As noted by Falcons beat reporter Marc Raimondi, we got good
coach speak on Pitts this week from Atlanta’s OC Zac Robinson
who stated that Pitts has made “huge strides” and has become “our
No.1 guy that we’re targeting.” That has definitely been the case
over the last two weeks with Drake London out, as the Falcons
are scraping the bottom of the barrel at the wide receiver position.
Pitts has 18 targets and 172 yards during that span and it would
be a shock to see his target share decrease on Thursday night.
The Bucs are a neutral matchup against the position and the Falcons
don’t have any other options. Fire up Pitts as a TE1 this
week.
On the Fence: N/A
Fade: All Atlanta Wide Receivers
With London dealing with a stress fracture in his foot, it looks
like another week of David Sills, Dylan Drummond and Darnell Mooney
as the top three wideouts for the Falcons. Last week, those three
combined for 13 targets, 4 catches and 27 yards. Yikes. The Bucs
represent a softer matchup but until Cousins proves he can find
a stable connection with one of these fill-ins, they are a hard
pass for you fantasy lineup.
ATL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.14
ATL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.15
ATL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.11
ATL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.31
Bucky finished as the RB12 in Week 14 thanks in large part to
a receiving TD, but he did get nicked up with an ankle injury
and only handled 47% of the running back touches. Rachaad White
played the same numbers of snaps as Bucky (36) and Sean Tucker
got a goaline score. The fact that he was able to return to the
game is promising for his outlook this week and we should expect
another 17-20 touches in game where the Bucs are favored. Atlanta
is a neutral matchup against RBs and with Baker and the passing
offense struggling, this should be a game dominated by the Tampa
Bay running backs.
The slump for Egbuka continues but it’s not for a lack of involvement.
The rookie wideout has seen at least 8 targets in seven-straight
games. He’s just not connecting with Baker on the mid-range and
deep throws they had success with earlier in the year. Since Week
6, Egbuka has just one game scoring double-digit fantasy points
(Week 10), committed numerous drops, and has just 1 TD in that
span. He did post a 4-67-1 line in Week 1 against the Falcons
so there is some room for optimism. With Mike Evans and Jalen
McMillan available to play, they might cut into Egbuka’s
target share and further diminish his fantasy outlook.
Godwin was up to a 69% snap share last week and had a 28.6% target
share in his third game back from his leg injury. He would be
a more tantalizing option with Evans on the sidelines but becomes
a riskier play with the Bucs’ receiver room back to full
strength. The Falcons represent a decent matchup and have allowed
the 4th most receiving TDs (16) to the position.
It’s been a struggle for Mayfield ever since Week 6. He’s
thrown for less than 200 yards in four-straight games and in five
out of his last six. The last time he threw multiple TD passes
was Week 10 against the Patriots. He’s been out of sync
with Egbuka and the return of Godwin hasn’t jump-started
his production. We can blame the injury to his non-throwing shoulder
but that hasn’t stopped him from running the last two weeks
(6-27-0, 6-42-0). The inability to connect on downfield throws
could be helped with the return of Mike Evans, but I’d be
looking for other options at the QB position this week.
Speaking of Evans, I'm going to take a wait and see approach
unless we get clarification closer to gametime that he'll be a
full time player. If so, he'll be a nice WR2/3 option but I'm
currently expecting him to be limited in his first game back.
Running back Chris Rodriguez missed practice on Wednesday, but
his return on Thursday—albeit in limited fashion—bodes
well for his chances to play on Sunday. Rodriguez didn’t
start the season as the favorite to win backfield touches, but
he’s been the most productive back we’ve seen in the
Commanders’ offense.
He now faces a Giants defense that has been horrible against
opposing running backs this season—only the Bengals have conceded
more points to the position. In their last game, both Rhamondre
Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson reach double-digit fantasy points
against the New York defense and the week before they conceded
the absolute nuke of a fantasy performance that Jahmyr Gibbs delivered.
Rodriguez doesn’t have the explosiveness or the passing
game usage to be a truly great fantasy option in really any matchup,
but this is about as good as it gets for a player like him.
Veteran Terry McLaurin has now led the Commanders’ pass catchers
in receiving yards in each of the two weeks since he returned
from injury. He’ll be playing with Marcus Mariota at quarterback
this week so his upside will likely be limited, but McLaurin should
be in line for at least six targets with the potential to sniff
10 or more looks if the game becomes high-scoring. McLaurin isn’t
a WR1 right now, but he’s a solid WR2 who managers can expect
decent things from against a bad New York defense.
The Giants’ defense has been bad enough that a case could
be made for starting practically any Commanders’ player
against them this week, but if there’s a player whose recent
usage is worrying it has to be Deebo Samuel. Samuel saw 13 total
targets over his past two games—far behind teammate Terry
McLaurin’s 20 since returning from injury—and Samuel’s
low depth of target means that he essentially has to get into
the end zone to return fantasy value. That’s a risky proposition
for a team that has had as many struggles offensively as the Commanders
have here in 2025.
WAS FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.7
WAS FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.7
WAS FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.7
WAS FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.2
Volume remains paramount to Wan’Dale Robinson’s rising
star in fantasy football this season and there’s really
no reason to believe that it won’t continue here in Week
15. Robinson has now been targeted an average of nearly 10 times
per game over his past seven contests, which has allowed him to
produce some very usable WR2/WR3 fantasy numbers.
Robinson now faces a Washington defense that ranks in the bottom-10
in defending against wide receivers, and one that he personally
produced six receptions for 55 yards against back in Week 1—and
that was with a healthy Malik Nabers.
Giants tight end Theo Johnson is currently dealing with a toe
injury that has limited him in practice this week, but if he’s
able to suit up then he becomes at least a somewhat viable fantasy
option here in Week 15. Johnson has seen his usage tick up over
the second half of the season and he’s now been established
as Jaxson Dart’s second-favorite option behind Wan’Dale
Robinson. That has allowed him to produce double-digit PPR points
in six of his past 10 games despite scoring just two touchdowns
over that span.
The Commanders, meanwhile, have been pretty bad at defending
against tight ends this season. Only five teams have allowed more
points to the position and they’re coming off of a game
where they allowed the Vikings’ tight ends—none of
whom are particularly impressive—to score three touchdowns
against them.
It’s true that one of these backs will likely produce usable
fantasy numbers against this Washington defense that ranks in
the top 10 in fantasy points given up to opposing running backs,
but unfortunately, we don’t have a great grasp on which
one of them it’ll be.
In Weeks 10, 11, and 12 it was Tracy who led the backfield, but
things shifted in Week 13—the final game prior to the Giants’
bye in Week 14. Tracy took a back seat to Devin Singletary in
that contest, who flashed some impressive skills on his way to
a 102-total-yard day with a touchdown. What’s frustrating
is that we don’t know whether this is a sign of the Giants’
actually changing their backfield order, of if it was just a result
of the Giants falling behind the Patriots so badly on the scoreboard
that they opted to “save” Tracy for a more competitive
game environment.
