With fantasy football playoffs rapidly approaching, Week 15 brings make-or-break matchups in many leagues. With your entire season potentially coming down to one week, it’s imperative that you make the best roster decisions to put you over the top.
I’ll help you decide which fantasy football waiver wire pickups you should make that could benefit your fantasy teams for this critical week and beyond, including fantasy playoffs.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 15 Tips & Notes
- Fantasy Football Waiver Wire updates are completed Sunday nights, Mondays, and Tuesdays.
- We generally target players with a roster percentage of lower than 50%, but we’ll make exceptions in urgent cases of priority additions.
- Free-Agent Acquisition Budget dollar bid prices for Week 15 are based on a season-long budget of $100.
- Adjust your percentage and scale accordingly for your league’s FAAB structure and your remaining FAAB dollars.
- Roster % is based on Yahoo! Fantasy leagues information as of 9 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 12.
2021 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 15: Top Pickups
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks (19% rostered)
Rashaad Penny is emerging as the running back to roster in Seattle. He now has double-digit carries in back-to-back weeks, tallying 26 during that span.
Coach Pete Carroll has been pushing to keep Penny more involved, and after his monster Week 14 performance there’s no reason for his touches to diminish. Penny ran all over the Houston Texans for 137 yards and two touchdowns, solidifying his role as the top dog in Seattle’s backfield.
Even if Penny isn’t someone you plan on starting right away, you should still pick him up for his salivating Week 17 matchup against the Detroit Lions, who have given up the third-most fantasy points to running backs this season.
- Rashaad Penny Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $17
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K.J. Osborn, WR, Minnesota Vikings (38% rostered)
Along with Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn has been a key benefactor with Adam Thielen sidelined due to a high-ankle sprain. In Minnesota’s last two games, Osborn has caught 7-of-16 targets for 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
QB Kirk Cousins has been been on fire this year, throwing multiple touchdowns in all but three games this season, including his last six in a row. With the Vikings frequently involved in close, high-scoring games due to their lackluster defense, they usually end up throwing the ball a lot.
With Osborn establishing himself as a reliable deep threat for Cousins, look for him to remain a strong fantasy option while Thielen’s on the mend.
- K.J. Osborn Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $12
With K.J. Osborn stepping up in Adam Thielen’s absence, the Minnesota Vikings WR is a top waiver wire add for Week 15. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland Browns (10% rostered)
While Cleveland’s wideouts have disappointed this year due to Baker Mayfield‘s struggles, Donovan Peoples-Jones has been one of the few bright spots for the Browns’ receiving corps. He’s seen at least five targets in five of his last six games, including three in a row.
Peoples-Jones carries some risk as a boom-or-bust fantasy option, but he’s displayed his upside more often than not with at least 70 receiving yards in four of his last six games. He’s also found the end zone three times during that span.
With Cleveland facing a tough schedule the rest of the way, they’ll likely be playing from behind and forced to pass more, which bodes well for continued production from Peoples-Jones.
- Donovan Peoples-Jones Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $10
Austin Hooper, TE, Cleveland Browns (41% rostered)
Another Browns pass-catcher to consider is tight end Austin Hooper. While his overall numbers aren’t amazing because of a sluggish start, he’s started to see more volume lately and should now be considered a viable streaming option.
Hooper has seen at least five targets in four of his last six games, including seven targets twice in his past three games. He’s also become a more reliable red-zone threat with two touchdowns in his last four games.
For the same reasons I like Peoples-Jones going forward, Hooper should continue to see steady targets the rest of the way.
- Austin Hooper Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $6
NEW – Josh Reynolds, WR, Detroit Lions (8% rostered)
Josh Reynolds has emerged as a safe and consistent fantasy option at the wide receiver position, drawing 17 targets from Jared Goff over his last three games.
That extra attention has translated into additional volume for Reynolds, who’s notched at least 52 receiving yards in three consecutive weeks. The 26-year-old wideout has totaled 191 receiving yards and a touchdown during that span.
Reynolds’ teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown — another wideout to target on waivers at 12% rostered — has seen increased usage as well with 24 targets over his last two games.
Detroit’s top two wideouts are getting plenty of work lately and are available in most leagues. If you need help at the position, grab either Reynolds or St. Brown to bring a safe floor to your WR3 spot in the fantasy playoffs.
- Josh Reynolds Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $11
2021 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 15: One-Week Streamer Plays
NEW – Cleveland Browns Defense D/ST (39% rostered)
More Browns? Yes please.
While Cleveland’s offense has struggled at times, their defense has kept them afloat. They’ve been fairly consistent all season, registering multiple sacks in all but two games this year.
The Browns’ defense has also been on a roll lately with six sacks, six interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown in their last three games.
Cleveland’s unit is in a prime spot for another strong performance this week against the fading Las Vegas Raiders, who have scored fewer than 17 points in five of their last six games.
Ride a surging Browns defense that has allowed fewer than 17 points in five of its last seven games.
- Cleveland Browns Defense D/ST Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $6
NEW – Philadelphia Eagles Defense D/ST (20% rostered)
The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense has been a safe fantasy option for four straight games with four sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns in that span.
Coming off a bye week, the Eagles still have three favorable matchups remaining, starting with Week 15’s divisional showdown at home versus the Washington Football Team. Washington has given up the 14th-most fantasy points to defenses and should result in another productive day for Philly’s unit.
- Philadelphia Eagles Defense D/ST Waiver Wire FAAB Bid: $5
