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Week 15 Rankings: Standard | PPR

Week 15 is brutal for quarterbacks. Or at least it could be.

You have Aaron Rodgers dealing with a calf injury in bad weather at Chicago, Andrew Luck at Minnesota, Drew Brees and his recent struggles at Arizona, Tom Brady at Denver and Ben Roethlisberger on the road at Cincinnati. Those are some awful matchups for a lot of stars.

Along with that, it might be hard to trust some quarterbacks in good matchups, notably Russell Wilson against the Rams, Philip Rivers against the Raiders and Carson Palmer against the Saints. And many Fantasy owners are nervous to rely on guys like Tyrod Taylor (vs. CLE) and Joe Flacco (vs. PHI) in the playoffs, which is understandable.

We'll help you navigate the quarterback landscape in Week 15, as well as every other position. And there's one quarterback I like a lot this week, which you'll read about below. For where all the other quarterbacks stack up this week, use this as your guide.

Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg.

Start of the Week

Kirk Cousins
ATL • QB • #18
Week 15 projected stats vs. CAR
Projections
FPTS20
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Kirk Cousins definitely has a knack for catchphrases, from "You like that!" in 2015 to "Ooooooooooo-weeeeeeeeeee!" this year. He also has a knack for Fantasy production.

We didn't give Cousins enough credit for his standout season last year coming into 2016. He was the No. 9 Fantasy quarterback in 2015, but we viewed him as more of a No. 2 quarterback on Draft Day. He has definitely proven us wrong.

Cousins heads into Week 15 as the No. 6 quarterback, and he's doing his best to earn a lengthy contract extension from the Redskins, who gave him the franchise tag this year. But his bank account really isn't our concern. We're worried about his stats this week against the Panthers on Monday night, and he should deliver in a big way.

He has nine games this season with at least 20 Fantasy points, including two games with at least 33 points in his past five outings. And he's been great at home this year.

In six games in Washington, Cousins has five in a row with at least 20 Fantasy points, and he's averaging 21.2 points at home this year. The Panthers have only allowed one quarterback to score at least 20 Fantasy points in their past six games, but three quarterbacks have multiple touchdowns against Carolina in the past four outings, including two with at least 300 yards.

Cousins' worst performance in his past eight games was 18 Fantasy points, so his floor is solid. And his ceiling is high at home, especially with plenty of playmakers at his disposal with DeSean Jackson, Jamison Crowder, Pierre Garcon, Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis.

When Cousins leads you to a Fantasy victory this week you should say "Ooooooooooo-weeeeeeeeeee!" in his honor. And you will definitely "like that" after he plays well against Carolina on Monday night.

I'm starting Cousins over: Tom Brady (at DEN), Drew Brees (at ARI), Ben Roethlisberger (at CIN), Cam Newton (at WAS) and Andrew Luck (at MIN)

Quarterback

Start 'Em

Matt Ryan
IND • QB • #2
Week 15 projected stats vs. SF
Projections
FPTS26.1
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Ryan was impressive in last week's win at the Rams. Without Julio Jones (toe) and Mohamed Sanu (groin), he still posted 27 Fantasy points behind 237 passing yards and three touchdowns in a blowout victory on the road. Ryan might not have Jones and Sanu again this week, but he should still have success against the 49ers at home. Eight quarterbacks this season have scored at least 21 Fantasy points against San Francisco, including four on the road. And Ryan is averaging 25.3 Fantasy points at home this season. It's easy to trust Ryan this week if Jones and Sanu return to action, but we still like Ryan in all leagues even if Jones and Sanu sit out again.

Derek Carr
NO • QB • #4
Week 15 projected stats at SD
Projections
FPTS22.5
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After playing in the frigid weather at Kansas City last Thursday night in Week 14, Carr gets much better weather this week at San Diego. He had 25 Fantasy points against the Chargers in Week 5, and last year at San Diego he passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns. Two of the past three opposing quarterbacks in San Diego (Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill) each had at least 22 Fantasy points, and Carr should rebound in a big way from last week's disaster with four points. He scored at least 22 Fantasy points in three games prior to Week 14, and he should be in that range again this week against the Chargers.

Tyrod Taylor
NYJ • QB • #2
Week 15 projected stats vs. CLE
Projections
FPTS22.9
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For some strange reason there's talk about the Bills benching Taylor, as if he's anywhere close to the problem in Buffalo. He's starting, and like most quarterbacks this season, he should do well against the Browns. Only Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 8 and Ben Roethlisberger in Week 11 (with terrible wind) failed to score at least 20 Fantasy points against Cleveland this year, and Taylor has scored at least 19 points in two of his past three games. Sammy Watkins is coming off his best game of the season, and the biggest concern for Taylor would be the Bills running all over the Browns with LeSean McCoy and Mike Gillislee, which could limit his opportunities to make plays. Still, he's worth the risk given his upside in this matchup at home, and we like Taylor as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues.