Both players are viable Flex/RB3s, but there’s some serious
risk of busting for both of them in Week 15.
It’s tough to get too excited about anything in this Las
Vegas offense aside from superstar tight end Brock Bowers, but
the only other Raider who fantasy managers should be considering
is running back Ashton Jeanty. The rookie was kept to just 10
carries in their home loss to the Broncos this past week, so it’s
fair if managers are skeptical about Jeanty’s floor, but
Jeanty’s usage in the passing game has actually flown under
the radar for many managers. Jeanty has now caught 45 passes on
the season with four weeks to go, making a 50-catch season all
but a lock. That alone gives him a floor most weeks, despite what
we saw from him against the Broncos in Week 14.
Yes, a matchup against the Eagles sounds daunting when you first
hear it, but it’s actually not nearly as bad as it sounds.
Philadelphia has been getting gashed on the ground in recent weeks
and they’ve now conceded over 100 rushing yards to the position
in three straight games. With Jeanty dominating the backfield
touches for the Raiders, he’s a good bet to produce a useable
fantasy day in this matchup.
Fade: N/A
LV FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.15
LV FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.10
LV FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.9
LV FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.29
It’s been a season to forget for A.J. Brown, but things
have turned around for the star wide receiver in recent weeks.
After being held under 50 yards in six of his first nine games
of the season, Brown has now eclipsed 100 yards in three straight
contests while also scoring three touchdowns in the process.
The Raiders have conceded the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing
wide receivers, so this looks like a great opportunity to ride
the hot streak and keep Brown in your lineups in what is a pivotal
week for fantasy managers.
Normally a locked-in top-five fantasy QB, Jalen Hurts has really
struggled over the past month to produce numbers that would make
managers happy about having him in their lineups. That came to
a head this past week, when he and the Eagles fell to the Chargers
in large part due to the four interceptions thrown by Hurts.
While he’s not a world beater as a passer, we know that
Hurts is capable of much better than the disastrous performance
he’s coming off of. Add in the red zone rushing proficiency
and it’s tough to really consider benching him in most situations,
but this “on the fence” categorization is more of
a warning to at least take a glance at your league’s waiver
wire before locking in to Hurts as your every-week starting QB
right now.
Jalen Hurts’ recent struggles as a passer haven’t
seem to affect A.J. Brown as he’s actually been having by
far his best stretch of the season, but it’s certainly been
affecting the Eagles’ other star receiver, DeVonta Smith.
Smith has now been held to fewer than 50 receiving yards in three
of his past four contests and he hasn’t scored a single
touchdown over that stretch. What’s perhaps even worse about
this is that we can’t even blame it on a lack of looks,
as he’s actually seen 32 targets over these four games.
Smith is a player who’s capable of delivering fantasy numbers
even on limited usage, so this relatively high target share makes
him viable—especially against a bad Las Vegas defense—but
Smith just seems to be out of sync with Hurts right now and it’d
be completely reasonable for managers to bench until we see him
producing fantasy numbers again.
By any metric, 2025 has been a disappointing season for Jeudy.
A year ago, he navigated Cleveland’s quarterback carousel with
career highs in receptions (90) and yards (1,229) while scoring
four times. This year, he’s sporting a 38-497-2 line with four
games left to play. He’s coming off one of his better games of
the season, however, logging 76 yards and a score against the
Titans. Chicago’s secondary affords him a chance to stack success
in Week 15. Yes, the Bears lead the NFL with 17 interceptions,
but only two teams have given up more touchdowns through the air
(27), and Chicago ranks 21st in yards allowed (224.8 yards/game)
as well. There are going to be opportunities to make plays in
the passing game, and Shedeur Sanders has displayed a willingness
to push the ball downfield. It gives Jeudy some upside potential
from your WR3/flex slot.
Merely serviceable in his first two NFL starts, Sanders got things
going last Sunday versus the Titans, throwing for 364 yards, 3
TDs, and 1 INT -- he even flashed some ability as a runner with
29 yards and a score. Granted, it came in a loss to a Titans team
that entered play with one win on the season, but it was still
an encouraging effort from the rookie. As laid out above, the
Bears are a mixed bag when it comes to pass defense. They are
as good at baiting quarterbacks into making ill-advised throws,
but this isn’t a lockdown secondary, so if Sanders can make
good decisions he could surprise. He’d be a very risky option
to be sure, but there’s some potential.
Fade: N/A
CLE FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.29
CLE FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.23
CLE FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.28
CLE FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.19
After absolutely shredding the Eagles on Black Friday, the backfield
tandem of Swift and Monangai fell back to Earth in Green Bay.
Swift gained 63 yards on 13 carries, and the rookie had 57 yards
on 14 totes. While not top-tier production, that’s still solid
work, and the fact that Monangai basically split touches with
Swift indicates where that duo stands with head coach Ben Johnson.
They’re essentially equals. For the moment, Swift still rates
a bit higher as a fantasy option -- he has a longer track record,
does more in the passing game, and seems to get more of the potential
big-play runs while Monangai works between the tackles. Cleveland’s
defense is typically stout, but they got run over by Tony Pollard
and the Titans last Sunday, so getting Monangai in your lineup
as an RB3/flex is a good move here.
With Rome Odunze (foot) inactive due to a foot injury, Burden
was easily Chicago’s most productive wideout in Week 14, leading
the way with four catches for 62 yards. The team’s other receivers
-- D.J. Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Devin Duvernay -- combined
for four receptions and 27 yards. Over the last five weeks, Moore
has finished with less than 20 yards four times. During that same
stretch, Burden has totaled 224 yards. He looks to be overtaking
Moore and getting more of those quick hitters where he can make
things happen in the open field. It’s hard to trust much with
Chicago’s passing game right now, particularly in a tough matchup,
but Burden has shown enough that he could be worth a try as a
flex, even if Odunze is back.
Williams really struggled in the first half last Sunday but put
together some nice drives after halftime in a narrow loss to the
Packers. The final numbers weren’t great, but that follows
a season-long pattern where the USC product lights up bad pass
defenses and is heavily managed against good ones -- advanced
stats had Williams using play action on 61.5% of his throws in
Green Bay, the most in an NFL game this season. Expect more of
the same against Cleveland’s pass rush this week. The Browns
currently rank first in the NFL in pass defense, meaning Williams
should be on your bench this Sunday.
After Flowers’ miserable game on Thanksgiving night against the
Bengals, he bounced back last Sunday with eight receptions for
124 yards versus Pittsburgh. It was the first time since Week
1 (7-143-1) that he topped the 100-yard mark and the third time
all season that he posted 10-plus targets. Despite what happened
two weeks ago against this same defense, you should be inclined
to get Flowers right back in your lineup. There was a natural
boost for Cincinnati with the return of Joe Burrow, but after
losing in Buffalo, their playoff hopes have dimmed considerably.
On the flip side, the Ravens suddenly find themselves in second
place in a division where only the winner is likely to earn a
spot in the postseason. In other words, this game means more to
Baltimore, so consider Flowers as a WR3 with some juice against
a deflated Bengals team.
