Hungry for More: The Fantasy Footballers’ Predictions for Week 15
The fantasy regular season has come and gone which leaves three weeks of playoffs between a disappointing season and greatness! We’re at the point of the season where finding a player who can ignite your lineup could be the difference between advancing and sitting on the sidelines in the Consolation Bracket. Luckily, the Ballers are here with predictions for who they’re looking to see take a step forward in this week’s Hungry for More presented by Uber Eats!
Each week the Ballers will pick a player who super-sized their game in the past week and decide if they’ll continue to eat at the big guy’s table or go back to the kid’s table. Of course, I’ll give you an extra side dish or two to go along with Andy, Mike, and Jason’s main course! Let me know if you think we’re cooking up a high-end meal or if it’s more like gas station sushi!
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons – WR
| Week 14 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 10 | 172 | 0 |
After a seven-week drought, Drake London finally finds himself back in the top-24 WRs after a huge Week 13 and has Mike’s mouth watering for another. London set career-highs with 10 receptions and 172 receiving yards en route to the WR2 finish against the Buccaneers. While the season has been a roller coaster for the Falcons passing game, London is still averaging over two yards per route run on the season so there’s plenty of value for fantasy managers even when the passing volume is lower than it was this past week.
With all the optimism after London’s big week, the first round of the fantasy playoffs brings a tough matchup for fantasy WRs against the Panthers. Carolina’s defense has allowed the third-fewest passing yards on the season, but that’s mainly because opposing offenses are able to run against them so well. The Panthers have only allowed a top-24 WR in three of their last six games, so London putting up a repeat performance may be a tough ask in Week 14.
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears – QB
| Week 14 | ||
| Passing | Passing Yards | TDs |
| 19/33 | 223 | 1 |
It feels like fantasy managers are finally getting the Justin Fields they invested in during draft season and Jason is holding his plate up for seconds. Since Fields returned from injury, he’s finished inside the top-eight QBs in two of three games. Fields’ hot return should be directly linked to the massive workload he’s getting on the ground with 42 carries for 221 yards and a TD in his last three games. Whenever Fields is allowed to use his legs consistently, the Bears’ offense looks competent and can be the type of explosion that fantasy managers like to see during the fantasy playoffs.
While Fields has a tough matchup to start the fantasy playoffs, after that, there could be fantasy gold coming. The Bears face the Browns in Cleveland this week, and while their defense is regarded as one of the best in the league, for fantasy they’ve allowed a top-12 QB in each of their last three games. If Fields can continue to run the ball within the offense as he has of late, fantasy managers should continue to get a five-star meal at QB for the rest of the season.
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns – TE
| Week 14 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 6 | 91 | 2 |
Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns – WR
| Week 14 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 7 | 77 | 0 |
Joe Flacco taking over as starting QB for the remainder has Andy thinking the Browns’ offensive receiving weapons – mainly David Njoku and Amari Cooper – will have their ceilings raised. Over the last two weeks, Flacco has thrown the ball a combined 89 times, which is 18.5% of the team’s total passing attempts through 13 games. While Flacco’s first game as a starter didn’t have a great return for either Njoku or Cooper, last week they combined for 22 targets which turned into 168 yards and two TDs. If Flacco is going to continue to be allowed to throw the ball at such a high volume, then both Njoku and Cooper could venture into league-winner territory.
The stretch ahead for the Browns is a favorable one for their passing game with matchups against the Bears and Texans over the next two weeks. Chicago’s defense has been improved, but they’ve allowed the third-most passing TDs on the season, but just two in their last two games. Meanwhile, the Texans’ defense has allowed the seventh-most passing yards and fourth-highest yards per attempt in the league. Based on these matchups, fantasy managers should expect Cooper and Njoku to stay highly involved throughout the fantasy playoffs.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers – WR
| Week 14 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 8 | 27 | 0 |
While his receiving stat line may not be impressive, Jayden Reed has been a useful fantasy asset in recent weeks. Over his last five games, Reed has been a top-30 WR four times including three WR1 finishes. What may be most interesting about Reed’s fantasy production is how he’s being utilized in the rushing game. In three of his last four games, Reed has carried the ball for a total of 100 yards and two TDs. While Reed’s work out of the backfield may be directly related to the loss of Aaron Jones in the Packers’ offense, any extra touches fantasy managers can get for a dynamic WR is worth noting.
The back stretch of the NFL season for the Packers could set Reed up for a strong finish to his rookie season. Green Bay takes on a struggling secondary in Tampa Bay this week that has allowed the second-most passing yards in the league this season. The Buccaneers just allowed a WR2 finish to Drake London last week, so there will be plenty of opportunity for Reed to make an impact for fantasy managers again in the fantasy playoffs.