Week 15 Waiver Wire: With Mark Ingram Out, Chris Ivory Again Becomes an Option

New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram was ruled out for the second straight week with a toe injury, according to Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. 

Ingram missed last week's win over the Tennessee Titans with the same injury.

With Ingram on the shelf, the Saints made fourth-string running back Chris Ivory active for just the third time this season. Given an opportunity he's rarely seen this season, Ivory rushed for 53 yards on 13 carries, including a 25-yard run on his first touch of the game. 

Now that we know Ingram will miss another week, Ivory becomes an interesting fantasy pickup on the Week 15 waiver wire. 

His touches were certainly encouraging against the Titans, even as the Saints struggled to score points through the air. Ivory could see a similar workload this week against the Minnesota Vikings.

Also, keep in mind that Ivory saw the majority of the Saints' short-yardage carries last week. That bears well for his opportunities near the goal line. About 40 to 60 yards and a short score is definitely within his reach against a poor Vikings defense. And it's entirely possible that the Saints get up big early and use the running game to chew clock.   

There's a limit to the upside of picking up Ivory, however. The Saints typically use all three of their active running backs, which include Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and whoever is healthy between Ivory and Ingram. That will cut down on his chances, especially in the passing game.

The game plan also looks to be even more pass-heavy than usual as the Vikings have struggled as much as any team in football over the last month in the secondary.

However, if you're in a pinch for a back as the weekend nears and the big names—Felix Jones, Ryan Grant, Toby Gerhard and Marion Barber—are already picked up, Ivory represents your best option.

Ten to 15 touches plus the chance to take over the goal-line carries from Ingram is about as good an option as you'll find this late in the week. Ivory likely won't win you the week, but he can be serviceable enough as a flex or emergency No. 2 running back to keep you afloat.