Joe Flacco
CIN • QB • #16
Week 15 projected stats vs. PHI
Projections
FPTS20.4
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Flacco is playing well coming into this game with 59 Fantasy points combined in a standard league against Miami and at New England. He has 705 passing yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions over that span, and three of his five games with 20 Fantasy points this season have come at home. The Eagles defense has struggled on the road this year, and five of the past seven quarterbacks overall have scored at least 24 Fantasy points, including five in a row away from Philadelphia. Flacco might be hard to trust as a starting Fantasy quarterback in Week 15, but the matchup at home and his recent level of play suggests he'll do well this week.

Russell Wilson
NYG • QB • #3
Week 15 projected stats vs. LAR
Projections
FPTS21.6
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Wilson hasn't been a good Fantasy quarterback this year, and he doesn't have a great history against the Rams. But on a short week with the Seahawks at home Thursday night, especially after Wilson was awful in Week 14 at Green Bay with five interceptions, he's due for a rebound game, including the Rams being without fired coach Jeff Fisher. Wilson only has four games this season with at least 20 Fantasy points, and he's topped 20 points just three times in nine career meetings with the Rams. Only four quarterbacks have scored at least 20 Fantasy points against the Rams, but three of them have come on the road. And three quarterbacks in the past four games have thrown multiple touchdowns against Los Angeles. With the short week, coaching change and Wilson at home after a bad loss, we expect him to deliver. He's worth trusting again as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback.

Sleepers

  • Philip Rivers (vs. OAK): He isn't really a sleeper, but I wanted some place to talk about him. He should be throwing a lot with Melvin Gordon (hip) out, and he has scored at least 22 Fantasy points against Oakland in four of his past six starts.
  • Colin Kaepernick (at ATL): This will be the kind of game where Kaepernick delivers because the 49ers will be chasing points on the road. The Falcons have only allowed one quarterback in the past four games to score at least 20 Fantasy points, but they still allow the most Fantasy points to the position for the season.
  • Carson Palmer (vs. NO): Palmer was bad last week in the rain at Miami, but he came into that game with at least 21 Fantasy points in his previous two outings. He had 307 passing yards and three touchdowns against the Saints in Week 1 last year and should bounce back with a quality outing this week.
  • Trevor Siemian (vs. NE): Siemian has played well of late with at least 18 Fantasy points in a standard league in his past four games, but he only has one game with more than 20 points over that span. The Patriots have allowed five of the past six opposing quarterbacks to score at least 20 Fantasy points, and Siemian is worth a look in two-quarterback leagues.

Sit 'Em

Andy Dalton
CAR • QB • #14
Week 15 projected stats vs. PIT
Projections
FPTS18.1
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Dalton has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in the past two games against Philadelphia and Cleveland, and he's played well without A.J. Green (hamstring). Green could return this week, which would help Dalton's outlook, and he scored 20 points at Pittsburgh in Week 2. But in 10 career games against the Steelers, Dalton is averaging just 15.9 Fantasy points in a standard league, with only three games of at least 20 points. And the Steelers have only allowed Dak Prescott to score at least 20 Fantasy points against them in the past six games, including matchups with Eli Manning and Taylor in the past two weeks. We'll check back later this week if Green plays, but Dalton will be hard to trust in this matchup, even at home.

Marcus Mariota
WAS • QB • #8
Week 15 projected stats at KC
Projections
FPTS16.2
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We expected Mariota to struggle last week against Denver, and he did with six Fantasy points despite the Titans beating the Broncos at home. This is another tough test for Mariota on the road, and he should have another game with minimal Fantasy production. The Chiefs have held Jameis Winston, Ryan and Carr to 19 Fantasy points or less in three of their past four games, including two in a row. And only one quarterback in the past five games against Kansas City has multiple passing touchdowns, which was Trevor Siemian in Week 12. Mariota will do better than six Fantasy points this week, but he won't be over 20, which means he should be on your bench in most formats.

Matthew Stafford
LAR • QB • #9
Week 15 projected stats at NYG
Projections
FPTS17.1
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Stafford is going to play through the dislocated middle finger on his throwing hand, but it's going to be hard to trust him on the road against a good Giants defense. He has played great this season for the Lions, but he only has one game with more than 19 Fantasy points in his past seven outings, which was Week 13 at New Orleans. And the Giants come into this game having allowed just two quarterbacks this season to score at least 20 Fantasy points, which were Cousins in Week 3 and Roethlisberger in Week 13. For the season, the Giants have allowed just 13 touchdowns with 13 interceptions, and Stafford isn't worth the risk since he's playing hurt against a tough defense on the road.

