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Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Brock Purdy, Jerick McKinnon and Elijah Moore lead my fantasy football waiver wire priority list for Week 15 of the 2022 season. This week marks the first wave of playoff games for most fantasy football leagues. No teams are on a bye for the rest of the season, which means all fantasy teams should have every healthy player available.
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My Week 15 waiver wire targets include several players who can be used as streaming starters. Purdy and Mike White are among the players I would consider this week if your normal quarterback faces a tough matchup.
Kyler Murray and Deebo Samuel are among the players who were injured last week and can be dropped in redraft leagues.
Here are my top players to add and top players to drop for Week 15:
ALL-ADD TEAM
QB | Mike White, Brock Purdy; RB | Damien Harris, Jerick McKinnon; WR | D.J. Chark. Jr., Elijah Moore TE | Tyler Conklin; D/ST | Packers; K | Cameron Dicker
HONORABLE MENTIONS
QB | Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold; RB | Dare Ogunbowale; WR | Mecole Hardman, Parris Campbell; TE | Chigoziem Okonkwo; D/ST | Browns; K | Jake Elliott
TOP DROPS
QB | Kyler Murray; RB | Jeff Wilson Jr., Mike Boone; WR | Deebo Samuel; TE | Hayden Hurst; D/ST | Buccaneers; K | Ryan Succop
Quarterback
Brock Purdy and Mike White aren't likely to singlehandedly lead your fantasy team to glory in the first round of the playoffs, but they are capable of providing low-end QB1 production if your normal starter is injured or has a tough matchup.
White is a fringe QB1 for Week 15. The New York Jets quarterback did not throw a touchdown pass in either of his last two starts, but is averaging 317.3 passing yards over his last three appearances. He also totaled 315 yards and three scores in Week 12, his first start this season.
This week, White and the Jets will host the Detroit Lions. The Lions allowed the most fantasy points and third-most passing yards per game to quarterbacks through 14 weeks. White is a near lock for at least 275 yards and a score in this matchup. He could find himself as a Top 10 play if he throws more than one touchdown pass.
Purdy threw two touchdown passes when he stepped in for injured San Francisco 49ers starter Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13. He then accounted for three scores in the 49ers' Week 14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This week, the 49ers will face the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks allowed the 14th-most passing yards per game to quarterbacks through 14 weeks, but own a decent pass defense overall. I still expect Purdy to utilize running back Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield and the 49ers' other weapons for a productive outing.
He also will be a fringe QB1 for Week 15.
Running back
Damien Harris and Jerick McKinnon are my top running back options off the waiver wire, but neither are locks to provide RB2 value.
McKinnon went off for 134 yards from scrimmage and two scores on 13 touches in Week 14. He also logged 10 touches in Week 13.
His increased usage and production -- paired with the explosive nature of the Kansas City Chiefs offense -- are enough to make him one of my favorite targets this week.
The Chiefs also will face the Houston Texans on Sunday in Houston. The Texans allowed the most fantasy points, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns per game to running backs through 14 weeks. Look for fringe RB2/flex production from McKinnon.
Harris has a great shot to take over the workload for the New England Patriots, but only if he is healthy enough to play against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Harris missed Week 14 due to a thigh injury. Patriots starter Rhamondre Stevenson sustained an ankle injury in the Patriots' win over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in Glendale, Ariz. Patriots backups Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris were productive in his absence, but Harris would likely take over lead back duties if he can return in Week 15.
The Raiders also allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to running backs through 14 weeks. Monitor the status of both Harris and Stevenson this week to determine who should be in your starting lineup.
Wide receiver
The wide receiver position also isn't very deep this week on the waiver wire, but several players could provide WR2 value if they find the end zone.
Jets pass catcher Elijah Moore is one of my favorite targets. Moore logged a season-high 10 targets last week. He also totaled at least 60 receiving yards in two of his last three outings.
Moore totaled just one score through his first 12 appearances this season, but I expect more consistent production moving forward. This week, the Jets will face a Lions defense
The Lions allowed the4 second-most receiving yards and third-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through 14 weeks.
Wide receiver D.J. Chark Jr. will be on the other side of the Lions-Jets matchup. Chark went off for six catches for 94 yards and a score in Week 14. He also totaled 98 receiving yards in Week 13 and scored his second touchdown of the season in Week 12.
That consistency, paired with a great matchup against the Jets, make put Chark on my WR2 radar this week. The Jets own one of the best pass defenses in the NFL, but I expect the Lions to throw a lot this week. Chark may not reach 90 receiving yards for a third-consecutive game, but I can see him finding the end zone.
Tight end
Conklin is another player I would recommend from the Jets-Lions matchup. The Jets tight end totaled at least seven targets in each of his last two games.
Conklin hasn't scored since Week 8, but I think he has a great shot to find the end zone against a Lions defense that allowed the second-most receiving touchdowns per game to tight ends through 14 weeks.
This touchdown-or-bust option will be inside the Top 14 of my Week 15 tight end rankings, but should only be started in leagues that require starting the position.