When these teams met in Week 13, Likely (5-95-0) and Andrews
(4-47-0) were the Ravens’ top two receivers. Last Sunday, Likely
accounted for Baltimore’s only passing touchdown versus Pittsburgh
-- and had a second touchdown erased on a debatable replay review
-- while Andrews finished third in targets (5). Meanwhile, Cincinnati
had no answers for Buffalo’s tight end tandem of Dalton Kincaid
(4-41-1) and Dawson Knox (6-93-0). Where it gets dicey is which
tight end will hit? Andrews has long been Jackson’s go-to target,
especially in the red zone, but he’s having one of his worst seasons,
having not reached 50 yards in a game since Week 3. Likely has
had the better numbers recently, but he’s inconsistent, totaling
42 yards in three games combined before his 95-yard effort versus
Cincy. Both are risk/reward plays for your TE1 slot.
Fade: N/A
BAL FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.13
BAL FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.12
BAL FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.10
BAL FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.26
In snowy Buffalo, Gesicki emerged as one of Burrow’s favorite
options, hauling in all six of his targets for 86 yards and a
touchdown. It was easily his best game of the year, having only
topped 20 yards in one other game this season, and also a reminder
of the chemistry he showed with Burrow in 2024, which led to the
Bengals re-signing him to a three-year, $25.5 million contract
in March. With Higgins (concussion) seeming like a long shot to
play after suffering his second concussion in less than a month,
Gesicki could function as the de facto No. 2 target behind Chase
this Sunday. He’s a risky play to be sure, but the upside is there.
As noted, Higgins suffered a concussion against Buffalo. He had
another one on Nov. 23, which caused him to miss the Thanksgiving
night matchup between these clubs. Let’s assume he’s unable to
clear the NFL’s protocol, which creates a void opposite Chase.
In theory, you’d expect Iosivas, who functions as the team’s WR3,
to fill in. However, if you go back to Week 13, it was Tinsley
that ended the night with nine targets, second only to Chase (14).
Iosivas was targeted twice. In terms of production, though, Iosivas
finished with one catch, a 29-yard touchdown, while Tinsley caught
just two for 22 yards. Last week, Iosivas posted a 2-17-0 line
with Tinsley not being targeted. The safer play would be Iosivas
as a flex, but if you’re desperate and need someone to grab off
waivers for a one-week play, Tinsley at least has a shot at producing.
Incredibly, Brissett has been no worse than the QB11 since taking
over the starting quarterback gig for Arizona back in Week 6.
In those eight games, he’s thrown for multiple TDs in all but
one (Wk12, JAX). With no semblance of a run game, the formula
has been simple: get behind early then spend the majority of the
2nd half throwing the ball to Michael Wilson and Trey McBride.
We run into a significant problem this week against the Texans-D
that is the absolute worst matchup possible for QBs and just held
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs banged up offensive line to 10
points. Five times they’ve held opposing QBs to zero passing TDs.
The Brissett passing party looks like it's coming to an end this
week.
Much like Brissett, Michael Wilson has been on fire… especially
with Marvin Harrison Jr. off the field. Wilson has seen at least
15 targets in three out of his last four games, topping 118 receiving
yards three times. But just like Brissett, the matchup here is
brutal. The Texans have allowed just 7 TDs to wideouts. Only the
Broncos, Eagles and Chargers have allowed fewer. With a target
share over 30% in this current version of the Cardinals offense,
it will be tough to sit Wilson but this setup doesn’t inspire
confidence. His expected volume is enough to keep him in the WR2
range but the risk of a complete dud is raised in Week 15.
The Cardinals haven’t been able to run the ball most of the season.
After losing James Conner and Trey Benson to injury, the likes
of Knight and Carter simply aren’t getting enough opportunities
to be stable fantasy options. Knight has managed to find the endzone
in three out of the last four weeks keeping his fantasy value
afloat, but he’s topped out at 14 touches during that span and
with a negative game script expected, it’s hard to envision him
being anything more than a Flex option.
ARI FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.17
ARI FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.4
ARI FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.17
ARI FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.8
Marks has struggled to run between the tackles this season and
his ypc isn’t great (3.5), but he’s seen at least 17 touches in
the last four games, including 28 touches last week against Kansas
City as Nick Chubb left with a rib injury. Chubb missed practice
on Wednesday so we could get another full workload for Marks in
Week 15. This would be a much better setup as the Texans are a
heavy favorite against a Cardinals team that is circling the drain.
Arizona has allowed the 4th most fantasy points to RBs including
253 rushing yards last week to the Rams trio of Kyren, Corum and
Rivers. Marks is a solid play even if Chubb is active.
Facing the Cardinals is a good spot for the Texans passing game
and it won’t be surprise if we see a spiked performance
from Stroud who is currently hovering in low-end QB2 status in
fantasy points per game. His best games have come against the
Ravens in Week 5 (244-4-0, 1-30-0) and the 49ers in Week 8 (318-2-1,
7-30-0). Unlike last week when Stroud was under constant pressure
from the Chiefs, his pocket should be clean as the Cardinals have
struggled getting to the quarterback of late. They’ve also
allowed 3 passing TDs to Stafford, Lawrence and Purdy in recent
weeks. Stroud could be a fill-in for folks that have been rolling
with Brissett in recent weeks.
Higgins is receiving the most snaps out of all the receivers
not named Nico Collins but the Texans continue to use five wideouts,
making it difficult to trust the rookie on a weekly basis. He’s
seen 5 targets in each of his last two games and while this is
a decent spot for the Texans passing offense, you’re really
hoping he’s on the right side of TD variance to make him
a viable WR3 / Flex option.
Schultz’s fantasy value has been depressed this season due to
the fact he has just one TD. Otherwise, he’s T-5th in targets
(84) with Tyler Warren and T-3rd in receptions (62) at the position
with Pitts. As a result, he’s move valuable in PPR leagues and
in is a decent TE2 option this week with some TE1 upside if he
finds the endzone.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid returned this past week following a
three-week absence and got back to his status as a borderline
fantasy TE1. He caught four of the five passes that came his way
for 41 yards and a touchdown—his fifth of the season. Kincaid
has gone over 100 yards twice this season and remains a solid
low-end TE1 with his touchdown-scoring ability giving him some
upside to finish as a high-end TE1.
Add in the fact that Kincaid already turned in a six-catch, 108-yard
performance against this very same Patriots defense and a strong
case can be made for Kincaid being a top-five option at the position
in this matchup.
The Patriots’ wide receiver group is not particularly impressive
on paper, but they are deep, especially when you add in the passing
game usage of their running backs and tight ends. This depth has
been on display quite a bit in recent weeks and no player has
been more affected than Khalil Shakir. The wideout has now been
targeted four or fewer times in three of his past four games and
while he saved his fantasy day by getting into the end zone this
past week, fantasy managers would be wise to not rely on that
to save them against a good Patriots defense. Managers should
look elsewhere here in Week 15 and into the future as Shakir looks
to reestablish himself as Josh Allen’s top pass-catching
weapon.
