Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire Quarterbacks: Why You Need Shedeur Sanders

Target Marcus Mariota, Shedeur Sanders and these other options from your Week 15 fantasy football waiver wire for playoff quarterback streaming success.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) is finding his stride and should be under consideration by fantasy football managers heading into Week 15. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The fantasy football playoffs are finally here.

For many managers, Week 15 marks the start of a "win or go home" scenario in which every roster decision carries significant weight. At this stage of the season, long-term stashes are largely irrelevant. The focus must shift entirely to immediate production and capitalizing on favorable matchups.

While most playoff teams likely have an established starter, injuries and late-season volatility can force your hand. We saw pivotal injuries in Week 14, most notably to Jayden Daniels, which serves as a stark reminder that depth is crucial even now.

Before adding a new quarterback, consider your opponent and your projected point total. If you are a heavy underdog, you may need a high-variance option with a massive ceiling. If you are projected to win comfortably, a safe floor is preferable to avoid a catastrophic zero.

The following quarterbacks offer a mix of both, with specific attention paid to their Week 15 opponents and recent surges in production.

Note: These quarterbacks are rostered in 50% or fewer of Yahoo fantasy football leagues.

Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders (8% rostered)

We do not yet know if rookie sensation Jayden Daniels will play in Week 15 against the New York Giants, but the situation requires immediate attention from fantasy managers. The Commanders welcomed back their star signal-caller from an elbow injury in Week 14, but Daniels didn’t make it through the game. After throwing an interception in the third quarter of the Commanders’ 31-0 loss to the Vikings, Daniels injured his left elbow while trying to make a tackle.

According to head coach Dan Quinn, there are no "long-term concerns" regarding the non-throwing elbow, but with the regular season winding down, caution may prevail. If Daniels is out, Marcus Mariota becomes a priority add. He has started six games for Washington this season and scored at least 20.2 fantasy points in four of those outings.

Marcus Mariota comforted an emotional Zach Ertz on the injury cart 🙏

(📺 FOX) pic.twitter.com/zr4Cqopyhs

— ESPN (@espn) December 7, 2025

Mariota stepped in with the game already out of hand last week, finishing with two completions for 30 yards and an interception. However, we should look at his larger sample size. In three of his last four starts, he finished as a top-13 fantasy quarterback.

If Daniels misses Week 15, and it seems reasonable to think the Commanders will be more conservative this time around, Mariota will be a very solid streaming option against the Giants. New York is allowing the third-most fantasy points and the most rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks.

Even if he is just a one-week rental, Mariota offers the rushing floor and veteran stability needed to survive a playoff matchup. We also believe Mariota is the safer play over Shedeur Sanders, speaking of which...

Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns (8%)

Shedeur Sanders has now started three games for the Browns, and we are finally seeing the ceiling that made him a highly touted prospect. Sanders had the best game of his young career in Week 14, completing 23 of 42 passes for 364 yards while throwing for three touchdowns and one interception. He was also the team's leading rusher, carrying the ball three times for 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

It is fair to argue that he benefited from facing a poor Titans team, but the production cannot be ignored. Sanders finished as the QB2 on the week, amassing 393 total yards and four touchdowns en route to 34.5 fantasy points. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski raved about the progress his young quarterback has made.

Shedeur Sanders is the first @Browns QB with 300+ pass yards, 3+ pass TDs, and a rush TD in the same game since 1950 👏#DawgPound pic.twitter.com/FO6AKeujzE

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) December 7, 2025

"He has constantly and consistently gotten better in each one of these games and how he's approached this game," Stefanski said. "I feel good about where his development is heading."

Looking ahead to Week 15, Sanders faces a Chicago Bears squad that is currently ceding the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. While Sanders has been volatile because of scoring heavily in some weeks while struggling in others, he has proven he is a big-play threat. He ranks 14th in yards per attempt, and if you discount a rough outing in Week 13, he would rank comfortably in the top 10.

If you are chasing upside and need a "boom" week to advance, Sanders is a viable, albeit risky, candidate.

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (8%)

Tyler Shough continues to be one of the more surprising waiver wire developments of the late season. The rookie had another solid fantasy outing in Week 14 at Tampa Bay, posting 21.3 points. The Saints stunned the Buccaneers in a 24-20 upset, and Shough was able to pick up his most significant win in his short stint as a starter.

While his passing numbers were modest—he threw for 144 yards and an interception—Shough made his impact felt on the ground. He ran through the rainy conditions at Raymond James Stadium, racking up 55 rushing yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. This rushing ability provides a safety net for fantasy managers that is hard to find on the waiver wire.

Tyler Shough 33-yard TD run!!

NOvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/0N9v56czxl

— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2025

Shough has now posted multiple touchdowns in three of his last four games. Even more enticing is his Week 15 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. In their last meeting in Week 10, Shough threw for a career-high 282 passing yards and two touchdowns.

The Saints have a long rebuild ahead, but Shough is proving he can play functional football. He isn't going to run for 50-plus yards or get into the end zone every single week, which leaves him as a low-level fantasy player in standard leagues.

However, if you are in a deeper league or desperate for a streamer, Shough’s rushing upside and history against Carolina make him a worthy gamble.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings (30%)

J.J. McCarthy has struggled across his first season as a starter, but he showed significant signs of life with a career-best three-touchdown outing against the Commanders in Week 14. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 163 yards in the 31-0 rout, a performance that suggests the rookie is finally finding his footing.

McCarthy makes this list over other options largely thanks to the Vikings' remaining schedule. He has played two games in very favorable matchups recently and was worthy of being a fantasy starter both times. In Week 15, he faces a Dallas Cowboys team that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season.

J.J. McCarthy playing quickly and decisively led to the best game of his career against the Commanders pic.twitter.com/UiSaHuq1ia

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) December 8, 2025

The Cowboys also possess a high-flying offense, which could force McCarthy into a shootout script, which is a scenario that is excellent for fantasy production. While there is a good chance that McCarthy will endure touchdown regression, he could see positive regression in passing yardage to compensate.

McCarthy has also shown flashes of rushing ability, running six times for 19 yards last week. Any waiver wire target at quarterback carries risk over a normal starter, but McCarthy has arguably the most upside among those available. The Vikings have the best schedule for quarterbacks over the rest of the season, facing the Cowboys, Giants, and Lions. All are bottom-four teams at preventing fantasy points to the position.

If you need a streamer who could explode in a high-scoring game, McCarthy is your guy.

Other quarterbacks to consider: C.J. Stroud, HOU; Bryce Young, CAR; Aaron Rodgers, PIT; Justin Fields, NYJ