Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 15: Quarterbacks - Sleepers, Fades, Matchups, DFS Bargains
Week 15 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Ryan Tannehill vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Tannehill put up two touchdowns in a win over the Jaguars last week, and he’s now produced multiple scores in three of his last four games. He’ll extend that streak against a Lions defense that’s allowed 29 total touchdowns and the seventh-most points to opposing quarterbacks. What's more, Mitchell Trubisky, P.J. Walker and Alex Smith are the lone field generals not to produce 20-plus points against them since Week 8.
Week 15 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
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Start ‘Em
Drew Brees vs. Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): He's back! Brees will return to action this weekend, and he's also back as a fantasy starter against the Chiefs. Their defense has been brutal in recent weeks, allowing 21-plus fantasy points to quarterbacks in four of their last five games (only Drew Lock failed to hit the mark). Kansas City has also allowed multiple touchdown passes in five straight games. DK Sportsbook is expecting a barnburner with a 51.5-point total.
Tom Brady at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Brady’s stats have been all over the lot in recent weeks, as he’s alternated good and bad totals since Week 8. Still, I’d trust the GOAT when he faces the Falcons. No defense in the league has given up more fantasy points to quarterbacks, and the position has produced 18-plus points nine times. DK Sportsbook has the over/under in this contest at 51.5, so Las Vegas expects a real shootout in this important NFC South contest.
Jared Goff vs. Jets (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Far be it from me to trust Goff, who has failed to score more than 17 points in six of his last eight games. However, I can look past that lack of production with a game against the Jets next on the schedule. The Men in Green have allowed 28 touchdown passes and the second-most points to quarterbacks, and eight of them have scored 19-plus fantasy points against them. Consider Goff a viable streamer and DFS option this week.
Philip Rivers vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Rivers hasn’t been putting up monster totals in recent weeks, but he’s had a decent floor and averaged 35 pass attempts since Week 11. He's on the streaming radar this week, as the Colts face a Texans defense that's looked bad in recent weeks. Including Mitchell Trubisky's 24.9-point outburst last week, Houston has allowed 19-plus fantasy points to quarterbacks nine times. Rivers is still on the waiver wire in some leagues, too.
More Starts
- Kyler Murray vs. Eagles (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Jalen Hurts at Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Phillip Rivers vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
DFS Bargains
- Drew Brees vs. Chiefs (DraftKings: $5,900)
- Philip Rivers vs. Texans (DraftKings: $5,900)
- Mitchell Trubisky at Vikings (DraftKings: $5,500)
Week 15 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Sit of the Week
Tua Tagovailoa vs. Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Tagovailoa is coming off a huge performance against the Chiefs, scoring three touchdowns and 27 fantasy points. Still, I'd beware of this week's matchup against the Patriots. Their defense has given up the third-fewest points to quarterbacks and held the trio of Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, and Jared Goff to average 8.9 fantasy points since Week 12. Coach Bill Belichick tends to do well against rookie quarterbacks as well.
Sit ‘Em
Cam Newton at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Newton has struggled lately, scoring fewer than five fantasy points in two of his last three games. This week, he's a fade for me, as the Patriots travel to Miami to face the Dolphins. Their defense has been tough on quarterbacks, allowing an average of just 10.6 fantasy points since Week 11. That includes last week’s game against Patrick Mahomes, who was intercepted three times and failed to put up 19 fantasy points in the contest.
Baker Mayfield at Giants (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Mayfield has been on fire in recent weeks, scoring a combined 59.5 fantasy points in his last two games. Still, I'd consider him a fade in traditional leagues that start one quarterback when he faces the Giants. Their defense has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the position, and just two have scored 20-plus points against them. That list includes fantasy superstars like Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, and Kyler Murray.
Matt Ryan vs. Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Ryan’s numbers have been plain awful in recent weeks, as he’s failed to score more than 14 fantasy points since Week 9. He’s also had more interceptions (6) than touchdown passes (4) in his last four games, which has created a low floor for this former fantasy star. So, while this week’s matchup versus the Bucs could turn into a shootout, I can’t trust Ryan in anything more than leagues that start multiple quarterbacks.
Kirk Cousins vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Cousins has had a decent floor in his last six games, including a Week 10 matchup against the Bears where he put up 17.6 points. I fear his low ceiling this week, though, as Chicago has allowed an average of just 17 points per game to quarterbacks. Cousins has also failed to put up more than 17.6 points in each of his last four games against the Bears. He's a sure super-flex option, but I’d fade Cousins in traditional formats.
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More Sits
- Teddy Bridgewater at Packers (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFLN)
- Drew Lock vs. Bills (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, NFLN)
- Gardner Minshew at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
DFS Fades
- Russell Wilson at Football Team (DraftKings: $7,300)
- Deshaun Watson at Colts (DraftKings: $6,800)
- Kirk Cousins vs. Bears (DraftKings: $6,100)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for all of the latest breaking fantasy football news and the best analysis in the business!
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