0 of 8
Only three weeks remain in the 2020 NFL season, which means we're firmly entrenched in the fantasy playoffs. Roster decisions made in the coming days and weeks will be the difference between winning a fantasy championship and being an also-ran.
Naturally, the waiver wire will be a valuable asset for the final stretch.
Bye weeks are no longer a concern, but injuries, poor performances and bad matchups can leave managers looking for additional options. Those who have relied on streamers to get this far could also be seeking upgrades. One potential option is dual-threat quarterback and new Philadelphia Eagles starter Jalen Hurts, who rushed for over 100 yards against the vaunted New Orleans Saints defense Sunday.
Here, we'll examine Hurts and seven other waiver-wire targets for Week 15. We'll look specifically at players who are rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, and all choices are based on points-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
1 of 8
Don't laugh. Much-maligned Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky really is a viable streaming option over the next couple of weeks. He turned in serviceable performances heading into Week 14 and decimated the Houston Texans on Sunday.
The 26-year-old finished with 267 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and 23 rushing yards.
The caveat with Trubisky is that he has been playing well against underwhelming defenses. The Bears aren't concerned about that fact.
"I think we're just gonna play whoever they put in front of us and see where it goes," head coach Matt Nagy told reporters.
Fortunately for fantasy managers, Trubisky faces another bad defense in Week 15. The Minnesota Vikings rank 25th in points allowed this season. While Minnesota is tied for just the 19th-most fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, Trubisky's running ability and scoring potential should make him a quality start.
He is rostered in 11 percent of Yahoo leagues and 19 percent of ESPN leagues.
2 of 8
While Trubisky offers some rushing upside, Hurts offers a lot. Philadelphia's newest hero rushed for 106 against a very good Saints defense while also throwing for 167 yards and a touchdown. That's impressive because New Orleans ranked second in total defense and fifth in points allowed.
Hurts has a somewhat easier matchup in Week 15 against the Arizona Cardinals—though it's not ideal. While Arizona ranks 13th in both total defense and points allowed, it has also allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
The Cardinals also rank a mediocre 18th in rushing yards allowed, so the 22-year-old has a good chance to top the 100-yard mark again.
Of course, the Cardinals defense just flummoxed the New York Giants and quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Colt McCoy, allowing a mere 81 passing yards and forcing three turnovers. Hurts must be considered a big risk-reward play this week.
Hurts is rostered in 17 percent of Yahoo leagues and 8 percent of ESPN leagues.
3 of 8
There should be much less risk involved with San Francisco 49ers running back Jeff Wilson Jr. this week.
Despite splitting time with Raheem Mostert—who briefly left the game but was cleared of a concussion—Wilson finished with 31 rushing yards, 13 receiving yards, one reception and one touchdown against the Washington Football Team in Week 14. He'll have a fantastic matchup this week against a putrid Dallas Cowboys defense.
Dallas ranks dead last in both run defense and points allowed. It's tied for the fourth-most fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.
While Wilson's workload in a committee backfield could be viewed as a potential concern, the 49ers seem determined to get him the ball.
"We've gotten all our backs back and we've been trying to go with Jeff Wilson and Raheem as our one-two," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, adding, "Raheem and Jeff have kind of earned that."
Wilson can be started with confidence against the Cowboys, and he should be one of the best wire targets of the week. He is rostered in 19 percent of Yahoo leagues and 8 percent of ESPN leagues.
4 of 8
Miami Dolphins running back DeAndre Washington doesn't have the upside of Wilson, but he could see enough of a workload to warrant a start in deeper leagues this week. Starter Myles Gaskin missed the Week 14 game against the Kansas City Chiefs after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and could miss next week's game against the New England Patriots.
With Gaskin out, Washington got the bulk of the backfield work. He finished with 13 carries for 35 yards and two receptions for 17 yards. He should have an easier time finding running room against the struggling Patriots.
New England has surrendered the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Los Angeles Rams rookie Cam Akers just rushed for 171 yards against the Patriots in Week 14.
