We have been building to this all season long! Finally, we are officially in the fantasy football playoffs and, if you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re still alive. Congratulations!
Enough patting ourselves on the back. Now, we get back to work. Bye weeks are over, but it would appear that every other player in the NFL has COVID, so waivers will continue to play an essential part in building that championship roster.
Here are the best fantasy football waiver claims for Week 15. As always, everyone mentioned today will be available in around 50% or more Yahoo leagues. Last week, the Colts, Dolphins, Patriots, and Eagles were on a bye, so be sure to check if any of their better players were dropped out of desperation.
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Quarterbacks
Tua Tagovailoa (61% Available)
At this point, it’s all about the schedule, and you won’t find one much better than Tua and the Dolphins. In Week 15, they get the Jets, followed by New Orleans and Tennessee. It is scary putting your playoff hopes in the hands of a waiver wire quarterback, but Tua has almost 750 yards and five TDs in his last three games.
Playoff Schedule: vs NYJ, @ NO, @ TEN
Ben Roethlisberger (78% Available)
There is no denying that it is hard to watch Ben Roethlisberger play right now. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. He’s old, fat, and slow (and I’m allowed to say that because I’m also old, fat, and slow!) Thankfully, he has a couple of the best weapons in football in Najee Harris and Diontae Johnson. Over the last six games, he’s only failed to hit 15+ fantasy points one time and has a decent playoff schedule.
Playoff Schedule: vs TEN, @ KC, vs CLE
Taysom Hill (50% Available)
Even as a notorious Taysom Hill hater, I can’t deny the work he is putting in, especially in the running game. He’s scored over 50 fantasy points in his last two games. When looking for a playoff QB, you cannot deny that kind of production. Could it all come crashing down? Probably, but his floor is safer than most.
Playoff Schedule: @TB, vs MIA, vs CAR
Jimmy Garoppolo (70% Available)
Garoppolo has been a pretty boring option this season, but as Deebo, Aiyuk, and Kittle all start to hit their stride, he might be a sneaky great playoff option. He’s thrown for two TDs in five of his last six games.
Playoff Schedule: vs ATL, @ TEN, vs HOU
Justin Fields (81% Available)
Fields is hard to trust because we’ve seen how low his floor is in this Matt Nagy offense. However, he’s scored 20+ fantasy points in three of his last four starts and has a very nice playoff schedule.
Playoff Schedule: vs MIN, @ SEA, vs NYG
Running Backs
Rashaad Penny (79% Available)
It appears that two things are happening at once. 1. Rashaad Penny is finally starting to look like a 1st Round pick. 2. Seattle is going to treat him like a 1st Round pick. The timing could not be better for fantasy managers in RB hell. Penny just torched Houston to the tune of 135 yards and two TDs. His playoff schedule is significantly more challenging than the Texans, but he is still worth waiver priority based on volume alone.
Playoff Schedule: @ LAR, vs CHI, vs DET
Rhamondre Stevenson (50% Available)
Stevenson is still more of an insurance policy than a Flex option but he is an RB1 waiting to happen if Damien Harris misses time.
Playoff Schedule: @ IND, vs BUF, vs JAX
Royce Freeman (100% Available)
Trusting a Houston running back is tough (did you even know he played for Houston?), but Freeman might get free reign over this backfield for the next month, and the schedule is quite nice.
Playoff Schedule: @ JAX, vs LAC, @ SF
Michael Carter (37% Available)
Carter breaks my 50% available rule, but he is coming off of IR at the perfect time and was pretty damn good before his injury. He was the RB14 in fantasy from Week 4 to Week 10 and should not be available in any leagues.
Wide Receivers
Rashod Bateman (64% Available)
It’s always hard to trust a WR on a run-heavy team. It gets incredibly complicated when their star QB is also hurt. So why recommend Bateman? Because when they involve him, he is electric. He just posted the first 100-yard game of his young career, and if that is a sign of things to come, you want him on your team.
Playoff Schedule: vs GB, @ CIN, vs LAR
KJ Osborn (62% Available)
If you had taken my advice last week, he would have been in your starting lineup. But, instead, your fighting for him on waivers after an 83-yard, one TD performance.
Playoff Schedule: @ CHI, vs LAR, @ GB
Russell Gage (50% Available)
We’re finally getting close to him not qualifying for this list. He’s scored just about 10 or more fantasy points in six of his last seven games and is averaging seven targets per game in that span.
Playoff Schedule: @ SF, vs DET, @ BUF
DeVante Parker (54% Available)
Parker is playing well after coming off of the IR, and the timing could not be better. Though separated by more than a month, he was targeted 16 times in his last two starts and caught 13 balls for 147 yards. Like his QB, the schedule is why you want him on your team.
Playoff Schedule: vs NYJ, @ NO, @ TEN
AJ Green (60% Available)
It’s a not-so-fun guessing game of who will see the most targets for Arizona, but Green is a safe bet to blow up in any given week. He just logged his 2nd 100-yard game of the season last week and has a favorable schedule to end the season.
Playoff Schedule: @ DET, vs IND, @ DAL
Amon-Ra St. Brown (88% Available)
After many weeks of guessing, it appears that ARSB is finally becoming the favorite target in Detroit. Goff has targeted him 24 times in the last two games. It’s a gamble, but they should be throwing a ton.
Playoff Schedule: vs ATL, @ ARZ, @ SEA
Tight Ends
Tyler Conklin (53% Available)
Conklin was quiet in Week 14, but he still sees more volume than your average fantasy tight end.
Playoff Schedule: @ CHI, vs LAR, @ GB
Gerald Everett (69% Available)
Everett appears to be the primary beneficiary of Russell Wilson’s inability to throw as deep as usual. A TD saved a low-volume Week 14, but Everett has been targeted 29 times in the last five games.
Playoff Schedule: @ LAR, vs CHI, vs DET
James O’Shaughnessy (99% Available)
Jacksonville is in the top half of the league when it comes to targeting the TE position and throws the TE on 20% of their throws. O’Shaughnessy has been targeted 17 times in the last three games, and that volume isn’t going anywhere.
Playoff Schedule: vs HOU, @ NYJ, @ NE
Brevin Jordan (100% Available)
Rookie quarterbacks love their TEs. Rookie TEs take time to develop. The timing is perfect for a late-season breakout for Brevin Jordan. He’s scored three TDs since Week 8 and should be a factor in this offense to end the season.
Playoff Schedule: @ JAX, vs LAC, @ SF
Looking for more Week 15 help? Our weekly rankings are updated by Wednesday morning every week!