J.J. McCarthy (QB - MIN) vs Dallas Cowboys We saw “9” perform last week against a weak defense in Washington, where he scored 22 points. He gets another opportunity to play against another weak defense in the Cowboys. They’ve allowed the most passing yards and touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks, and McCarthy will continue to sling the ball.
Sam Darnold (QB - SEA) vs Indianapolis Colts I really love this matchup. Darnold is coming off a bounce-back game, throwing for 249 yards and three touchdowns. This game will be a shootout, and the Colts' secondary is middle of the pack.
Brock Purdy (QB - SF) vs Tennessee Titans I think Purdy will have a fantastic week for your first round of fantasy football playoffs. He is coming off the bye week and is healthy. Titans are allowing 20.46 fantasy points per game to QBs.
Trevor Lawrence (QB - JAX) vs New York Jets Lawrence has had a resurgence since the beginning of Jakobi Meyer’s tenure in Jacksonville. Lawrence has made a real 180. In his last three games, he’s averaged over 19 fantasy points. The Jets' defense has been terrible, allowing 18.69 fantasy points to QBs.
Baker Mayfield (QB - TB) vs Atlanta Falcons Atlanta allowed Sam Darnold to have a fantastic game in Week 14, and I believe the same will happen for Mayfield. The second half of Mayfield's season has been full of disappointment, but Atlanta has been prime for QBs to do well.
Sit 'Em
Bo Nix (QB - DEN) vs Green Bay Packers Bo Nix had the opportunity to capitalize on playing the Raiders and Commanders in the last two weeks. He scored 19 and 18 points, respectively. But against the Green Bay Packers, his ceiling is limited, as the Packers are the 7th toughest against QBs.
C.J. Stroud (QB - HOU) vs Arizona Cardinals Stroud has been iffy since returning to the lineup. He hasn’t been back to his freshman-year form in quite a while, and against the Cardinals' defense, which is middle of the pack.
Jacoby Brissett (QB - ARI) vs Houston Texans The Texans have been world beaters against every category in fantasy football. That includes QBs, where they’re allowing the least amount of points at 12.33 points per game. Usually, Brissett is a start, but you can bench him this week.
Riley Leonard/Philip Rivers (QB - IND) vs Seattle Seahawks A lot of managers had the misfortune of Daniel Jones going down and wanting to pick up Leonard (and now Rivers). Don’t do it. They’re going against a Seahawks defense that is 9th-ranked against QBs.
Tyler Shough (QB - NO) vs Carolina Panthers Shough has been serviceable even in his last outing against Carolina, scoring 21 points. But I’m not sure he can repeat that. The Panthers are only allowing 15.77 points per game to opposing QBs.
By Alex Percey
Start 'Em
Chris Rodriguez (RB - WSH) vs New York Giants The New York Giants couldn’t stop an elderly person from rushing for 50 yards against them. Rodriguez has led the Commanders' backfield in opportunities recently and is definitely startable this week.
Travis Etienne (RB - JAX) vs New York Jets The Jets can’t hold on to the ball, nor stop the run. Etienne will have multi-touchdown upside yet again this week. Tuten might vulture some carries, but you can trust Travis to be the goal-line back.
Omarion Hampton (RB - LAC) vs Kansas City Chiefs I love Omarion this week. He looked great in his return to the field against Philadelphia and should get a full workload against Kansas City. He’s a strong RB2 in week 15.
Woody Marks (RB - HOU) vs Arizona Cardinals Woody Marks hasn’t played a full game this year. Every week, he gets injured, comes off the field, and then goes back in. He’s taking a beating, but will have a vacation against the weak Arizona defense. I expect the Texans to use him plenty when running out the clock in this contest.
TreVeyon Henderson (RB - NE) vs Buffalo Bills TreVeyon Henderson has been on fire ever since Rhamondre Stevenson was out for a couple of games. He’s now facing a weaker defense in Buffalo, and I expect a few massive runs out of him. He’s exciting, explosive, and fun.
Sit 'Em
James Cook (RB - BUF) vs New England Patriots Starting with a bang. Cook has been way better than expected this year in fantasy, but this won’t be his week. Last time he played New England, he only managed 5 points! The Patriots have the best run defense in the league, so if you can, put Cook on your bench.
Kyren Williams (RB - LAR) vs Detroit Lions What made Kyren such an incredible fantasy weapon for the last two seasons was his insane workload. He was getting Derrick Henry-level touches. However, Corum is eating into it, and the Lions are only giving up 15 points per game to running backs.
David Montgomery (RB - DET) vs Los Angeles Rams Both teams in this game have great run defenses. That disadvantages Montgomery more than it does Gibbs, and Gibbs is the one involved in the passing game. I see Montgomery not being very involved as this contest goes down.
D’Andre Swift (RB - CHI) vs Cleveland Browns Fear Kyle Monongai. Monongai is younger, he’s a bruiser, and he’s good between the tackles. He’s getting the end-of-game snaps instead of Swift, who is still okay, but not the same as he was in Weeks 2-8.
