Week 14 of the NFL season brought a lot of ups and downs for fantasy managers looking to advance in the playoffs. Whether it were surprising inactive announcements due to Covid or ongoing injuries, players declaring themselves inactive on social media, or your quarterback taking off to large parts of the game to handle some business in the bathroom, managers had enough hurdles to get through. But at the end of the day, much of what we’ve seen all season has stayed the same. The leaderboard in each position was filled with your typical household names at the top, but also mixed in with those longshots using great matchups. Cam Akers’ breakout game (21.4 FPPG) took up a lot of the discussion leading up to the weekend. But players like Baker Mayfield, Drew Lock and Mitchell Trubisky were all QB1 finishers last week speaking to the parody we still see in fantasy football in 2020.
Look forward to moving up again as we get into the semifinals in most fantasy leagues. If your schedule has been compiled so far, you will have fewer questions to answer on match day. For the most part, your starting lineups will need to be determined, but there will be moves that will need to be made based on matchups. Youngsters like Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa are starting to find their stride, which can make for an intriguing start. But now you also have the ever-changing QB situation for the Saints as Drew Brees is about to return, leaving Taysom Hill (a viable QB1 for weeks) as an afterthought in lineups. The revolving door in the running back position also remains a headache for managers, with the drama surrounding players like Christian McCaffrey and Joe Mixon appearing closer to closing rather than playing. The injuries we see on a weekly basis still play a bigger role for managers and week 15 is no exception. With potential gaps in your starting lineups, matchup plays are key. Because when it’s time to win or go home, the less mistakes you make with lineups, the more likely you are to advance to the championship round in your fantasy playoffs.
With all these pieces in motion, fantasy managers need to rely on matchup decisions more than ever. That’s what we’re doing for you here with the Woos and Boos for week 15. We’re aiming for the players who are typically under the radar, but who can shine with plus matchups. While we’re banging those weekly startups that can be set up to disappoint when faced with tough situations.
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Week 15 Woos
Jared Goff v New York Jets
Goff has been the epitome of “Jekyll and Hyde” on the position since Rams’ Week 9 bye. Every other week there was a QB1 finish, while the others he was largely useless to fantasy managers. He is in the top 10 in position in both tries (475) and passing yards (3,499), but is 17th in passing scores (18), showing his inefficiencies that can be maddening at times. But note that this won’t be the case in Week 15, as the Rams will face a Jets secondary who is the worst in the league of the past four games (25.51 FPPG), scoring a whopping 12 scores in that period have submitted. If you have any questions about your starting QB heading into the weekend, Goff may be worth checking out as a streamer.
JK Dobbins v Jacksonville Jaguars
While the Ravens backfield use is still a main breaker, Dobbins has proven to be fairly consistent with three straight top-20 finishes on the position. The meter has yet to come around (top game of 71 meters) but he has scored in every game, which puts a smile on the face of the fantasy manager. He may not offer much in terms of value in PPR formats with just 17 receptions on 22 goals, but with a true yards per carry average of 4.8 (fourth place in the league), it shows he’s on the point able to do great things. violation. In week 15, he will see an excellent match against a Jaguars defense that was one of the worst in the league (31.90 FPPG) last month. Dobbins should be seen in this game as an RB2 with a strong RB1 potential when he sees usage rising.
Jerry Jeudy vs Buffalo Bills
After a strong mid-season stretch (40 goals in weeks 8-11), Jeudy has relapsed quite a bit as he fended off nagging injuries. Not to mention Drew Lock’s inconsistent play, Jeudy has found herself an afterthought and on the couches in pretty much all formats. He remains top-6 in both airports (1,229) and deep goals (22), something that could play a part in this week’s matchup. In week 15, he will face a secondary Bills who has been very friendly against wideouts for the past four games (39.90 FPPG). Add in the positive play script for this Bronco’s attack against the Bills, they will likely play from behind which could lead to an increase in the odds for Jeudy. He’s an excellent candidate as a player you should consider starting as your WR3 this week and could provide a safe floor above others in your lineup.
Jared Cook vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Consider this your longshot game of the week. Cook has risen from the grave in the past two games with three receptions and a score in consecutive weeks. His stat-line over the season is very Cook-esque as he ranks 25th in receipts (28), but ranks fifth with six TDs per year. I expect to see him in the end-zone again in week 15 as he faces a Chiefs Defense that allows 24.93 FPPG on the position in the past four games. The Saints could be lagging behind in this game, adding more value to the passing game. While Drew Brees’ potential return could be a big hit to Cook’s value in this game, giving him the solid potential to expand the TE1 finish line to three games.
Week 15 Angry
Tom Brady @ Atlanta Falcons
On paper, this matchup looks like a potentially big scoring week for the Brady and Buccaneers attack. But keep the phone with that idea. Brady has had multiple TDs in four consecutive games, but turnovers are creeping up as the offense was somewhat inconsistent. Oddly enough, he is the best QB in the league in both airports (4397) and red zone attempts (75) to help his business maintain its weekly value. But this week, the Bucs hit the road to take on a Falcons Defense that isn’t as soft as it was in the early stages of the season. In the past four games, the Falcons have allowed only 16.51 FPPG on the position. Making this a bit more difficult than it looks on paper. Brady is still in your lineup, but should be viewed closer to a low-end QB1 rather than a top star in week 15.
Chris Carson @ Washington Football Team
Since returning from injury, Carson has been a staple of fantasy lineups with three solid performances and a TD in each. His quick share continues to cast doubt on fantasy managers (50.4%, 28th place), but his 17.5 FPPG puts him in seventh place in the league and more than makes up for it. This week, he is in possibly his toughest test yet against the red-hot defense of the Washington Football Team. In the past month, that defense has allowed only 14.15 FPPG to opposing RBs. Add to that the rotation with Carlos Hyde and you have a tough hill to climb for Carson in this matchup. He’s a tough player to bank on, especially during the playoffs, but when you have another player with a better match, pulling the trigger might be a smart move.
Terry McLaurin vs Seattle Seahawks
When you think of Terry McLaurin, you think of one of the best receivers in the game today. But recently, that hasn’t correlated with fantasy success, as he hasn’t finished in the top-20 on the position since week 9. With just four receipts on 12 goals in his last two games, he’s been through a bit of a rough patch. Look for that to continue against a Seahawks secondary that’s much improved from the unit we saw early in the season. In the past four games, the Seahawks allow only 21.28 FPPG to opposing wideouts, putting them at the top of the league. Add to that questioning the QB position with Alex Smith smacking, the misery for McLaurin could pass for fantasy managers at the worst.
Dallas Goedert @ Arizona Cardinals
Similar things can be said about Dallas Goedert in the past two games, as he has failed to produce TE1 numbers in every game. The battle of the Eagles attack under Carson Wentz led to a relegation when the team installed Jalen Hurts as the new QB for the team. This is likely to affect Goedert moving forward the most, as the odds will continue to stagnate, the mobile Hurts will be below the middle. As he enters week 15, he faces a Cardinals defense that has been very strong against the position of the past four games, bringing in just 9.40 FPPG. It all adds up to a disappointing game for Goedert, making him a player you should consider benching for a more favorable matchup.
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Also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you determine those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:
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