BUF FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.26
BUF FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.5
BUF FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.18
BUF FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.32
Typically, a player going up against the defense that ranks No.
1 at defending against the position he plays is not a recipe for
fantasy success, but it’s tough to deny the hot streak that
Hunter Henry has been on in recent weeks. Henry has now been targeted
22 times over his past three games, converting 15 of those passes
for 233 yards and a touchdown. He clearly has great chemistry
with quarterback Drake Maye and is perhaps the team’s most
consistent and reliable red zone weapon. If New England hopes
to earn the series sweep against the Bills, then they’ll
likely need to pass the ball heavily to do it, and that should
give Henry plenty of opportunities to continue producing usable
fantasy numbers. He’s not a superstar fantasy contributor,
but he’s someone who managers can at least feel confident
enough in to throw him in as a low-end TE1 in this matchup.
It was fun while it lasted, but TreVeyon Henderson appears to
be back in a near 50/50 split now that Rhamondre Stevenson has
returned to the lineup. Henderson saw just a 49 percent snap share
and 14 touches the last time the Patriots were on the field, which
were both lows since Stevenson’s injury forced him out for
multiple weeks.
This is a favorable matchup against a Buffalo defense that has
been gashed by the run this season, but the usage is worrying.
Managers will have a tough decision to make as it’s been
clear that Henderson is the more explosive, fresher back, but
he has not yet established himself as a trustworthy option in
pass protection, thus capping his ceiling.
Rhamondre Stevenson appears to be back at close to full-strength
and he actually took one more carry than TreVeyon Henderson in
the Patriots’ Week 13 blowout win over the Giants. Unfortunately,
his per-carry production was not there as he finished with 27
fewer yards than Henderson despite the extra carry. While he was
unable to find the end zone, Stevenson was able to add three receptions
for 40 yards as a pass-catcher so his fantasy day wasn’t
too bad despite the lack of ground-game efficiency.
A case could be made that Stevenson is the better fantasy back
to own in New England right now given that he’s the veteran
and he’s already played himself back into a near 50/50 split
despite likely not being at full health, but the truth is that
he’s just lacked efficiency this season, particularly as
a runner. Stevenson has produced just 3.2 yards per carry and
scored just three touchdowns this season, so banking on him as
anything other than a desperation Flex play seems like disappointment
waiting to happen.
Breece Hall is feeling the effects of a bad offensive situation.
His usage remains solid, playing 76% of the snaps and handling
14 of 16 running back touches last week but the volume has been
lacking. The Jets can’t sustain drives which limit their
play volume and scoring opportunities. Breece’s passing
game usage has also dried up over the last two games with just
3 targets and 8 receiving yards. The Jags are stingy against the
position having allowed the fewest rushing yards to RBs in the
league. This all leads to Breece being a low confidence Flex option
in Week 15.
Mason Taylor saw 8 targets last week, the most he’s seen since
Week 8. A lot of that had to do with the change at quarterback
and since we’re likely to get Brady Cook under center again, Taylor
has some mild TE2 appeal. However, his ceiling is low considering
the poor nature of this offense. Monitor his status this weekend
as he missed practice on Thursday with a neck issue.
Tyrod Taylor suffered a groin injury on the first drive for the
Jets last week then left the game, never to return. Enter UDFA
Brady Cook who proceeded to complete 46.7% of his passes for 163
yards and 2 INTs. Taylor has missed practice on Wednesday and
Thursday so we’re assuming Cook gets the start on the road against
the heavily favored Jaguars. Nothing is ideal about this setup
and I’d seriously consider starting 44-year-old Philip Rivers
over Cook if you’re in this unfortunate situation.
The snap shares for AD Mitchell (91%) and Metchie (96%) are outstanding.
Both are basically every-down players. Unfortunately, this offense
is so bad and will be without a viable quarterback, that we can’t
trust them in fantasy lineups. Last week with Cook under center,
Metchie led the wide receivers with 8 targets. In theory you could
test try him as a Flex option in PPR leagues only, but the risk
is enormous as he’s had serious drop issues the last two
games.
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.22
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.3
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.22
NYJ FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.17
Etienne has been on a roller-coaster this season but he’s checking
in as the RB13 in fantasy points per game (half-ppr) as we get
set for Week 15. He’s topped 100 rushing yards twice, is averaging
4.6 yards per carry and has 9 TDs. At times, it appeared he was
losing work to Bhayshul Tuten but after a couple fumbles by Tuten
last week, Etienne seems primed for a large workload as the Jags
are a heavy favorite against the Jets. The Jets-D represent a
plus matchup and have given up the most TDs (9) to the running
back position.
Trevor Lawrence has thrown for multiple TDs in his last three
games (@ARI, @TEN, IND) finishing as the QB3, QB11 and QB14. He’s
been building a connection with newcomer Jakobi Meyers and Brian
Thomas Jr. is back in the mix along with tight end Brenton Strange.
We can reasonably expect a good fantasy day for Lawrence but his
ceiling might be capped if Jacksonville has success running the
ball early, and jumps out to a big lead.
Meyers saw 10 targets last week – his first double-digit target
game since joining the Jaguars. That resulted in 4 catches, 39
yards and 1 TD. Meyers and Brian Thomas Jr. are the starters in
two WR sets, each playing 83% of the snaps last week. Thomas has
shifted to running more deep routes since his return to action,
making Meyers are safer bet for production in the short-to-intermediate
area. Teams don’t throw a lot against the Jets which is why they
represent a neutral matchup to the position, but it won’t be surprising
if one of Meyers or Thomas finds the endzone this week.
Omarion Hampton returned from a long IR stint and immediately
delivered, despite playing just 31% of snaps. He handled 15 touches
for 67 yards and caught a touchdown—his 3rd score in six
career games and his fourth straight outing over 65 total yards.
His snap rate should climb significantly in Week 15, and his
receiving usage, in particular, is poised to grow. The Chargers
need reliable underneath options, and Hampton provides that. Kimani
Vidal’s 60-yard catch was notable, but his 17% drop rate
and 70% career catch rate remain concerning. Hampton, meanwhile,
has yet to drop a pass (24 targets, 92% catch rate). He profiles
as the more trustworthy receiving back moving forward.
The Chiefs allow the 7th fewest points to RBs, but they’re
not the brick wall they were last year. With talent plus opportunity
tilting Hampton’s direction, he’s a mid-range RB2.
Ladd McConkey has now failed to clear 13 receiving yards in two
of the last three games and caught just 1 pass against the Eagles.
The concern is valid—this offense is struggling, and Justin
Herbert is playing through significant issues. But the Chiefs
present a more manageable matchup than Philadelphia, particularly
with a less imposing pass rush. McConkey has also already shown,
over two seasons, the ability to rebound from quiet stretches.
Think of him as a less elite version of A.J. Brown—volatile,
but capable of taking over a game. He’s a low-end WR2.
It has now been three straight weeks since Justin Herbert has
reached 200 passing yards—unthinkable earlier in the year.
Week 14 was arguably his low point: 46% completion rate, 7 sacks,
3 turnovers. His one saving grace was 66 rushing yards, which
rescued his fantasy line.
