Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 15 Matchups to Consider
We’ve finally made it to the point in the season that all fantasy football managers work months to get to – THE PLAYOFFS! After an offseason of preparation followed by 14 weeks of struggle to get here, fantasy managers’ entire seasons come down to the next three weeks to make it all worth it!
Making sure to get those lineups set to their absolute best is the key when it comes to “win or go home” situations like fantasy managers are facing this week. Like we have all season, let’s walk through a handful of matchups at each position that could be worth considering before locking in those final lineups for Week 15.
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Quarterbacks
Jaxson Dart
QB - NYG
After a hot start to his fantasy career, things have cooled off for Jaxson Dart in the Giants’ offense. In his first seven starts, Dart was a streaming fantasy manager’s dream, averaging 22.9 fantasy points per game and finishing as a top-7 QB four times. What’s added a safe floor to Dart’s fantasy production has been the 42 yards he’s averaged on the ground when he is starting for the Giants. Dart already has seven rushing TDs, which have really aided his big fantasy performances. In his first game back from injury last week, though, Dart managed just 20 rushing yards on a career-low four rushing attempts against the Patriots. While that may have been a product of the matchup against a solid New England defense, if it doesn’t go back to how it was before Dart missed two games to injury, it could really limit the ceiling he brings to fantasy lineups.
Luckily for Dart, he hasa great matchup to help get him back on track in Week 15 against the Commanders. Washington’s defense has been one of the best to target with fantasy QBs this season, allowing fantasy QBs to score 20+ fantasy points in a very nice 69% of their games this year. On the season, the Commanders’ defense has allowed a top-12 QB in nine games already this season, including seven of their last eight games. Dart should have every opportunity to be a strong option to get fantasy rosters on their way to advancing to the semifinals.
Trevor Lawrence
QB - JAX
Trevor Lawrence is quietly having himself a strong fantasy season for the Jaguars. Lawrence is currently the QB13 on the year and has really been a solid streaming option, finishing with 15+ fantasy points in eight of his last nine games, including five top-12 finishes during that stretch. In recent weeks, Lawrence has been able to find the end zone multiple times each game with 2+ TD passes in each of his last three games. Over those three games, Lawrence has a TD rate of 8%, the highest for any three-game stretch in his career thus far.
If Lawrence can keep his high TD rate rolling for fantasy managers, he will have a decently difficult matchup against the Jets to do so. New York’s defense has been one of the better units against the pass on the season as a whole, giving up the 8th-fewest passing yards on the year, though they have allowed 20 passing TDs. Maybe more impressive is that the Jets haven’t forced a single INT all year. Not a single one. For fantasy, over their last four games, New York has given up an average of 11.2 fantasy points to opposing QBs. Lawrence has a chance to break that streak for the Jets, but expectations for a week-winning type performance shouldn’t be in store for fantasy managers.
Running Backs
Quinshon Judkins
RB - CLE
When a rookie comes out of the gates on fire like Quinshon Judkins did for the Browns, it can really change the landscape of a fantasy roster. Judkins hit the ground running in Cleveland, finishing as a top-12 RB in four of his first six games played, scoring five TDs in the process. Since then, though, things have slowed down for Judkins, getting in the end zone just twice since Week 8, and both of those TDs came in the same game. The change at QB in Cleveland hasn’t helped Judkins much either. Prior to Shedeur Sanders taking over at QB, Judkins averaged nearly 69 rushing yards per game, but that number has declined to just under 55 yards a week over the last three games. The emergence of Dylan Sampson in the Browns’ passing game hasn’t helped things either, with the fellow rookie tallying nearly 60 receiving yards in two of his last three games.
The opportunity to get back on track should be there for Judkins in Week 15, though, with a stretch of favorable RB matchups starting with a trip to take on the Bears. Chicago’s defense has allowed the 6th-most rushing yards this season and has given up the 3rd-most carries over 20+ yards. For fantasy, the Bears have allowed a top-24 RB in five of their last seven games, and a total of seven RBs have hit that mark during that stretch. With cold weather likely to be a factor in this matchup, Judkins could be getting back on track for fantasy managers in such a crucial week.
