NFL WAIVER WATCH WEEK 15

2023-12-14 · 4 min read · NFL/Football
Matt Stafford and Jayden Reed

Rich Schultz/Getty Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

QB
Matthew Stafford (LA Rams)
  • You always want 20 plus points out of your QB but only some and not many on the wire can reliably do this. Let me introduce you to Matthew “20 Points, trust me” Stafford. Since Kyren Williams returned in Week 12, Stafford has thrown 10 touchdowns in three games. Prior to that, he had thrown nine over the entire season. Now the Rams have Stafford, Williams, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua healthy; that's a recipe for offensive success. In the three games they have all appeared Stafford has scored 23.4, 23.0 and 23.7 fantasy points. Most bafflingly of all, the last two were against the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens, two of the toughest matchups for quarterbacks in the entire league. But this week's opponent, Washington Commanders, is the complete opposite. They sit second in fantasy points allowed to QBs this season. Stafford is easily my favourite QB on the wire and I consider him a lower end top 10 QB.
Jake Browning (Cincinnati Bengals)
  • Browning has scored 23 or more fantasy points in his past two games as the Bengals' starter, averaging 285.3 passing yards and completing 79.3% of his throws. The Bengals face the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs over the next two weeks, and Browning has plenty of playmakers at his disposal namely Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins as well as a solid O-line in front of him. He's a highly appealing streamer for those in need. I am surprised by Browning, sure but I'm on board.
RBJerrick McKinnon (Kansas City Chiefs)
  • With the uncertainty surrounding Isiah Pacheco and the updates not being promising we have to look at the Chiefs backfield as they have a beautiful schedule coming up playing New England, Las Vegas and then Cincinnati. In Pacheco's absence on Sunday, Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the Chiefs backfield in touches (13) and total yards (68) while McKinnon handled the scoring, rushing for a seven-yard TD in the second quarter. For as long as Pacheco is sidelined, we can expect the workload split to look a lot like it did against Buffalo: CEH gets majority of the carries, McKinnon gets majority of the high value touches. McKinnon was one of the decisive players in fantasy in 2022 when he closed his season by scoring nine times in his final six games, despite averaging only 10 touches per week. It's important to note that the 2023 version of KC's offence is behind last year's squad in terms of both scoring (22.9 vs. 29.2 PPG) and total yardage (362.6 vs. 413.6 YPG). It would be a mistake to pretend the environment is exactly the same, yet the potential for real value is there.
Ty Chandler (Minnesota Vikings)
  • The Vikings pulled out a weird and horrible pyrrhic victory on Sunday at Las Vegas, benching its quarterback in the process while also losing Justin Jefferson and Alexander Mattison to injuries. After Mattison's exit, Chandler predictably dominated carries and backfield snaps for the Vikings. He didn't have a particularly noisy game, gaining just 42 yards on 15 touches, but he was unchallenged as his team's featured back. Chandler has flashed his playmaking ability and 4.38 speed in earlier weeks, so we have evidence of his potential. Now it seems he's going to dominate touches given him plenty of opportunity to break a big one.
WR
Jayden Reed (Green Bay Packers)
  • Reed has appeared on our waiver watch multiple times, but this should be his last week on the wire. The Packers rookie took 12 total touches (eight catches, four carries) for 65 total yards and a touchdown on Monday Night Football, hitting double-digit fantasy points for the fourth time in the last five weeks. The efficiency was more than a little lacking, but the involvement was again superb, and it's becoming hard to argue with the results: Specifically, the fact that Reed has scored a touchdown in each of those aforementioned four weeks (two through the air, two on the ground). He's practically Deebo Lite and a legitimate flex or WR2/3 play.
Curtis Samuel (Washington Commanders)
  • Another player who has appeared multiple times but for different reasons as simply Samuel has been one of the most reliable receivers for the Washington Commanders. He has scored at least 10 fantasy points over the past two games, with 17 total targets. Samuel has established himself as Sam (Huck it) Howell’s No. 2 receiver and has even outperformed scary Terry McLaurin at times. If you're looking for a safe, reliable flex or wr3 play this week here's an easy option for ya.
TE
Isaiah Likely (Baltimore Ravens)
  • Likely despite previously appearing on waiver watch, Likely was on plenty of benches and wires last week, while he scored 19.3 fantasy points. Let’s remedy that in Week 15, shall we? At the very least, if you have a top-five guy, add the Ravens tight end so your league mates can’t. If you don’t have one of those elite few, add Likely and consider starting him. He’s in the mix with the recently hot David Njokus and Evan Engrams of the world. Likely should be started in every league barring you having one of the truly elite TEs (Think Kelce or LaPorta) and are adding him as a backup.
D/ST
Indianapolis Colts
  • Pick up the Colts. Start the Colts. Keep starting the Colts. This is an easy one for me. Despite 34 points (and recording zero sacks) against the shockingly competent Jake Browning-led Bengals (as mentioned above). Indianapolis scored yet another defensive touchdown to continue their hot stretch of production. This week, Indy draws the Mitch Trubisky led Steelers at home. An interception is essentially guaranteed, right? Maybe even two! Another score is very possible. Fire up this Colts unit.
Other Options - (LA Rams, New Orleans Saints)
Guys worth a Gander
  • Odell Beckham (WR, Baltimore Ravens)
  • Chase Brown (RB, Cincinnati Bengals)
  • Joe Flacco (QB, Cleveland Browns)
Sports Tree Profile

By: Chase Howard

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