That mobility may be the key again this weekend. Kansas City
has been unusually vulnerable to rushing QBs, allowing 250 rushing
yards and 5 rushing touchdowns to the position. Herbert rushed
for 32 yards against them in Week 1 when he wasn’t under
nearly as much duress as he is now. Combine that with K.C.’s
modest sack production (23 in 13 games), and Herbert has a chance
to stabilize his floor. His ceiling remains cloudy, though. He’s
still a QB2, but a usable one in deep leagues and SuperFlex formats.
Kimani Vidal remained deeply involved upon Hampton’s return,
playing 69% of snaps—solidly within the range he saw with
Hampton sidelined. His long reception inflated his Week 14 line
and delivered his 5th 100-yard game of the season.
But Vidal’s role is likely to diminish quickly now that
Hampton is back. His resumption of kick return duties (5 returns
for 111 yards) is telling—something he hadn’t done
since Hampton went down. Vidal may still offer standalone value,
but his floor is fragile and trending down. Against a tough opponent,
he’s a risky flex.
Quentin Johnston produced just 8 yards last week and now has
only 31 receiving yards total over the last three games. With
Hampton back, targets will only get tighter. The Chiefs have allowed
just 8 touchdowns to opposing WRs all season. Johnston—chronically
TD-dependent and lacking floor—is a firm sit.
Oronde Gadsden II has just 7 catches on 17 targets over the last
month and hasn’t scored in five weeks. Even in an overtime
game last week, he mustered only a 1-7-0 line on 4 targets. Against
a Chiefs defense allowing the 6th fewest FPts/G to tight ends,
he remains off the fantasy radar.
LAC FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
LAC FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.19
LAC FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.32
LAC FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.25
Since returning from injury and suspension, Rashee Rice has picked
up exactly where he left off last year. Averaging over 9.5 targets
and 6.6 catches per game, he’s delivered 77.2 yards per
game and 6 touchdowns in six contests.
He has been quieted twice—once by Denver’s elite
secondary, and again last week by a stellar Houston defense during
one of the Chiefs’ worst offensive outings of the year.
Even so, the Chargers have allowed nearly every WR1 they’ve
faced to perform well. A.J. Brown’s 100-yard outing on Monday
night was only the latest example. Rice is a safe, locked-in WR1.
Patrick Mahomes has thrown just one total touchdown in four of
his last five games, outside of a predictable explosion against
Dallas. He’s faced brutal matchups (Denver, Houston, Buffalo),
and the Chargers finally came alive last week by forcing Jalen
Hurts into five turnovers. Mahomes tossed three INTs himself on
Sunday and has thrown eight in his last six games.
He’s still piling up yardage (265 per game over that stretch)
and adding rushing production (30+ yards in three straight). The
question is whether he can avoid turnovers against a defense that
has forced QBs into 3 more INTs than TDs. He’s a borderline
QB1.
Kareem Hunt saw 12 carries for 30 yards last week with no receiving
involvement, salvaging his day with a rushing TD—Houston’s defensive
weak spot. He’ll try to replicate that against a middling Chargers
run defense. Isiah Pacheco mixed in for 9 carries, but their snap
split didn’t change (Hunt 60%, Pacheco 30%). Hunt remains a TD-dependent
flex.
Xavier Worthy has shown signs of life. For the third straight
week, he produced at least 55 yards and 3 receptions while maintaining
a strong 9.7 yards per target during that span. His floor is finally
stabilizing, and positive TD regression is coming—he has
scored just once all season. The matchup is competitive, but Worthy
is at least back in the flex conversation.
Travis Kelce had his worst game of 2025 last week (1-8-0 on 5
targets). The Chargers are often tough on tight ends, having just
held Brock Bowers to 5-38-0 in Week 13. Kelce’s snap rate
has also surged to 88%+ in four of his last five games—great
for volume, but concerning for wear on a 36-year-old. He’s
still a TE1, but more back-end than mid-range this week.
Isiah Pacheco’s jump in carries from 3 to 9 shouldn’t
lure fantasy owners. He turned those 9 attempts into only 30 yards,
wasn’t targeted, and has struggled with drops this year
(3). Over his last 17 games, he has broken just two tackles on
rushing attempts. He profiles as a depth-only RB2 for Kansas City
and does not belong in fantasy lineups—or on many fantasy
rosters.
There's little question that Daniel Jones was the best thing
to happen to Michael Pittman Jr. in some time. Looking behind
the numbers, Jones had one of the best On-Target Rates of any
QB over the last several years, despite mere QB2–QB3 fantasy production
while on the Giants. His accuracy in the short and intermediate
areas fit perfectly with Pittman’s strengths, and the results
speak for themselves — Pittman has already matched last season’s
reception total (69) and set a career high with 7 touchdowns.
He’s on pace for 90 receptions, which would be the third highest
mark of his career.
The lone bright spot after Jones’ injury last week was
that Pittman still produced, catching 9 of 12 targets for 79 yards.
Leonard clearly leaned on him as a first read. That will likely
change regardless of who starts this week — whether it's
a mid-40s veteran or a journeyman, the Colts quarterback is unlikely
to lock onto Pittman the same way, and Seattle’s secondary
is one of the toughest matchups he’ll see. There’s
some PPR-friendly upside given how often Indy may be forced underneath,
but the floor is extremely shaky. He’s a very risky flex.
Even before Daniel Jones went down, Tyler Warren had cooled off
a bit. Over his last five games, he’s been held to 45 yards or
fewer in four of them. After Jones exited in Week 14, Warren nearly
vanished, producing a season-low 15 yards despite six targets.
Leonard’s accuracy issues bore most of the blame. The one scenario
where Warren could find his footing is with Philip Rivers under
center, where shorter, quicker throws would be more common and
could help his floor.
The matchup does help — Seattle has allowed the sixth most
points to opposing tight ends, with multiple starters posting
season-high yardage against them in recent weeks. Still, the QB
situation adds considerable uncertainty right when fantasy managers
want stability the most. Warren is on the fringe of the TE1 conversation,
but with significant risk.
A season-ending injury to Daniel Jones followed by an injury
to rookie Riley Leonard forced the Colts into the stunning, desperation
signing of 44-year-old Philip Rivers. Once a highly productive
passer, Rivers’ final NFL season already showed a steep
decline in arm strength, and expecting him to be ready for the
speed and physicality of the game five years later is unrealistic.
Facing a fast, physical Seattle defense after only a few days
of practice sets the stage for a potentially rough outing.
If the Colts decide Rivers needs more time, Brett Rypien or a
hobbled Riley Leonard could start instead. Given that the Colts
showed so little confidence in Rypien that they reached out to
a long-retired QB, fantasy managers shouldn’t have any confidence
in him either. All Colts quarterbacks are hands off in Week 15.
The downgrade under center is especially devastating for Alec
Pierce. After thriving with Daniel Jones, Pierce’s downfield
skill set (20.3 YPR, pacing all receivers for a second straight
year) is completely mismatched with Rivers’ current arm
strength. He’s poised to disappear from relevance against
Seattle, and possibly for the rest of the season.
