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Through The Wire - Week 15



By Antonio D'Arcangelis | 12/13/22 |

Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business, but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious selections to help your team from week to week while you strive for that elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp.

The waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players that might be available in 12-team PPR leagues. I’ll also provide a brief update on the players I covered the previous week.

Feedback is always welcome, appreciated and encouraged. I’ll get to as many e-mails as I can.


Week 15 Byes: None

Baker Mayfield

Quarterbacks

Brock Purdy, SF at Seattle – Purdy was one of the biggest surprises of Week 14, which saw interesting if not solid performances from at least three QBs on the fantasy fringe. While he picked up an oblique injury early, the rookie completed 16-of-21 pass attempts for 185-2-0 and added a rushing score. We’ll need to monitor his status before Thursday's contest against the Seahawks, but it's only Josh Johnson available behind Purdy with Jimmy Garoppolo (foot) still out for the foreseeable future.

UPDATE: Purdy is still considered day-to-day as the 49ers prep for the Thursday night game with the Seahawks on what will be a very short week. Stay tuned to the daily injury reports leading up to gametime.

Baker Mayfield, LAR at Green Bay – Mayfield led an amazing comeback win on the Rams’ final drive and finished with 230-1-0 and rushed four times for 10 yards. The matchup with Green Bay is a decent one and Sean McVay said he plans on starting the journeyman QB for the team’s final four weeks.

Taylor Heinicke, WAS vs. New York Giants – The Commanders were on a bye and Heinicke isn’t a great option, but he might be worth a look in two-QB and superflex formats and in DFS against the Giants.

Other QBs to consider (Week 15 opponents in parentheses): Derek Carr, LV (vs. NE); Ryan Tannehill, TEN (@LAC)

UPDATE (players recommended last week):

Tyler Huntley, BAL – Huntley left Sunday’s win over the Steelers with what was deemed a concussion. Anthony Brown could make his first NFL start Saturday barring a miraculous return by Huntley or Lamar Jackson (knee).

UPDATE: Huntley was throwing passes Tuesday during practice, so it appears he’s at least made some progress.

Mac Jones, NE – UPDATE: Jones completed 24-of-35 passes for 235-0-1 in the 27-13 win over the Cardinals on Monday night. Next week promises a better matchup against a weak Las Vegas secondary.

Russell Wilson, DEN – Wilson was my nutty call of the week and he was one of the better QBs to roster, but he did get concussed before he could finish the game. He ended Week 14 with 247-3-1 and added four carries for 57 yards. He’ll need to clear the concussion protocol to play against the Cardinals in Week 15.

UPDATE: No concrete news about how Wilson is advancing through the protocols at this point, so you’d be wise to consider other options.

Running Backs

Jerick McKinnon, KC at Houston – McKinnon outplayed Isiah Pacheco from a fantasy perspective, carrying six times for 22 yards and hauling in 6-112-2 on seven targets in Sunday’s 34-28 win over the Broncos. He’s got upside but could always go somewhat absent given this offense and all its weapons.

J.K. Dobbins, BAL at Cleveland – Dobbins has made his way back from a knee injury to earn the trust of the coaching staff. He recorded 15 carries for 120 yards and a TD in the 16-14 win over the Steelers and could have a similar workload and production in Week 15.

Chuba Hubbard, CAR vs. Pittsburgh – Hubbard seemed to overtake the main ball carrier role in Carolina, rushing 14 times for 74 yards and a TD in the 30-24 win over the Seahawks. He also caught all three of his targets for 25 yards and appears to be a solid play against Pittsburgh.

UPDATE: New England RBs at Las Vegas – Rhamondre Stevenson went down on Monday night and the Pats used Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. Both backs, practice squad stalwart J.J. Taylor and Damien Harris could all get the call if Stevenson’s ankle is a problem in Week 15. Honestly, it will be tough to figure out the situation given Bill Belichick’s history, denying us a clear fantasy outlook.

Other RBs to consider (Week 15 opponents in parentheses): Kyren Williams, LAR (@GB); Ameer Abdullah, LV (vs. NE); Marlon Mack, DEN (vs. ARI); Boston Scott, PHI (@CHI)

UPDATE (players recommended last week):

Isiah Pacheco, KC – Pacheco didn’t get the big scores like McKinnon, but he carried the ball 13 times for 70 yards and caught all three of his targets for 23 yards in Sunday’s win. He’s an RB2 moving forward.

James Cook, BUF – Four carries for 6 rushing yards and 1-9-0 receiving. Not what we were looking for.

Cam Akers, LAR – Akers retains the edge as the lead back in Los Angeles. He rushed 12 times for 42 yards and a TD and caught his only target for one yard in the win over the Raiders on Thursday night. He also lost a fumble, so there’s nothing safe about playing him moving forward.

Zonovan Knight, NYJ – Knight did it again! He rushed 17 times for 71 yards and a TD and added 2-6-0 in the loss to the Bills.

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

Chris Moore, HOU vs. Kansas City – With Nico Collins and Brandin Cooks out, Moore recorded 10 receptions on 11 targets for 124 yards in Sunday’s 27-23 loss to the Cowboys. If either Collins or Cooks return in Week 15 against the Chiefs, Moore could see a diminished role, but he proved he can handle the targets on Sunday.

TE Evan Engram, JAX vs. Dallas – Engram blew up for 11-162-2 on 15 in Sunday’s 36-22 win over the Titans, and while he’ll have a tougher time against the Cowboys, he’s a bona fide TE1 now.

Donovan Peoples-Jones, CLE vs. Baltimore – Peoples-Jones has shown better chemistry with Deshaun Watson than Amari Cooper, and he caught eight of 12 targets for 114 yards in the loss to Cincinnati. He makes sense as a WR3.

Isaiah Hodgins, NYG at Washington – Hodgins now had TDs in consecutive games after hauling in four of six targets for 38 yards and a score in the Giants’ 48-22 loss to the Eagles on Sunday.

Other WRs/TEs to consider (Week 15 opponents in parentheses): Elijah Moore, NYJ (vs. DET); Ben Skowronek, LAR (@GB); Noah Brown, DAL (@JAX); Trenton Irwin, CIN (@TB); Tutu Atwell, LAR (@GB); Nelson Agholor, NE (@LV)

UPDATE (players recommended last week):

Nico Collins, HOU – Collins (foot) was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.

D.J. Chark, DET – Chark had 6-94-1 on seven targets in the Lions’ 34-23 win over the Vikings on Sunday, and Detroit’s offensive juggernaut continues to make hay.

Jameson Williams, DET – Just one catch, but it was a 41-yard TD. He’s only viable in very deep formats right now.

TE Greg Dulcich, DEN – Dulcich was mediocre in a great matchup for just 3-42-0 in the loss to Kansas City.

TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, TEN – Okonkwo continues his emergence as a viable low-end TE1. He recorded six receptions on six targets for 45 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Jaguars and Tannehill seems to love him.

Defense/ Special Teams

  • Arizona at DEN
  • Kansas City at HOU
  • Minnesota vs. IND
  • Cleveland vs. BAL
  • Cincinnati at TB
  • Baltimore at CLE