Week 14 was wild, and not just because Brock Purdy beat Tom Brady like he stole something! The Jags smashed the Titans, the Vikings folded like a cheap suit to the resurgent Lions, and don’t even get me started about Baker Mayfield overcoming the Las Vegas Raiders before he had even been given the Rams playbook!!! I hope you managed to survive the craziness of Week 14 and make it into your fantasy playoffs!
(Let’s be honest, if you are reading this, you most likely did, so GO you!!!)
Let’s hit a quick recap of last week’s picks before we jump into Week 15, aka the first week of the fantasy playoffs!
Hits
Michael Gallup
Honestly, this is sort of a case of happy chance (for me), as the Cowboys had almost more than they could handle from the feisty Texans. Despite playing from behind for a good chunk of the game, Gallup only had six targets. He only managed to haul in 2 of them for 40 yards. Cowboys fans will still be annoyed about a disallowed touchdown he had late in the game, but almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, as the saying goes.
DJ Chark Jr.
I am most disgusted with this one as a Vikings fan. Sadly, Chark was a great start this week, hauling in 6 receptions on 7 targets for 94 yards and a score. Chark played 86% of snaps, just behind ARSB, so he could be a feasible flex play through your fantasy playoffs!
Misses
James Cook
I give up trying to figure out what the Buffalo Bills are trying to do with their backfield this year. Cook played 41% of snaps to Singletary’s 49% but only received 4 rush attempts and 1 target. To be fair, Singletary only had 8 rush attempts and 2 targets. It feels pretty impossible to feel confident starting any Bills running backs going into the fantasy playoffs as things stand.
Kareem Hunt
Another resounding disappointment for Kareem Hunt managers, myself included. I did have him in a lineup in Week 14, so I share your pain. Hunt only saw 39% of snaps and 4 rush attempts with 4 targets to go with them. This has decidedly left Hunt managers like Oliver Twist with a sad face and a single wish of, “Please, sir, may I have some more?!”
I had written up Corey Davis as well, but he was (sadly) injured in the first quarter of action against the Bills. He played 12% of snaps and was injured, securing a 15-yard reception. Since we cannot foresee injuries and he never had a chance to prove if he was a solid play or not, I have left him off the hit-miss list.
After a very disappointing Week 14 (darn you, Christmas Bye-pocalypse), my year-long tally sits at 39-21. This is exactly 65%, and I am running out of weeks to get to that 70+% mark!!!
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a clean sweep in Week 15!
Week 15
JK Dobbins BAL RB25 FantasyPros Expert Rank ⬆️
Dobbins made his triumphal return from IR last week against a fairly stout Pittsburgh Steelers defense. He only played 43% of the snaps, but he had 15 rush attempts for 120 yards and a touchdown. I don’t think JK is at full strength just yet, but he is looking good and gets a juicy matchup in Week 15.
The Browns have given up the fourth most fantasy points to the running back position over the last six weeks! Tyler Huntley has been cleared to start against Cleveland, which is good news as well. With the mounting injuries at the position and the juicy matchup, I would be locking Dobbins into my lineup in Week 15.
Cam Akers LAR RB34 FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rank ⬆️
Akers has had a strange season. He is seemingly once again the lead back for the Rams, as we all imagined he would be in the off-season. In Week 14, he was far and away the leader of the backfield. He even managed to punch in a touchdown.
This week, Baker Mayfield should be the starting quarterback. Surprisingly, that will be a bit of an upgrade over what the Rams have had the last few weeks. Akers also gets to take on the Green Bay Packers run defense which has given up the third most fantasy points to the running back position in the last six weeks. Let’s not forget Baker has only just got to town and will still be getting familiar with the playbook. I imagine McVay would like to rely on the run game a bit, if possible.
Drake London ATL WR37 FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rank ⬆️
The last time we saw Drake London, he had a 50% target share and played 87% of the snaps! The Falcons are fresh off their bye week and have a new captain of the ship as well. Desmond Ridder is set for his first start of the season against the New Orleans Saints.
London and Ridder are both rookies, and they have mentioned the close relationship they have developed working together. I am excited to see what a Ridder-led offense looks like, and I am hopeful that his connection with London will pay dividends. The Saints are a fairly tough defense, but London should be force-fed targets. I am happy to lock him into my flex in Week 15.
Joshua Palmer LAC WR39 FantasyPros Expert Consensus ⬆️
The last couple of weeks has been the Keenan Allen and Mike Williams show. Austin Ekeler is an absolute stud as well! How does this help Joshua Palmer, you might ask.
First of all, the Tennessee Titans are the second juiciest matchup for fantasy wide receivers over the last six weeks! Secondly, Justin Herbert has averaged just over 48 pass attempts per game over the previous three weeks! Lastly, there is a fairly juicy 46.5 over/under on this game, according to Vegas.
D’Onta Foreman CAR RB31 FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rank ⬆️
Last week Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear got the touchdowns, so their fantasy numbers were more appealing. Foreman still led the backfield, though, with 21 rush attempts.
The Steelers aren’t the easiest matchup in the world, but the Panthers seem pretty dedicated to establishing the run. Despite last week’s disappointment, Foreman is still a solid, volume-based option in Week 15. It is hard to find a decent running back getting 20+ touches this time of year!
Kendrick Bourne NE WR83 FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rank ⬆️
Last but not least, here is a name you won’t have heard in a minute! Let it not be said I am cherry-picking easy calls for these articles! I haven’t forgotten you deep-league degenerates (like myself). For the most part, Kendrick Bourne has been a bit of a forgotten man this season. However, he has started to get slightly more involved in the offense over the last couple of weeks.
The biggest reason for his inclusion here is that it is quite likely that both Jakobi Myers AND DeVante Parker will miss Week 15 in the concussion protocol. The Raiders are coming to town and are not an overly concerning matchup for fantasy wide receivers. If either or both of those receivers miss this week, you can throw Bourne in as a “break glass in case of emergency” flex play!
Conclusion
There you have it, Week 15’s offerings for your consideration during the first round of your fantasy playoffs! I hope you make the right start-sit decisions and get those all-important W’s this week!
If you want to talk about anything fantasy football related, you can find me on Twitter @FFEvanlution, or you can check out my podcast Dynasty Debates (@DynastyDebates) on all major podcast listening platforms!