Ben Roethlisberger
PIT • QB • #7
Week 15 projected stats at CIN
Projections
FPTS17.4
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The difference in Fantasy production for Roethlisberger at home compared to on the road is staggering, which is why you might consider another alternative this week for him at the Bengals. In his past three seasons, Roethlisberger is averaging 29.8 Fantasy points at home over 19 games compared to just 15.1 points on the road over 21 games. During that span, he has at least 20 Fantasy points in 16 home games, including all five this year, and just seven on the road, with three of them happening this season. He scored 25 Fantasy points against the Bengals in Week 2 at home (where else), but he's managed just three games with more than 20 points against Cincinnati over the past 11 meetings. The Bengals have also played well of late, holding Taylor, Flacco, Carson Wentz and Robert Griffin III to 14 Fantasy points or less in their past four games, but Roethlisberger is clearly more talented than those guys. Still, his track record on the road makes me nervous, which is why he's listed here. I would only start Roethlisberger in two-quarterback leagues this week.

Bust Alert

Andrew Luck
QB
Week 15 projected stats at MIN
Projections
FPTS16.8

Luck could be in line for a tough day against the Vikings. He won't have Donte Moncrief (hamstring) for this game, and his offensive line is a mess. It's tough to bench him since he's scored at least 20 Fantasy points in nine of 12 games, but two of his bad outings were on the road at Denver in Week 2 and at Green Bay in Week 9. Only one quarterback has scored at least 20 Fantasy points against Minnesota this year, which was Cousins in Week 10, including matchups with Rodgers, Cam Newton, Eli Manning, Stafford twice, Palmer and Dak Prescott. I still have Luck ranked in my Top 12, but he's behind Taylor, Flacco and Palmer this week. If you can bench Luck then that's probably the smart move to make.

Running back

Start 'Em

LeGarrette Blount
DET • RB • #29
Week 15 projected stats at DEN
Projections
FPTS10.5
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The Titans game plan last week was to run on the Broncos, and DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry combined for 33 carries for 134 yards and a touchdown. In Denver's past six games, four running backs have either scored or gained 90 total yards, and Blount has scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in 10 games this year, including four of six games on the road. Blount has failed to score or run for 100 yards in just two games this season, and the Broncos could again be without linebacker Brandon Marshall (hamstring) for this game.

Bilal Powell
NYJ • RB
Week 15 projected stats vs. MIA
Projections
FPTS12.2
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This post will change if Matt Forte (knee) is active, but it appears like Forte will be out against the Dolphins. We saw how good Powell could be in Week 14 at San Francisco when Forte got hurt in the first quarter. Powell had 29 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns and five catches for 34 yards on five targets. Powell would get a heavy workload against the Dolphins, who have allowed a running back to score or gain 100 total yards in six games in a row, including Week 9 when Forte had 12 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown. Powell is a must-start running back in all leagues if Forte is out.

Thomas Rawls
JAC • RB • #34
Week 15 projected stats vs. LAR
Projections
FPTS11.7
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Rawls should play well at home in this game Thursday night, and his best production this year as come in Seattle. He had 88 total yards in his first game back from his broken leg in Week 11 against the Eagles, and Rawls was awesome in Week 13 against Carolina with 23 Fantasy points in a standard league. The Rams have allowed six running backs to score or gain 100 total yards in their past five games, and Christine Michael had 86 total yards against the Rams in Week 2 when he was the featured back. Rawls has a floor of eight Fantasy points in a standard league, but we expect him to have a much higher ceiling this week at home.

Tevin Coleman
SF • RB • #28
Week 15 projected stats vs. SF
Projections
FPTS12.4
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You're starting Devonta Freeman this week in all leagues, but Coleman should be active in most formats as well. This should be the fifth time this season when Freeman and Coleman both have either 90 total yards or a touchdown in the same game, and Coleman just had a great Fantasy outing in Week 14 at Los Angeles with eight carries for 36 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 19 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers allow the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs, and four times this season a pair of running backs on the same team scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league. For the season, 16 running backs have scored double digits in Fantasy points against the 49ers, who have given up 22 total touchdowns to running backs.

Kenneth Dixon
NYJ • RB • #38
Week 15 projected stats vs. PHI
Projections
FPTS7.7
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We waited a long time for Dixon to finally be featured by the Ravens, and they trusted him in a crucial game Monday night at New England in Week 14 with 11 carries for 39 yards and eight catches for 42 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. By comparison, Terrance West had just two carries for 2 yards and four catches for 24 yards, and we hope the touch disparity stays that way for the rest of the year. West could be a sleeper this week since the Ravens should win against the Eagles, but Dixon is worth trusting this week as a No. 2 running back in all leagues. He has at least four catches in four of his past five games, and he's scored at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league in four of his past five outings. The Eagles have allowed a running back to score or gain over 100 total yards in six of their past seven games on the road.

