Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups: James Jones and Others to Add

Even at this late point in the season, the fantasy football waiver wire is still a source of start-worthy players who can help you along your quest to reach and win your league's championship game.

With that championship game ever-looming and injuries piling up around the league, working the waiver wire, even in Week 15, is both necessary and rewarding.

In the following slides, I detail four players worth adding this week depending on your needs and the format of your league.

WR James Jones, Green Bay Packers (at Kansas City Chiefs)

With so many reliable targets for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to throw to, wide receiver James Jones has fallen by the wayside, never producing enough yardage and touchdowns on a regular basis to warrant a fantasy start.

But now that fellow receiver Greg Jennings is sidelined with a knee sprain, Jones' fantasy value has skyrocketed. The team will be incorporating Jones more heavily into three-wide receiver sets, making him more likely than ever to attract Rodgers' regular attention.

On the year, Jones has 26 catches for 479 yards and five touchdowns. He's talented to be sure, but held back by Rodgers favoring Jennings and Jordy Nelson more regularly.

Now that Jennings is out and the Packers are facing the Kansas City Chiefs and their 21st-ranked pass defense, Jones should see a significant uptick in both targets and yards. If you're struggling at wide receiver or have just lost Jennings yourself, Jones is a great replacement. He's owned in 52 percent of Yahoo! leagues as of this writing.

WR Denarius Moore, Oakland Raiders (vs. Detroit Lions)

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Denarius Moore has been sidelined for the last three weeks with an ankle injury, causing many of his fantasy owners to drop him in frustration. But their loss is your gain if you're lucky enough to have Moore sitting on your waiver wire this week.

Moore, along with also-injured Raiders receiver Jacoby Ford, did some jogging and participated in team workouts on Monday, boding well for his chances to return for this Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.

And should he return, he's likely to make a big impact. The Raiders passing offense has fallen flat without Ford and Moore on the field and could use a shot in the arm this week against the Detroit Lions.

While the Lions defense is no slouch against the pass, they're also susceptible to big plays and have given up nearly 30 or more points in their last six games.

Moore is available in 58 percent of Yahoo! leagues. If you need a wide receiver who is guaranteed targets, then Moore is a great pickup for this week.

RB Chris Ivory, New Orleans Saints (at Minnesota Vikings)

New Orleans Saints running back Chris Ivory hasn't seen a lot of on-field action this season, missing the first half of the year with a foot injury and then suffering from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for another few weeks.

Usually only activated when either Pierre Thomas or Mark Ingram are unable to play, Ivory rushed 13 times for 53 yards in Week 14 when he replaced Ingram, who is suffering from turf toe, on the active roster.

While there are no indications yet that Ingram will or will not return for this week's game against the New Orleans Saints, that doesn't mean you should wait until later in the week to grab Ivory off of the waiver wire.

With a number of top-tier fantasy running backs suffering from season-ending and season-altering injuries at the moment, Ivory goes from a highly risky start to a useful plug and play for Week 15.

Though he's rushed just 34 times this year, for 138 yards, he did have the most carries in Week 14 and should see his fair share of touches against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.

Keep in mind, however, that the Vikings defense is stronger when defending the run than the pass, and the Saints are likely to take to the air as much or more as usual. But once they establish a big enough lead (which seems probable), they do switch to controlling the clock with the run

Ivory is good for those decimated by injuries at the running back position or for those in leagues of 12 teams or more who need to try something new this week.

RB Kahlil Bell, Chicago Bears (vs. Seattle Seahawks)

For those especially hurting at running back and dealing with severely depleted waiver wire depth, then it's time to make a desperation move. I suggest taking a look at the Chicago Bears' Kahlil Bell, who is the change-of-pace back, spelling the bruising Marion Barber.

The Bears need all the help they can get on offense, and that includes giving Bell a shot to make plays. In their Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos, Bell rushed nine times for 40 yards and caught five passes for another 24.

Those are his only catches on the year, but he does have a total of 24 carries on the year for 97 yards. Unfortunately for Bell (and Barber and the rest of the Bears offense), the Seattle Seahawks, who come to town this week, are stronger at defending the run than they are the pass.

Further, with Caleb Hanie under center for Chicago, the team isn't trying to throw the ball very much. That means the Seahawks will be keyed in on both Bell and Barber this week, likely keeping their numbers lower than if they had an effective quarterback running the offense.

However, desperate times call for desperate measures. If you're in a very deep league where finding value on the waiver wire has become a lost cause, give Bell a look. He's guaranteed touches, at least, and may be able to break off a few chunks of yardage this week worth a few points for your fantasy team.