Waiver Wire Watch: Week 15
Editor’s Note: We’re happy to announce the arrival of 4for4 Contributor Pat Fitzmaurice (formerly of Pro Football Weekly), who will work in conjunction with Senior Editor John Paulsen to compile this list of the top waiver wire pickups each week.
Here is a look at the top waiver wire pickups for Week 15. To be eligible for discussion, the player must be owned in 50% or fewer ESPN leagues, though we’ll stretch the rules a bit for the RB position, which is usually very thin. We’ll also include suggested bid prices (with a $100 budget) for those leagues that use Free Agent Acquisition Budgets. Of course, player value depends on league characteristics and team needs. Players are listed by position in order of importance. For extremely shallow or extremely deep leagues, be sure to review our Rest-of-Season Rankings (updated every Tuesday) to get an idea of how to value players not on this list.
* Players with an asterisk next to their name were mentioned in last week’s Waiver Wire Watch.
Bengals QB Andy Dalton* ($6)
The Red Rifle is coming off his best game in a month — a 275-yard, three-TD, zero-interception outing against the Colts — and now draws a semi-favorable matchup against the downtrodden Steelers. (Dalton threw for 280 yards and a TD against Pittsburgh back in Week 2.) Looking further ahead, fantasy owners who are streaming QBs for the playoffs should love Dalton’s Week 16 matchup against the Vikings.
Next up: Steelers, Vikings, Ravens
Bears QB Jay Cutler* ($4) or Josh McCown ($1)
Owned in 50.7% of ESPN leagues, Cutler could be back from a high-ankle sprain in time for a Week 15 matchup against the Browns, though the Bears have shown no inclination to rush him back. Josh McCown, owned in only 19% of ESPN leagues, has been steady at the rudder in Cutler’s absence. Either QB would be a solid start this week, even though the Cleveland defense is no pushover and will be playing at home. But head coach Marc Trestman has the Chicago passing game humming, and WRs Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are extraordinary assets.
Next up: Browns, Eagles, Packers
Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill* ($3)
Tannehill threw for only 200 yards against the Steelers on Sunday, his lowest yardage total since Halloween, but threw three TD passes and had a season-high 56 rushing yards on an inclement day in Pittsburgh. Expect a higher yardage output this week in a home game against a New England defense that just yielded 300-plus passing yards to Jason Campbell and the Browns.
Next up: Patriots, Bills, Jets