Breece Hall
RB - NYJ
Despite all the worry this offseason that Breece Hall wasn’t going to be a major part of the offensive gameplan in New York, the Jets RB has put together a really nice season, currently sitting as the RB14 on the year. Even with a combination of Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis behind him to siphon carries away, Hall has still seen around 18 opportunities per game for the Jets this season on what has been one of the better running games in the league. What has really limited Hall’s ceiling for fantasy managers has been the lack of TD opportunity, with just four total TDs (three rushing, one receiving) on the year. Hall has scored just once over the last month of games and has just one carry inside of the five during that stretch.
Things don’t get much easier for Hall as we head into the fantasy playoffs with a matchup against the Jaguars on tap. Jacksonville’s defense has allowed the fewest rushing yards in the league and just nine rushing TDs on the season. For fantasy, opposing RBs have been a bit of a mixed bag against the Jags. Despite being a tough run defense, Jacksonville has allowed a top-20 RB finish in four of their last six games and has given up a rushing TD to a RB in three of those. It’s worth monitoring Hall’s injury status ahead of this matchup, but even if he is healthy, Hall might be limited to a FLEX-level play in this matchup.
Chris Rodriguez Jr.
RB - JAX
The RB situation in Washington has been a tough one to predict this season, but it feels like Chris Rodriguez has emerged as a late-season option that fantasy managers can somewhat rely on from this offense. While the Commanders’ offense hasn’t been quite the fantasy producer that it was last season, with plenty of missed time from QB Jayden Daniels, Rodriguez has finished as a top-36 RB in five of his last seven games. What’s really been valuable for Rodriguez’s fantasy production has been the four rushing TDs that have come during that stretch, all of which came inside the red zone. With rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s opportunities drying up, Rodriguez seems to be the best bet in this backfield to provide any fantasy production down the stretch of the season.
There should be plenty of opportunity for Rodriguez to produce again for fantasy managers this week with a nice matchup against the Giants on the road. New York’s defense has allowed the 2nd-most rushing yards in the league this season and is allowing the highest yards per carry at 5.8 yards per rushing attempt. The last time we saw the Giants, they didn’t allow a big RB performance for fantasy against the Patriots, but that ended a seven-game stretch where they had allowed a top-24 RB. Even with Marcus Mariota taking over at QB this week, Rodriguez should be a FLEX play with RB2 upside thanks to this favorable matchup.
Wide Receivers
Emeka Egbuka
WR - TB
It has really been a ride for fantasy managers with Emeka Egbuka this season. The Bucs rookie came out of the gate on fire, catching five TDs in four of his first five career games and finishing as a top-10 WR three times during that stretch. Since then, though, Egbuka has been a top-24 WR and has scored double-digit fantasy points just once, way back in Week 10 when he was the WR4. There are plenty of reasons why fantasy managers have seen the dropoff in Egbuka’s production down the stretch of the season, but that doesn’t make the decision of keeping him in your lineup any easier. The return of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan to the lineup this week could allow Egbuka the breathing room he needs to operate again, though it could just siphon targets away from the talented rookie.
The decision to get Egbuka back into your lineup will have to be made early this week with a matchup on Thursday night against the Falcons. Atlanta’s defense has given up the 10th-fewest receiving yards on the season and is allowing under 200 passing yards per game. For fantasy, Atlanta has still been a team to target with fantasy WRs. Over their last seven games, the Falcons have allowed a top-24 WR each week, including five top-5 WR finishes during that stretch. The tough call for fantasy managers with Egbuka is whether that production will come his way with all the returning WRs in Tampa.
Ladd McConkey
WR - LAC
Despite high hopes that he could take a big step forward in the Chargers’ passing attack this season, Ladd McConkey’s sophomore season has been a roller coaster for fantasy managers to ride. McConkey started the season finishing outside the top 24 for the first month, but followed that up with four-straight weeks inside the top 24. Since Week 9, though, it’s been a “hot-and-cold” streak for McConkey, alternating useful fantasy weeks. What should be encouraging for fantasy managers needing production from McConkey is the consistent opportunity that the WR has seen, averaging about seven targets per game this season, though he’s been a bit TD dependent, only finishing with 10+ fantasy points twice this year when he hasn’t gotten into the end zone.
