It's hard to believe it's already Week 15. That means our wild ride of the 2019 season is near an end. It feels like yesterday we were just planning our Fantasy drafts. Wow, that went fast. But there is still plenty of work to be done. This is likely the semifinals of the playoffs for many of you, and the hope is you can get one more win for a shot at a Fantasy championship.
Unfortunately, there are many injuries we're dealing with, including quarterbacks playing hurt (Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Jameis Winston and Tom Brady), running backs who are out (Derrius Guice and Rashaad Penny), and receivers who aren't likely to play again in 2019 (Mike Evans, Alshon Jeffery, Calvin Ridley and Marvin Jones). We're also waiting to find out about a couple of key tight ends for Week 15, including Mark Andrews (knee) and Jared Cook (concussion).
Now, there is some good news, including the expected returns of Josh Jacobs (shoulder), James Conner (shoulder), and Adam Thielen (hamstring). And some injury woes have led to potential Fantasy streaming stars, including Eli Manning for Daniel Jones (ankle), Zach Pascal for T.Y. Hilton (calf) and Tyler Higbee for Gerald Everett (knee).
We hate dealing with injuries at this point in the season, but sometimes the replacements can be stars, too. Go back to 2018 when guys like C.J. Anderson, Damien Williams and DaeSean Hamilton were helping you win Fantasy titles, and the same thing could happen this year.
The season is almost over, but the pressure is on for all of you in your Fantasy leagues. Enjoy these final weeks, and hopefully they are successful for you in the quest to win a championship.
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
Start of the Week
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Ryan Tannehill has been awesome as a Fantasy quarterback. There's a sentence I never expected to write in 2019. But here we are, and he's worth trusting in all leagues in the Fantasy playoffs.
Since taking over as the starter in Tennessee for the ineffective Marcus Mariota in Week 7, he's scored at least 22 Fantasy points in six of seven games. His worst game was a 17-point outing in Week 13 at Indianapolis, but he still had two touchdown passes in that outing.
He's making plays with his legs, rushing for at least 37 yards in three of his past five games. And he's making A.J. Brown into a potential star receiver, which has been fun to watch.
The Titans are playing the Texans for the AFC South division lead this week, and Houston allows an average of 24.0 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. There have been nine quarterbacks to score at least 22 Fantasy points against the Texans, including Tom Brady and Drew Lock scoring at least 29 points against this defense in each of the past two weeks.
I like Tannehill as a top-five Fantasy quarterback in Week 15. I never expected to say that this year after he was discarded by the Dolphins in the offseason, and the Titans brought him in to back up Mariota. But Tannehill has been special, and he should help you in the Fantasy playoffs with another big game.
I'm starting Tannehill over: Aaron Rodgers (vs. CHI), Carson Wentz (at WAS), Tom Brady (at CIN), Dak Prescott (vs. LAR) and Kirk Cousins (at LAC)
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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It's less than ideal to have Winston in the Fantasy semifinals with a thumb injury and without Mike Evans (hamstring), but I'm still starting him. The upside is immense as we saw last week with 42 Fantasy points against the Colts, and he's scored at least 20 Fantasy points in five of his past seven games. Detroit has allowed seven of the past nine opposing quarterbacks to score at least 22 Fantasy points, and Winston should have another big game on the road in Week 15.
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Garoppolo has scored at least 22 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, and he should have another big performance this week against the Falcons. Atlanta has allowed two of the past three opposing quarterbacks to score 29 Fantasy points, and Kyle Shanahan should be excited to match wits with his former boss in Dan Quinn. I expect Garoppolo to be a top 10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 15.
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Goff looks comfortable again, and it shows in his play. He's averaging 23.5 Fantasy points in his past two games against Arizona and Seattle, and I expect him to play well again in Week 15 against the Cowboys. Dallas has struggled the past two games against the Bills and Bears, with Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky each scoring at least 25 Fantasy points, and Goff should be in that range as well. The Rams are making a late playoff push, and Goff's recent play is a big reason why.
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Carr has been all over the place as a Fantasy quarterback of late, scoring 23 points in Week 14 against the Titans after combining for 14 points in his previous two outings against the Jets and Chiefs on the road. I'll buy into him in Week 15 as a low-end starter for a couple of reasons, starting with his matchup against the Jaguars, who have allowed three of their past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 23 Fantasy points. It's also the final game ever in Oakland with the Raiders moving to Las Vegas next year, so I expect Carr to go out on a high note for the home crowd.
