Fantasy Football 2018: Top 10 waiver wire Week 15 pickups

Zach Zenner, RB, Detroit Lions

It is rarely wise to trust a Running Back By Committee, let alone the volatile Zach Zenner, but sometimes bold moves have to be made in the fantasy football playoffs.

Zenner has been on the fantasy radar before, but the talented Detroit Lions running back has never really turned that into tangible production over a meaningful number of games. For example, Zenner’s best season came in 2016, when he averaged a paltry 23.9 rushing yards per game with 3.8 yards per carry per contest.

In terms of efficiency, Zenner, in another NFL season marred by a small sample-size, is in the midst of his best campaign yet. He’s averaging 5.1 yards per carry on his 16 attempts.

Though he’s been an afterthought in the Lions offense, Zenner emerged from out of nowhere in Week 14 to lead the Lions backfield in fantasy production with 12 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals touchdown-generous run defense.

Many expected LeGarrette Blount to have that kind of production against Arizona, but stumbled to just 33 yards on 12 carries, an average of 2.8 yards per carry.

Zenner and the Lions will face the Buffalo Bills next week. He isn’t a recommended add, but he is a viable option for owners in deep leagues who need to take a shot-in-the-dark on someone who just might pay off. (Expecting Matt Patricia to take the “hot hand” approach is always a risk.)