“In the Scope” is a unique weekly article that won’t solely focus on giving readers mainstream fantasy football waiver wire pickups. Instead, we aim to recommend the top free agents to acquire after waivers run. These players may be the top pickups next week, saving you Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) and waiver priority. So whether you’re trying to grab the leftover mainstream fantasy football waiver wire Week 15 pickups or the longer-ranged free agents, below are some options to consider.
Rostership percentages are based on ESPN Points Per Reception (PPR) redraft fantasy football leagues as of Wednesday, Dec. 14.
Check Your Waivers: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 15 Pickups
• Jared Goff (QB, Detriot Lions) | 46.6 Percent
• Brock Purdy (QB, San Francisco 49ers) | 16.3 Percent
• Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR, Cleveland Browns) | 47.7 Percent
• DJ Chark (WR, Detriot Lions) | 27.5 Percent
• Jerick McKinnon (RB, Kansas City Chiefs) | 49.9 Percent
• Chuba Hubbard (RB, Carolina Panthers) | 22.8 Percent
• Rex Burkhead (RB, Houston Texans) | 8.1 Percent
• Chigoziem Okonkwo (TE, Tennessee Titans) | 8.7 Percent
In the Scope Targets: Top Fantasy Football Free Agent Week 15 Finds
Isaiah Hodgins (WR, New York Giants) | 0.6 Percent
Being a step ahead of your fellow managers is where fantasy football championships are won. This Giants’ wide receiver is flying under the radar despite being the PPR WR15 over the last two weeks.
Isaiah Hodgins has had two straight weeks of 15-plus PPR points and is showing no signs of slowing down. Since he was claimed off waivers by the Giants ahead of Week 10, Hodgins has consistently seen more than 40 offensive snaps, running routes on 94.1 percent of them. With limited receiving options for quarterback Daniel Jones, Hodgins should certainly continue to see a similar role moving forward.
Hodgins’ Week 15 matchup is somewhat worrisome, facing off against a rising Commanders’ defense. However, Weeks 16 and 17 could be potential booms, with the Vikings and Colts on the slate. Chances are very good that he is still available in your league and worth a free add with a potential WR2 ceiling throughout the fantasy playoffs. – Nate Polvogt
Chris Moore (WR, Houston Texans) | 0.6 Percent
Depending on the health of fellow Texans’ WRs Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins, Chris Moore is poised to provide a safe floor as a WR3 or FLEX in fantasy football playoff lineups. With both Cooks and Collins sidelined with injuries in Week 14, Moore put up a career day, catching 10 of 11 targets for 124 yards. Finishing tied with JuJu Smith-Schuster as WR6 on the week in Points Per Reception (PPR), Moore subsequently dominated the Texans’ receiving market. He earned a 40.7 percent target share and ran a route on 93.1 percent of passing plays. These are both elite numbers for WR opportunity.
The Texans have one of the most fantasy-friendly playoff schedules for WRs, with the Chiefs, Titans and Jaguars all in the bottom 10 in adjusted PPR points allowed to the WR position. Pay attention to the injury updates with Cooks and Collins. If either is out again in Week 15, Moore consequently becomes a great PPR play with a safe floor. – Scott Rinear
Carolina Panthers D/ST | 12.7 Percent
The Panthers have quietly been a top-10 D/ST this season. They’ve turned it up of late, averaging 3.5 sacks per game over the last month. They’ve also limited opponents to just 15.5 points per game during that stretch. This includes playing a Lamar Jackson-led Ravens team and the efficient Seattle Seahawks.
With the Panthers now controlling their own fate to win the NFC South and producing negative fantasy points as a defense just once this season (Week 9 @ Cincinnati), I trust them down the stretch. They’re a fine start this week against Pittsburgh, especially if Mitchell Trubisky is in for Kenny Pickett. I’d keep them rostered but benched in Week 16 vs. the Lions and fire them up in a decisive Week 17 game in Tampa Bay. – Seth Woolcock
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