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Murray will break out of his two-game slump this week against the Browns, who probably aren't excited to make a long road trip at this point in the season. Cleveland has only allowed one quarterback to score more than 20 Fantasy points in the past four games, but the three down performances came against Andy Dalton and the Steelers twice. For the season, seven quarterbacks have scored at least 20 Fantasy points against the Browns, and I expect Murray to be No. 8. Cleveland is among the league leaders in rushing yards (244) and touchdowns (four) allowed to opposing quarterbacks.
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Sleepers
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Manning is expected to start in Week 15 against Miami with Daniel Jones (ankle) still hurt, and this could be the final home start of his career. It would not be a surprise to see him go out with a stellar performance since he's facing the Dolphins. Miami allows an average of 24.6 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and four quarterbacks in a row have scored at least 20 Fantasy points against this defense.
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The Saints defense is a mess right now due to injuries, and Brissett could be forced to throw if he's chasing points as expected. New Orleans has allowed three quarterbacks in a row to score at least 20 Fantasy points, and Brissett just had 26 Fantasy points at Tampa Bay in Week 14, which was his highest total since Week 7.
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I'll stick with Fitzpatrick this week given his matchup with the Giants, and hopefully DeVante Parker (concussion) is healthy enough to play. The Giants are awful against opposing quarterbacks, allowing an average of 23.5 Fantasy points for the season, including six guys in a row scoring at least 20 points. Fitzpatrick couldn't get in the end zone in Week 14 against the Jets and scored just 13 Fantasy points, but he had at least 26 points in each of the previous two weeks.
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Sit 'Em
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I expected Allen to struggle in Week 14 against the Ravens, and that's what happened with just 11 Fantasy points. It was his first game with fewer than 20 Fantasy points since Week 9, and he should have another down performance against the Steelers on the road. Pittsburgh has allowed just two quarterbacks to score more than 18 Fantasy points since Week 2, and Allen is even a risky option in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues this week.
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Darnold just had his last good matchup for the season in Week 14 against Miami, and he scored 20 Fantasy points. He now faces Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Buffalo to close the season, and Darnold should struggle in all of those matchups. The Ravens have allowed on quarterback to score more than 17 Fantasy points for the season, which was Patrick Mahomes in Week 3, and this should be a tough game for Darnold on the road.
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Cousins has proven to be a solid Fantasy quarterback this season, but this is a tough test against the Chargers. Only two quarterbacks all season have scored more than 19 Fantasy points against this defense, and the last one was Ryan Tannehill in Week 7. Otherwise, they've held Trubisky, Aaron Rodgers, Carr, Mahomes, Drew Lock and Gardner Minshew to 16 Fantasy points or less in each of the past six games. Cousins has only scored less than 20 Fantasy points two times since Week 4, but I'm concerned about his production this week. I'd only start Cousins in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues.
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I was really hoping for Wentz to close the season playing at a high level, but it's hard to trust him with this depleted receiving corps, even against Washington. It took him overtime against the Giants in Week 14 to get 23 Fantasy points, and while it still counts (thankfully, as he was the Start of the Week), it's hard to expect him to replicate that kind of production with Alshon Jeffery (foot) and Nelson Agholor (knee) hurt. Washington also has held two of the past three opposing quarterbacks to 14 Fantasy points or less, including Rodgers in Week 14. Wentz is a low-end starter at best this week.
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Lock has been a nice story for the past two weeks, and it appears the Broncos have their quarterback of the future. But it's not worth starting him this week against the Chiefs. Kansas City's defense appears to have turned the corner the past three games, holding Philip Rivers, Carr and Tom Brady to 14 Fantasy points or less in each outing. And while Lock was great in Week 14 at Houston with 29 Fantasy points, playing in Arrowhead Stadium will be a tough for a young passer. He's a risky option even in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues.