IND FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.18
IND FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
IND FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.4
IND FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.7
With the Colts unraveling at quarterback, the Seahawks enter
this matchup as heavy favorites and are likely to take a run-heavy
approach, leaning on both Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
Seattle already ranks among the league leaders in rushing volume.
Walker’s season-long fantasy output (9.9 FPts/G) undersells
how well he has actually played — 4.5 yards per carry, a
strong broken tackle rate, and zero fumbles — but Charbonnet
has been the preferred option near the goal line, scoring 8 touchdowns
to Walker’s 4.
Given how much the Colts may struggle to sustain drives or field
position, Seattle should have ample scoring opportunities. Both
backs fall squarely into the flex conversation, each with RB2
upside.
Sam Darnold played well versus Atlanta, finishing with 249 passing
yards and 3 touchdowns, plus 23 rushing yards. However, his ceiling
always comes with a warning label: Seattle is perfectly comfortable
throwing the ball 25 times or fewer when the game allows it. In
a matchup they’re expected to control, Darnold’s volume
could dip under 20 attempts, making him a volatile option with
a lower ceiling this week.
Rashid Shaheed posted his best game as a Seahawk last week, generating
67 receiving yards and a return touchdown in leagues that score
kick returns. Seattle values him as a field stretcher and gadget
player, but his usage is fragile and highly game-script dependent.
With the Seahawks likely to play conservatively and keep the ball
on the ground, Shaheed is best left on benches.
The 49ers have been lukewarm against opposing wideouts and are
likely to force Tennessee into heavy second-half passing volume.
That alone keeps Chimere Dike on the deep-league radar as the
de facto WR1.
Dike has scored twice in his last three games and has posted
at least five catches in two of those contests, but his overall
production remains capped—he has just 95 receiving yards over
his last five outings combined. His primary appeal stems from
Cam Ward’s lack of established alternatives. In a favorable matchup
with likely negative game script, Dike is a viable deep-league
flex.
Tony Pollard is not the preferred flex play in a rebuilding Titans
offense, but every so often he delivers, as he did last week with
161 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His 28.1 FPts was easily
a season-best and pushed him just inside the top 30 RBs in FPts/G
(9.9).
San Francisco has been middling against fantasy RBs overall,
but most of the damage they've allowed has come through the air.
Unfortunately, Pollard has not been a meaningful part of the passing
game—he saw zero targets last week despite his big outing,
and Cam Ward rarely checks down. With Tennessee likely trailing
significantly, Pollard is a low-end flex with a modest floor and
limited ceiling.
Chig Okonkwo has generated preseason sleeper buzz for two straight
years without converting it into consistent fantasy value. A strong
catch rate and decent efficiency (73%, 7.7 Yds/Tgt career) aren’t
enough on their own to sustain relevance, especially without touchdowns—none
so far this year—and no double-digit fantasy outing since
2023. However, this matchup provides rare streaming appeal. San
Francisco has allowed the 9th most points to tight ends and at
least 10.2 fantasy points to the position every week since Week
10. Okonkwo isn’t likely to hit that range himself, but
the matchup vaults him into high-end TE2 territory for managers
in need.
Cam Ward may eventually prove that his rookie year was just a
developmental season, but right now he offers almost no fantasy
utility. Even last week—his first multi-TD game—he threw for just
117 yards. Since Calvin Ridley went on IR, Ward has failed to
reach 200 passing yards in four of his last five starts. With
minimal rushing contribution and little help around him, Ward
remains stuck firmly in QB3 range even against a non-elite 49ers
defense.
TEN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.10
TEN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.11
TEN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.8
TEN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.15
Brock Purdy has gone 3-0 since returning from injury, but his
production has been modest—no 200-yard passing games and
just five touchdowns against three picks. He did add a rushing
TD against Cleveland, and he’s getting plenty of time in
the pocket (only four sacks since returning). Still, his 5.95
ANY/A is the lowest mark of his career.
The bye week should help Purdy get back in sync with the offense,
and a matchup against Tennessee’s vulnerable secondary (25
passing TDs allowed, only six interceptions) is exactly what he
needs. Given the Titans' tendency to hemorrhage passing production,
Purdy is a viable back-end QB1 this week.
Jauan Jennings entered the bye on a strong run, scoring four
touchdowns in his last five games. He hasn’t replicated
last season’s breakout performance, but he has carved out
a consistent floor—at least four receptions in seven straight
contests. Jennings remains heavily involved near the goal line,
with 11 touchdowns since the start of 2024.
With the offense finally healthy, Jennings’ yardage upside
remains limited (just two 70-plus yard games this season), making
him a touchdown-dependent flex. Against a Tennessee defense giving
up the 8th most points to receivers, he’s firmly in consideration.
It’s tempting to give up on Ricky Pearsall after totaling
just 20 yards across three games since his return from injury,
but Week 15 begins a string of highly favorable matchups. A full
bye week offers Pearsall a chance to get fully up to speed both
physically and mentally.
His early-season flashes—including back-to-back games with
100+ yards—show the ceiling is still in there. The floor
remains dangerously low, but for desperate managers, Pearsall
offers real boom potential in a prime matchup.
After missing Week 12, Josh Jacobs returned with authority, clearing
80 yards in back-to-back games and punching in a rushing score
on 20 carries last week versus Chicago. Unfortunately, he appears
to have re-aggravated his knee and has yet to practice as of Thursday.
There’s still a realistic chance Jacobs plays. If active,
he’d be an RB2 with elevated risk of an in-game setback
against a Broncos defense that ranks 4th stingiest versus running
backs.
If Jacobs sits, Emanuel Wilson would again step into a true bell-cow
role. His last start produced 30 touches, 125 yards, and 2 touchdowns—an
elite workload by any standard. But fantasy managers should temper
expectations. Green Bay is far less likely to enjoy the comfortable
game script it had against the collapsing Vikings. If he starts,
Wilson is a back-end RB2.
Jordan Love has resurfaced over the last two weeks with consecutive
3-TD performances, doubling the number of such games he had in
2024. But Love remains an enigma—throwing 0 touchdowns nearly
as often (6 times) as he’s thrown 3 or more (7 times) over
the last two seasons.
Love has done an excellent job protecting the ball this year
(just 4 INTs), but Denver’s defense has shut out six quarterbacks
from throwing even a single TD pass. Love trends much more likely
toward a quiet outing than a ceiling one. He’s a QB2 for
Week 15.
Christian Watson’s fantasy relevance hinges almost entirely
on big plays and touchdowns. He scored 12 times over his first
two seasons and has found the end zone five times in seven games
this year. But Denver has allowed just five touchdowns to opposing
wideouts all season. Watson has not caught more than five passes
in a game since 2023 (and only twice in his career), making him
heavily touchdown-dependent. In this matchup, that’s a problem.
He’s a sit.
