the Packers have been tough on QBs, but they haven't played many good ones. Rivers is rostered in 43% of leagues and Trubisky is more available being rostered in 19% of leagues. Trubisky should at least give you some rushing production, so I would probably choose him over Rivers.

RB

DeAndre Washington: If Josh Jacobs doesn't play, you have to like Washington's chances this week. He's playing the Jags who were ripped apart by the Chargers' RBs last week, and Jacksonville looks like they've given up on the season. He's available in 90% of leagues.

Raheem Mostert: It's hard to know which RB to start in this backfield, but Mostert's huge game against the Saints makes me think he's the best back to use. He's rostered in 24% of leagues.

Adrian Peterson: He's back... I know, he's hard to trust in a PPR league, but he has a good shot at scoring a TD every time he takes the field. And with Guice out of the picture, you could do worse. He's out there in 55% of leagues. He has a tough matchup against the Eagles, but he should get volume.

Patrick Laird: You never hope to start a Dolphins RB in the playoffs, but he's getting a lot of work, and he has a good matchup against the Giants if you need him. He's available in 90% of leagues.

WR

A.J. Brown: He recorded over 21 fantasy points in 2 of his last 3 games, and he gets the Texans this week. Tannehill is on a roll and Brown is his main weapon. He's only rostered in 31% of leagues, and he should continue his production against Houston.

Zach Pascal: He rostered in 30% of leagues and has recorded a TD or 100 receiving yards in 2 consecutive games. Over the last 4 weeks, the Saints are giving up massive production to WRs, so the matchup is great. He should continue to be involved with Hilton still dealing with an injury.

Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton: They face Miami this week, so there is that. Also, Slayton is coming off a huge game against the Eagles in Week 14. I'd pick Slayton if I had to choose between the two.

TE

Tyler Higbee: If Gerald Everett doesn't return to the lineup, you have to like Higbee's chances to keep racking up fantasy points. If you haven't been watching Higbee, he's recorded over 100 receiving yards two weeks straight and caught a TD. He's out there in about 90% of leagues.

OJ Howard: It feels weird even typing his name, but he should see an uptick in targets with Mike Evans done for the year. Also, he has over 61 receiving yards in two straight games and has a great matchup against the Texans in Week 16. He's rostered in 39% of leagues.


Okay, that will do it. Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5FM. We're on every Sunday morning from 10-noon, and we'll talk a lot of fantasy football and NFL gambling getting you ready for kickoff every Sunday. Good luck this week!

@JoshJordan975

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The Rockets are in it to win it this year. Composite Getty Image.

While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.

The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.

Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.

As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.

The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.

VanVleet signs extension

Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.

For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!

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