Fantasy football is back! We bring you our weekly list of players who have some downside as potential waiver wire busts. A few of these players may appear in our waiver wire suggestions, but this list is designed to point out factors that could affect or limit their production.
Fantasy football waiver wire advice, Week 15: Hot players with potential downside
Fantasy football is back! So are injuries, and now you may be preparing for a playoff run and looking to upgrade your roster. Here are a few players who are hot on the waiver wire lists, but could have some potential downside.
WR Donte Moncrief - Indianapolis Colts (owned in 28 percent of all leagues): He has seen increased playing time lately but it hasn’t necessarily resulted in better production. Over the past three games, quarterback Andrew Luck has only targeted him four times. Only one of those games resulted in good fantasy production with a three-catch performance in Week 13 against Washington, netting him 134 yards and two touchdowns. Moncrief’s production will likely remain dependent on matchups and making the most of limited targets. Reggie Wayne’s various ailments do provide hope for greater role but surely you have better options going into your playoffs.
RB Juwan Thompson - Denver Broncos (owned in 5 percent of all leagues): He carried the ball four times for 63 yards in the Broncos’ Week 14 win over the Buffalo Bills. He was also targeted twice in the passing game, catching one pass for 14 yards. With Montee Ball out with a groin injury, and Ronnie Hillman with a sprained left ankle, Thompson will be the backup and breather option for C.J. Anderson until Ball and Hillman come back. Unless injuries force Anderson out of the game, Thompson is a risky low end play.
TE Jared Cook - St. Louis Rams (owned in 28 percent of all leagues): He had an excellent outing in the Rams’ Week 14 win over Washington. As with Cook’s big game against the Arizona Cardinals in 2013, it helped that Washington left him uncovered for both of his scores. Cook is averaging 41.1 receiving yards per game and has two touchdowns on the year. The Rams do get the Cardinals in Week 15 if you are feeling a repeat of last year’s game.
RB Chris Johnson - New York Jets (owned in 48 percent of all leagues): Johnson cooled off after his first big game as a Jet in Week 13, where he topped 100 rushing yards for the first time on the season. Johnson carried the ball 16 times in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, which tied with fellow running back Chris Ivory. However, Ivory averaged a healthy 4.6 yards per carry while Johnson averaged only 3.3 yards. Neither running back found the end zone either and Johnson only has one rushing touchdown on the year. He does get a very favorable matchup in Week 15 when the Jets travel to Tennessee to take on the Tennessee Titans, who are giving up the seventh most fantasy points to running backs.
WR Marquess Wilson - Chicago Bears (owned in 1 percent of all leagues): Wilson is hot on waiver wires due to the season-ending injury to fellow wideout Brandon Marshall. Wilson has nice size at 6’ 4” and 184 pounds, but his professional career has been marred by injuries so far. In his second season as a Bear, Wilson has seven catches for 53 yards. Wilson will certainly see a lot of playing time now, but expecting a Brandon Marshall level of production would be unwise.
