Top Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups for 2021 NFL Week 15

By Carlos Chacon • December 15, 2021

For most fantasy football leagues, the playoffs begin starting Week 15. In turn, picking up the right pieces off the waiver wires is as crucial as ever, especially for those well in the running for a fantasy football title. Which names on the free market are worth considering this week?

Nitrobetting is here to bring the latest NFL betting news and previews and tips and updates from the realm of fantasy football. Let’s take a closer look at the top waiver wire pickups heading into Week 15 of the 2021 NFL season. Learn more about the breakout players from the previous week and beyond who are available in most fantasy leagues, as well as the latest NFL odds with regards to several of the teams featured below.

Top 2021 NFL Week 15 Fantasy Football Picks

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Lock in those waiver wire claims by adding these players ?https://t.co/Z6Gco3rpOT
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) December 14, 2021

Quarterback

Jimmy Garropolo – San Francisco 49ers

Pct. Owned: 14%

Although there’ll be no more bye weeks to be had in the 2021 NFL regular season, it’s quite wise to stash a backup quarterback if one has a room to spare on their bench. That being said, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is the ultimate backup QB in fantasy should owners of players like Kyler Murray, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers run into a bit of misfortune.

Garoppolo, who’s the 18th-best quarterback in fantasy to date, only had two dud starts of single-digit performances all season long. The dashing gunslinger finished with no less than 15 points in six of his last seven starts and should be on par with that production in Week 15 when the Niners host the Falcons as (-9.5) home favorites.

Running Back

Jordan Howard – Philadelphia Eagles

Pct. Owned: 8.4%

A frequent flyer in our waiver wire column is Eagles veteran running back Jordan Howard, who is expected to return to action this weekend. Howard missed the last two games prior to Philadelphia’s Week 14 bye due to a knee issue, but can still be a serviceable low-end flex option.

Howard scored three rushing TDs in his first two starts of the season despite being a late-bloomer to the 2021 campaign as his first start was in Week 8. Regardless, the former Pro Bowl selection has finished each of his four starts with no less than 10 carries and 57 rushing yards. Granted; Howard’s yet to see a single pass thrown his way, making him a much more attractive pickup for standard-scoring formats.

Justin Jackson – Los Angeles Chargers

Pct. Owned: 1.6%

Given the ankle injury suffered by Austin Ekeler during Los Angeles’ win over the Giants this past Sunday, basically all of the Chargers’ backup running backs have become hot commodities on the waiver wire.

Justin Jackson appears to have the slight edge over his backfield competition in Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree III. LA’s seventh-round pick from 2018 was clearly the more efficient RB on a per-touch basis as he and Kelley split time following Ekeler’s injury. And apart from Rountree being a healthy scratch this past week, Jackson is a better pass-catching threat than Kelley and Rountree with the sample size of work we’ve seen out of the 25-year-old from Northwestern.

Wide Receiver

Allen Lazard – Green Bay Packers

Pct. Owned: 4.1%

After being snubbed by the Green Bay offense the past couple of weeks, Allen Lazard was back under Aaron Rodgers’ radar in Week 15 against the Bears. The undrafted wideout found the end zone for the fourth time this season and finished with six catches on seven targets for 75 receiving yards.

Lazard can easily disappear from the Packers’ game plan in the weeks ahead, but he has solid boom potential that could mean the difference between advancing to the finals or not. Consider the 6-foot-5 receiver to be a low-end flex option for all fantasy formats given his high upside as a touchdown magnet in a potent Green Bay offense.

Gabriel Davis – Buffalo Bills

Pct. Owned: 2.5%

In terms of PPR leagues, Buffalo’s Gabriel Davis deserves a lot more recognition for his recent output. The former fourth-round pick out of UCF scored a receiving touchdown in back-to-back weeks and is hot off a season-high eight targets from Week 15 against the Bucs.

With the Bills in danger of slipping further down the playoff race’s pecking order, Davis will likely get more opportunities to continue eating away at Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders’ looks from Josh Allen. Buffalo takes on a Carolina team that’s on a three-game losing streak up next, with the Bills favored to win at home by (-11).

Tight End

Brevin Jordan – Houston Texans

Pct. Owned: 28.7%

With the Texans gunning for the worst record this season to give them prime position in the upcoming draft, we should expect more work out of their younger talent such as rookie tight end Brevin Jordan the rest of the way.

Houston’s fifth-round pick in this year’s draft has quietly been what every fantasy manager wants from a prototypical streaming fantasy tight end. Jordan has scored a touchdown in three of his first six NFL starts, recently setting new personal bests of seven targets and four catches to go with his 26 receiving yards and trip to the end zone last Sunday against the Seahawks.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 NFL Regular Season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.