Fantasy Football Week 15 Early Waiver Wired Pickups (2022)

The bye weeks are behind us, and the fantasy football playoffs (and toilet bowls) are HERE.

The first slate of games hit us with serious injuries, so we’ll all sprint to the waiver wire on Tuesday. Here are a few players I have at the top of my roster after the first handful of games are over.

Quarterbacks

Desmond Ridder (QB – ATL): 2% registered

At this point, if you don’t have your QB1, or if you’re swinging with two streamers, I don’t know how you got to the fantasy playoffs. Maybe you’re trying to avoid a loser punishment here. Anyway, Ridder is barely registered and has great mobility, so there are only advantages. Who else do you add? Mayfield Baker?

Taylor Heinicke (QB – WAS): 14% registered

Heinicke is on this list practically every week. Well, he just dropped a fantastic 24 points to the Giants, is off this week and plays them again next weekend, but this time at home. I like these probabilities.

Running backs

Gus Edwards (RB–BAL): 38% registered

JK Dobbins came back from IR today and reclaimed his spot at the Ravens’ RB1. Edwards, however, wasn’t too far behind in terms of workload today. Given Dobbins’ return, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Edwards fall in some leagues. Edwards remains a good handcuff for Dobbins and, if you’re desperate, should sniff double-digit touches per game, regardless of Dobbins’ status.

Tyler Allgeier (RB-ATL): 36% registered

It’s hard to say whether the Falcons consider this a lost/rebuilt season or not, as they’re still technically in the game to win the NFC South. Either way, Allgeier led all of the Falcons’ RBs in a few clicks last weekend and earned that regime’s trust as a pass blocker. His floor at this point is 10 carries and a hold, so I guess you could do worse.

Jaylen Warren (RB–PIT): 9% registered

After taking time off to treat an injury, Warren is back and has resumed his role as the Steelers’ RB2. Should Najee Harris miss a game for any reason, Warren is a good game.

Rex Burkhead (RB–HOU): 7% registered

Listen, I’m not going anywhere near the Texans backfield without Dameon Pierce. It’ll be a waste of a timeshare with Burkhead, A Benjaminand Dare Ogunbowale. However, if I have to play one, it’s Burkhead. He’s the veteran option who got a few runs on the goal line today. He passes blocks well and can catch up to the backfield. If Pierce misses a game, I’d be surprised if Burkhead didn’t have at least 12-15 touches.

Wide Receivers

DJ Chark (WR-DET): 22% registered

For the third week in a row, Chark’s goals have increased. He also has 11 catches for 192 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks. At this point, with how Jared Goff plays, Chark is a staple of the week.

Richie James (WR–NYG): 1% registered

James is downright the Giants’ WR2, and with TE Daniel Bellinger bumped again, his target share should stay high. James has 21 targets, 18 catches, 170 yards and three touchdowns over his last four games.

Chris Moore (WR-HOU): 2% registered

You will need to monitor the health of both brandin cooks and nico collins if you want to add and start Chris Moore. Without either, Moore had 10 catches for 124 yards today. If both are active, Moore is way off my starting lineup.

Ben Skowronek (WR – LAR): 3% registered

Baker Mayfield is in charge in Los Angeles, and his favorite target seems to be Skowronek. He caught seven of eight targets for 89 yards on Thursday, and as exhausted as the Rams’ wide receivers room is, it’s not hard to see Skowronek building on that through the end of the season.

tight ends

Taysom Hill (TE – NO): 39% registered

If Hill is available in your league and you don’t have a starting TE, I would definitely recommend going for him. The Swiss army knife type player can provide fantastic value for running, throwing and catching, which in itself puts it a step above other waiver wire TEs.

Chigoziem Okonkwo (TE – TEN): 4% registered

Okonkwo has all the ingredients for a fantastic end-of-season gem. It doesn’t take much to climb into starting territory at the TE position; lately, Okonkwo is doing the trick. The 2022 fourth-round pick had five targets in each of his last two games. Today he kept that momentum going, catching all four of his targets and a touchdown.

Defense/Special Teams

Atlanta Falcons (7% registered)

It feels like forever, but the Falcons’ 26-27 week one loss to the Saints still definitely stings. Do you remember this one? As the old tale goes, the Falcons led 26-10 in the fourth quarter and lost. Well, the Falcons are coming off a bye, playing with a new quarterback, and getting another crack at this less than impressive Saints team. This match between bitter rivals should be low score and actually a lot of fun to watch.

Minnesota Vikings (22% registered)

The Vikings host the Colts on Thursday. The Colts lead the NFL in turnovers, giving any defense they play a chance at fantastic relevance.

Green Bay Packers (38% registered)

The Packers are off this week, which means they have an extra week to prepare for the Rams’ lackluster offense. The game takes place in Green Bay, which could always add a weather element to this time of year as well.

Kickers

Fairbairn Quest (K – NEW): 2% registered

The Texans offense is struggling to score touchdowns. That’s where Fairbairn comes in. He’s attempted five field goals in the past two weeks, kicked two of 50+ today and hasn’t missed a single attempt since week seven.

Riley Patterson (K-JAX): 3% registered

The Week 11 bye did some good things for Patterson. How or why, I’m not sure, but in the three games since then he’s made his seven attempts.

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning list of fantasy football tools while you navigate your season. Of our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal range based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wizardwho lets you quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered for this fantasy football season.