Week 15 Waiver Wire: Examining Top Fantasy Football Targets

The fantasy football championship is within reach, but a few available players can be the difference in winning a title.

One of the great things about fantasy football is that even the best lineups usually have to be adjusted on a weekly basis. A tough matchup or an injury means you have to pick someone up off waivers and play them immediately.

On the plus side, there shouldn't be too much fighting for available players (unless those eliminated from the playoffs are real jerks).

Here is a look at the top options on the waiver wire heading into Week 15, all of which are available in at least 50 percent of ESPN leagues.

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (Owned in 42.1 percent of leagues)

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Most people won't feel too confident starting Eli Manning in the fantasy playoffs considering his inconsistency. So far this season, the quarterback has as many 20-point games in standard leagues (four) as games in the single digits.

The good news is he has learned a great strategy to put up big numbers: Give the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. The rookie receiver was targeted 15 times in the win over the Tennessee Titans while accounting for exactly half of Manning's 260 passing yards.

However, the real reason you need to trust him in Week 15 is the fact he is facing the Washington Redskins defense, a unit so bad there are high school kids capable of torching it.

Washington has given up at least one passing touchdown in every game this year and multiple scores through the air in nine of the last 11 games, including two to Shaun Hill in Week 14. Chris Russell of ESPN 980 summed up the problems during the recent loss:

Manning should be able to post some big numbers in this one and help you win your playoff matchup.

Kerwynn Williams, RB, Arizona Cardinals (Owned in 0.0 percent of leagues)

USA TODAY Sports

That number above isn't a typo. Kerwynn Williams went into last week owned in zero percent of leagues, which made sense considering he hadn't received a single carry in the NFL before Week 14.

With Andre Ellington out and now placed on injured reserve, the discussion was which of Stepfan Taylor and Marion Grice would get touches in his absence. Shockingly, it was the little-known Williams who finished with 100 rushing yards on 19 carries.

The one person who wasn't surprised was head coach Bruce Arians, who had high praise for the young running back after the game, via Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com:

"

I knew Kerwynn was going to play well. That’s why we made the move. He has been the only guy on our practice field the last three weeks that made our players go, ‘Wow.’ Making people miss, working our defense. He was Jamaal Charles until Thursday, and then I had to take him out of that role because I knew I was going to start him and play him a bunch.

"

Talent plus opportunity equals a great fantasy player, which means you should jump at the opportunity to add him to your team.

Charles Johnson, WR, Minnesota Vikings (Owned in 9.7 percent of leagues)

Jarius Wright did finish as the Vikings' leading receiver against the New York Jets, totaling 123 yards and a touchdown. However, 87 of those yards came on the game-winning score in overtime.

For the majority of the game though, Charles Johnson was the go-to option for Teddy Bridgewater. The pride of Grand Valley State started at receiver and finished with 103 receiving yards and a touchdown on a team-high eight targets.

Coming into the year, the Minnesota receiver everyone wanted was Cordarrelle Patterson, but that has seemed to work as well for fantasy owners as having Adrian Peterson. ESPN's Ed Werder noted the difference even before Week 14:

Johnson has showcased his talent over the past few weeks and seems likely to be the team's No. 1 target for the rest of the year. Although the Detroit Lions have been tough on opposing receivers this season, the youngster's big-play potential makes him a worthwhile start.

Pos.	Name	Team	Percent Owned*
QB	Teddy Bridgewater	Minnesota Vikings	7.8
QB	Derek Carr	Oakland Raiders	3.8
RB	Andre Williams	New York Giants	32.5
RB	Chris Johnson	New York Jets	30.4
RB	Jonathan Stewart	Carolina Panthers	47.4
WR	Allen Hurns	Jacksonville Jaguars	9.6
WR	Jaron Brown	Arizona Cardinals	0.1
WR	Jarvis Landry	Miami Dolphins	33.7
TE	Mychal Rivera	Oakland Raiders	20.3
D/ST	Baltimore Ravens	-	42.2

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