Start ‘EM Sit ‘EM Week 15
Week 14 had a lot of notable performances and production throughout the league, despite having the final six teams out on their Bye Weeks. Two of my recommended running backs, Miles Sanders and Tony Pollard, finished as RB3 and RB6 in PPR formats. The Eagles fed Sanders against the Giants’ porous run defense and he took full advantage, ripping off chunk play after chunk play on the ground, logging 17 carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Pollard also hauled in two touchdowns, including Dak Prescott’s only passing touchdown, in a shockingly difficult matchup against the Houston Texans’ defense. Chris Godwin (WR37), Garrett Wilson (WR26), and Christian Kirk (WR43) all finished outside of the WR2 range, but two of them had difficult matchups. Gerald Everett caught five of eight targets for 28 yards, barely finishing as a TE1, while Joe Burrow tossed a pair of touchdowns but still finished as QB13 against Cleveland’s stingy pass defense. My sits were good decisions, as Travis Etienne (RB47), Amari Cooper (WR61), and Tom Brady (QB21) all finished with low-scoring production. Only Dawson Knox proved me wrong, hauling in a 24-yard touchdown from Josh Allen to wind up as the TE5.
Now that the fantasy playoffs have begun, every lineup decision is filled with pressure. Fortunately for you, I’m here to steer you in the right direction, as I’ve done during the regular season. We’ve cleared Byes and have a full slate of players to select from, so let’s get right into who to start or sit in your fantasy football lineups in Week 15!
Start
Miles Sanders (RB) Philadelphia Eagles
We saw just how productive Philadelphia’s rushing attack can be against bad run defenses in Week 14. The Eagles will get another fantastic matchup for their potent run game on the road against Chicago in Week 15. The Bears are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs in PPR formats, surrendering 26.36 points per game. Sanders has been a volatile player and matchup-dependent, but the touchdowns are flowing and his confidence is at an all-time high. Sanders has scored 28.5 PPR points or more in two of his past three games against bad run defenses, so fire him up as a mid-range RB1 in Week 15 against Chicago.
Tony Pollard (RB) Dallas Cowboys
Dallas favors its run-centric scheme on offense, churning out production with Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliot as a nice tandem in its backfield. Pollard only logged 62 scrimmage yards in Week 14 against a plus-matchup versus Houston, but he finished with two touchdowns to boost his ceiling. There’s no way you can sit Pollard in Week 15, as he’s delivered 21 PPR points or more in five of his past six games played. Dallas will face Jacksonville on the road in Week 15, which is a top-ten matchup for fantasy running backs. Treat Pollard as his usual RB1 profile in a great matchup with a 48-point total.
James Conner (RB) Arizona Cardinals
The devastating knee injury to Kyler Murray against New England in Week 14 will likely see Arizona force-feed James Conner in its rushing attack for the remainder of the season. The sixth-year running back has been rock solid for the Cardinals, handling double-digit carries and drawing three to seven targets in four consecutive games. Conner has RB1 upside but a mid-range RB2 floor, so he’s relatively safe going up against the Denver Broncos run defense, which is ranked 18th against fantasy running backs.
Tyler Lockett (WR) Seattle Seahawks
Seattle’s wide receiving corps has been nothing short of spectacular in 2022. Geno Smith has played well too, but he benefits from the talent of Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf on the perimeter. The Seahawks are set to play a big NFC West divisional game at home against San Francisco, who is dealing with a slew of injuries on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Lockett has scored a touchdown in six straight games and is churning out high-end WR2 production while possessing WR1 upside. The 49ers have the best defense in the league but they are still the tenth-best matchup for fantasy wideouts, so plug Lockett into lineups without hesitation.
Garrett Wilson (WR) New York Jets
Benching Zach Wilson was the best move possible for Garrett Wilson’s production. Second-year quarterback Mike White has been peppering the talented rookie wideout with targets since getting the start against Chicago, leading to three straight double-digit PPR finishes for Wilson. He still caught six of seven passes for 78 yards against a stingy Buffalo secondary in Week 14, so heading into a top-three wide receiver matchup against Detroit’s secondary, Wilson should be valued as a low-end WR1 with overall WR1 upside in Week 15. It’s a great matchup for an exciting rookie oozing talent.
