After Week 14, the NFL is done with bye weeks this season, meaning all teams will play for the rest of the season-long fantasy football season. While you won’t have bye weeks to navigate anymore, there is still lots of value to staying active on the fantasy football waiver Week 15 to add depth and create the best opportunities for your team to find success in what’s left of your season, whether you’re in the playoffs of the consolation bracket.
Every week, players in many leagues’ fantasy football waiver wire step up with big games to emerge as potential pickups. DK Network will have coverage throughout the week of all the hot pickups and best additions, but each Sunday night, I have gotten to break down some of the players who popped up as early candidates to be additions heading into the week.
A key factor to keep a close eye on every week is that new injuries occur, changing the fantasy football landscape. Heading for the Waiver Wire Week 15, here are some new situations to keep a close eye on moving forward
Players with new injuries from Week 14 to watch:
- QB Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
- QB Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
- QB Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
- RB De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
- RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- RB Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers
- RB Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
- WR Xavier Legette,Carolina Panthers
With those injuries in mind, here are some of my top names to watch on the Week 14 waiver wire.
WR Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s definitely worth checking to see if Adam Thielen ($5,300; 22.2 FPTS), Jauan Jennings ($5,200; 28 FPTS), or Jordan Addison ($5,300; 42.3 FPTS) are sitting around on your league’s waiver wires. If you need a deeper look, though, check out Bucs’ rookie Jalen McMillan ($3,500; 21.9 FPTS). McMillan caught a pair of touchdowns in the Bucs win over the Raiders for over 20 fantasy points and the best performance of his career.
MAKE THAT ✌️ for J MAC
📺: #LVvsTB on CBS pic.twitter.com/wZBnyBA8kL
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 8, 2024
Not only did the third-round pick have his first multi-touchdown performance in the NFL, but he also matched his career high with four catches and was targeted a team-high seven times.
Mike Evans ($7,200; 10.9 FPTS) was able to play through his injuries, and there were still enough looks to go around for the Bucs. McMillan could be ready to step in the role vacated by Chris Godwin (knee) earlier this season. Godwin is a free agent after this season, so McMillan can make the case to be his long-term replacement as well. The Bucs have been hoping the rookie would break out and this week could be the start of a strong finishing stretch for him.
Next week, the NFC South-leading Bucs visit the Chargers in Los Angeles before facing the Cowboys, Panthers and Saints to close out the season.
Other receivers who stepped up in Week 14 and will get attention on the waiver wire Week 15 include Tim Patrick ($3,800; 22.3 FPTS), Ray-Ray McCloud III ($4,500; 17.1 FPTS) and Mack Hollins ($3,500; 15.7 FPTS)
RB Patrick Taylor Jr., San Francisco 49ers
Running back on the waiver wire at this point of the season are rare to find, but injuries have opened up a few opportunities. It took multiple of injuries to get to Patrick Taylor Jr. ($4,000; 8.5 FPTS) into a place where he may be starting for the 49ers next week.
Isaac Guerendo ($5,400; 26.8 FPTS) looked very good with 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries and two catches for 50 more yards, but he left the game with a foot injury. He was taking over for Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Jordan Mason (ankle), who were already on IR.
Taylor finished with 25 yards and a touchdown on his seven carries.
Patrick Taylor joins the TD party in San Francisco
📺: #CHIvsSF on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/d5yb5ucoN1— NFL (@NFL) December 9, 2024
While there is not a clear timetable for Guerendo’s injury yet, it could be challenging for him to come back quickly, especially on a short week. San Francisco plays the Rams on Thursday at home before traveling to Miami and hosting Detroit. If Guerendo is out for those matchups, Taylor showed enough to be worth a look in the 49ers’ offense.
Taylor just joined the 49ers this year after spending three seasons with the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Memphis. He has shown he can produce as a receiver out of the backfield as well and could be an emergency starter for your fantasy team next week if he’s also one for the 49ers.
