The playoffs have a way of clarifying things. Those bench guys you've been hanging on to for weeks in the hopes that their upside will eventually pan out become a lot easier to toss aside when there's no time left for "eventually." When there's nothing guaranteed beyond the current week -- or, literally nothing left for most of you after Week 16 -- there's no point in waiting for tomorrow.
Unless, you know, you happened to drop Tony Pollard in the last few weeks. That one probably hurt to watch Sunday, as he turned into the potential league winner we've been saying he could be for more than a year with Ezekiel Elliott sidelined by a calf injury. If you did, don't feel too bad -- I opted not to start him in one league, a decision that very well could cost me this week.
In fairness, I just didn't think Pollard had that league-winning potential anymore. Not after watching Elliot struggle for much of the season since Dak Prescott's injury. But, where Pollard has stood out over the last two seasons is his ability to generate big plays, something Elliott really hasn't done much of lately. That was the difference for him, as Pollard capped off his day with a 40-yard run that put him in line to be the top performer at running back in Week 15.
You can't expect a 40-yard touchdown every week, but the point is, we knew he was capable of this kind of game, and it just came down to him getting the opportunity. And that's why it's so tough to get rid of someone like Pollard who you know can help you win a week if he gets that chance.
Pollard put himself in position to be a must-start option for Week 16 if Elliott sits out again, and Jalen Hurts did the same with his massive performance in Week 15. Both feature heavily in my early look at the waiver-wire for Week 16, but both also headline my list of players who put themselves in position to be league-winners this week. In addition to Hurts and Pollard, I've got three other players who just must be must-start options in Week 16. Plus, we've got Heath Cummings' breakdown of the biggest storylines from Sunday's game in his Believe It or Not column. And, if you've got any questions for Week 16 -- or looking ahead to 2021 -- send them my way at Chris.Towers@CBSInteractive.com with the subject line "Ask FFT" to be featured in Tuesday's mailbag. It's the last week of the year, Brent; Can't hold anything back now.
Week 15's Must-Start Breakouts
Who joined the ranks of the must-start options Sunday? Here are five who need to be in your lineup for the championship game.
- Jalen Hurts -- It was understandable if you were skeptical about Hurts after his first start, because he wasn't that good as a starter. Well, on Sunday, he was that good, throwing for 338 yards and three touchdowns and added 63 on the ground plus another touchdown. You knew the rushing ability was going to be there, but he's been a big-play machine in the passing game, too -- the Eagles had six pass plays of at least 20 yards against the Cardinals. Hurts looked better Sunday than Taysom Hill did at any point as a starter, and Hill was a top-five option for Fantasy in that role. Oh, and Hurts gets the Cowboys in Week 16. Unless you have a QB named Patrick, Aaron, Kyler, Josh, or Lamar, you might have to start one named Jalen in the championship game.
- Tony Pollard -- Obviously, this is going to depend on Elliott's status. Elliott was a surprise scratch Sunday, but he had acknowledged earlier in the week his calf injury was likely something he would have to deal with for the rest of the season. We may not know Elliott's status until shortly before game-time again, but if Pollard is on your roster, it will be awfully tough to justify sitting him after a game like the one he had Sunday. Just make sure you get him on your roster when waivers run if he isn't already.
- Le'Veon Bell -- Like Pollard, Bell's must-start status will come down to an injury -- in his case, Clyde Edwards-Helaire left Sunday's game with an ankle injury that could cost him the rest of the season, and Bell could be a star against the Falcons in Week 16. Atlanta has actually been pretty decent against running backs overall, but the Chiefs offense should overwhelm the Falcons, and there will be opportunities for Bell to make an impact. I'm not going to guarantee Bell will have a huge game -- the Chiefs haven't leaned on their running game as much this season, and Bell was a dud in Week 13 when Edwards-Helaire was out with an illness -- but he should be in line for two-thirds of the RB touches and the goal-line work, which makes it hard to go away from him.
- D.J. Moore -- It's a bit hard to match perception to reality with Moore's season, as he is averaging a career-high 81.2 yards per game and 10.9 yards per target, but has been a source of frustration to many Fantasy players, many of whom likely didn't have him in their lineups Sunday. However, Moore has now surpassed Robby Anderson for the team lead in receiving yards despite 22 fewer targets in one fewer game. Moore's big-play potential makes him too valuable to sit, in case you needed a reminder. Moore is having a very similar season to what Stefon Diggs did last season, and he's a similar kind of talent. Now that he's getting more targets (8.8 per game over his last four), Moore's weekly upside is too high to consider sitting.
- Noah Fant -- I am extremely excited to draft Fant in 2021, especially if the Broncos can find an upgrade at QB. He's the closest thing to George Kittle outside of San Francisco, and while that is lofty praise, there simply aren't many tight ends who can do what those two can with the ball in their hands. The Broncs should continue to make him a focal point for Week 16 against the Chargers, and unless you have Darren Waller, Travis Kelce, or Mark Andrews, you might need to have Fant in your lineup.
Week 16 Early Waiver Preview
We'll have Jamey Eisenberg's full breakdown of the top waiver-wire priorities for Week 16 Tuesday, but here's the first run through the top options before Monday's game.
- Tony Pollard (56%)
- Jalen Hurts (69%)
- Le'Veon Bell (72%)
- Salvon Ahmed (39%)
- Austin Hooper (46%)
Believe It or Not: Trust DJ?
Every week, Heath holds some of the biggest narratives in the NFL up to the microscope to see if you should buy into them. Here are the biggest storylines for Week 15and whether you should believe in them and adjust your strategies accordingly:
- Believe it or not: David Johnson is someone you can count on in Week 16 and beyond.
- Believe it or not: David Montgomery is a top 12 Dynasty running back.
- Believe it or not: Tony Pollard is a better start in Week 16 than Ezekiel Elliott.
- Believe it or not: Jalen Hurts is a top 12 Dynasty quarterback.
