Harold Fannin Jr. and the Best Week 15 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

The fantasy football playoffs are finally here. If you made it into the field, congratulations. It's not time to rest on your laurels, though, as there's still plenty of work left to be done before you can celebrate a championship.

It's more important than ever to work the waiver wire, making shrewd pickups to both bolster your lineup and—perhaps more importantly—deny startable players to opponents who could deploy them against you in win-or-go-home matchups.

This is also the time to start burning off the remainder of your FAAB dollars and/or waiver priority.

If you've been sitting on either, don't be afraid to spend more than you usually would or hold back on claiming players who wouldn't be worth losing priority over during the regular season. You don't want to regret hoarding these assets when they could have swung a do-or-die matchup in your favor.  

Even managers who missed out on the playoffs may want to consider making some free-agent acquisitions in Week 15. Many formats offer bonuses for weekly, monthly and/or season-long scoring, and some of the talent up for grabs on waivers could help achieve these milestones.

With that in mind, let's highlight the top waiver-wire targets for Week 15.

Suggestions are available in approximately half or more of all Yahoo! Sports leagues. Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros' PPR data. Suggested free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bids are based on a $100 dollar starting budget.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans QB

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (42 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $3-5

Your championship hopes are likely bleak if you managed to wind up in the fantasy playoffs without a reliable starting quarterback, but Stroud is at least a stable option with a decent floor for managers in need of a streaming option in Week 15.

While the 24-year-old only completed 15-of-31 throws for 203 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs, he should have better days ahead.

Houston's QB has a plus-matchup on tap against the Cardinals, a team that Matt Stafford just diced up for 281 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions this past weekend. It was the third time in the last four weeks that Arizona allowed opposing signal-callers to rack up three TDs through the air.

Consider Stroud a low-end QB1 based on this matchup.

Justin Fields, New York Jets (28 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $3-5

Fields is back on the fantasy radar after Tyrod Taylor exited Sunday's blowout loss to the rival Dolphins in the first quarter.

While Fields was also sidelined due to a knee injury, rookie backup Brady Cook didn't inspire much confidence in his first NFL action.

With Cook going 14-of-30 for 163 yards and two interceptions, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Gang Green turn things back over to the 2021 No. 11 overall pick if he's available.

Fields has immense fantasy upside in any game he starts largely due to his elite rushing talents. He's finished in the top 12 in five of his nine starts (and top-five in three of those) but is as boom-or-bust as they come—evidenced by his four other finishes all falling outside the top 22.

Any manager considering starting the 26-year-old will need to keep a close eye on news coming out of Florham Park this week. If Taylor can't give it a go and Cook is relegated to backup duties, Fields could be a week-winning play against the Jaguars in Week 15.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings (30 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

McCarthy shook off a slew of criticism to engineer a fantastic start against the Commanders.

Although he only completed 16 passes for 163 yards in his return from a one-week absence, the second-year signal-caller tallied a career-best three touchdown throws and avoided being intercepted for the first time in an NFL game.  

McCarthy's 20.4-point outing was the second-best of his career and ranked on the lower end of the QB1 tier in Week 14. He's well-positioned to earn a similar placement this coming week thanks to a favorable matchup with the Cowboys.

Dallas has allowed a league-high 24.2 points per game to opposing QBs in 2025, almost four points more than the next-closest team. While the defense has improved in the back half of the campaign, opposing passers have continued to feast against the Cowboys.

It's not optimal to entrust a fantasy playoff matchup to a quarterback as inconsistent as McCarthy, but there is at least decent potential for another career day from Minnesota's starter.

Running Back

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

Blake Corum

Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (16 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $12-20

Corum has been one of the top handcuffs to roster this season, but starter Kyren Williams' availability had largely kept the second-year back from breaking out.

L.A.'s offensive philosophy appears to be shifting, though, as Corum has been getting more involved and his standalone value has been rapidly increasing.

After largely utilizing a lead back-focused scheme for much of his tenure in L.A., head coach Sean McVay now seems to want both of his top backs to contribute. This change has been a boon for Corum, who posted a respectable 14.1 points and RB19 finish last week and burst out with a career day on Sunday.

The 25-year-old went off for a career-high 26.1 points and earned his first-ever top-five fantasy finish following his big outing against the Cardinals. While he doesn't offer much in the way of PPR value with a healthy Williams (he caught his lone target for three yards in Week 14), he's getting enough offensive snaps and totes to be a fantasy difference-maker.

Corum hasn't logged fewer than seven totes since Week 6 and has earned 12 or more carries in four of the last seven games.

