Fantasy football: Top waiver wire pickups for Week 15

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(RADIO.COM Sports) The waiver wire sure came in handy in Week 14. Though some statistical leaderboards were led by studs — the receiving yards leaders, for example, were DeAndre Hopkins, Travis Kelce, Stefon Diggs, Calvin Ridley and Allen Robinson — there was a strong showing from players who have appeared on this list in recent weeks.

For instance, take emerging Rams running back Cam Akers, who rushed for 171 yards last Thursday night. Look at T.Y. Hilton and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who posted similar stat lines — 86 yards and two scores for the former, 85 yards and one score for the latter — in strong showings. Look at Nyheim Hines, the frequent waiver wire commodity whose modest-but-respectable stat line made him a top-25 running back for the third consecutive week.

This is all goes to show that, yes, your lineup is in the playoffs for a reason. You're good (or extremely lucky). But yes, there's also room for improvement if you really need it, even on a now-desolate waiver wire.

As usual, all of these players are owned in fewer than 50% of leagues. Check out the edition of this story from last week as well for some still-applicable names who won't appear here.

Related

Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 14
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 14

All stats retrieved from Pro Football Reference and Fantasy Pros.

Jalen Reagor evades a tackle against the Saints.
Jalen Reagor evades a tackle against the Saints. Photo credit Bill Streicher/USA Today

Recycled from last week

Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles
Yahoo: 22% owned | ESPN: 17% owned

Jalen (Hurts) and Jalen (Reagor) hooked up once in Week 13 and a couple of more times in Week 14. Two receptions on four targets isn't all that exciting, but we have to remember that the Saints defense is one of the best against the pass. Add in the fact that Reagor added in a 19-yard rush, that this was the first start of Jalen Hurts' career and that the Cardinals and Cowboys present easier matchups going forward, and I believe Reagor is a high-ceiling option whose best weeks of his rookie season are ahead of him as he continues to get more involved.

Jalen Hurts sprints past a Saints defender.
Jalen Hurts sprints past a Saints defender. Photo credit Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Yahoo: 17% owned | ESPN: 8%

Ditto for much of the reasoning above, though this was the Eagles' Jalen who stole the show in Week 14. There's no reason that Doug Pederson or anyone else in the Eagles organization should want to opt with Carson Wentz in any of the remaining contests, and though he didn't have the most exciting stat line (10.3 fantasy points), it was a great start against a tough defense. Is Hurts really someone you could start in your fantasy championship against the Cowboys if he performs well against the Cardinals in Week 15? I don't see why not.

Lynn Bowden Jr. catches a pass against the Chiefs.
Lynn Bowden Jr. catches a pass against the Chiefs. Photo credit Jasen Vinlove/USA Today

Lynn Bowden Jr., Miami Dolphins

Yahoo: 1% owned | ESPN: 1% owned

Injuries and illnesses paved the way for Lynn Bowden Jr. to get an opportunity, as Myles Gaskin, Savon Ahmed and Matt Breida were all out for various reasons. The snap counts from the replacement running backs are interesting — 47% for DeAndre Washington, 51% for Patrick Laird and 71% for combo running back/receiver Bowden, who ended up with just one carry but added seven catches for 82 yards on nine targets. It was a strong follow-up to his Week 13 role in which Bowden saw and hauled in four targets for 41 yards, and with injuries to star receiving options DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki, the Dolphins will need to continue to throw the ball Bowden's way going forward.

Jeff Wilson reacts to a touchdown.
Jeff Wilson reacts to a touchdown. Photo credit Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers

Yahoo: 19% owned | ESPN: 8% owned

What are we supposed to do about this 49ers backfield? Is it finally settled heading into Week 15, with a definitive pecking order of Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. and Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon at the bottom? Or is there yet enough Shanahan switch in store for us? I'll have to assume the latter, and the fact that Mostert has been fragile in the past means that you can stash Wilson and look for a potential injury to turn him into a high-ceiling running back option. Either way, Wilson could produce regardless of Mostert's status against a vulnerable Cowboys defense in Week 15.

K.J. Hamler points to the sky after catching a deep touchdown.
K.J. Hamler points to the sky after catching a deep touchdown. Photo credit Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

K.J. Hamler, Denver Broncos

Yahoo: 3% owned | ESPN: 7% owned

A desperation play if you need some more receiving help following injuries to player like Parker and Deebo Samuel, Hamler has explosive upside thanks to his big-play ability and the Broncos' frequent need to pass. In such a contest against the Panthers, Hamler went for 86 yards and two touchdowns -- but only on two catches. You'd think that scripts like that one could be replicated for the rest of the fantasy season, with the high-powered Bills offense and the (sometimes) high-powered Chargers attack promising a lot of points that the Broncos will have to match.

Nelson Agholor stomps through the end zone after hauling in a touchdown.
Nelson Agholor stomps through the end zone after hauling in a touchdown. Photo credit Chris Unger/Getty Images

Nelson Agholor, Las Vegas Raiders

Yahoo: 36% owned | ESPN: 28% owned

Really, we're going to look at Nelson Agholor this late in the season? Yeah, we are. The aforementioned injury to Parker and another injury to Samuel may have taken some receiver depth out of your lineup, and the ineffective play of DJ Chark among other thought-to-be solid receiver plays might have you frustrated to your boiling point. But someone who has been surprisingly productive is Nelson Agholor, who saw nine targets in Week 14, turning them into five catches for 100 yards and a score. Those nine targets add on to 11, six and nine from the previous three weeks. That's a top-15 target share in the league, regardless of position, over the past four weeks, and Agholor could be a desperate flex play if you're a playoff team with a strong running back corps but a shoddy receiving crew.

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