Sleepers

  • Isaiah Crowell (at BUF): The Bills have allowed 10 touchdowns to running backs in their past seven games, with five guys scoring at least 10 Fantasy points in a standard league over that span. Crowell is averaging 12 Fantasy points in two games with Robert Griffin III under center.
  • Kenneth Farrow (vs. OAK): Farrow is expected to start and get plenty of work with Gordon out, although Ronnie Hillman could also get touches this week against the Raiders. Oakland has allowed a running back to score or gain 100 total yards in six games in a row, so consider Farrow a low-end starting option this week.
  • Mike Gillislee (vs. CLE): The Browns allow the second-most Fantasy points to opposing running backs with 16 total touchdowns allowed, and five times this year a pair of running backs in the same game scored at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league. LeSean McCoy should be great this week, but Gillislee is worth using as a flex option.
  • Justin Forsett (vs. NE): Forsett should continue to get more work than Devontae Booker this week, and he should be an asset in the passing game against the Patriots. He had three catches for 18 yards on three targets in his debut for the Broncos last week, and New England is No. 2 in receptions allowed to running backs with 88. There have been 15 running backs with at least three catches against the Patriots this year.
  • Charles Sims (at DAL): Sims might end up being better than Doug Martin this week given the matchup with the Cowboys, and he had three catches for 33 yards on four targets in Week 14 after being out since Week 4 with a knee injury. Martin will still dominate touches, but Sims could be needed if Tampa Bay is chasing points on the road. He's worth using as a flex option in PPR leagues this week.

Sit 'Em

Mark Ingram
NO • RB • #5
Week 15 projected stats at ARI
Projections
FPTS9.7
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Since Week 8, Ingram has been a hard Fantasy running back to trust. He has two games with 28 Fantasy points in a standard league, which were Week 9 at San Francisco and Week 12 against the Rams. Otherwise, he has scored six Fantasy points or less in his five other outings, including two in a row against Detroit and Tampa Bay with five combined points. It's hard to have success against the Cardinals in Arizona, and only Blount in Week 1 scored and had double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league. Ingram's toe has been an issue for weeks, and he continues to share work with Tim Hightower. He's a low-end No. 2 running back at best in this matchup.

Ryan Mathews
PHI • RB • #24
Week 15 projected stats at BAL
Projections
FPTS8
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Mathews could be headed for a heavy workload with Darren Sproles (concussion) hurt and Wendell Smallwood (knee) out for the season, but this is a brutal matchup with the Ravens on the road. Mathews came back from a two-game absence with a knee injury in Week 14 against the Redskins and had 15 carries for 60 yards. He has four games this season with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league but only one in his past seven outings. The Ravens have allowed just four rushing touchdowns to running backs this season and only one at home, which was McCoy in Week 1, and Mathews will be tough to trust this week, even in a featured role.

Rashad Jennings
NYG • RB • #23
Week 15 projected stats vs. DET
Projections
FPTS8.8
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It's impressive that the Lions have allowed just three rushing touchdowns to running backs this season, and only two running backs have run for more than 100 yards, with the last one coming in Week 4. Jennings has scored double digits in Fantasy points in three of his past five games, including two of his past three at home, but he continues to share work with Paul Perkins. Shane Vereen (concussion) could also play this week, and Jennings could struggle with limited work. Jennings is not worth the risk given his limited upside at this point in the season.

Todd Gurley
ATL • RB • #21
Week 15 projected stats at SEA
Projections
FPTS7.9
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We're back to the same scenario with Gurley that we had in Week 13 at New England. When the Rams are expected to get blown out, it's hard to trust him. The point spread for this game on Thursday night is over two touchdowns, and last year Gurley had one game with more than four Fantasy points in three games when the Rams were beaten easily. This season, the Rams have lost by at least two touchdowns four times, and Gurley is averaging 7.3 Fantasy points in a standard league in those outings. He had six Fantasy points against Seattle in Week 2, and the Seahawks have allowed just three rushing touchdowns at home this season. Gurley should be viewed as just a flex option this week. He only has four games this year with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, and it's hard to expect that this game will be No. 5.

Bust Alert

Doug Martin
LV • RB • #22
Week 15 projected stats at DAL
Projections
FPTS10.3
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The Cowboys have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season, and Mathews in Week 8 and West in Week 11 are the only running backs to score in Dallas this year. For the season, only five running backs have scored double digits in Fantasy points against the Cowboys in standard leagues, and Martin has not run well since coming back from his hamstring injury in Week 10. Martin's Fantasy production has been solid with double digits in points in a standard league in four of five games, with three touchdowns over that span. But Sims will start taking on more work, especially if Tampa Bay is trailing this week, and Martin is just a low-end No. 2 running back at best in most leagues this week.

Wide receivers

Start 'Em

DeSean Jackson
BAL • WR • #1
Week 15 projected stats vs. CAR
Projections
FPTS7.1
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Jackson is on an impressive role of late with a touchdown in three of his past four games, and the one time he failed to score was Week 13 at Arizona when he matched up with Cardinals standout cornerback Patrick Peterson. It's a little risky to trust Jackson since he's relying on a big play every week, and he has six targets or less in three of his past four outings. But he tends to show up big in prime-time games, and this game is Monday night. The Panthers have also allowed seven receivers to score or gain 100 receiving yards in six road games this season. I like Jackson as a No. 1 Fantasy receiver in all leagues this week. And you can use Jamison Crowder as a No. 2 receiver, and Pierre Garcon is a No. 3 option in PPR leagues.

