Waiver Week 15, for many leagues, means that the fantasy playoffs have begun and in many others they are but a week away.
I want what’s coming to me…the world…and everything in it.
Antonio “Tony” Montana as portrayed by Al Pacino in the 1983 Film Scarface directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone.
“Great victory requires great risk.
-Hera”
― Rick Riordan, The Lost Hero
With the waiver week 15 promise of glory has come injuries to:
De’Von Achane, Jerome Ford, Breece Hall, AJ Dillon,
Travis Etienne, Kareem Hunt, Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, Alexander Mattison, Isaiah Pacheco, Brian Robinson Jr., Rhamondre Stevenson, Jonathan Taylor, Justin Herbert,
Will Levis, Kenny Pickett, Geno Smith and CJ Stroud, Keenan Allen, TuTu Atwell, Nico Collins, Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, DJ Moore, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed,
Christian Watson, Hayden Hurst,
Via Rotoballers
Waiver Week 15: Running Backs
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo have each reported late Thursday afternoon that Jacobs will not play. Zamir White is likely slated to continue to carry most of the load finished the game rushing on 17 carries for 69 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, and scored one rushing touchdown. His rushing touchdown was the first of his NFL career He has averaged Versus the Chargers
Chase Brown reached a top speed of 22.05 miles per hour. Brown, the last two games has averaged 10 touches, 23% of snaps played, and 83 total yards. AJ Dillon has had 53 touches, totaling 246 total yards of offense, in the weeks in which Aaron Jones has been unavailable.
Photo by Carmen Mandato of Getty Images
Waiver Week 15: Wide Receivers
Tyreek Hill’s ankle injury has he Miami Dolphins wide receiver missed his third straight practice on Friday, but head coach Mike McDaniel said that he has not given up hope:
“Bottom line is we’ll have a conversation that will be based on — remember, this is Tyreek Hill’s career,” McDaniel said. “He’s a very experienced player. I handle very experienced players different than I handle younger guys, because they know what they signed up for and it’s his career.
“If he’s confident that he can go be himself, and I have the support of the trainers that are responsible to the risk, then he’ll play. If not, then he won’t and literally every hour, for him, is imperative.”
The Vikings and many fantasy managers were both disappointed and teased by Justin Jefferson. But on Wednesday, Justin Jefferson, confirmed that he expects to play versus the Cincinnati Bengals. Also,
“He did probably more than I originally expected and responded really well to all the work,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “So we feel really good about where Justin’s at.”
According to Adam Wexler via his X account:
“No update on Nico Collins from DeMeco Ryans, said he’ll have an update later in the week. Typically says the same about injuries on Monday.”
As of waiver week 15, Nico Collins is in the midst of having his best year, this 2023 fantasy football season. He also has four top-five weekly finishes in PPR leagues. The Houston Texans’ have a top fantasy offense and he has firmly established himself as WR; ranking among the top 30 wide receivers eight times in 12 games of the 2023 fantasy football season. This includes all of the past four full games.
The timing of his injury could hardly be worse for the Texans’ 2023 playoff push or the fantasy football season’s 2023 playoff push. Wide receiver Tank Dell is on season-ending IR, fellow rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is dealing with a concussion.
Collins missed Friday’s practice, which makes three in a row for him, per Aaron Wilson. Collins’ calf injury dealing with a malady that has now reoccurred.
As waiver week 15 arrives, Green Bay’s big play threat, Christian Justus Watson’s season statistics include 422 yards on 28 receptions (15.1 per catch) and five touchdowns, plus four carries for 11 yards. He has been targeted 53 times, but on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, he did not participate in practice.
Also, Dontayvion Wicks did not participate in the Green Bay Packers’ most recent practice. Wicks has 394 yards on 25 receptions (15.8 per catch) and one touchdown, plus one carry for one yard. He has been targeted 42 times.
In Waiver Week 15 if you have Jayden Kevon Reed, he is one of my favorite flex, or deep league, wide receiver two options. With the Texans’ injuries to their QB and Collins, the best options are Noah Brown and Robert Woods.
In Weeks 8-10, Noah Brown posted a 17.1% target share, with 4.55 yards per route run, a 23.4% air-yard share, and a 16.7% first-read share, while averaging 127.3 receiving yards per game in that period. Last week, Brown led the team with a 21.1% first-read share while operating as a boundary receiver on 75% of his snaps.
However, Brown was limited at practice all week thanks to a knee injury and is officially questionable to play heading into the weekend. He has failed to catch a ball in either of the last two weeks even with the
injuries to the other targets. Robert Woods caught one of three targets for a loss of two yards during the Texans’ 30-6 loss to the Jets in Week 14.