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Bust Alert
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Trubisky has been great lately, and I give him plenty of credit for rebounding after a dismal start to the 2019 campaign. He's scored at least 20 Fantasy points in four of his past five games, including at least 29 points in his past two outings. The problem with that is three of those games were against Detroit twice and the Giants once, and only the Lions game in Week 13 was on the road. The Packers have allowed just one quarterback to score more than 15 Fantasy points in their past five games and give up an average of 14.8 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks for the season. In four career games against Green Bay, Trubisky is averaging 15.0 Fantasy points, including an eight-point outing against the Packers in Week 1. And in his lone trip to Lambeau Field, Trubisky scored 13 Fantasy points in 2018. I'm nervous Trubisky cools off this week, and he's just a No. 2 quarterback in most leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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Sanders struggled with cramping Monday night against the Giants and was outplayed by Boston Scott, but I expect a rebound performance this week against Washington. The Redskins have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 95 total yards in six games in a row, and Sanders has scored at least 10 PPR points in three straight games. Keep an eye on Jordan Howard (shoulder) to make sure he's out, but Sanders should remain a starter in all leagues. And consider Scott a PPR sleeper with the Eagles needing help in their receiving corps with Alshon Jeffery (foot) and Nelson Agholor (knee) hurt.
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For now, Mostert is the main running back in San Francisco, and hopefully it will remain that way for the rest of the season. While Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman will continue to get touches – and Coleman could potentially get some additional run against his former team this week – it's worth buying into Mostert as a No. 2 running back since he's scored at least 13 PPR points in three games in a row. Since Week 3, nine of the past 11 teams against Atlanta have had a running back score or gain at least 100 total yards, with the Saints the lone team failing to accomplish that feat twice.
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Hunt just continues to produce with at least 11 PPR points in each of the five games he's played this season, including at least 14 PPR points in his past two outings against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. He has three games over that span with at least five catches, and in the past four games, Arizona has allowed four running backs to catch at least three passes, with Ronald Jones (eight catches for 77 yards in Week 10) and Kyle Juszczyk (seven catches for 63 yards) each having a big game through the air. Nick Chubb remains the best running back for the Browns, but Hunt is a solid flex option in non-PPR leagues and a must-start option in PPR.
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Mack returned from his two-game absence with a hand injury in Week 14 against Tampa Bay and had 13 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown. He wasn't involved in the passing game, which could be a problem, but his matchup in Week 15 at New Orleans could be good. The Saints are down Sheldon Rankins (ankle), Marcus Davenport (foot) and potentially A.J. Klein (knee) and Kiko Alonzo (thigh) after both were out in Week 14 against San Francisco. If the Colts can hang with the Saints and are able to run, look for Mack to have a big outing Monday night.
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Lindsay has been getting plenty of work lately with at least 18 total touches in three of his past four games. He wasn't doing much with it prior to last week when he scored at Houston, but we know Kansas City's run defense has been bad all season. Now, Lindsay only had 11 carries for 32 yards and one catch for minus-4 yards in Week 7 against the Chiefs, but this Broncos offense looks rejuvenated with Drew Lock. And Royce Freeman scored in the first game against Kansas City. Also, in his lone game at Arrowhead Stadium last year, Lindsay had 18 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown, along with three catches for 17 yards. He's worth trusting as a No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Sleepers
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Laird was the lead running back for the Dolphins in Week 14 at the Jets with Kalen Ballage (Achilles) out, and he had a season-high 15 carries for 48 yards, as well as four catches for 38 yards on five targets. He's now scored at least 11 PPR points in three of his past four games, and I like him as a low-end starter in PPR this week against the Giants, who should be tired from playing an overtime game Monday night.
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Johnson has the chance to play well this week against the Titans, especially if the Texans are chasing points. He's scored at least 10 PPR points in consecutive games against Denver and New England, and he has at least five catches in three of his past five games. The Titans have allowed a running back to catch at least five passes in three of their past five games, and Tennessee is second in the NFL in receptions allowed to running backs with 85, behind only the Texans (95). Johnson is a solid flex play in PPR this week.
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The Redskins will go with Peterson and Chris Thompson as their primary running backs with Derrius Guice (knee) out against the Eagles, and both are worth starting, depending on the format. I like Peterson as a low-end starter in non-PPR leagues, and he has consecutive games with at least 13 PPR points coming into Week 15 against Philadelphia. He now has six games with at least 13 carries on the season, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in five of them. As for Thompson, he's better in PPR, and he just had seven catches on eight targets in Week 14 at Green Bay. He has six games this season with at least four catches, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in three of them.
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For Tom Brady, I'm expecting him to lean on the guys he trusts, which right now seems to be White and Julian Edelman. White has scored at least 11 PPR points in back-to-back games, and he's worth starting in all PPR leagues. In non-PPR leagues, White is just a flex, but he might be the best New England running back regardless of format. It's too bad to count on Sony Michel this week, even in a good matchup against the Bengals.