Sammy Watkins
BAL • WR • #82
Week 15 projected stats vs. CLE
Projections
FPTS8.5
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I was skeptical of trusting Watkins in Week 14 against the Steelers in the snow, but he delivered a quality Fantasy performance with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown on six targets. More importantly, he played 94 percent of the offensive snaps, and he should continue to be fine playing through his foot injury. This week he's facing a Browns secondary that has allowed 17 touchdowns to receivers this year and 15 to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, including 10 on the road. Watkins is worth trusting as a must-start Fantasy receiver in all leagues this week.

Emmanuel Sanders
BUF • WR • #1
Week 15 projected stats vs. NE
Projections
FPTS8.7
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In his past two games with a healthy Siemian, Sanders has 38 Fantasy points in a standard league. He had seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets against Kansas City in Week 12 and 11 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets at Tennessee in Week 14. Sanders also has a great history against the Patriots with either 98 yards or a touchdown in four of his past five meetings in the regular season, including last year with six catches for 113 yards at home in Week 12. New England has allowed six receivers to score or gain 100 receiving yards on the road this season, and Sanders and Demaryius Thomas should play well in this matchup.

Steve Smith
BAL • WR • #89
Week 15 projected stats vs. PHI
Projections
FPTS6.3
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Mike Wallace
PHI • WR • #14
Week 15 projected stats vs. PHI
Projections
FPTS6.8
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The Eagles have been abused by receivers of late, and this is a good spot to trust Smith as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver and Wallace as a No. 3 option. Even Breshad Perriman is in play as a sleeper this week. Since Week 8, 11 receivers have scored or gained 100 receiving yards against Philadelphia, with 11 touchdowns allowed over that span. Smith has been quiet of late with three games in a row with five Fantasy points or less in standard leagues, but we like him this week given the matchup. And Wallace has gone four games in a row with seven Fantasy points or less, but both are due for potentially big games given the recent play by the Eagles defense, especially on the road.

Dontrelle Inman
WAS • WR • #80
Week 15 projected stats vs. OAK
Projections
FPTS6.4
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Inman could be in line for a big week against the Raiders with Gordon out, especially if the Chargers struggle to run the ball. He's playing well of late with a touchdown in three games in a row, and he has at least five catches in four of his past five games and at least seven targets in three of his past five. Tyrell Williams (shoulder) and Travis Benjamin (knee) are both playing hurt, and Rivers should continue to lean on Inman in this matchup. In Week 5, Williams and Benjamin both had double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league against the Raiders, and Inman should be San Diego's best receiver this week.

Sleepers

  • Taylor Gabriel (vs. SF): Sanu and Jones could return this week, but if either is out then Gabriel is worth starting in all leagues. He has scored a touchdown in four of his past five games, and the 49ers allow the most Fantasy points to receivers this year.
  • DeVante Parker (at NYJ): Parker struggled last week in a matchup with Peterson against the Cardinals, but prior to that he scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past four games. Don't shy away from him this week against the Jets, even with Matt Moore starting for the injured Ryan Tannehill (knee).
  • Tyreek Hill (vs. TEN): The Titans allow the third-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers, and Hill has scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in five of his past eight games. He's scored or gained 90 total yards in 5-of-6 games when he's had at least six targets this year.
  • Alshon Jeffery (vs. GB): His four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs is over this week, and we hope Jeffery will ball out in his final three games while he tries to salvage this disaster of a contract year. Matt Barkley has gotten a receiver to score or gain 90 receiving yards four times in his past three starts.
  • Willie Snead (at ARI): Snead will benefit if Michael Thomas (foot) remains out, and he had six catches for 85 yards on eight targets last week at Tampa Bay. He's scored at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past five games.
  • Ty Montgomery (at CHI): It doesn't matter if he's listed at running back or receiver in your league, you should use him as at least a flex option this week. The weather in Chicago could be frigid, and with Rodgers banged up we could see a conservative game plan for the Packers this week on the road.
  • Adam Thielen (vs. IND): He has at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past five games, and he has 25 targets in his past three outings. He's playing better than Stefon Diggs of late, and the Colts have allowed nine receivers to either score or gain 100 receiving yards in their past six games.
  • Jordan Matthews (at BAL): The Ravens could be without standout cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle), and Baltimore's secondary has struggled when he's been hurt. Matthews only has one touchdown in his past nine games, but he has at least six catches for 70 yards in three of his past five outings, which is good for PPR leagues.
  • Marqise Lee (at HOU): With Allen Robinson struggling, Lee has taken over as the No. 1 receiver for the Jaguars of late. He has at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in three of his past four games, and he's benefitted with Allen Hurns (hamstring) and Julius Thomas (back) hurt.
  • J.J. Nelson (vs. NO): Michael Floyd was cut on Wednesday, and John Brown has struggled to stay on the field because of his sickle-cell trait. Nelson is headed for a spike in playing time, and he just scored three touchdowns (one rushing) in his past two games.