GB FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.27
GB FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.24
GB FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.20
GB FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.20
Courtland Sutton enters Week 15 ranked 26th in FPts/G (10.4)
and has quietly posted a stable three-game stretch of 59, 62,
and 62 yards. He matched a season-high with 10 targets last week
and scored his 5th touchdown the week prior.
The matchup is volatile. At their best, the Packers have smothered
top receivers—Amon-Ra St. Brown (6.5 FPts), Tet McMillan (6.6)—but
they’ve also been burned by George Pickens (29.4) and Jameson
Williams (23.4). While Green Bay shut down D.J. Moore (-0.1) last
week, Sutton has just as much chance to score and deliver a WR3/Flex-level
performance.
RJ Harvey logged his first 100-yard game last week and now has
nine total touchdowns (5 rushing, 4 receiving) along with a healthy
37 receptions. But this is a rough matchup: Green Bay has allowed
the 9th fewest points to running backs and hasn’t given
up a single receiving touchdown to the position. Harvey is a borderline
RB2.
Evan Engram followed a 6-catch, 79-yard outing versus Washington
with a 2-catch, 8-yard dud against Las Vegas. But this matchup
quietly suits him. Green Bay has been most vulnerable underneath,
allowing 77 tight end receptions at a modest 7.6 yards per catch.
Engram’s short-area usage (4.4 aDOT this year; 5.6 career)
makes him a natural fit to exploit this area of the Packers defense.
Since Week 7, five tight ends have cleared 12.6 FPts against
the Packers. Engram carries both a boosted floor and a legitimate
ceiling this week. Drops (11.5%) and rapport concerns with Bo
Nix limit the confidence, but he deserves high-end TE2 consideration.
Bo Nix completed a season-high 31 passes last week (38 attempts),
but they produced only 212 yards as Denver kept the offense in
check-down mode. Nix has failed to throw a touchdown in two of
his last three games, and it’s been five games since he
last produced multiple scores. His rushing upside has dwindled
in the second half of the season despite last week’s goal-line
TD.
Green Bay also limits QB rushing production—bottling up
Jaylen Daniels, Jalen Hurts, and Caleb Williams—and has
allowed just 139 rushing yards to quarterbacks all season. Only
three QBs have reached 20+ FPts against them. It’s not the
environment for Nix to snap out of his slump. He’s a QB2.
It’s difficult to get excited about anybody in the Carolina
offense this week. The matchup against the Saints isn’t
necessarily bad, but lack of volume or efficient passing game
puts a wet blanket on the offense as a whole. The Panthers will
likely try to ground and pound their way to a victory but with
Dowdle and Hubbard sharing the backfield duties, it will hard
to trust either one as anything more than Flex option. In their
last game prior to their Week 14 bye, Dowdle out-touched Hubbard
20 to 19. The backs were alternating series and Hubbard seemed
to be the preferred option on passing downs. Each back is capable
of putting up a solid fantasy performance here, but it will largely
come down to who gets in the endzone.
Tetairoa McMillan has been living off touchdowns the last two
games posting lines of 2-23-1 and 1-43-1 on just 9 targets. When
these two teams met back in Week 10, McMillan finished as the
WR30 with 5 catches for 60 yards. Bryce Young threw the ball just
25 times in that game and I’m sure the Panthers would prefer this
approach again. We’re not expecting a shootout here, so a mid-range
WR2 finish is the likely outcome for McMillan.
Bryce Young has spiked some big games this season (QB5, QB2,
QB4) but they’re too few and too far between. Considering
the QB28 finish he posted when these teams played in Week 10,
and the fact that he’s been under 200 passing yards nine
times this season, I’ll take a pass on Young this week.
CAR FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.25
CAR FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.9
CAR FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.24
CAR FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.10
The Saints were dealing with bad conditions last week (rain)
which hampered the passing game but Olave and Devaughn Vele were
virtually every-down players, playing on 93% of the snaps. While
the target volume has decreased from his first six games, Olave
has still seen double-digit targets twice in his next six and
posted a 5-104-1 line when these teams met back in Week 10. With
this game being in a dome, the environment is right for a big
play or two from the third-highest targeted wideout in the league.
Juwan Johnson is a top 10 tight end in targets, receptions, and
yards making him a solid option each week and this week is no
different. He finished as the TE3 when these teams played earlier
this season, spiking a big play and a touchdown. Both are on the
table here against a Panthers team that’s allowed the sixth
most yards to the position.
In his last four games, Shough has finished as the QB13 (@CAR),
QB22, QB12, and QB5. Last week he scored two rushing TDs (7-55-2)
against the Bucs during a downpour that limited his passing to
144 yards. The Panthers are one of the worst teams at pressuring
the quarterback and Shough’s highest yardage total this
season came against this very team. He doesn’t have the
trust of a low-end QB1 yet, but Shough does offer enough intrigue
as a QB2.
In his last two games with Alvin Kamara on the sidelines, Devin
Neal has handled 17 and 20 touches, finishing as the RB39 and
RB13. Assuming Kamara sits again, we should expect another 17-20
touches from Neal who has very little competition for backfield
work. Last week he played on 71% of the snaps and handled 20 of
27 running back touches. He’s a worthy Flex option in a decent
matchup against a Panthers team that has allowed the 6th most
RB touchdowns (12) this season.
Jared Goff threw for 309 yards in last week’s 44-point
outburst against Dallas, but he wasn’t the primary fantasy
benefactor thanks to Detroit’s RB duo hogging the goal-line
work. That’s always the risk with Goff: he can move the
offense all day, but Gibbs and Montgomery often finish the drives.
As for the matchup, Goff’s history against Sean McVay’s
Rams hasn’t been kind—just 2 TDs and 3 interceptions
in two career meetings. Still, one of those came in his first
Lions season with a bottom-tier roster, so it shouldn’t
be weighted too heavily.
The Rams are respectable—though not elite—against
QBs (12th fewest FPts/G allowed), and this game carries high shootout
potential. With that ceiling in mind, Goff is firmly in the QB1
mix this week.
Jameson Williams turned in another big performance against Dallas,
posting a 7-96-0 line. It marked his sixth game with at least
66 yards in his last eight outings—though the other two were literally
zero-yard games. He remains one of the league’s elite boom/bust
options. With Sam LaPorta on IR, Williams’ ceiling has climbed
(88+ yards in three of four games since), but his floor remains
volatile. Against a middling Rams secondary, treat him as a WR2
with a wide range of outcomes.
David Montgomery ripped off a 35-yard TD last week and continues
to perform extremely well in his complementary role. The issue
is volume—he hasn’t topped 10 touches in four straight
games and is touchdown-dependent. Against a Rams defense allowing
the 3rd-fewest points to RBs, Montgomery is best left on the bench
despite the likelihood of a high-scoring game.
DET FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.8
DET FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.31
DET FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.2
DET FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.23
Matthew Stafford got right last week, going 281-3 with a sharp
71% completion rate. His scoring streak with Davante Adams finally
snapped, but Puka Nacua more than picked up the slack, exploding
for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Stafford hasn’t looked this
good in years, and after logging his third sack-free game of the
season, there’s renewed optimism he can stay upright down the
stretch. With a likely shootout looming against Detroit, Stafford
is arguably this week’s top QB play.