Things don’t get easier for McConkey and the Chargers’ passing game this week with a trip to Kansas City. The Chiefs’ defense has been a strong unit against the pass this season, allowing the 9th-fewest passing yards this season and just 14 passing TDs on the year. Over the last month, Kansas City has allowed four top-24 WR finishes in just three games, and has given up five TDs in the air over that stretch. With one of the lower expected point totals of the week, McConkey may once again be relying on getting into the end zone, and I’m not sure that’s a bet that fantasy managers want to be making in such a crucial week.
Chris Olave
WR - NO
The Chris Olave experience for fantasy managers through his career has been a frustrating one. While it’s clear that Olave is a talented WR, he’s never really had the consistent QB play to produce for fantasy managers. It feels like Olave may have something with rookie QB Tyler Shough taking the reins in New Orleans. Since Shough took over at QB in Week 9, Olave has finished as a top-24 WR three times – one more than he had during the first eight weeks of the season. More importantly, Olave notched his first 100+ yard receiving game with Shough, his first since Week 8 of the 2024 season, so while he is seeing a similar number of targets that he was previously, the value of those targets seems to be going up with the QB change.
A division matchup against a tougher-than-expected Panthers defense could give Olave another chance to produce for fantasy managers this week. Carolina’s defense has been decent against the pass this season, allowing just 16 passing TDs on the year, though they have managed the 2nd-fewest sacks in the league. Fantasy WRs have still been productive against the Panthers, though. Over their last five games, Carolina has allowed a top-24 WR each week, including Olave’s second-best fantasy output of the season in their first matchup back in Week 10. While there may be some hesitance to try and rely on the Saints’ passing attack, Olave should provide a solid FLEX play for fantasy managers in Week 15.
Tight Ends
Tyler Warren
TE - IND
The rookie breakout has been real for TE Tyler Warren this season in Indianapolis. Warren has been used all over the place in the Colts offense, playing only half of his snaps this season as an in-line TE and the rest moved around the formation with 30% of plays lined up in the slot. After a red-hot start to the year, Warren has cooled down a bit. The rookie finished as a top-12 TE in six of his first seven games this year, but has hit that mark just twice since Week 8 and has only scored one TD during that stretch. What’s maybe more unsettling is the uncertainty at QB going forward for the Colts with Daniel Jones on season-ending IR and some combination of Brett Rypien and Philip Rivers potentially ending the season at QB in Indianapolis.
Regardless of who is under center this week for the Colts, Warren should still have an opportunity to produce for fantasy managers against a tough Seahawks defense. For most fantasy assets, Seattle has been a defense to avoid. The Seahawks have struggled against opposing TEs, though, allowing the third-most points per game to the position this season. Over their last five games, Seattle has allowed four top-12 TE finishes, and only one of those was truly reliant on a TD to get to that threshold. There should be some concern for what the Colts offense will look like in such an important week for fantasy, but Warren should still be in lineups for fantasy managers this week.
Isaiah Likely
TE - NYG
It feels like the emergence of Isaiah Likely may finally be happening in the Ravens’ offense. While there is always been optimism around Likely’s ability in the Baltimore passing game alongside Mark Andrews, there has never really been any consistent production to back it up. The most consistent stretch we’ve seen from Likely for fantasy came way back in 2023 when he finished as a top-12 TE from Weeks 14-18, and Andrews didn’t play in any of those games. Over the last two weeks, though, Likely has finished as a top-12 TE in back-to-back weeks for the first time in his career, when Andrews has also been playing, so there could be some change happening in this Ravens offense.
One contributing factor to Likely’s emergence could be the awesome TE matchups he has seen and will be getting again this week, with the Ravens playing the Bengals for the second time in three weeks. Cincinnati has been the worst team against TEs this season by a long shot, allowing 21.1 fantasy points per game to the position. That’s 7.4 more points per game than the second-worst team against TEs (Washington allows 13.7 per game). On the season, the Bengals have allowed a top-9 TE finish in 11 of their 13 games, including nine straight games. Likely should be a solid start and help plenty of fantasy teams advance to the next round of their playoffs.