Breece Hall (RB - NYJ) vs Jacksonville Jaguars I feel for Breece Hall. He’s the only good player left on this offense, and they’re going to get routed by Jacksonville. Without a pass game, the Jags and their already good rush defense can just stack the box on the Jets every play.
By Alex Percey
Start 'Em
Jakobi Meyers (WR - JAX) vs New York Jets Ever since he arrived in Jacksonville, Meyers has taken the wide receiver one role and been a productive fantasy option. Coming off his third straight top-20 fantasy performance, Meyers is poised to have another good game against the no-name Jets secondary.
Michael Wilson (WR - ARI) vs Houston Texans Is Marvin Harrison Jr. back? Yes. Are the Cardinals facing the best defense in the NFL? Also yes. Am I going to sit Michael Wilson for those reasons? Absolutely not. Wilson has been on another planet recently, and is clearly Brissett’s number one option. I’ll start him every week for the rest of this season.
Jordan Addison (WR - MIN) vs Dallas Cowboys Addison hasn’t put up more than 12 fantasy points since week 7. That will change this week when the Vikings face by far the worst defense against receivers. This will be a huge bounce-back game for both him and Jefferson.
Tetairoa McMillan (WR - CAR) vs New Orleans Saints Tet’s projection this week, 13.72 on Sleeper, is much lower than it should be. He receives around eight targets per game and is Bryce’s undisputed number one option against a weak Saints team. I think he’s a borderline wide receiver one this week.
Jerry Jeudy (WR - CLE) vs Chicago Bears It’s been an incredibly disappointing season for Jeudy owners, and he might even be on waivers in your league. Whatever the case, this is his week to shine. He and Sanders linked up for a long touchdown last week and will build off that against an awful Chicago secondary this week. I expect big things from the duo.
Sit 'Em
Stefon Diggs (WR - NE) vs Buffalo Bills Diggs lit up the Buffalo defense when they faced each other earlier this season. You know that stopping him is the main point of focus this week in Buffalo’s camp, and Diggs hasn’t been receiving the same amount of targets recently.
Ryan Flournoy (WR - DAL) vs Minnesota Vikings If you’re scrambling at the receiver position this week, you might think that picking up the guy who had 26 points last week is a good idea. Don’t do it. The Cowboys have the most solidified top-2 receivers in the league, and the Vikings are the best defense against receivers in the NFL.
Xavier Worthy (WR - KC) vs Los Angeles Chargers Worthy has been downright disappointing. I feel like I’m repeating myself each week when I say to sit him, but just do it. He’s not startable against a defense allowing just 20 points per game to receivers.
Michael Pittman Jr. (WR - IND) vs Seattle Seahawks I loved Michael Pittman in the draft. I loved him all year, but I hate him now. I have no confidence in Riley Leonard to get him the ball in any productive fashion. The Colts might be doomed.
Christian Watson (WR - GB) vs Denver Broncos Watson is great at doing a lot with a little. He doesn’t get many targets, but has boomed in three of his last four games. I don’t think it's sustainable against the Denver defense, though, and Jayden Reed will have an increased role this week as well.
By Kameron Barton
Start 'Em
Mark Andrews/Isaiah Likely (TE - BAL) vs Cincinnati Bengals While neither of these guys has been “studs” at the TE position in 2025, they find themselves in a juicy matchup against Cincy. The Bengals have allowed the most points to the tight end position (24.1 PPG average!!!). They have also been locking down opposing teams’ WR1s all season, which means Lamar will be ultra-targeting his safety blanket TDs. Both of these guys are must-starts in Week 15.
Harold Fannin Jr. (TE - CLE) vs Chicago Bears Harold Fannin is just simply too good. He is on pace to be a top 5 TE overall this season as a 21-year-old rookie. Not only that, but he leads his team in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Fannin should continue to see a good workload against a middle-of-the-road Bears defense. You can start Fannin with confidence.
Kyle Pitts (TE - ATL) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think I’m back in on Kyle Pitts. In games without Drake London this year, Pitts is averaging eight targets, six receptions, and 64 yards per game. He has a 34% first-read target share and is far and away the most targeted player by QB Kirk Cousins. With Drake London already ruled out of Thursday’s game, Kyle Pitts is an incredible start and has league winner written all over him.
George Kittle (TE - SF) vs Tennessee Titans Kittle has scored the second-most points at the Tight End position since Week 10, only trailing Trey McBride. I think it’s a pretty safe bet to assume that Kittle finds his way into the end zone this week against a defense that just allowed Harold Fannin Jr. to score over 25 PPR points with Shedeur Sanders at QB.
Tyler Warren (TE - IND) vs Seattle Seahawks Alright, this might seem sketchy due to Indy’s current QB situation. But good players ascend bad situations, and this situation is not all that bad. The Seahawks have the second most PPG to the TE position. I expect HC Shane Steichen to give Warren plenty of work to assist whichever QB comes in and starts. While this might not be a smash start, I think Warren has a very good floor with some potential upside in this game.