Considering he amassed 128 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries on Sunday and is averaging 5.4 yards per rushing attempt in 2025, that's enough volume to make him fantasy relevant.

Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins (3 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $10-15

Fantasy managers around the world held their breath when De'Von Achane exited Sunday's contest. The star back had been dominating the Jets in the first half—racking up 105 yards and a score on just eight touches—but failed to return after suffering a rib injury.

While there's optimism Achane could be back in time for the start of the fantasy playoffs (head coach Mike McDaniel said he could have come back into the game if necessary but hasn't confirmed his availability for Week 15), it would behoove his managers—as well as RB-needy rivals—to scoop up Wright in case the starter is inactive or limited.

Wright had a stellar outing against Gang Green, piling up 107 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 24 carries. He wasn't as involved in the passing game as Achane usually is and failed to secure a single catch, but he still saw three targets in a game in which Tua Tagovailoa only threw 21 passes.

Given his upside to be a heavily utilized lead back in Achane's absence, Wright should be added to every fantasy roster this week.

If Achane can't give it a go for Sunday's showdown with the Steelers, you can fire up the 22-year-old with confidence as a borderline RB1.

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders (24 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $8-13

Rodriguez continued his run as Washington's top running back, leading the team in totes for the fourth consecutive game.

The third-year veteran also beat out platoonmates Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols in both offensive snaps and routes run, cementing his status as Washington's current RB1.

Rodriguez struggled, along with the rest of his teammates, in an unsightly 31-0 loss, mustering just 52 yards on his 10 carries. Although he finished the day with a meager 5.2 fantasy points, there should be better performances from the 26-year-old in the coming weeks.

Washington is set to be without star quarterback Jayden Daniels for perhaps the remainder of this lost 2025 campaign after the Offensive Rookie of the Year reinjured his elbow in his first game back after a month-long absence.  

With the playoffs out of reach and backup Marcus Mariota again running the show, there's a good chance Rodriguez will see plenty of action over the final month of the season.

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Jayden Higgins

Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans (42 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $7-10

Higgins may have come back down to earth after posting three top-26 finishes in a four-week span between Weeks 10-13, but it won't be long before he's back to posting stat lines worthy of a spot in fantasy starting lineups.

Houston's breakout rookie came out of a tough clash against the Chiefs with a pedestrian three catches for 34 yards on five targets. His 6.4 points were his lowest output since Week 9, but he'll have a prime opportunity to bounce back against a vulnerable Arizona defense in Week 15.

The Cardinals have been struggling to contain opposing wideouts in the back half of the season and have given up 10 passing touchdowns in the past four games.

Higgins is a good bet to find paydirt against this secondary, making him a solid WR3 candidate for Week 15.

Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (17 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $3-8

Burden is one of the few reliable weapons remaining in Chicago's receiving corps. The rookie hasn't had a true breakout performance yet, but it's just a matter of time if he continues to see the type of volume he has drawn in recent weeks.

The 21-year-old led the Bears in targets in Week 14, catching four of his six looks for 67 yards. It was the second consecutive week he reached those marks, a slight increase over the three catches he posted on five targets in back-to-back games between Weeks 11-12

With Burden also having some upside as a gadget weapon in Ben Johnson's offense—he's earned a carry in three consecutive games—he's trending towards a strong finish to the 2025 fantasy season.

Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets (26 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-5

Mitchell's chances of stringing together top-10 finishes went up in smoke when Tyrod Taylor exited Sunday's game with an injury and didn't return.

Rookie backup Brady Cook had a disastrous debut in relief of the longtime veteran, resulting in Mitchell catching just one of his six targets for 24 yards. It was a far cry from the 8/102/1 line Mitchell put up on 12 targets in Week 13, but may not be indicative of the receiver's output going forward.

While Mitchell isn't going to be a weekly must-start and should be avoided if Cook or Justin Fields draw a start against the Jags in Week 15, he still has perhaps the highest ceiling of any widely available waiver target.

Keep an eye on the injury reports this week and consider firing up Mitchell if Taylor winds up healthy enough to play. The battery has a clear rapport, and that chemistry could help managers win a playoff game.

Darius Slayton, New York Giants (28 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-5

Slayton never emerged as the replacement for Malik Nabers managers were hoping for after the superstar wideout was lost for the year, but he started having some decent outings in recent weeks.

Slayton had his best game of the campaign leading into New York's Week 14 bye. Against the Patriots, the veteran pass-catcher posted his lone top-20 finish of 2025 by catching two of three targets for 41 yards and a score.