Sit 'Em

Brandon Marshall
NO • WR • #15
Week 15 projected stats vs. MIA
Projections
FPTS8
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As you can see, I went a little overboard with the sleepers this week at receiver, but I left off Robby Anderson, who I would start over Marshall. Anderson is a sleeper, and Marshall is a sit. Since taking over at quarterback in Week 13, Bryce Petty has leaned on Anderson for 23 targets for 10 catches, 160 yards and a touchdown. Over that same span, Marshall has 13 targets for seven catches and 76 yards. Marshall has one touchdown and one game with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in his past eight outings, including Week 9 at Miami when he was held to five catches for 46 yards on eight targets. You can't trust Marshall right now with Petty under center, especially considering his rapport with Anderson.

Kelvin Benjamin
NYG • WR • #85
Week 15 projected stats at WAS
Projections
FPTS7.1
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Benjamin is expected to see plenty of attention from Redskins cornerback Josh Norman this week, and that's a tough situation for a receiver who is already struggling. Benjamin has one touchdown and one game with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in his past nine outings. He's combined for two Fantasy points in his past two games against Seattle and San Diego, and you can't trust him in this matchup on Monday night. The Redskins have also allowed just three receivers to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in their past nine outings.

Randall Cobb
NYJ • WR • #18
Week 15 projected stats at CHI
Projections
FPTS7.7
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We wish Cobb would step up and start playing at a high level, but he's scored eight Fantasy points or less in a standard league in six games in a row. His best game prior to that stretch was Week 7 against Chicago when he had 11 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown and 21 rushing yards, and he has four games in his past five meetings with the Bears with a touchdown. But Rodgers is playing hurt, Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams are clearly ahead of Cobb in terms of production, and he also is battling an ankle injury. This is a bad week to hope Cobb is able to turn things around.

Terrelle Pryor
JAC • WR • #10
Week 15 projected stats at BUF
Projections
FPTS7.9
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It's a small sample size, but Pryor has combined for four catches for 71 yards on 10 targets in two games with Griffin this year. The Bengals made sure to shut down Pryor in Week 14 with one catch for 3 yards on three targets, and he's now scored single digits in Fantasy points in three of his past four games. The matchup with Buffalo isn't daunting since they've allowed nine receivers to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league this year, including two in the past three games. But Griffin might not be able to help Pryor succeed in this matchup on the road. Pryor is a boom-or-bust No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week in the majority of leagues.

Bust Alert

Julian Edelman
NE • WR • #11
Week 15 projected stats at DEN
Projections
FPTS7.2
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Malcolm Mitchell
NE • WR • #19
Week 15 projected stats at DEN
Projections
FPTS5.7
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Edelman is still worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week despite the tough matchup, especially in PPR, and he has 18 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns in his past two meetings with the Broncos in the regular season. But you have to downgrade him given Denver's secondary, and Mitchell will be hard to trust as well. Only five receivers have scored double digits in Fantasy points against the Broncos this year, and Edelman only has two games with double digits in points in a standard league this season. Mitchell has either a touchdown or 80 receiving yards in four games in a row, but this will be his toughest test to date against this intimidating secondary.

Tight end

Start 'Em

Kyle Rudolph
TB • TE • #8
Week 15 projected stats vs. IND
Projections
FPTS6.1
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Rudolph was back in the end zone in Week 14 at Jacksonville, and he's now scored a touchdown three of his past six games. He's improved in PPR leagues of late with at least four catches in three games in a row, and he has 30 targets over that span. The Colts have only allowed four touchdowns to tight ends this season and four to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, but Rudolph's involvement gives him a chance to play well each week, including this matchup at home.

Antonio Gates
LAC • TE • #85
Week 15 projected stats vs. OAK
Projections
FPTS7.1
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Gates has now gone three games in a row without a touchdown, while rookie Hunter Henry has scored three times in his past four outings. We hope Gates isn't slowing down like he typically does at the end of the year, and last week at Carolina he had five catches for 61 yards on nine targets. He had a good game against the Raiders in Week 5 with four catches for 30 yards and a touchdown on five targets, and Oakland has allowed six tight ends to score at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league in the past nine games. Gates is a No. 1 tight end in this matchup, and Henry is worth using as a sleeper.

Ladarius Green
PIT • TE • #89
Week 15 projected stats at CIN
Projections
FPTS6
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Green let plenty of Fantasy owners down in Week 14 at Buffalo with two catches for 25 yards on six targets, but the entire Steelers passing game was bad against the Bills on the road. That could happen again given Roethlisberger's road woes, but the Bengals have struggled with tight ends all season and are No. 3 in Fantasy points allowed to the position. In Week 2, the Steelers had two touchdowns from their tight ends in Jesse James and Xavier Grimble, and hopefully Roethlisberger can connect with Green in the end zone this week. Green remains a low-end starting option in all leagues in Week 15.