Other running backs who are options to consider from the waiver wire Week 15 include last week’s pickup Sincere McCormick ($4,600; 10.9 FPTS), Kendre Miller ($4,000; 9.2 FPTS), Tyler Allgeier ($4,500; 12.3 FPTS) and Isaiah Davis ($4,000; 15.7 FPTS) if Breece Hall misses another game.
QB Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns
Jameis Winston ($5,400; 17.3 FPTS) has always made his offenses exciting throughout his career. He is typically very aggressive, which creates big plays in both directions. Since taking over for the Browns this year, he has been a solid fantasy producer. With a couple of good matchups the next two weeks, he can be an emergency or streaming option at QB in the over 60% of leagues where he’s still on the waiver wire.
On Sunday, Winston threw two touchdowns including this nice connection with Jerry Jeudy ($5,700; 17.4 FPTS):
a familiar spot for @jerryjeudy#CLEvsPIT on CBS and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/cmSzFUvb2G
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 8, 2024
He connected with David Njoku ($5,100; 17.2 FPTS) late for his second score and finished with 212 yards, two touchdowns and two picks. Winston has thrown eight touchdowns in his last four games with two games with massive yardage totals. He racked up 395 yards in Week 11 against the Saints and 497 yards in last week’s loss to the Broncos.
Next week, he and the Browns will host the Chiefs before a nice matchup with the Bengals in Week 16. If you need a spot starter or depth play in those two weeks, Winston may be the right pickup for you.
Other available QBs to consider include Drake Maye coming back from a bye week, Aaron Rodgers ($5,300; 20.56 FPTS), who looked good and takes on the Jags next week, and Bryce Young ($5,200; 13.54 FPTS), who seems to be heading the right direction since getting back in the lineup.
TE Grant Calcaterra, Philadelphia Eagles
Before their matchup with the Panthers this week, the Eagles placed Dallas Goedert on IR with a knee injury. For the rest of the fantasy football season, Grant Calcaterra ($3,500; 10.6 FPTS) should be the starting option at tight end for the Eagles, and I highlighted about Cacaterra as a possible fantasy football sleeper.
On Sunday, Calcaterra scored his first NFL touchdown, which turned out to be the game-winner against Carolina.
🚨 FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN GRANT CALCATERRA 🚨
@grcalcaterra | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/5q3d1Jh4v0— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 8, 2024
He caught all three of his targets for a total of 16 yards to go with that touchdown and has converted 20 of his 23 targets to catches for a total of 232 yards this season. He had at least three catches in three of four games earlier this year when Goedert was out, and he should be involved enough o be a plug-and-play option if you’re desperate at tight end.
The third-year tight end out of SMU is available in over 95% of leagues and will take on the Steelers, Commanders and Cowboys over the next three weeks as the Eagles top tight end option.
Pat Freiermuth ($3,800; 17.2 FPTS) and Juwan Johnson ($3,400; 15 FPTS) also continued to be solid plays who can be solid pickups if available. If you need a super-deep pickup, Daniel Bellinger ($2,700; 9.5 FPTS) looks to be the starter in New York after the season-ending injury to rookie Theo Johnson.
Falcons DST
The Falcons DST ($2,500; 0 FPTS) had a very rough week in Minnesota against the Vikings, finsihing with zero fantasy points. They did have four sacks but gave up 42 points in their loss to the Vikings.
After that showing, the Falcons’ ownership is under 10%, but they’re in a great spot to bounce back over the next two weeks. They travel to Las Vegas on Monday Night Football next week, where the Raiders will have to figure out what to do at QB after Aidan O’Connell (knee) suffered a potentially significant injury. It could be former Falcon Desmond Ridder ($4,800; 4.34 FPTS). After that game, in Week 16 they host the Giants in another great matchup.
The Falcons defense had five sacks against the Chargers last week and had forced 11 turnovers in 12 games before Sunday’s struggle. Facing two struggling offenses is enough to make them a good streaming option, especially since they’ll be looking to erase the memory of this week’s trip to Minnesota.
Other top streaming options to check out for Week 14 include the Ravens DST (vs. the Giants) the Cardinals DST (vs. the Patriots) and the Commanders DST (vs. the Saints).
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
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