Mike Williams (WR) Los Angeles Chargers
No one is more excited about the return of Mike Williams than Justin Herbert. The big-bodied wideout demonstrated why he’s so valuable in Week 14 against an improved Miami secondary, catching all six of his targets for 116 yards and a touchdown. Williams delivered a dud 2.5 PPR finish against Kansas City back in Week 11, but that was due to re-aggravating his high-ankle sprain. He has four finishes above 20 PPR points when healthy this season, so expect a massive ceiling against Tennessee, who consistently gets torched by opposing passing attacks. Treat Williams as a WR1 with a top-five upside against the Titans in Week 15.
David Njoku (TE) Cleveland Browns
A healthy David Njoku is a prime candidate to plug into fantasy playoff lineups. Deshaun Watson has a good rapport with the sixth-year tight end, as he drew nine targets against a talented Cincinnati secondary in Week 14, finishing with seven catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. He’s not touchdown-or-bust like so many other tight ends, so insert Njoku into lineups as a mid-range TE1 in a decent matchup against Baltimore’s pass defense in Week 15.
Justin Herbert (QB) Los Angeles Chargers
We’re seeing just how talented Justin Herbert can be when he’s healthy and playing with a full complement of weapons at his disposal. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler form an elite trio of players for Herbert to target in any matchup, but especially against Tennessee. The Titans are the second-best fantasy quarterback matchup this season, allowing 21.38 PPR points per game. Herbert has popped above 20 PPR points in three games this season, but he hasn’t hit this mark since Week 12 against Arizona. You have no choice but to start him if he’s rostered, as it’s an opponent who could surrender 300 yards and three touchdowns through the air in Week 15.
Sit
Travis Etienne Jr. (RB) Jacksonville Jaguars
The rise of Trevor Lawrence has put a severe cap on Travis Etienne’s floor, which is good for the Jaguars’ late-season playoff aspirations. This is bad for fantasy football though, as the second-year running back has been held under 2.0 YPC in two of his past three games. Etienne is still getting double-digit carries, but he only has three targets in his last three games, which have all resulted in 7.6 or fewer PPR points. The passing attack is the bread and butter for the Jaguars right now, so unless Etienne punches in a goal-line conversion or returns to five receptions for 40 yards like earlier in the season, he’s a low-end RB3 against Dallas’ stout defensive front in Week 15.
Mike Evans (WR) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There’s no way you can roll Mike Evans out in the first round of the fantasy playoffs. Especially against the Cincinnati Bengals’ secondary, which is playing lights out right now. Evans has not delivered a ceiling performance since Week 8 against Baltimore, where he logged 18.3 PPR points. In the last three games, Evans has only logged single-digit PPR outings, while failing to crack 60 receiving yards or a touchdown. Fade Evans in a bad matchup in Week 15.
Tyler Higbee (TE) Los Angeles Rams
The Baker Mayfield redemption story captivated audiences across the globe, but it didn’t do much for Tyler Higbee’s upside. The seventh-year tight end has only caught two passes in each of his past three games while drawing a shallow average depth of target (ADOT) of 3.7 yards or less. He’s a massive liability in fantasy lineups until further notice, so fade him against Green Bay, who is a bottom-ten fantasy tight-end matchup.
Derek Carr (QB) Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr has experienced quite a few highs and lows with the Raiders this season. In Week 15, he’ll face a bottom-ten matchup against the New England Patriots defense, which returned to form with a strong showing against a short-handed Arizona offense in Week 14. Matthew Judon and the rest of the Patriots’ defense will bring pressure and possess an underrated secondary, which doesn’t bode well for Carr. He already has a relatively shallow ceiling, maxing out at 20 PPR points, while falling to 2.58 fantasy points against the Rams in Week 14. Fade Carr, as he’s a mid-range QB2 who doesn’t have a high-enough ceiling to instill confidence in a difficult matchup.
