Week 15 represents the fantasy playoffs in most leagues. As a result, Dynasty managers split into two groups: players looking for offseason stashes and those looking to add some back-end emergency production. The end of the NFL season creates opportunities. Teams eliminated from playoff content will end the season of players who have worked through injuries. Meanwhile, teams with playoff seeding locked in will look to preserve health. 

This article will discuss deep league waiver additions, focusing on Dynasty league formats. 

Players will fall into four primary categories: 

• Short-term Starters - Players capable of providing immediate production in deep leagues. 
• Proactive Pickups - Players who need the depth chart to be clear before them but are more available than other players in a similar role. 
• Deep Darts - Speculative players who have a chance at value.
• Dynasty Buys - Players whose values have changed, and the market may not have caught up.

Quarterback

Deep Darts

Desmond Ridder, Las Vegas (24% Sleeper rostered)

Next man up. The Raiders already lost Gardner Minshew II with a broken collarbone. Aidan O'Connell left Week 14 and is questionable for Week 15.  

Ridder has his shot. 

Now that the fantasy playoffs are here, the chances a team still playing will need to start Ridder are slim. However, there are reasons to be hopeful, specifically his athleticism as a potential dual-threat option and his weapons like Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. Still, Ridder is more of a speculative addition that can keep Bowers and Meyers relevant in fantasy. 

Spencer Rattler, New Orleans (63% Sleeper rostered)
Jake Haener, New Orleans (8% Sleeper rostered)

As of this writing, there is no indication which quarterback the Saints will choose. Interim coach Darren Rizzi was not involved in the decision-making when Carr missed Weeks 6 through 8. 

The Saints' quarterbacks fall into the same bucket as Ridder, except they do not have Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed. 

The most intriguing outcome for Dynasty purposes is Rattler playing and looking good. It is worth holding, but at this point, it is a deep lottery pick. 

Running Back

Short Term Starters

Sincere McCormick, Las Vegas (49% Sleeper rostered)

McCormick has been in the last two articles and has graduated to short-term waiver content after taking over the backfield in Week 14. Hopefully, you were able to grab him proactively. He sits positioned for a Zamir White 2023 type of run. 

Isaiah Davis, NY Jets (48% Sleeper rostered)

Davis was a Deep Dart last week, but with touchdowns in back-to-back weeks and working in an even split with Braelon Allen, he has graduated to legitimate flex consideration. 

Davis looks good. His quickness stands out, especially in a split with Allen. The Jets had their best offensive performance in Week 14. They are eliminated from the playoffs and have little incentive to play Breece Hall through an injury. Davis is a flex consideration or can fill in an RB2 spot in a deep league ZeroRB build. 

If Hall's season ends and Allen misses time, he can be much more. 

Deep Darts

Patrick Taylor Jr., San Francisco (32% Sleeper rostered)
Israel Abanikanda, San Francisco (44% Sleeper rostered)

There have been mixed initial reports on Isaac Guerendo's foot injury. Following the game, Guerendo said he was fine and that not returning had more to do with the multiple touchdown lead and preventative maintenance.

Monday's reporting was a bit more pessimistic. The 49ers having a quick turnaround with Thursday Night is a sticking point. 

If Guerendo is out, Taylor should be the priority. He has been with the team all season, and they have already deferred to him in passing protections. Abanikanda is the mystery box. In Dynasty, we love the young mystery box. He is a power back who could step into early down work. 

Wide Receiver

Short Term Starters

Ray-Ray McCloud III, Atlanta (72% Sleeper rostered) 

McCloud quietly became an every-down player over the second half of the season. It has gotten much louder over the last two weeks, with back-to-back games over 95 receiving yards. 

Kirk Cousins' struggles are well noted. 

McCloud's emergence is part of the makeshift solution. 