Kyren Williams managers may feel Blake Corum inching closer,
but Williams still maintains roughly two-thirds of the snaps when
healthy. Though the days of 20-touch workloads are mostly gone,
Williams has offset it with efficiency—topping 5.5 yds/rush in
three of his last four games. Detroit poses one of the league’s
toughest RB matchups (2nd fewest points allowed), but in a high-volume
scoring environment, Williams’ red-zone role keeps him in the
RB2 tier.
Davante Adams’ TD streak ended at six games, but the bigger
concern is his hamstring. A missed practice is notable at this
point in the season, and his status needs close monitoring. If
he’s active—and ideally limited at worst by Friday—he
remains a WR2 due to his dominant scoring role.
Blake Corum has surged recently, showcasing a massive efficiency
spike (11 yds/rush over his last two games) and emerging breakaway
ability. His role is rising, but the matchup is rough, and negative
game script risk is real here. His weekly range fluctuates from
“game-changer” to “barely involved.” He’s
a volatile flex option.
The Vikings’ problems behind center are no secret, but
they’ve gotten bad enough to the point where fantasy managers
have to strongly consider whether or not Jordan Addison and even
Justin Jefferson are viable fantasy options right now.
It seems insane to think that Jefferson in particular wouldn’t
be a guaranteed must-start player as long as he’s healthy,
but a quick glance at his season-long fantasy production would
show you that Jefferson is currently in perhaps the worst drought
of his career. He’s been held to an average of just over
32 yards per game over his past five contests and he hasn’t
gotten into the end zone at all during that stretch. Meanwhile,
Addison hasn’t reached even 50 receiving yards in a game
since all the way back in Week 7 and he’s scored just two
touchdowns over that stretch.
Typically, we’d just scratch both of these receivers as
“fades” and move on, but a matchup against the Cowboys
has been a cure-all for countless offenses here in 2025. It seems
unlikely that we’re going to see some massive offensive
explosion from the Vikings, but it could be enough to make at
least Jefferson, and potentially Addison, usable fantasy pieces
once again.
Aaron Jones returned to practice in limited fashion on Thursday
which likely means that he’ll be ready to suit up for the
Vikings here in Week 15, but that doesn’t mean that he should
be in your fantasy lineup. Jones has now been held to fewer than
50 rushing yards in four of the seven games he’s played
since returning from injury, and he’s scored just once over
that stretch. Add in the fact that he’s barely producing
in the passing game, with fewer than 25 receiving yards in all
seven of those recent games, and it’s hard to justify Jones
as anything other than a deep touchdown-or-bust desperation play.
Of course, this Cowboys defense is certainly capable of providing
a “get-right” game even to players who’ve been
terrible, but there's a lot of risk for another bust even in this
great matchup.
MIN FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.31
MIN FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.21
MIN FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.31
MIN FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.14
Perhaps Javonte Williams could be argued as a “favorite”
as he’s been an extremely consistent double-digit fantasy
producer this season, but his lack of explosive games—especially
over his past eight games—likely means that his ceiling
is capped as an RB2 against a defense like Minnesota’s.
The Vikings haven’t been excellent against opposing backs,
but they’ve been better than the league median. More importantly,
they’ve allowed just one back to reach 15 fantasy points
against them since all the way back in Week 8.
Wide receiver Ryan Fluornoy has taken a big step forward in recent
weeks and seems to be establishing himself as the third option
in the Dallas passing game, behind star wide receivers CeeDee
Lamb and George Pickens. Fluornoy exploded with a nine-catch,
115-yard performance against the Lions this past week, which coincided
with Lamb leaving the game due to a concussion. Lamb appears to
be on track to play this week, which would certainly limit Flournoy's
looks, but he becomes a sneaky option if Lamb ends up being ruled
out.
Tight end Jake Ferguson’s role in the offense continues to make
him a viable mid-to-low-end fantasy TE1, but managers will need
to keep a close eye on his status heading into this weekend’s
game. Ferguson was limited in practice on Wednesday with a calf
injury, but saw the dreaded downgrade to "non-participant” on
Thursday. This alone doesn’t mean that he won’t play, but it does
mean that significant chance of that being the case. What’s worse
is that the Vikings and Cowboys don’t play until Sunday night,
so managers will need to have another option in their back pocket
in case Ferguson is a late scratch heading into the game. Wise
managers will open up a roster spot and look to add backup Luke
Schoonmaker as an emergency fill-in option should Ferguson be
unable to go.
While it sounds like Achane (ribs) avoided serious injury in
Week 14, the explosive back may be limited this Monday night.
It’s a tough situation for fantasy owners since it’s the final
game of Week 15, meaning any unexpected surprises will result
in a mad scramble. As such, it’d be highly advisable to grab Wright
off the waiver wire. With Achane getting hurt last Sunday, Wright
carried the ball 24 times for 107 yards and a score. It was proof
that he’s the true backup to Achane, and not Ollie Gordon II,
who has been used more over the course of the year, though it
appears he’s viewed as a situation-specific option on short yardage.
Make no mistake, Miami wants to run the football, and if Achane
isn’t up to his usual work load, Wright showed last Sunday he
could pick up the slack. As a standalone, Wright might be a risk/reward
play as a flex, but if Achane is out, he becomes a potential top-20
play.
During Miami’s current four-game winning streak, Tagovailoa
has completed just 13.5 passes for 157 yards per game with three
touchdowns and three interceptions total. On paper, this looks
like a plus matchup for the southpaw as Pittsburgh ranks 28th
in the NFL in pass defense (as opposed to 21st versus the run),
but the transformation of the Dolphins offense is clear. Even
if they find themselves in chase mode, Tagovailoa would be a hard
sell as in that scenario the Steelers would be able to tee off
and come after him, and we’ve seen how pressure affects
the Alabama product. Stay away.
MIA FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.11
MIA FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.18
MIA FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
MIA FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.3
Even though Gainwell continues to operate in Warren’s shadow,
he’s done enough over the past month to become a viable weekly
option. During the last four games, Gainwell has averaged 79 total
yards per game and scored three times. Granted, he hasn’t done
nearly as much the past two weeks, but he’s been over 40 yards
each game while becoming a frequent checkdown target for Aaron
Rodgers. While Miami has improved defensively during their winning
streak, they still rank 25th against the run, so this isn’t some
lockdown unit. Between his role and matchup, Gainwell is well
worth utilizing as your Week 15 flex.
Coming off a disastrous performance in Week 13 versus Buffalo,
Rodgers and the passing game played much better against the Ravens.
The future Hall-of-Famer passed for a season-high 284 yards and
accounted for a pair of touchdowns -- that included his first
rushing score since he was with the Packers (and the iconic belt
celebration for good measure). As nostalgic as that may have been,
Rodgers’ previous three games saw him finish below 165 yards
each week, and he hasn’t thrown multiple TD passes in game
since October. Rodgers can’t be trusted to deliver QB1 numbers
right now.