Sleepers

  • Jack Doyle (at MIN): Doyle could be needed this week if Donte Moncrief (hamstring) is out as expected, and he had five catches for 55 yards on six targets in Week 14 against Houston. The Vikings have allowed four tight ends in the past six games to score at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league.
  • Charles Clay (vs. CLE): Clay is not a reliable Fantasy tight end, but this is about his matchup with the Browns at home more than anything else. Cleveland has allowed the most touchdowns to tight ends this year (11) and is second in Fantasy points allowed to the position. Clay just scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 14 against the Steelers, so hopefully he can start a scoring streak.
  • Jermaine Gresham (vs. NO): The Cardinals could need Gresham more this week with Floyd gone, and he has at least five catches for three games in a row and has scored in two of his past four outings. He has 23 targets in his past three games and could see more with the shakeup in the receiving corps. He's worth using as a streaming option this week.

Sit 'Em

Delanie Walker
TEN • TE • #82
Week 15 projected stats at KC
Projections
FPTS7.1
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Walker is more of a bust alert than a sit candidate, but this should be a rough game for him against the Chiefs on the road. Kansas City has allowed just two touchdowns to tight ends all year, and Pittsburgh's Jesse James has the best Fantasy performance against the Chiefs with seven Fantasy points in a standard league in Week 4. Walker has scored double digits in Fantasy points in three of his past five games and is tough to bench this week, but the matchup is brutal, which means he should struggle.

C.J. Fiedorowicz
HOU • TE • #87
Week 15 projected stats vs. JAC
Projections
FPTS6.1
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He's dealing with a concussion, but hopefully he's able to play in Week 15 against the Jaguars. Still, if he's active, you might want to find another option this week given his recent lack of production. Fiedorowicz has four Fantasy points or less in four of his past five games, including Week 10 at Jacksonville with three catches for 26 yards on five targets. Fiedorowicz has also gone five games in a row without a touchdown, and Ryan Griffin continues to limit his upside. Keep an eye on Fiedorowicz's status this week, but Fantasy owners should find another streaming option for Week 15.

Coby Fleener
NO • TE • #82
Week 15 projected stats at ARI
Projections
FPTS4.8
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The Cardinals finally cracked in Week 14 against the Dolphins and allowed a touchdown to a tight end for the first time this season, which was Dion Sims. He now has the best game for a tight end against Arizona with six Fantasy points, and no tight end has gone over 55 yards against the Cardinals, including matchups with Martellus Bennett, Jimmy Graham, Greg Olsen, Vance McDonald and Rudolph, among others. Fleener had no Fantasy points in Week 14 at Tampa Bay and has scored one touchdown in his past eight outings. There's no way you're trusting him this week in most leagues.

Bust Alert

Zach Ertz
WAS • TE • #86
Week 15 projected stats at BAL
Projections
FPTS5.1
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Ertz has been awesome of late with at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in four of his past six games, including two in a row. He has 28 targets for 19 catches, 191 yards and a touchdown in his past two games against the Bengals and Redskins, but this is a tougher matchup on the road. Only three tight ends have scored against Baltimore this season, including Tyler Eifert and Martellus Bennett in the past two games, but I expect a letdown game for Ertz in this matchup. Ertz is a low-end starting option at best, and I like him better in PPR leagues than standard formats.

Defense/Special teams

Start 'Em

Ravens (vs. PHI)

  • Projected FPTS: 11.3

The Ravens DST struggled last week at New England as expected with 30 points allowed, although they had one interception and two fumble recoveries but scored just seven Fantasy points in a standard league. Prior to Week 14, the Ravens DST had scored at least 11 Fantasy points in five of the previous six outings. The Eagles come into this game having allowed the opposing DST to score at least 10 Fantasy points in four games in a row, with seven interceptions, 11 sacks and just one game with more than 16 points scored over that span. This should be a great performance for Baltimore's defense against a banged up offensive line for Philadelphia.

Sleepers

  • Bills (vs. CLE): Three of the past four teams against the Browns have scored at least 24 Fantasy points and only three teams have scored fewer than 10 points in a standard league. In two starts for Griffin this year, the Eagles in Week 1 and the Bengals in Week 14 scored at least 13 Fantasy points.
  • Texans (vs. JAC): The Texans DST scored 14 Fantasy points against the Jaguars in Week 10 with one interception, two sacks, a fumble recovery and a touchdown, and four of the past six opposing DSTs against Jacksonville have scored at least 14 Fantasy points.
  • Dolphins (at NYJ): The Dolphins DST scored 15 Fantasy points against the Jets in Week 9 with two interceptions, three sacks and one touchdown, and Petty has three interceptions in his past two games and was sacked six times last week at San Francisco.
  • Falcons (vs. SF): Five of the past seven DSTs against the 49ers have scored at least 11 Fantasy points, and San Francisco has allowed 15 sacks in the past four games. The Falcons have multiple sacks in six of their past seven games.

