Week 15 Waiver Wire: Kerwynn Williams, Marqise Lee Highlight Pickups to Know

If your fantasy team is still in contention for a championship heading into Week 15, or at least still has a chance to stay alive for another week following Monday Night Football, pat yourself on the back. You've done well to reach this point.

Although, keep your celebrating to a minimum, because there's still work to be done.

Collecting players off the waiver wire throughout the season is a necessity. After all, how many of us finish the season with the exact same players that we drafted? There's all the more reason to continue this process late in the season in an effort to guard against unexpected injuries and players who may be rested before the playoffs.

Need examples? Well, with a victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts can clinch the AFC South as early as Week 15. How many of your fantasy studs reside on that team? Also, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington was put on season-ending injured reserve:

Those are just two of several examples.

Now that we've established the necessity of waiver-wire additions, let's take a look at some that could very well help your fantasy team make a run to your league's championship.

Kerwynn Williams, RB, Arizona Cardinals (0.0 percent owned)

Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

That's right. Williams isn't owned in many ESPN.com fantasy leagues, meaning you should be making this ball-carrier your top priority on the waiver wire this week.

With Ellington out for the season, head coach Bruce Arians turned to Williams, and he didn't disappoint. The second-year player received the lion's share of carries out of the backfield, toting the ball 19 times for 100 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per rush. The Kansas City Chiefs may not have a stout run defense, but it was still an impressive debut.

There doesn't seem to be much competition for the ball-carrier, either. Stepfan Taylor carried six times for 19 yards and Marion Grice rushed three times for six yards. Arians spoke highly of the running back after the game, via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com:

The Cardinals don't have easy matchups for the remainder of the season, facing their three division rivals over their last three games; however, due to Williams' promising usage Sunday, he could prove to be a viable flex option for an owner in need down the stretch.

Latavius Murray, RB, Oakland Raiders (31.2 percent owned)

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Murray has been on this list before, but then he suffered a concussion and was forced to miss Week 13. Since he's only owned in one-third of fantasy leagues and received 23 carries in his return to action in Week 14, he warrants another mention.

Oakland defeated the San Francisco 49ers 24-13 on Sunday and Murray was a big reason why. The team was determined to establish the run in an effort to open up passing lanes for rookie quarterback Derek Carr. Well, the strategy worked, as the signal-caller tossed three touchdown passes. Murray's presence in the backfield finally gave the Raiders a hint of a running game and a balanced offense.

While the ball-carrier gained 76 yards on his 23 carries, averaging 3.3 yards per rush, it's no easy task to accumulate chunks of yards against San Francisco's stout defense. However, he still showed flashes of his speed, ripping off a long run of 16 yards. Darren McFadden rushed just four times Sunday, as the Raiders finally appear to be phasing him out.

Before Week 14, interim head coach Tony Sparano was "curious" to see Murray in action, via Around the NFL:

Well, he got a great glimpse and should be happy with the results. Oakland faces a weak Chiefs run defense in Week 15, so the lucky fantasy owner who plucks Murray off the waiver wire will get an instant starter.

Marqise Lee, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (2.0 percent owned)

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Allen Hurns may have found the end zone in Week 14, but Lee appears to be the rookie receiver garnering the most attention from quarterback Blake Bortles since Allen Robinson was lost for the season.

In Week 13, Lee had his coming-out party, accumulating six receptions for 75 yards and a score against the New York Giants. He followed that up Sunday with a five-reception, 67-yard outing against the Houston Texans. While Lee's eight targets were third behind Hurns and Cecil Shorts III, he was able to separate easier from defensive backs, averaging 13.4 yards per reception—the most of any receiver.

Week 14 also marked the second consecutive week Lee was targeted exactly eight times, totaling 11 receptions. That's the best ratio of catches per target of any other wideout. Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union tweeted his take on the receiver over the past three weeks:

With games remaining against the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Texans, Lee will have plenty of chances to shine for the remainder of the season. He may not be more than a flex starter at this point, but he has huge upside going forward. Keep your eye on him.

Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins (33.7 percent owned)

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Like Murray, Landry has also found himself on this list before. However, also like Murray, he's owned in roughly one-third of fantasy leagues. That's just far too little ownership considering the amount of targets and receptions he's racked up over the last six weeks.

In Week 14, Murray recorded five receptions for 55 yards, scoring five fantasy points. Yes, that's not an astounding performance; however, his five catches were tied for his fewest in a game since Week 9. While he hasn't broken out a big-yardage performance, he's been consistent and has found the end zone four times in his last six games.

Fantasy owners should consider Landry to be a viable option at the flex position due to the fact he's used in a very similar manner each week, virtually guaranteeing at least five fantasy points. If your team has been hit by the injury bug or you happen to be in a very deep league, be sure to check the waiver wire for this pass-catcher.

With favorable matchups against the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets remaining, Landry's upside gets even higher.

Mychal Rivera, TE, Oakland Raiders (20.3 percent owned)

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Rivera came back with a vengeance in Week 14, torching the 49ers for 109 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. The tight end once again proved why he's such a valuable asset in Oakland's passing game, providing a big, friendly target for an inexperienced quarterback.

With Murray balancing things out in the backfield, Rivera was able to get open on a frequent basis. Carr targeted the big tight end seven times, and he hauled in each attempt.

After a nice three-game run earlier this season, Rivera disappeared for two contests; however, Oakland hasn't had a balanced offensive attack at all this year, and based on how Rivera was able to benefit from that schematic change Sunday, he's worth stashing on your bench while waiting to see if things continue to progress in the same manner.

Honorable Mentions

Player	Pos.	Team	Ownership
Andy Dalton	QB	Cincinnati Bengals	38.8%
Joe Flacco	QB	Baltimore Ravens	48.3%
Jonathan Stewart	RB	Carolina Panthers	47.4%
Chris Johnson	RB	New York Jets	30.5%
Pierre Thomas	RB	New Orleans Saints	26.0%
Jarius Wright	WR	Minnesota Vikings	0.5%
Cole Beasley	WR	Dallas Cowboys	0.2%
Charles Johnson	WR	Minnesota Vikings	9.7%
Allen Hurns	WR	Jacksonville Jaguars	9.6%
Scott Chandler	TE	Buffalo Bills	19.7%
Marcedes Lewis	TE	Jacksonville Jaguars	4.4%

All fantasy statistics and ownership percentages courtesy of ESPN.com and current as of 12 a.m. ET on December 8.