The fantasy football playoffs are here, and thankfully that also means NFL byes are over. Every NFL team is playing this week, which means you should have your full lineup intact for Week 15.
That doesn’t mean you should stop adding wide receivers on the waiver wire. Quite the contrary. There’s plenty of WR talent still on the wire in most fantasy leagues, though if you’ve been following this column all season you got a few of the players I’m going to highlight again.
Let’s jump into a few streaming options to consider for your WR3 or flex spot this week with all availability data coming from ESPN.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Streaming Options in Week 15
Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns, 76% Available
Moore is coming off a bad game, seeing only four targets and making three catches for 34 yards and no TDs. But the Browns faced a Steelers defense that has shut down the slot WR all year, so no surprise there. The Browns' next two opponents, the Chiefs and Bengals, have been more susceptible to giving up yards to slot receivers, which is why I like Moore these next two weeks.
Before Week 14, Moore had a target share of 20% and 24% the previous two weeks. He had a 23.4% first-read share since Jameis Winston took over as the starting QB. He only had a 9.7% target share against the Steelers. We can chalk that up to a bad matchup.
Moore is a matchup-dependent start, and with good matchups coming up, he’s an interesting option to start and should be claimed in all leagues for the playoffs.
Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers, 61% Available
I mentioned Thielen in this spot last week and he put up a strong game, seeing 11 targets and making 9 catches for 102 yards. It’s clear, as I mentioned last week, that he’s Bryce Young’s top target, having developed strong chemistry with him last year and getting 21 targets in the last two weeks.
Now he gets a strong matchup in Week 15, facing a Cowboys defense that gives up the 14th-most fantasy points to opposing WRs. In Week 16, he faces the Cardinals (middle of the pack) and in Week 17, championship week, he gets the Bucs (10th-most fantasy points to WRs).
On volume alone, Thielen is a good flex or WR3 start with WR2 upside. The Panthers are averaging over 240 passing yards per game since Bryce Young returned to the starting lineup, 14th most in the NFL, and they’ll likely face negative game scripts the next two weeks, leading to more passing. That benefits Thielen, who has seen a 30% target share in the last two weeks overall.
Thielen is also one of the top pickups in Michael Fabiano's Week 15 Waiver Wire article.
Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 91% Available
I mentioned McMillan in Week 9 in this column. Was I early? Yes. Was I right in my analysis of him then? Also yes.
McMillan finally broke out in Week 14, making four catches for 59 yards and two TDs. Those TDs are not replicateable, but the fact that he saw seven targets could be.
McMillan has consistently been on the field for the second most snaps behind only Mike Evans since Chris Godwin got injured. Tight end Cade Otton benefited most after Godwin was hurt, but that pendulum is starting to swing McMillan’s way.
His 27% target share in Week 14 was the highest of the season and his average depth of target (12.7 yards) on the full year showcases his big-play potential. He’s the Bucs' most explosive WR behind Mike Evans and should be in line for more targets now that he’s healthy again and fully immersed in the Bucs game plan.
He faces a tough Chargers defense in Week 15, but matchups against the Cowboys and Panthers in Weeks 16 and 17 make him worth a pick up.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fantasy Football Streaming Wide Receivers to Add on Waiver Wire in Week 15.
