Fantasy football waiver wire advice: Running back rankings for Week 15

Week 14 of the 2017 regular season is just about coming to a close with the Monday Night game remaining. Most fantasy football leagues will run their waiver wires late Tuesday or early Wednesday, but we are here to help you get a jump on the best options to consider.

We will be ranking the top five players likely to be available in your league at each of the four major positions. Some weeks there might not be five good options available, but we’ll scour for the best we can find. Additionally, throughout the week, we will update each of these articles as ownership percentages change and news arrives. The following ownership percentages come via CBS Sportsline entering Week 14.

The biggest news for Riddick happened before he became a one-man wrecking crew against the Buccaneers. Ameer Abdullah was deactivated, not because of his neck injury, but because of his poor performance on the field. And while Tion Green was in the mix Sunday, it was all Riddick all the time with six catches for 64 yards and 29 yards rushing with two touchdowns. He has a chance to be a huge impact player in the playoff weeks, especially in Week 16 against a shaky Bengals run defense.

Where did that come from? Stewart exploded for 103 yards and three touchdowns against a very good Vikings run defense. What might he do against a bad run defense? We’re about to find out, as his Week 15-16 opponents – Green Bay and Tampa Bay – are No. 24 and 25 in fantasy points allowed to running backs.

Doug Martin got the start for the Buccaneers on Sunday, but he fumbled in the second quarter and was never seen from again. Barber was the man in the second half, rushing 12 times for 58 yards. Considering how well Barber played in Weeks 12 and 13 with Martin out with an injury, it might finally be his time to be the official lead back. Keep an eye on news out of Tampa and grab Barber in anticipation of the news.

The best thing Rod Smith did for his team on Sunday was the worst thing he could have done for himself. Smith erupted for 160 total yards – 113 as a receiver – and a pair of touchdowns in a critical win for the Giants. It definitely keeps Smith viable in Week 15, but with the Cowboys still alive in the NFC playoff race, he’s now destined to take a backseat in Week 16 when Zeke Elliott returns from his suspension. But let’s live in the moment and recognize Smith’s high upside in Week 15.

The Giants are a total mess at this point, and that probably opens the door for Gallman to get plenty of work in Weeks 15 and 16 as the team evaluates its talent for 2018. Gallman looked good in an otherwise dismal game, rushing for 59 yards and catching seven passes for 40 yards.