McCloud is the best after the catch threat in the receiver room. He is best suited to work in the short and quick areas. As Cousins has struggled to push the ball vertically, McCloud's opportunity has grown. The Falcons have a favorable closing schedule, and there is little evidence that Cousins will find a fountain of youth to allow him to push the ball vertically again. McCloud can be an answer for an offense searching solutions. 

Proactive Pickups

KaVontae Turpin (25% Sleeper rostered) 

Turpin is a rare athlete who leaps off the screen with the ball in his hands. His impact has primarily been on special teams, though he has flashed in moments on offense. At the surface level, he looks blocked on the Cowboys offense that will flow through CeeDee Lamb. 

But Turpin is a pending free agent. 

Turpin is the only player with a kickoff and punt return touchdown in 2024. In the open market, with an increased interest in the return game, he will garner interest. A new team that invests in him will want to see a return on investment. A creative coaching staff will likely see what Turpin can bring to their offense. His speed allows him to deliver fantasy-relevant weeks with just one touch. He is an off-the-radar stash for rebuilding rosters. 

Deep Darts

Tim Patrick, Detroit (23% Sleeper rostered)

Patrick had emerged as the Lions WR3, though he was still trading off snaps with Kalif Raymond. Since Raymond was placed on IR following Week 12, Patrick has stepped forward in a 70% snap share role. That led to quiet production, with three catches and 43 yards per game from Weeks 11 through 13.

That quiet production got much louder with a two-touchdown game on Thursday night football in Week 14. 

Following the game, Patrick's value on the roster and in the locker room was clear. Jared Goff discussed that the team knew Patrick had not scored since 2021. They broke that spell, and Patrick raised his profile on seven season-high targets. 

Patrick still sits best on a deep Bestball roster or in the deepest leagues. At 31, there is no mystery boom here. However, his size brings a unique skill set to the Lions receiver rotation, and his comfort in the red zone was clear. Patrick can score any week on a Lions offense that scores every week. 

Mack Hollins, Buffalo (23% Sleeper rostered)

Hollins leads the Bills in wide receiver snaps by a good margin. His 540 is nearly 100 more than Khalil Shakir's 458. 

Hollins also leads the Bills in vibes. Several team members have taken to his habit of not wearing shoes. He is routinely seen leading the team on the sideline as the team anthem, The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" plays over the PA. 

More importantly, he scored in three of the last five weeks. There is a boom/bust factor to his production. But the boom has him as WR41 since Week 9. 

Tutu Atwell, LA Rams (48% Sleeper rostered)

Demarcus Robinson left Week 14 with an injury and has yet to practice, with the team due for a short week. 

Atwell is his direct backup. 

Atwell has made plays over the last two seasons, and the offense has been firing with a healthy Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. His speed makes him one play away from fantasy relevance. In deep Bestball formats, he can score. 

Tight End

Short Term Starters

Stone Smartt, LA Chargers (0% Sleeper rostered)

Smartt has always been the most intriguing Chargers' tight end option. A Juco dual-threat quarterback who migrated to wide receiver at Old Dominion, the Chargers have been developing him at tight end over the last three seasons. On Sunday night, with Will Dissly out of the game, Smartt clicked and was a key to the Chargers pushing the Chiefs. 

If Dissly is out for Week 15, Smartt can be a streaming option in an offense that has relied on the tight end. 

Deep Darts

Daniel Bellinger, NY Giants (20% Sleeper rostered)

Theo Johnson's rookie season is over, and Bellinger has stepped into a heavy role as the receiving option opposite Chris Manhertz. 

The Giants' scheme went hard towards the pass, with Drew Lock throwing 49 times, allowing Bellinger to see seven targets. That game plan may be in order again against a Ravens defense that has shut down the run and should force the Giants to play from behind. 

The tight end position became a key component during the season's second half, with Johnson averaging 5.4 targets, 3.6 receptions, and 43.2 yards, right in line with Bellinger's 5 for 45. The ceiling is low, but that usage, combined with a touchdown, would make Bellinger a Top 15 finisher on the week.