Sit 'Em
Travis Kelce (TE - KC) vs Los Angeles Chargers Kelce is coming off his worst game of the 2025 season. He also finds himself in a tough divisional matchup. The Chargers are only allowing 11 PPR points per game to the TE position this year, and the Chiefs are spiraling. If you have no choice, he should have an acceptable floor, but I will be looking elsewhere for help at the TE position this week.
Hunter Henry (TE - BUF) vs Kansas City Chiefs Henry has had a pretty good year and ranks as the TE8 in PPR leagues. However, that is misleading because he had multiple games in which he scored over 20 points. With those two games removed, he is averaging 7.5 PPR points per game. He also faces a tough matchup against the Bills' defense, which has allowed the fewest points to the tight end position this year.
Oronde Gadsden (TE - LAC) vs Kansas City Chiefs Oronde Gadsden is another promising young rookie in a crowded offense. He broke out in Weeks 6-9, but since then, his production has declined significantly. My theory is that the Chargers are playing their blocking TEs more to assist with the injuries across the OL. That means Gadsden is playing less, running fewer routes, and ultimately being less productive. I don’t see this changing anytime soon, so he is an easy sit against a top 5 Kansas City Chiefs unit against TEs.
Dallas Goedert (TE - DAL) vs Las Vegas Goedert has been a solid TE this year for fantasy, mainly based on volume alone. However, the Raiders' defense poses a tough challenge for the tight end while also being quite vulnerable to opposing WRs. Goedert is a risky start, having scored under 5 PPR points in three of his last five games.
Darren Waller (TE - MIA)
vs
Pittsburgh Steelers Waller returned to the league with a bang in Weeks 4-6, scoring four touchdowns in three games alone. Since his injury, however, he has struggled and has even lost reps to teammate Greg Dulcich. Pittsburgh is allowing the third most PPR points to the TE position this year. Despite a juicy matchup, Waller is incredibly hard to trust in round one of the fantasy football playoffs.
Seattle D/ST vs Indianapolis Colts The number one defense in fantasy football is slated to take on the Indianapolis Colts. As of now, it is not clear who the Colts will start at QB, but they did just sign 44-year-old Phillip Rivers, who retired in 2021. It doesn’t matter who starts at QB at this point; Seattle is the number one defense this week.
Houston D/ST vs Arizona Cardinals Probably the best real-life NFL defense at this point in the season. They will face the pass-heavy Arizona Cardinals. I expect to see a large number of sacks and turnovers from the Texans' defense in this one. Easy start!
Jacksonville D/ST vs Las Vegas Raiders 3rd overall in fantasy scoring draws a matchup against the Jets, who have a major question mark at QB entering the week. Regardless of who starts, the Jets have been one of the worst offenses in the league, and the Jags are third in the league in takeaways.
Chicago D/ST vs New York Giants The Bears come in as the league leader in takeaways with 27 on the season. Shedeur Sanders, who had somewhat of a breakout game last week, was bailed out by having over 250 of his pass yards gained by YAC. I expect the Bears to give Shedeur a tough time and create turnovers in a cold-weather game.
Philadelphia D/ST vs Las Vegas Raiders The Eagles have had an up-and-down season, but they will face the Raiders, who will start QB Kenny Pickett, as QB Geno Smith is currently doubtful with a shoulder injury. The Raiders' offense has been an absolute joke outside of Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. Expect Philly to create turnovers and limit scoring.
Sit 'Em
Kansas City D/ST vs Los Angeles Chargers Kansas City faces a Chargers offense that just had RB Omarion Hampton return to the lineup, giving QB Justin Herbert yet another weapon. The Chargers shouldn’t have too much of an issue moving the ball against a struggling KC defense.
Baltimore Ravens D/ST vs Houston Texans We’ve seen this plenty of times before—Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase OWN the Ravens. The Bengals are still playing as if they have a chance to make the playoffs, and the Ravens' defense has struggled all year to pressure the quarterback. This is a bad matchup and a heavy fade for me.
Washington D/ST vs Seattle Seahawks Washington has struggled defensively all year, and I don’t expect that to stop. The Giants always seem to find themselves in high-scoring shootouts, so I hope this game continues that trend. There are plenty of other defenses I would rather start over the Commanders.
Detroit Lions D/ST vs Los Angeles Rams Detroit has a problem that will hinder it from making any kind of run. Their secondary is figuratively Swiss cheese, and I think that they have an overrated run defense. They get the Rams, one of the NFL's offensive juggernauts. Don’t expect much from this unit.
Indianapolis Colts D/ST vs Seattle Seahawks Indy traded two future first-round picks for CB Sauce Gardener, who is out with an injury. The rest of this secondary is also seemingly Swiss cheese. While they do maintain a good pass rush, I don’t see the Colts' defense being capable of scoring many points in this matchup.
