Welcome to week 15 of last-minute moves to make. This article is intended to give you late-week waiver and free-agent advice based on late-week news and gameday inactives. Injuries and other late-week developments can have a huge impact on lines and rosters, and being up-to-date on these, especially before waivers and free agency locks before kickoff, is a huge advantage.
Stash Monday Night Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts popped up on the injury report with an illness this weekend and is questionable for Monday Night Football. Hurts is flying to Seattle on a different plane than the rest of the team to try to prevent the illness from spreading. The fact he is traveling is a good sign that he will play, but prepare just in case.
Our Joe Bryant wrote:
My take is I think Hurts plays. Star QBs on a top team that's reeling don't sit out games on Monday Night in Week 15. Never forget the NFL is a television show. And nothing sells like hope and drama. I expect wall-to-wall Michael Jordan Flu Game hype up till game time.
I agree with this. If you have Hurts and another top-10 option, consider starting the other player this week. If you have Hurts, consider stashing Marcus Mariota if Hurts is unable to go. You should also consider stashing Mariota if you have the room to play keep-away from the Jalen Hurts team in your league.
Geno Smith is also questionable on Monday Night Football with a groin injury. Drew Lock would be in line to start if Smith cannot go and would be an emergency option for GMs with Smith or Hurts. Both Hurts and Smith have good matchups on Monday Night Football, but if you have a Matthew Stafford-like option, you may be better off locking the replacement in your lineup.
Rescrub Your Waivers
With teams falling out of contention, check the waiver wire in your league. This is especially true in dynasty leagues, where non-playoff teams begin to cut injury-away running backs or potential spot-start lineup options to stash players for the offseason. A last-minute run-through of your waiver wires to check if there are important injury-away players available for the coming weeks.
Stash Patrick Taylor
Aaron Jones is playing despite being questionable throughout the week, while AJ Dillon is inactive with a broken thumb. Jones has struggled with injuries all year, and Taylor could sneak a spot start in week 16 for running back needy teams if Jones or Dillon are unable to play next week.
Just Win Baby
With the fantasy playoffs here, do not overthink your lineup decisions. Teams can get in trouble benching reliable players because they think they need "ceiling." Be careful of overthinking these lineup situations. You worked 14 hard weeks for this. Good luck, and get a win this week!