Fantasy Football IDP Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 15 (2025)

Week 14 is now in the books. Congratulations if you are reading this, as it likely means you made the playoffs in at least one of your leagues. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant is the overlooked IDP players who showed out in Week 14. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 14, so there are more than a few intriguing names on the waiver wire in leagues of all sizes. Let’s take a look at some of the names that may be worth some of your free agent budget.

Week 15 IDP Waiver Wire

Linebacker

Quincy Williams (LB – NYJ): 5% rostered on Yahoo
Quincy was at it again in Week 14, tallying two solos, five assists, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Williams has provided LB1 level production since the Jets tried to demote him, seemingly using it as motivation to play at the level the team and IDP managers expected of him. Fire Quincy up as a top-15 option for a plus Week 15 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Owen Pappoe (LB – ARI): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Owen Pappoe showed up in Week 14, racking up six solos, four assists, and one pass defended on 50 percent of the snaps. Pappoe has been emerging as an option in the middle due to his coverage ability and finally saw an expanded role in Week 14. His performance should earn him some more snaps for Week 15, putting him on the flex radar for those in deeper formats. Those in the deepest of leagues will want to make him a priority add, as he may start for the rest of the season.

Drue Tranquill (LB – KC): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Drue showed up in Week 14, reeling off four solos, six assists, and one tackle for loss. Tranquill has not been much of a fantasy option outside of the byes, but makes for an interesting flex play for Week 15, thanks to facing off against his former team in the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that he posted his highest fantasy total since 2022 against back in Week 1. Add and start Drue where needed.

Azeez Al-Shaair (LB – HOU): 6% rostered on Yahoo
Azeez was excellent on Sunday night, notching one solo, four assists, one interception, and one pass defended. Al-Shaair has been a solid LB3 option when active and should be treated as such for a tasty Week 15 matchup against an Arizona Cardinals team gifting the most fantasy points to the position. Add and start Azeez where needed.

Shaq Thompson (LB – BUF): 6% rostered on Yahoo
Shaq Thompson was solid in Week 14, posting three solos, three assists, and one tackle for loss. Fantasy managers had hoped for more from Thompson, who is enjoying an expanded role with Terell Bernard sidelined. Add Shaq where possible with an eye on him making at least one more start for the Bills in Week 15.

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Defensive Line

Alex Highsmith (DE/LB – PIT): 6% rostered on Yahoo
Highsmith was a man on a mission on Sunday, helping the Steelers to a win with seven solos, one sack, and three tackles for loss. The Steelers’ edge rusher is one of the hottest pass rushers in the league and is now up to 6.5 sacks in his nine games on the season, with five of them coming in his last four contests alone. Tap Highsmith as a DL2 option for a tasty Week 15 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Make the add in all competitive leagues.

James Pearce (DE/LB – ATL): 1% rostered on Yahoo
James Pearce stayed hot in Week 14, tallying two solos, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Pearce is now riding a five game sack streak, in which he has recorded 5.5 of his six sacks on the season. He is not contributing much outside of the sacks, but is flashing surefire DL1 potential. Tap the rookie edge rusher as a DL2 option while he is cooking, including his week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Make the add wherever possible.

Al-Quadin Muhammad (DE – DET): 0% rostered on Yahoo
AQM was elite on Thursday night, stacking three solos, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. Muhammad is suddenly up to nine sacks, putting him on the list with the premier pass rushers in the league. However, 5.5 of his sacks have come in two contests, so the Lions edge rusher remains a boom-or-bust proposition despite the high sack total. Add to that Al-Quadin played just 46 percent of the snaps in Week 14, and AQM is a DL3/4 at best for a neutral-at-best Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. With that said, you should absolutely try to find a way to at least flex him regardless of league size. Make the add where needed.

Jalen Redmond (DT – MIN): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Jalen Redmond continued his impressive play in Week 14, racking up three solos, three assists, one sack, and two tackles for loss. Redmond is up to five sacks on the season and is starting to get active in the solo department to boot. The Vikings’ defensive tackle makes for an easy DT1 play regardless of opponent or lack of byes. Tap him as a DL3/4 option for a plus Week 15 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Make the add in all competitive leagues.

George Karlaftis (DE – KC): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Karlaftis was excellent in Week 14, registering three solos, two assists, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Karlaftis has an impressive 26 pressures on the season, which puts him ahead of elite sack artists like T.J. Watt, Danielle Hunter, and Will Anderson. Now sitting at six sacks, Karlaftis has a sack total more commensurate with the havoc he creates for opposing offensive lines. Fire Karlaftis up as a top-15 option for a plus Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Defensive Back

Nick Emmanwori (S – SEA): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Emmanwori went bonkers in Week 14, stacking five solos, one assist, one sack, two tackles for loss, one interception, one pass defended, and one blocked kick. The rookie has started to hit his stride since the Seahawks’ Week 8 bye, checking in as the DB7 in fppg during that five game span. Fire Emmanwori up as a top-25 option for a tasty Week 15 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Make the add everywhere.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson (S – CHI): 4% rostered on Yahoo
CJGJ showed up in Week 14, notching six solos, four assists, one interception, and one pass defended. Gardner-Johnson has stepped back into fantasy relevance after three straight IDP duds. Still, with three splash weeks since joining the Bears, CJGJ checks in as the DB8 in fppg in that doc game stretch. Tap the Bears’ safety as a top-25 option for a plus Week 15 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Make the add wherever roster space allows.

Mike Hughes (CB – ATL): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Hughes stayed hot in Week 14, racking up six solos, one tackle for loss, one interception, and one pass defended. Thanks to chipping in six solos in three straight, Hughes has strung together three consecutive plus outings, forcing his way into the DB3 conversation in the process. Count him as a CB1/DB3 option for a plus Week 15 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. Make the add where possible.

Kevin Winston (S – TEN): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Kevin Winston was at it again in Week 14, reeling off four solos, one assist, two tackles for loss, and two passes defended. The rookie safety has been on a heater for IDP managers, posting three straight DB1-level outings. There’s no reason not to consider Winston a top-25 option as long as he is cooking. The DB4 in fppg over the last three weeks, treat him as such for a plus Week 15 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Make the add everywhere.

Antonio Johnson (S – JAC): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Antoni Johnson was solid against Indianapolis, tallying six solos and two assists. Johnson has produced like a strong DB2 option over his last five games and is someone to plug into lineups as a DB3 option where needed. Start him with confidence as a top-36 option for a plus Week 15 matchup against the New York Jets. Make the add where needed.