Week 15 of the regular season is here, and with it comes the first week of the Fantasy Football playoffs for most. For those still competing for the title, lineup choices are crucial. With COVID and injuries piling up, let these roster suggestions serve as a guide. But before we look ahead, it’s time to consider how the Week 14 suggestions went.
For transparency purposes, we’ll measure quarterbacks and tight ends against Top 12 finishes (QB1 and TE1), and we’ll measure running backs and wide receivers against Top 24 finishes (RB1-2, WR1-2). All finishes come from Fantasy Pros PPR scoring leaders lists found here.
Week 14 Starts
QB: Aaron Rodgers, QB3 hit. Rodgers does still, indeed, own the Bears.
RB: Javonte Williams, RB9 hit. Williams was great.
WR: Tee Higgins, WR22 hit. It wasn’t a huge day, but Higgins was Top 24.
TE: Kyle Pitts, TE9. Pitts was again a solid option.
Start Record: 4-0
Week 14 Sits
QB: Teddy Bridgewater, QB20 hit. The Broncos won big, but it wasn’t thanks to Teddy.
RB: Alex Collins, RB51 hit. Collins isn’t the guy for the Seahawks or your fantasy team.
WR: Julio Jones, WR61 hit. Julio wasn’t a big part of the Titans’ attack.
TE: Gerald Everett, TE10 miss. My lone miss of the week.
Sit Record: 3-1
Quarterbacks
Start: Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
About: The 49ers are fighting for a playoff spot and have been strong of late thanks to the passing game. Since Week 10, Jimmy G. is QB7. He’s going against an Atlanta defense that has struggled, too. For the season, the Falcons are allowing the second-most points to quarterbacks. I’m starting Jimmy G., who has Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle to shred the Falcons and improve their playoff position.
Sit: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: Yes, Urban Meyer is gone. After just 13 games a head coach, Meyer’s tenure in the NFL is over. That could mean good things for Lawrence, once projected as the best quarterback prospect in years. But the Jaguars’ offensive coaches are still there, and it’s going to take more than a few days to right the ship. Lawrence is coming off his worst game of the season, sits as QB26 on the season, and is facing a defense that picked him off three times in Week 1. Lawrence will be fine, eventually. He’s not in my lineups in Week 15.
Running Backs
Start: James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
About: I know what I said about Lawrence, but I think Robinson is a safe option. We’ve seen him produce last year and earlier this year. His biggest impediment seemed to be Meyer, and given the state of running backs right now, he feels like a worthy option. Even with the last two weeks, Robinson is RB21 on the season. I think it’s wheels up for the Jaguars’ back in Week 15.
Sit: Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks
About: I, too, was impressed by Penny’s efforts in Week 14. I think he’s going to get a shot to lead the Seattle backfield the rest of the season, and we’ll get a chance to see if he can be the guy in an offense. I even picked him up in a few places and could see using him as a flex option. I’m just not sold. He’s a lock to return Top 24 value, especially as the Seahawks’ slim playoff chances are on the line in a battle with the Rams. I need to see more before I’m relying on Penny as an RB2 in the fantasy playoffs.
Wide Receivers
Start: Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders
About: The Raiders have struggled of late. The team was once atop the AFC West and now sits at 6-7, fourth in the division and fading from the playoff picture. I doubt that improves this week as they battle the Browns. However, Renfrow has been The Man. He’s everything we’d hoped Bryan Edwards would be. He’s WR12 for the season, averaging 15.6 points per game. He’s in my lineup as an every-week start at this point.
Sit: Jamison Crowder, New York Jets
About: I get the thinking—someone has to catch passes for the Jets. The team is without Elijah Moore and Corey Davis, who are on IR. Crowder, a veteran who’s done it before, would be the next logical choice. But he hasn’t clicked with Zach Wilson. He’s WR55 on the season, averaging 9.8 points per game. He has just 16 receptions since Week 10 and only mustered three catches for 19 yards in Week 14. He’s not in my lineup in the playoffs.
Tight Ends
Start: Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
About: Andrews has been the most consistent tight end this season. Even in Week 14, with Lamar Jackson out for most of the game, he produced a solid day, catching 11 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. He’s TE1 on the season, averaging 16 points per game, better than Travis Kelce. He belongs in your lineup.
Sit: Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals
About: A lot was made of Ertz’s trade to the Cardinals earlier this season. In his first game with the Cardinals, he seemed to be featured, snagging a touchdown. Aside from a two-touchdown game in Week 11, Ertz hasn’t found the end zone since. That’s made him more of a boom-or-bust option at the position. DeAndre Hopkins is out for the season, which might make Ertz more appealing, but it’s impossible to be sure. The Cardinals are blessed with many weapons at receiver and running back. That’s what helps them from an NFL standpoint but makes them a risk for fantasy. I’m not confident enough in Ertz’s volume to throw him in my lineup in a crucial playoff week.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