The 14.1-point performance represented his third game with 11.2 points or more in his last four starts. Those aren't amazing numbers, but do make him startable in deeper formats or as a desperation flex play for managers with rosters ravaged by injury.

Tight End

AP Photo/David Richard

Harold Fannin Jr.

Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns (39 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $25-35

Fantasy managers who have been streaming underwhelming tight ends have been thrown a much-needed lifeline in the form of Fannin.

The rising star has had a solid if unspectacular rookie campaign, but he's taking his game to another level with Shedeur Sanders under center.

After teasing the dynamic first-year battery's potential with TE15 and TE12 finishes in Week 12-13, Fannin finally exploded with eight receptions on 11 targets for 114 yards and a score this past weekend.

His 25.4 points were a career high and led all tight ends in fantasy scoring for Week 14.

With Sanders clearly trusting and leaning on Fannin as both a safety valve and red-area target, the tight end has emerged as a must-start weekly TE1. Soft matchups against the Bears and Steelers in two of the next three weeks only further boost his value.

If you have a hole at the TE spot going into the playoffs, do what you need to do to get Fannin on your roster.

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (47 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $4-7

Schultz remains available in nearly half of all leagues despite being one of the most consistent fantasy TEs in 2025. Don't be afraid to scoop him up and deploy him, even after a down performance against the Chiefs in Week 14.

Prior to this poor stretch that includes two finishes outside the top 20 in the last three weeks, Schultz had tallied double-digit scoring totals and ranked as the TE9 or better five times during a seven-week stretch between Weeks 7-13.

The 29-year-old is a critical part of Houston's offense and averages over six targets per game in 2025, volume you generally won't find in free-agent tight ends at this point in the campaign.

Expect Schultz to return to form when the Cardinals come to town in Week 15. Arizona allows opposing TEs to average 8.8 fantasy points per game this year, the ninth-most in the league.

Theo Johnson, New York Giants (39 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-5

Johnson has been one of the more polarizing tight ends this season. The second-year veteran has finished in the top 15 six times in the past 10 games, but he placed TE22 or worse in the other four.

Managers were disappointed by the 6'6", 264-pounder's last performance prior to Big Blue's Week 14 bye, a three-catch, 29-yard outing in which he largely failed to capitalize on the eight targets (matching a career high) that were sent his way.

The volume was promising, though, and a similar target count should equate to better production going forward. Johnson finished as the TE7 when he last drew eight targets, catching seven for 75 yards.

D/ST

AP Photo/Stew Milne

Jacksonville Jaguars defense

Jacksonville Jaguars (37 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $7-12

The Jaguars are the best defense for managers to target heading into the playoffs. Not only is this a proven unit that has racked up the fourth-most D/ST points during the 2025 season, but it is also a red-hot one heading into one of the easiest portions of its schedule.

Jacksonville just decimated the Colts by a 36-19 margin, with the D/ST scoring a cool 10 points—the fourth time in five games that this group reached double digits—against a foe that had allowed the fewest points to opposing D/STs in 2025.

Next up is the hapless Jets, who have a quarterback conundrum on their hands after Tyrod Taylor went down with injury in Week 14.

You can confidently deploy the Jags not only in the opening round of the fantasy playoffs, but also throughout the duration of them. The Broncos aren't an optimal second-round opponent, but their offense hasn't been lighting the world on fire, either.

Once the championship round rolls around, you'll be happy you hung onto Jacksonville as the D/ST gets to face off against a Daniel Jones-less Colts team for the second time in a month.

New Orleans Saints (8 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $3-6

The Saints have been a subpar defensive team in 2025, but favorable scheduling places them firmly on the streaming radar for the duration of the fantasy playoffs.

New Orleans will open the postseason with a rematch against the Panthers, a team that gave up 12 points to the Saints' D/ST just a few weeks back. The unit racked up two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery while limiting Carolina to just seven points on offense.

With the dysfunctional Jets and lowly Titans to follow, the Saints are one of the safer D/ST choices a manager can lean on over the next few weeks.

Chicago Bears (22 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

The Bears haven't been a great fantasy D/ST choice since the early portions of the season, but there's good reason to believe they'll return to form—at least in Week 15.

The Browns are an opponent worth targeting when it comes to streaming D/STs right now. Shedeur Sanders has had a rocky start to his NFL career, and while he fared well against the Titans last week, Tennessee's D/ST still put up a respectable seven points in what became a far higher scoring affair than expected.

Sanders has taken eight sacks and thrown three interceptions in his four NFL appearances. Expect the Bears to capitalize on his inexperience by posting a strong outing.