Week 14 is now in the books, bringing us us to the first round of playoffs for some and the semifinals for others. Now that the playoffs are here, it is essential to look at using your claims for high upside players who have the potential to win a championship for you or to take valuable players away from opposing teams. Here is a look at my top waiver wire adds for Week 15:
Quarterback:
Derek Carr: OAK (19%) Derek Carr and the Raiders offense have somehow come to life. After losing Amari Cooper, who has been one of the best receivers in the NFL since being traded to the Cowboys, Carr has put together his best two games in back to back weeks, throwing for 607 yards and 5 touchdowns. The main reason Carr makes the waiver list is his upcoming schedule for the fantasy playoffs. In Week 15, the Raiders will be playing the Bengals who have one of the worst defenses this season, so Carr will be a plug in QB to help your team advance into the next round.
Josh Allen: BUF (14%) Josh Allen has looked like a poor man’s Cam Newton since returning from injury, constantly showing off his athleticism and strong arm. In the last 3 weeks, Allen has rushed for 335 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns adding on just 3 passing touchdowns. Allen has thrown for 4 interceptions in these games, but if he can cut down on the turnovers his rushing ability makes it so that he can be a consistent starting option at quarterback.
Running Back:
Kenneth Dixon: BAL (8%) So far this season, Dixon has only played in 3 games, getting 29 carries for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. Coming back from injury in Week 13, Dixon has gotten 8 carries in both games he’s played and has impressed, even with Gus Edwards doing well. The Ravens have to be considering giving Dixon more opportunities as he’s been impressive when called upon. As the season winds down, even if you are comfortable with your current running back situation, Dixon could prove to be a great addition to add depth to your bench as you wait to see what happens with him.
Damien Williams: KC (17%) If Spencer Ware’s shoulder is significantly hurt, Williams would be a great waiver wire addition. Williams scored two touchdowns for the Chiefs in a tough game against the Ravens stout defense in Week 14. Although he only has 16 carries for 53 yards this season, Williams’ value really comes in PPR formats as he hauled in 4 of 5 targets and could potentially see an increase in snaps if Spencer Ware is unable to play.
Wide Receiver
Kenny Stills: MIA (31%) Kenny Stills was a big part of the Dolphins’ upset miracle win against the Patriots in Week 14 as he caught 8 of 9 targets for 135 yards and a touchdown. Stills is averaging an impressive 15.8 yards a catch and he now has caught a touchdown in back to back games, giving him 6 total on the season. If the Dolphins can keep the momentum going and keep targeting Stills, he could continue to produce. The next two weeks, Stills and the Dolphins will be taking on the Vikings and Jaguars in fairly tough matchups. But for teams in need of a receiver, Stills could be a decent option based on the high volume he’s been receiving.
Robert Foster: BUF (1%) The Bills release of Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes has opened the door for Zay Jones and teammate Robert Foster. It really showed this Sunday as he caught 7 of 8 passes for 104 yards. The Bills are playing with nothing to lose now except draft position, so they should continue using Foster to see if he can build chemistry with starting quarterback Josh Allen. Foster has good size at 6’2 and ran a 4.41 40 yard dash in the combine. He joined the Bills as an undrafted free agent, so the Bills are hoping they may have found a diamond in the rough. Foster has the ability to take the top of a defense, which was evident in the Week 12 win over the Jaguars when he caught a 75 yard touchdown from his big arm quarterback. His speed and recent usage give him great value as we head to the end of the fantasy season, making him a top waiver claim.
Tight End
Ian Thomas: CAR (8%) In the last two weeks, Ian Thomas has filled in very nicely for Greg Olsen. The rookie tight end was especially impressive in the Panthers Week 14 loss, catching 9 of 11 targets for 77 yards. Thomas has topped his season total for receptions and yards in just the last two weeks after early season struggles that were most likely caused by unexpectedly taking over for Greg Olsen early in the season and having to take time to learn the team’s playbook. Now that he has had time to work with the starting offense and learn the playbook, Thomas looks ready to continue producing in the Panthers passing attack and is worth a waiver claim. I would even suggest picking up Thomas if you don’t necessarily need a tight end in order to stop your opponent from getting a quality player in the hardest position to fill for the fantasy playoffs.
Thank you for reading and be sure to follow me on Twitter for more fantasy football advice throughout the week @LonskiWilliam
