Week 15 Waiver Wire: Early Pickups and Breakout Fantasy Football Candidates

During the fantasy football playoffs, a waiver-wire add is only as good as the player's upcoming matchup allows.

In Week 14, Isaiah Crowell torched the San Francisco 49ers for 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Anyone eliminated because of the Cleveland Browns running back will curse their poor luck, but it was astute lineup maneuvering from anyone who grabbed and started him. Entering the weekend, the 49ers relinquished the most ESPN.com fantasy points to opposing backs. 

Before making Crowell the No. 1 waiver priority, he'll get a much tougher Week 15 opponent in the Seattle Seahawks, who have surrendered the fewest points to running backs. Few game-changers remain available this late in the season, but the right circumstances make these free agents impact adds for Week 15.

POS	Player	OWN %*	WK 15 OPP
QB	Ryan Fitzpatrick, NYJ	45.2	@ DAL
QB	Brock Osweiler, DEN	16.1	@ PIT
QB	AJ McCarron, CIN	0.0	@ SF
RB	Tim Hightower, NO	35.5	vs. DET
RB	DuJuan Harris, SEA	0.0	vs. CLE
RB	Bilal Powell, NYJ	24.4	@ DAL
RB	Denard Robinson, JAX	3.0	vs. ATL
RB	Isaiah Crowell, CLE	35.8	@ SEA
RB	Cameron Artis-Payne, CAR	1.0	@ NYG
WR	Tyler Lockett, SEA	21.0	vs. CLE
WR	Ted Ginn Jr. CAR	41.8	@ NYG
WR	Markus Wheaton, PIT	23.3	vs. DEN
WR	Jeremy Butler, BAL	0.0	vs. KC
TE	Zach Miller, CHI	19.5	@ MIN
TE	Vernon Davis, DEN	27.5	@ PIT

DuJuan Harris, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Gail Burton/Associated Press

About the Browns' Week 15 matchup against the Seahawks. The sizzling Seahawks have scored 112 points over the past three weeks, fueled by 13 passing touchdowns from Russell Wilson. It should be far too late to snag wideout Doug Baldwin, but there are other opportunities to exploit a red-hot offense in a lopsided matchup.

Running back Thomas Rawls looked poised to run investors to the promised land, but he left the Seahawks' victory over the Baltimore Ravens early. After the game, head coach Pete Carroll confirmed everyone's worst fears, per the team's official Twitter page:

The rookie's injury could cause the team to hurry back veteran running back Marshawn Lynch, who hasn't played since Nov. 15 after undergoing abdominal surgery. Yet according to the News Tribune's Gregg Bell, the 29-year-old's status remains in question entering the new week:

DuJuan Harris didn't do anything with his extended workload, turning 18 carries into 42 yards. But neither did Fred Jackson, who gained 15 yards on seven handoffs. If Lynch doesn't return, Harris is in line for plenty of touches against Cleveland's No. 31-ranked run defense.

As Crowell showed on Sunday, being in the right place at the right time is occasionally enough to swing some matchups. It also, however, could propel Carroll to let Wilson keep firing away. 

Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Baldwin is the late-season hero, collecting eight touchdowns over Seattle's last three games. Tyler Lockett, meanwhile, has quietly developed into an intriguing option at least worth grabbing as roster depth.

The 23-year-old rookie, taken in the third round for his return skills, has registered 41 receptions on 47 targets. According to ESPN Stats & Info, only New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola and Baldwin have produced more efficient catch rates: 

Most of his damage has come over the last four contests, where he has recorded 20 catches for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Against Baltimore, he accrued a career-high 104 yards and two touchdowns on seven targets, matching the previous week's mark.

In two games without tight end Jimmy Graham, Lockett has mounted his best two lines of the season. Don't assume he'll slow down. Entering Week 14, the Browns had allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. 

Grab him where he's available, and don't be shy about introducing him to the starting lineup as a No. 3 receiver or flex play. Wilson has a 115.3 quarterback rating in six home tilts, and one good week against the equally atrocious 49ers doesn't transform the Browns into a good team.

Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Carolina Panthers

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

If Ted Ginn Jr. could consistently catch footballs, he'd make a great wide receiver.

The former return-man extraordinaire has the breakaway speed to burst behind any secondary. Yet he hasn't always succeeded with completing the play, a fairly essential element of a wideout's job. 

The last two games have been an entirely different story. He has tallied two touchdowns in consecutive games, taking his only two receptions to the house for a combined 120 yards against the Atlanta Falcons. 

Per the Charlotte Observer's Jonathan Jones, Ginn gave the credit to the Carolina Panthers' MVP candidate under center:

Before the past two weeks, he hadn't made the most of his expanded opportunities. The 30-year-old had caught 35 of his 75 targets, and drops are a noteworthy part of the Ginn experience. Yet ESPN's Trey Wingo noted a surprising stat comparing him to a possession pass-catcher:

Fantasy gamers don't want to make a habit depending on all-or-nothing receivers. Ginn's downside is literally zero, as he was left off the box score entirely in Week 12's win over the Dallas Cowboys. Yet the New York Giants' NFL-worst passing defense awaits, so he has a golden chance to make an explosive play or two next weekend.

Fantasy stats and ownership rates courtesy of ESPN.com.