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I don't want to trust Jones this week because it could easily be Peyton Barber having a good game. But the matchup is positive against the Lions, who are No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs. And maybe the Buccaneers lean on Jones a little more in the passing game with Mike Evans (hamstring) hurt. Jones has at least three catches in three of his past five games. He's a decent flex option this week against Detroit.
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Sit 'Em
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I was excited about Freeman last week with his matchup against Carolina, and he was great with 19 PPR points. He scored his first rushing touchdown since 2017 and averaged 4.9 yards per carry, which was his second-best mark of the season. But this week, I can see Freeman struggling against the 49ers, who are awesome against opposing running backs. They allow the third-fewest Fantasy points to the position, the second least total touchdowns (three) and the fourth fewest receptions (55). In the past three weeks, Aaron Jones (three PPR points), Mark Ingram (seven PPR points) and Alvin Kamara (seven PPR points) have all been held in check by San Francisco. Freeman could be next.
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If you believe the Packers are going to be chasing points this week at home, you should still start Williams as a low-end No. 2 running back or flex in all leagues. Since Week 9, when the Packers lost twice in the past five games over that span, Williams was at his best in the loss to the Chargers (16 PPR points) and the loss to the 49ers (14 PPR points). Otherwise, he's scored 10 PPR points or less in the three other games. I expect the Packers to be playing with a lead this week and relying on Aaron Jones, and I would avoid Williams in most leagues if you can in Week 15.
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You know what Hyde is at this point in the season, and he needs to score to help your Fantasy roster. He has four touchdowns on the year, and three of those were his top-scoring games. He only has one game with more than 78 total yards in his past five outings, and he only has nine catches for the season. He hasn't scored in three games in a row, but the Titans have allowed four rushing touchdowns in their past four games. That bodes well for Hyde, but I'm still not going to trust him. He's a flex in non-PPR leagues and someone to avoid in PPR. Duke Johnson is worth a flex play in PPR.
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Scarbrough is expected to play in Week 15 against Tampa Bay despite a rib injury, but I don't want to trust him in the Fantasy playoffs. While he does have either 70 total yards or a touchdown in each of his past four games, he's been at eight PPR points or less in each of his past three outings. Tampa Bay is No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs, and Scarbrough could have another game with empty production given his lack of scoring or work in the passing game.
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I wouldn't be surprised if Michel played well against the Bengals. It's a bad run defense, and the Patriots should dominate time of possession. But can you trust Michel in the Fantasy playoffs given what he's done this year? Not me. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 7, and he's been at 45 rushing yards or less in four of his past five games. He has four catches in his past six games, and I have no faith in him at all. I can live with Michel having a good game on my bench if it happens, but history suggests that likely won't be the case, even in a good matchup at Cincinnati.
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Bust Alert
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Bell is expected to return in Week 15 at Baltimore after he was spared from facing the Dolphins in Week 14 because of an illness. He's not expected to split carries much since Bilal Powell (ankle) is hurt, but I don't expect him to strike gold against the Ravens, who have been tough against the run all season. In Bell's past two games before being out, he only averaged 12.0 PPR points per game against the Raiders and Bengals. And the Ravens are great against pass-catching running backs, allowing the fewest receptions to the position with just 51, along with only one receiving touchdown to a running back. It's hard to bench Bell in most leagues, especially PPR, but it feels like he'll be a Fantasy turkey this week given the matchup at Baltimore.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
In two games with David Blough, Golladay has 10 catches for 216 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets against the Bears and Vikings. He could see an uptick in targets with Marvin Jones (ankle) out, and the Lions have a great matchup in Week 15 against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers lead the NFL in Fantasy points allowed to receivers, and six receivers have scored touchdowns against them in the past four games. Danny Amendola should be considered a sleeper in deeper leagues with Jones out.
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Brown is a boom-or-bust kind of receiver, but I like his matchup against the Texans in Week 15. In seven starts with Ryan Tannehill, he has at least 12 PPR points in four of them, and two games with seven points or less. The four games where he did well he had at least five targets, so hopefully that's the case this week against Houston, and the Texans are in the top 10 of most touchdowns allowed to receivers this year with 15. I like Brown as a top 20 Fantasy receiver this week.
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