Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em Week 15
Subsequently, our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em Week 15 will help you navigate that turbulence to pick a winning lineup this week. Additionally, FullTime Fantasy has some of the top tools of the trade and accurate rankings.
QuarterbacksÂ
Start ‘Em
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cleveland Browns
Patrick Mahomes has been a reliable option at quarterback, ranking 10th in total fantasy points this season. His weekly performances have been consistent, with only two weeks finishing outside the top 20 at the position. However, Mahomes has struggled to produce elite QB1 numbers, cracking the top 10 just twice all season. His fantasy output has directly mirrored Kansas City’s offensive production—when the Chiefs score 30 or more points, Mahomes thrives as a top-five QB.
This week, he faces a Cleveland Browns defense that has given up 27 or more points in four of their last five games. If this matchup turns into a shootout, Mahomes has the potential to deliver his best performance in weeks. While the game’s over/under of 44 indicates a more controlled affair, the stars may align for Mahomes to shine in your lineup.
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills
Don’t let the Bills’ defensive reputation scare you off Jared Goff this week. Yes, Buffalo is typically a tough matchup for quarterbacks, but we just witnessed Matthew Stafford light them up for 320 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions’ offense, built on a solid passing game, could follow a similar path.
While Goff has been more successful against man coverage than zone this season, his recent form is encouraging—multiple touchdown passes in four of his last five games. This game has the potential to be a high-scoring duel, making Goff a strong starting option.
Sit ‘Em
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans vs. Miami Dolphins
C.J. Stroud hasn’t cracked 20 fantasy points in seven straight games, struggling even in favorable matchups. With just five touchdowns and five interceptions since Week 6, he’s a tough sell against a Dolphins defense that has been stingy against quarterbacks all season.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers
Despite the Seahawks’ recent win streak, Geno Smith hasn’t been fantasy-relevant, failing to top 16 points in any of his last four games. Smith is best avoided against a solid Green Bay Packers defense allowing just three 20-point performances to QBs this season.
Running Backs
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Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys vs. Carolina Panthers
Rico Dowdle has emerged as the Cowboys’ clear lead back, steadily gaining momentum in recent weeks. After starting the year sharing snaps with Ezekiel Elliott, Dowdle has taken over the backfield, even contributing on third downs and in late-game situations.
In Week 13, Dowdle hit a career milestone with his first 100-yard rushing performance, followed by another strong showing on Monday Night Football. The Panthers’ defense, which has allowed more fantasy points to running backs than any other team, sets up Dowdle for another monster game. With multiple 100-yard rushers torching Carolina recently, Dowdle enters Week 15 as a strong RB2 with RB1 upside.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Chuba Hubbard continues to take advantage of the Panthers’ backfield situation, thriving as the team’s primary option with Jonathan Brooks out for the season. Hubbard has posted at least 15 PPR points in four of his last five games, including a 20.7-point outing against a tough Eagles defense in Week 14.
The Cowboys’ defense has shown vulnerabilities to running backs in recent weeks, allowing multiple 14+ PPR performances. With Hubbard locked into a dominant role in Carolina’s offense, he’s a top-10 fantasy RB this week.
Sit ‘Em
D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears vs. Vikings
D’Andre Swift has become a risky option for fantasy managers, producing single-digit fantasy points in four of his last five outings. Over that stretch, he’s averaged just 9.6 points per game and hasn’t surpassed 40 rushing yards in his last three games. He’ll face the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night, a team that stifled him back in Week 12, holding him to 9.5 fantasy points. The Vikings have allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards and only six touchdowns to running backs all season. Given the matchup and recent trends, it’s tough to trust Swift as anything more than a desperation play.
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Jets
Travis Etienne finally broke out of a slump with 11.0 PPR points in Week 14 against Tennessee, his first time surpassing 8.8 points since Week 5. Even so, his workload was concerning, with only four carries—a season-low since Week 9. Meanwhile, teammate Tank Bigsby took on a hefty 19 touches in the same game, making him the more attractive Jaguars running back option heading into Week 15. Both backs, however, face a challenging matchup against the Jets, who rank 10th in limiting fantasy points to opposing running backs. At best, Etienne is a low-end flex play this week, and his upside remains capped.
