It is Week 15 which means you are reading this column for one of three reasons: (1) You made the playoffs and want to start the right players, (2) You made the playoffs with a first round bye and you are checking in to see some viable names for the week, (3) You are bored and simply cannot stay away from all things fantasy football. You know what Week 15 means; win and advance or lose and your season is over. It truly feels as if it was just draft season yet here we are for the first week of the playoffs. There are no byes to consider for the remainder of the season, so all players are on the table. Are you going to subscribe to ‘start your studs’ or will you play the matchups? I think the best lineups employ a combination of these two strategies. Please know this week will prove to be more stressful than last week even with six teams on bye. We cannot get comfortable. We need to win each week. Leave no doubt! This is what we live for. The trials and tribulations of an up and down fantasy football season. We are skilled fantasy managers and with that comes a responsibility to embolden our lineups with players that give us the best chance to win. Also, this is when some fantasy analysts/writers and players become burned out. Not us here @Razzball and not YOU! We are here all year and even cover for each other if something comes up. Remember, I do not provide chalky names in this column. I dig deeper to help you with the harder roster assignments. Here we go again…onto my Week 15 Start recommendations.
Be sure to check out Razzball Football’s updated rankings: Top 150 | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | Rookie
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Start These Players:
- Position: QB
- Player: Tua Tagovaiola
- Week 12 Opponent: at the Houston Texans
This recommendation marks three straight weeks for me riding the Tua Train! For only the second time in five weeks Tua gets a plus matchup on paper. The prior four weeks, he was looking at only the Patriots as a plus analytical game. During that stretch, Tua has been over 25 fantasy points in each week with the capper being 32+ against the Pats. Now, Tua goes on the road, albeit inside at Houston. The Texans are in the bottom-10 against QBs while being tough against the run. Sneaky Play: Kirk Cousins gets right against the Raiders on the road this week. Captain Kirk has been atrocious of late, but I think the Raiders are just what the fantasy gods ordered. The Falcons are still in the playoff hunt and need to win every game. The team decided to stick with Cousins versus switching to Michael Penix which is probably the right move at this point. I look for Cousins to throw more than usual as the Raiders are solid against the run. Looks for Drake London and Darnell Mooney to have excellent games while Bijan Robinson is more involved in the passing game this week.
- Position: RB
- Player: Sincere McCormick
- Week 11 Opponent: versus the Atlanta Falcons
The Raiders backfield has been a mess all season. In steps the former UTSA Roadrunner to provide some relief for both the Raiders and your fantasy team(s). McCormick has yet to find the end zone, but his 14 and 17 touches over the last two weeks are encouraging. With QB3 Desmond Ridder under center, the Raiders will need to lean on McCormick to keep the Falcons defense honest. Look for Brock Bowers still to be option #1 for this offense with McCormick gaining touches each week as the only viable, healthy RB. Sneaky Play: If you are not playing Tyrone Tracy Jr. each week, are you really playing fantasy football? This will be a quick, down and dirty analysis in support of Tracy. Dude scored another TD in Week 14 while seeing an insane 10 targets. Unless you have the likes of Saquon, King Henry, etc., then Tracy needs to be in your playoff lineup against the Ravens. This could be the PPR surprise you want for the holidays. Ride the wave!
- Position: WR
- Player: DJ Moore
- Week 11 Opponent: at the Minnesota Vikings
This will be very simple. The Bears cannot run the ball. The Bears will be trailing from the jump. DJ Moore is the clear WR1 for the Bears. DJM has averaged 8+ targets per game since the bye with an unworldly 16 targets in Week 13. This is PPR gold for your playoff lineup. Minnesota gives up the most points to WRs on the season. What more (no pun) do you need to fire up DJM in Week 15? The answer = Nothing. Just do it and thank me later. Sneaky Play: Adam Thielen is shaping up to be the top playoff waiver wire addition at the WR position. Still available in 40%+ of leagues with an elite playoff schedule in front of him, Thielen is in must start territory. He is playable over bigger names like Deebo, Pittman, DK, and Maserati Marv. His two-week line of 21-17-201-1 is sick. With Bryce Young looks like an actual NFL QB and his hyper targeting the surehanded veteran WR which is great in PPR formats. Start Thielen with confidence against a Dallas D that has not scared many offenses this season.
- Position: TE
- Player: Juwan Johnson
- Week 11 Opponent: at the New York Giants
Juwan Johnson was my TE play last week and he cashed for all that took my advice. The one negative for Johnson this week is the probable loss of Derek Carr (hand, concussion). That means either Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener will be under center for the Saints. Quick throws from young QBs bodes well for Johnson but temper your expectations with the rested Commanders coming to town. If Derek Carr is a go, then Johnson is a Top 12 TE for Week 15. If Carr sits, Johnson is probably safely in the TE2 category. Sneaky Play: Zach Ertz is coming off his bye with three TDs over his past three games. He is averaging seven targets per game over those three though the yardage is not elite (40 YPG). We are playing for upside (TD) from the TE position and Ertz feels like a solid option especially after a week off to rest up.
Since you are here, check out more fantasy goodness at Razzball. Follow me on Twitter/X @Stiles08. Don’t forget to drop a comment or question down below. Looking forward to seeing you during our Sunday Start/Sit Show on YouTube @RazzballFantasy two hours before kickoff where we answer all your questions live on the air!
-Stiles-