As is always the case this time of year, things are getting weird. Every season, we see players come out of nowhere to start for teams in the fantasy football playoffs, and we have a few more candidates among our top Week 15 fantasy waiver wire pickups and free agent adds. Injuries and good old-fashioned late-season breakouts are giving players like Chuba Hubbard, Jameson Williams, Travis Homer, Rex Burkhead, and Zamir White potential value in must-win weeks for fantasy owners.
Our full free agent list features more of these types of players, including Chig Okonkwo, Chris Moore, Richie James Jr., and DJ Chark. However, the vast majority of our list consists of potential streaming options. Even though we're through the bye weeks, fantasy owners are always looking for any potential upgrades in the postseason, and that's why we still have a ton of suggestions for every position, including the rare RB streaming suggestion. As always, the streamers are grouped by position and can be found at the end of the list.
Now that we're into the fantasy football playoffs in most leagues, there's no point in "saving" your waiver claims. If you need a player, pay up for him. If you "need" to keep a player off someone else's team, then get him, too. That can be a dangerous game, of course, as you not only burn a claim you might need, but you might also be pushing your opponent to another player who performs better.
UPDATE: With Rhamondre Stevenson suffering an ankle injury on Monday night, both Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris are also among the top pickups of the week.
WEEK 15 FANTASY: Full waiver list | FAAB planner
Either way, if you need a starter for next week, don't hold back. Running backs still present more value, but it's all about plugging holes in your roster this time of year. You could even go all-in if you're stashing players for Weeks 16 and 17. We'd normally suggest waiting until free agency for those players because you never know who will be inactive over the final couple of weeks. Fortunately, with fewer teams competing for pickups, you should always be able to get a solid streamer, so plan ahead, weigh your options, and be smart.
WEEK 15 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 15
Unless otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues are considered.
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers. Hubbard impressed for the second-straight game, totaling 99 yards and a TD on 17 touches (three receptions) against the Seahawks in Week 14. Even though he had seven fewer carries than D'Onta Foreman, he managed the same number of rushing yards and generally looked like the better back most of the game. Hubbard has seen 31 carries in his past two games, and that kind of workload will give him flex upside in any matchup. There's a very real chance he takes over the primary RB job and sees even more touches next week against Pittsburgh.
WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Travis Homer, RB, Seahawks. Homer handled the bulk of the Seahawks' RB snaps in Week 14 with Kenneth Walker III (ankle) and DeeJay Dallas (ankle) on the sidelines. He disappointed with just 34 total yards on 11 touches, but as long as Homer is starting, he has the potential for value. Seattle has a quick turnaround for a Thursday night showdown against the 49ers, and even though that isn't an ideal matchup for Homer, he could work as a PPR flex if you're hurting at RB. He'd have much more value if he's still starting in Week 16 against the Chiefs.
WEEK 15 FANTASY: Full waiver list | FAAB planner
Zamir White, RB, Raiders. With Josh Jacobs nursing a finger injury and the Raiders all but out of playoff contention, White could see significantly more carries down the stretch. White would likely see the bulk of the RB touches next week if Jacobs is out, though Ameer Abdullah would handle most of the receiving work. Even though Vegas has a brutal fantasy playoff schedule for RBs (Patriots, Steelers, 49ers), White and Abdullah should be owned in deep leagues.
Jameson Williams, WR, Lions. Williams played sparingly in Week 13, but he made his presence felt in Week 14, catching a 41-yard TD pass in the first quarter. It was his only reception on just two targets, but his big-play potential gives him plenty of upside in Detroit's high-powered offense. Williams should continue to play more snaps, giving him boom-or-bust flex value next week against the Jets.
Rex Burkhead, RB, Texans. An ankle injury forced Dameon Pierce to the sidelines in the fourth quarter last week, and if he's unable to go in Week 15 as expected against the Chiefs, some combination of Burkhead and Dare Ogunbowale will pick up the slack. Burkhead got some key goal-line carries late against the Cowboys and is the preferred receiving option, so we're listing him here, but it's not a bad idea to grab Ogunbowale, too, as he could just as easily start and see the bulk of the carries if Pierce can't go.
For more waiver/free agent suggestions, including a host of potential streaming options, check out our full Week 15 list.