Wide Receivers
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D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings
Although D.J. Moore hasn’t been the epitome of consistency, he’s delivered when it matters, racking up 75.2 PPR points over the last four weeks—sixth among receivers in that span. He’s remained the Bears’ top target, leading the team in receiving grade, targets, and yards.
Facing a Vikings defense that has allowed the most receiving yards to outside receivers this season, Moore is in a prime spot. He torched Minnesota just weeks ago with 106 yards and a touchdown. Slot him in as a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside this week.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions
Khalil Shakir has quietly become a fantasy darling, scoring 11+ points in six of his last seven games. His versatility and knack for finding open space make him Josh Allen’s trusted option in key moments.
This week, Shakir faces a Lions defense that has been shredded by slot receivers, allowing over 1,000 yards from the position this season—the most in the league. With Shakir running over 60% of his routes from the slot, he’s a sneaky-good start in what could be a high-scoring affair.
Sit ‘Em
Tank Dell, Houston Texans vs. Dolphins
Tank Dell has struggled to make a significant fantasy impact since Nico Collins returned from injury. Over the past three games, Dell has averaged just 7.8 PPR points, a mark in line with his season-long average of 7.6 when playing alongside Collins. Despite the Dolphins being a slightly softer matchup for wideouts in recent weeks, they remain a formidable unit overall, allowing the sixth-fewest yards and fourth-fewest fantasy points to receivers this season. Miami has also surrendered the fewest touchdowns to wideouts, tied with the Jets. With C.J. Stroud underperforming and the stakes high in fantasy playoffs, trusting Dell as a secondary option in Houston’s passing game feels too risky.
DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. Packers
DK Metcalf is in a rough patch heading into Week 15, hampered by shoulder and knee issues. He’s failed to exceed 10.6 PPR points in each of his last three games and hasn’t found the end zone in his past four outings. This week’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers doesn’t offer much relief. The Packers are ranked ninth in fewest fantasy points allowed to wide receivers and have given up just three touchdowns to the position since Week 9. While Metcalf may still be worth starting in deeper leagues that use three wideouts, expectations should remain low given his recent form and the challenging matchup.
Tight Ends
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Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Tucker Kraft may be flying under the radar, but he’s been a touchdown machine since Week 4, finding the end zone seven times. While his overall volume remains modest, his upside in the Packers’ offense makes him a viable low-end TE1 this week.
The Seahawks have struggled against tight ends, ranking in the league’s bottom half in fantasy points allowed to the position. Kraft carries some risk but offers high-reward potential in this favorable matchup.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Pat Freiermuth has been heating up at the right time, recording touchdowns in back-to-back games and averaging nearly 60 receiving yards over his last three contests. Against an Eagles defense vulnerable to tight ends, Freiermuth’s recent momentum makes him a solid start.
Sit ‘Em
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens vs. Giants
Mark Andrews has bounced back from a shaky start to the season, but this week he faces a Giants defense that has been particularly stingy against tight ends. In fact, only the Detroit Lions have allowed fewer PPR points to the position this season. While Andrews has the talent to overcome difficult matchups, the Giants’ success at limiting tight ends makes him a lower-ceiling option in Week 15.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Jets
Evan Engram’s fantasy production has taken a hit as Trevor Lawrence has dealt with multiple injuries. Over his last four games, Engram has averaged a modest 9.1 PPR points, with his best performance—an 11.1-point effort—coming in a game where Lawrence exited early due to a concussion. Engram has only eclipsed 50 receiving yards once this season and has just one touchdown to his name. Facing a Jets defense that has been solid against tight ends, Engram doesn’t offer enough upside to justify a spot in your fantasy lineup during the playoffs.