While Washington isn't likely to go for 171, approaching 100 scrimmage yards and finding the end zone won't be out of the question.
Washington is rostered in 24 percent of Yahoo leagues and 20 percent of ESPN leagues.
5 of 8
Denver Broncos wideout Tim Patrick has been one of the most underappreciated fantasy wideouts of 2020. Despite having three 100-yard games and six touchdowns, he is widely available in many leagues.
The 27-year-old is rostered in 28 percent of Yahoo leagues and 20 percent of ESPN leagues.
Patrick's production has been solid in recent weeks too, aside from that Week 12 game without a quarterback. Against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Patrick hauled in three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. He had 44 yards and two scores the previous week and 119 receiving yards in Week 11.
Patrick does have a tough matchup in Week 15—the Buffalo Bills have allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers. However, he has seen the workload in recent weeks (19 targets in the last month) to warrant an emergency flex start.
Patrick shouldn't be considered a high-upside play, but he has a solid PPR floor and is one of the best long-term options still available on the waiver wire.
6 of 8
Atlanta Falcons star Julio Jones missed Week 14 with a hamstring injury, and if he can't go again in Week 15, fellow wideout Russell Gage could be a sneaky-strong play. Against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, he caught five passes for 82 yards.
This marked the third time in four weeks that Gage has topped the 50-yard mark, and he has caught 19 passes on 32 targets over that span. He should be in store for another solid outing whether Jones returns or not.
Atlanta will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15. Tampa has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
Given Tampa's success in stopping the run—second-fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing backs—Atlanta would be wise to attack through the air. That should mean plenty of opportunities for Gage and the rest of the Falcons' pass-catchers.
Gage is rostered in 11 percent of Yahoo leagues and 12 percent of ESPN leagues.
7 of 8
Managers who are looking for a high-upside tight end should consider Irv Smith Jr. of the Vikings. His production has been spotty in 2020—thanks in large part to missed time—but he filled in for injured starter Kyle Rudolph against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and performed well.
Rudolph missed Sunday's game with a foot injury. In his stead, Smith finished the game with four catches on four targets for 63 yards and a touchdown. Presumably, he will remain a significant piece of the game plan over the final three weeks.
Much of Smith's value will hinge on Rudolph's ability to return, but he should be a serviceable play regardless. Smith has twice topped the 50-yard mark while sharing time with Rudolph this season.
In Week 15, Smith will be up against a Bears defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. He has legitimate big-game potential and is widely available.
Smith is rostered in just 6 percent of Yahoo leagues and 3 percent of ESPN leagues.
8 of 8
While Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz isn't likely to be a league-winner on his own, he should provide a reasonable PPR floor for managers who are hurting at the TE spot. He had just three receptions for 34 yards against the Bengals, but he has averaged four receptions and five targets over his last five games.
Schultz doesn't have a juicy matchup this week, as the 49ers have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends. However, San Francisco could potentially be without star linebacker Fred Warner for this game, as he exited with a stinger Sunday.
As Alex Shultz of SFGate.com pointed out, the loss of Warner could be huge.
"If Warner does miss more action, it'll be a devastating blow to San Francisco's defense—he's emerged as arguably the team's best all-around player in 2020," he wrote.
Schultz shouldn't be considered a high-upside play, but he has a serviceable floor and is one of the few remaining starters available on the wire. He is rostered in 21 percent of Yahoo leagues and 31 percent of ESPN leagues.
Fantasy points allowed from FantasyPros. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.
Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com for details.
"wire" - Google News
December 15, 2020 at 09:03PM
https://ift.tt/3r6yumr
Fantasy Football Week 15: Jalen Hurts and Other Top Waiver-Wire Targets - Bleacher Report
"wire" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YtvSDd
https://ift.tt/2VUOqKG
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Fantasy Football Week 15: Jalen Hurts and Other Top Waiver-Wire Targets - Bleacher Report"
Post a Comment