Sit 'Em

Broncos (vs. NE)

  • Projected FPTS: 7.7

You didn't draft the Broncos DST to bench them in the Fantasy playoffs, but that's the right move to make this week against the Patriots, who are No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing DSTs. So far this season, Buffalo in Week 4, which was the last start before Brady's four-game suspension was over, is the lone team with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league against New England. Brady has one interception on the season, and the Patriots have allowed just two sacks in the past four games against the 49ers, Jets, Rams and Ravens. The Broncos DST has scored at least 10 Fantasy points in three of the past four games, but they should struggle this week at home.

Kicker

Start 'Em

Nick Novak
LAC • K • #9
Week 15 projected stats vs. JAC
Projections
FPTS10.4
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Novak is coming off his best game of the season in Week 14 at the Colts with 18 Fantasy points when he connected for five field goals, including a long of 52, and his lone extra point. He's been great at home this season with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in three of six games and at least eight points in two others, and he had eight Fantasy points at Jacksonville in Week 10. The Jaguars have allowed the most Fantasy points to opposing kickers this year, and six kickers have scored double digits in Fantasy points against Jacksonville, including Kai Forbath in Week 14 with four field goals and one extra point.

Sleepers

  • Kai Forbath (vs. IND): Forbath is in a nice place this week at home against the Colts after facing the Jaguars in Week 14. That's two of the top three teams in Fantasy points allowed to opposing kickers, and Forbath just had 13 points against Jacksonville. Six kickers have scored at least 10 Fantasy points against the Colts this year.
  • Dustin Hopkins (vs. CAR): Like Novak, he's been good at home this year with 4-of-6 games with at least 10 Fantasy points, and he's scored double digits in points in six games overall this year. Three kickers have scored at least 11 Fantasy points against Carolina on the road this year.
  • Sebastian Janikowski (at SD): Janikowski has scored at least nine Fantasy points in four of his past five games, and he had 16 points against the Chargers in Week 5. He made three field goals and four extra points at San Diego in 2015.

Sit 'Em

Caleb Sturgis
LAC • K • #6
Week 15 projected stats at BAL
Projections
FPTS6.5
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Sturgis has been a great Fantasy kicker all season, and he comes into this game with double digits in Fantasy points in seven games, including last week against Washington with 10. But he's struggled on the road of late with a combined three Fantasy points at Seattle in Week 11 and at Cincinnati in Week 13. The Ravens have allowed the fewest Fantasy points to opposing kickers this year, and no kicker has scored double digits in points, with nine the best score, which happened twice. Only three kickers have made multiple field goals against the Ravens, and this is a bad spot for Sturgis on the road.

Full Disclosure from Week 14

Week 14 was a disaster in a lot of ways due to injuries and several stars underperforming, including our Start of the Week, Jameis Winston. He was bad with just eight Fantasy points in a standard league against New Orleans.

Thankfully, we had a lot of positive performances with our other start suggestions, including sleepers, with Andy Dalton, Carlos Hyde, Jeremy Hill, Jonathan Stewart, Todd Gurley, Kenneth Dixon, DeSean Jackson, Taylor Gabriel, Zach Ertz and the Falcons DST. Hyde, Hill, Gurley and Dixon were all Top 12 running backs for the week, Jackson was a Top 5 receiver and the Falcons were the No. 1 DST.

Our good sit suggestions were Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, Devontae Booker, Rishard Matthews, Allen Robinson and Brandon Marshall, among others. But we also had some bad calls.

We missed on starters like Philip Rivers, Golden Tate and Ladarius Green. And some players we said to sit who did well were Ryan Tannehill, LeGarrette Blount, Sammy Watkins and Martellus Bennett.

Winston hurt a lot of Fantasy owners in Week 14. But our Start of the Week for Week 15, Kirk Cousins, will make up for it with a big performance against the Panthers on Monday night.

Full Disclosure

Start of the Week: Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers

  • Fantasy points: 8
  • Position rank: 24

Recommended starts who made us look good

Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers

  • Fantasy points: 25
  • Position rank: 3

Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals

  • Fantasy points: 20
  • Position rank: 4

DeSean Jackson, WR, Redskins

  • Fantasy points: 16
  • Position rank: 4

Recommended sits who made us look good

Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans

  • Fantasy points: 6
  • Position rank: 28

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders

  • Fantasy points: 4
  • Position rank: 30

Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets

  • Fantasy points: 3
  • Position rank: 63

Recommended starts who made us look bad

Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers

  • Fantasy points: 11
  • Position rank: 20

Golden Tate, WR, Lions

  • Fantasy points: 5
  • Position rank: 43

Ladarius Green, TE, Steelers

  • Fantasy points: 2
  • Position rank: 21

Recommended sits who made us look bad

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins

  • Fantasy points: 23
  • Position rank: 4

Martellus Bennett, TE, Patriots

  • Fantasy points: 13
  • Position rank: 2

LeGarrette Blount, RB, Patriots

  • Fantasy points: 13
  • Position rank: 15