For the second time this season, Cole Beasley is back. But should fantasy football managers be looking to add him on the waiver wire this week? With the fantasy playoffs starting this week, can Beasley help in the endeavor for fantasy championships, or could he end up being a waste of a roster spot?
Is Cole Beasley a Week 15 Waiver Wire Target?
If you added Beasley from the waiver wire back in Week 3, then you will be all too aware of how his previous return to the NFL went. Beasley played two games, logging four receptions on five targets for 19 yards before retiring from the NFL. However, the Bills have talked him out of retirement to return for their push to the playoffs.
Initially, Beasley is signing with the Bills practice squad, but according to Mike Garafolo, “the expectation is he’ll be elevated to the gameday roster in short order.” There is a very real chance we could see Beasley on the field in Week 15. He will already be fairly familiar with the Bills playbook, so he likely won’t need much time to get up to speed.
The big question becomes how much of a role Beasley will play. At best, the expectation would be that he takes on the role we have seen from Isaiah McKenzie and Jamison Crowder this year. Combined, the pair has averaged around 7.75 targets per game and 4.45 receptions per game. If that is the case, it is hard to imagine Beasley being a regular 12 or 14-team fantasy option.
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Beasley spent the previous three years with the Bills. During that spell, he averaged just over seven targets per game. In each of the three years, he averaged between 7.0 and 7.13 targets per game. That resulted in roughly five receptions for 53 receiving yards and 0.24 touchdowns per game. That is actually very close to the combined output of McKenzie and Crowder this year.
It is worth noting that Beasley’s numbers declined in his final year in Buffalo. He averaged just 43.3 receiving yards and 0.06 touchdowns per game, despite still averaging seven targets and 5.13 receptions per game. In half-PPR scoring, his output dropped from around 10.5 fantasy points per game to 7.4.
Additionally, it seems unlikely that Beasley takes over the entirety of McKenzie’s work. The more likely outcome is that Beasley and McKenzie split opportunities in the same way that Crowder and McKenzie did. In the first few games of the season, Crowder was on the downside of that split, averaging 3.25 targets, 1.5 receptions, and 15 receiving yards per game.
Therefore it seems unlikely that Beasley will provide significant and consistent fantasy value. There may be a touchdown or two in these final few weeks, but that is the only reliable way he will return starting-level value in 12 or 14-team leagues. From a real-life angle, this is a good addition for the Bills. But it does not really move the needle from a fantasy perspective.
How Should Beasley Be Prioritized on the Week 15 Waiver Wire?
Let’s start by saying that you are really only considering Beasley as a significant option in 16-team leagues and, ideally, full-PPR scoring formats. When you look at the upside that comes with the likes of Elijah Moore, Tutu Atwell, Jameson Williams, D.J. Chark, Chris Moore, Demarcus Robinson, and even Ben Skowronek or Van Jefferson, there is more to be excited about with those options.
All of those listed above have the chance to be the WR2 for their respective offenses. Beasley is looking at potentially being a WR3 and likely one splitting time. Therefore, it would be optimistic to expect much from him on a weekly basis.
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Whether it is season-long leagues or Underdog Fantasy Best Ball drafts, Beasley is not a player that I would be actively targeting in Week 15. Should you consider a 1% FAAB bid in a very deep league as a long-shot hope? Absolutely, if you need a WR option for your bench.
However, he should be at the bottom of the priority list and really only a stash in the hopes that he comes in and sees eight-plus targets a game down the stretch. It seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened in the NFL.