Entering waiver week 15 Woods has only once broken double digits scored in a game. He has tallied only an average of 4.9 points in .5 point PPR, however he is dependable and the backup is likely to have played with him on practice.
Now in waiver week 15, Jayden Reed’s ankle has resulted in him being limited in the Wednesday Packers’ practice in. Reed in 2023: 48 catches; 540 yards; 5 TDs. Reed also has posted 11 carries in 2023 for 119 yards and two scores. With Christian Watson’s and Aaron Jones’ injuries, if he is mostly healthy, he is a must play. He has had fantasy totals of 16.9, 17.2, 13, 3.6 and 16.5. That means, with one exception, he has cleared double digits, in 1/2 point PPR scoring leagues, for five weeks.
Via The Associated Press
Waiver Week 15: Quarterbacks
Waiver week 15 arrives and it appears Davis Mills will get the start against Tennessee. Aidan O’Connell just had his best game, 25.9 fantasy points after completing 20 passes on 34 attempts (59%) for 248 yards and four touchdowns. He, like Mills is a deep league desperation dart throw. Jake Browning, Joe Flacco, Sam Howell and the smoking hot Matthew Stafford.
Stafford was productive with 23 of 41 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions, in week 14. Since Week 11’s game against the Seahawks. Stafford has thrown for 802 yards and 10 touchdowns with just one interception. He now has the Washington Commanders’ defense that was dissected by Tommy DeVito, Justin Fields, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson. I think in standard scoring leagues 22 points is his floor in waiver week 15.
Credit PFF’s X Feed
Waiver Week 15: Tight Ends
I hope you added Isaiah Likely two weeks ago or Trey McBride a month ago. Likely just had the best game of his career. He drew seven targets, caught five balls for 83 yards and a touchdown. Darren Waller is returning from his hamstring injury, if he is available for you, stop reading and grab him!
If Dalton Schultz was dropped while he was hurt, go add him. Now with his return from a two-game absence due to a strained hamstring, he may be a top target with a backup QB playing. The Saints have allowed five touchdowns to the position so far.
Taysom Shawn Hill has 346 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and a career-high 26 receptions for 229 yards through the air. He’s also completed five passes for 72 yards and a TD. Before his injuries, Hill had 367 scrimmage yards and five TDs in the previous five games. Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee missed Week 14’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, he has been limited, since suffering a stinger in Week 13 but he has now practiced twice.
Recently, the return of Dawson Knox came last Sunday. In week 14 Dalton Kincaid played 78% of the offensive snaps and caught five passes for 21 yards, while Knox played 47% of the snaps and had three catches for 36 yards. Knox is another deep league desperation dart throw. But my favorite deep league desperation dart throw is Greg Dulcich, who has missed most of the season with a lingering hamstring injury but he appears ready to suit up in Waiver Week 15.
Via (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Waiver Week 15: Place Kickers
Waiver Week 15 arrived, so I have added Chris Boswell, Blake Grupe, Ka’imi Fairbairn, Lucas Havrisik and Greg Zuerlein. Others to consider are Dustin Hopkins, as the Bears have been middling versus kickers in 2023, allowing the 16th-most fantasy points per game to the position. Hopkins is worthy as is Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, has been immaculate. He is 23 of 23 field goals and 31 of 31 extra points.
Via Mark Schofield’s X Feed
Waiver Week 15: Defense/Special Teams
The Raiders just posted a performance for the ages on Thursday. They racked up 38 points in standard scoring leagues. If you started them, congratulations and you have courage! I have been adding: the Colts and Steelers as they face each other, both the Bears’ and Browns’ defenses are solid waiver week 15 options.
Both teams in the Colts game versus Pittsburgh and the Chiefs’ defense taking on the moribund Patriots are seemingly positioned for a “get right” game.
am now in my fourth decade as a published writer. The Answer Newspaper first carried my sports column over 30 years ago; additionally, I am a published poet, playwright, and military historian. I am a founding member of MPAACT. I have also written for Black Sports Online, Football Reporters Online, and oversaw HBCU Scouting for Consensus Draft Services. Currently, Consensus Draft Services is in a content providing relationship with www.fanspeak.com. My broadcasting career is also long established. I have co-hosted “Local Color” on WEFT, “The Draft-Tastic 4,” and the Sports Chronicles Radio Network. I hosted “Feeling A Draft” and CDS “Pro Prospects Radio.” I have also taught broadcasting at Kennedy-King College.
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