Week 15 Waiver-Wire Pickups: Sleepers Available in Majority of Fantasy Leagues

The pool of potential waiver-wire pickups never runs dry.

That's great news for fantasy football managers needing either a sub or a spot starter ahead of a critical Week 15.

With the playoffs upon us, it's imperative to squeeze every possible ounce of production from the waiver wire. Luckily, we're here to simplify that task with our three priority adds—available in 50-plus percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros—for Week 15.

Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (18 Percent Rostered)

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Safety can be hard to find on the waiver wire, but if Jalen Hurts' first NFL start was any indication, he offers exactly that.

Even if the 22-year-old's passing is hit or miss, his early and often opportunities as a rusher elevated his floor several stories high.

"He rushed for the second-most yards since 1950 by a quarterback making his first start, posting 106 yards on 18 attempts," ESPN's Field Yates wrote.

If Hurts and Miles Sanders (14 carries for 115 yards and two scores) can continue playing off on one another, that bodes well for the signal-caller's fantasy outlook. So does a Week 15 date with the Arizona Cardinals, who have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards to the quarterback position, per Yahoo.

Most arrows are pointing up for Hurts, though it's worth mentioning he has only completed 55.6 percent of his passes on the season. Should his rushing output dry up, he might have trouble replacing the production elsewhere. But if you're in the market for a streamer, then he's worth a long look.

Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers (19 Percent Rostered)

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Injuries and the subsequent opportunities they create can drive the potential reward of a waiver-wire pickup to an astronomic level.

To that end, Jeff Wilson, who may not be on the radar of most casual fans, has league-winning potential. He could have a starting role fall into his lap with Raheem Mostert fighting an ankle injury.

And if the 25-year-old sits in the driver's seat of this ground game, his upside is enormous.

Granted, both Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman could factor into a Mostert-less backfield, but each went without a touch in Week 14, and head coach Kyle Shanahan sounded committed to the same setup going forward.

"We've gotten all our backs back and we've been trying to go with Jeff Wilson and Raheem as our one-two," he told reporters. "... Raheem and Jeff have kind of earned that, and they've been our top guys here."

So far, Wilson has turned 68 rushes into 281 yards and five scores, and he has collected nine of his 15 targets for another 100 yards and a touchdown. The talent is there.

Oh, and the matchup is tremendous. The Dallas Cowboys rank dead last in yards allowed per carry (5.1) and per contest (162.7).

Tim Patrick, WR, Denver Broncos (28 Percent Rostered)

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Every season seems to have at least one player who lingers on the waiver wire despite steady week-to-week production. For whatever reason, Tim Patrick has been that player in 2020.

The 27-year-old is WR32 on the season, per FantasyPros, which means he has no business being available. But the fact that he still is should ring in your ears with the distinct sound of opportunity's knock.

In five of his last six games, Patrick has had at least 60 receiving yards or a touchdown. In the other, his club was nominally quarterbacked by Kendall Hinton, a practice squad receiver forced into action when Denver's entire quarterback position group was disqualified over coronavirus concerns.

Patrick, who has three touchdown catches in his last two weeks, belongs in the WR3 and flex discussions regardless of matchup at this point.