Biggest Week 15 Studs & Stinkers (Fantasy Football)

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With Week 15 mostly in the books, The Fantasy Footballers review and react to the Studs & Duds performances on the latest episode. Here, I’ll highlight the best and worst fantasy finishes from Week 15 and list their upcoming schedule.  Note that all fantasy points are in the 0.5-point scoring format. To get the full breakdown of Week 15 performances, don’t miss Week 15 Studs & Stinkers + Weekly Rewind, AJ Crown & #FootClanTitles.

Hopefully, you’re a championship-bound fantasy owner looking for that #FootClanTitle.  The playoffs are where weekly consistency is crucial. In the regular season, bad weeks and good weeks typically average out (unless you have Jason’s luck).  Go win the ‘ship!

Biggest Studs

Kenyan Drake, RB Cardinals
Week 15 vs CLE: 22 rushes for 137 yards & 4 TD | 1 reception for 9 yards on 1 target
Upcoming Schedule: @SEA, / @LAR

Kenyan Drake joined Aaron Jones, Tevin Coleman, and Marvin Jones as the only non-QBs to score four touchdowns this season.  Drake’s 39.1 points are the third-highest score from any running back this season. Before Sunday, Drake had only scored double-digit fantasy points once since October.  Drake was ranked as a flex option but likely rewarded owners with a trip to the championship in Week 16. Fortunately for Drake owners, he received 23 touches, which is the most he’s seen since Week 14 of the 2017 season.  Despite a huge performance this week, Drake will remain an RB2 / RB3 option in Week 16 against an average Seahawks defense against fantasy running backs.

Jameis Winston, QB Buccaneers
Week 15 at DET: 28/42 for 458 passing yards, 4 TD, & 1 INT | 2 rushes for 4 yards
Upcoming Schedule: HOU / ATL

Jameis was only started in 51% of leagues.  His updates leading up to the game were concerning…Mike Evans was out.  His thumb was injured. He was throwing tennis balls instead of footballs at practice this week.  None of that stopped Jameis from having a monster game against a beatable Lions defense. Jameis now leads the league in the following categories: attempts, passing yards, and interceptions.  He also ranks second in passing touchdowns (30). Jameis’ Week 15 explosion probably bought him a juicy contract extension for the Buccaneers. Unlike the Buccaneers, you will likely be rewarded in Week 16 if you play Jameis…although it won’t be pretty without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.  He faces the third-worst defense against fantasy QBs (Houston), and he’s guaranteed to sling the ball. Jameis Winston has shown flashes of brilliance as an NFL QB, but he is the perfect example of a player who’s fantasy production exceeds his NFL production.

Miles Sanders, RB Eagles
Week 15 at WAS: 19 rushes for 122 yds & 1 TD | 6 receptions for 50 yds & 1 TD on 6 targets
Upcoming Schedule: DAL / @NYG

Sanders had a career game Sunday, breaking the 100 rushing yard mark for the first time while racking up impressive passing yardage and two total touchdowns.  He had a career-high 25 touches. Sanders was highly touted coming out of college and has had several good plays this season. However, he was backing up Jordan Howard most of the season – who has been out since early November.  This was truly a Miles Sanders breakout game, and it will be used as evidence for the truthers who draft him in the 3rd or 4th round in 2020. He should be a fine start in the championship, assuming Jordan Howard sits again.

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Breshad Perriman, WR Buccaneers
Week 15 at DET: 5 receptions for 113 yards & 3 TD on 6 targets | 1 rush for 3 yards
Upcoming Schedule: HOU / ATL

For those who don’t recognize the name, Breshad Perriman is a former 1st round draft pick who never quite panned out in the NFL, at least until Sunday.  Perriman blew up with 32.1 fantasy points, accounting for 14% of his total fantasy production over his four-year career (49 games).

Is Perriman a (surprising) league winner?

  • He has scored 10+ fantasy points in three straight weeks.
  • He’s averaged 17.5 fantasy points per game this year when targeted 6+ times.
  • Jameis Winston’s two favorite options (Chris Godwin & Mike Evans) will be inactive in Week 16.
  • Winston leads the league in passing yards.  He’s second in passing touchdowns.
  • He plays the Texans in Week 16, who just gave up 21.4 fantasy points to AJ Brown.
Biggest Stinkers

Aaron Rodgers
Week 15 at CHI: 16/33 for 203 yards & 1 TD | 3 rushes for 23 yards
Upcoming Schedule: @MIN / @DET

Reminder: DO NOT PLAY AARON RODGERS IN THE PLAYOFFS.  The Fantasy Footballers came up with the Aaron Rodgers plan in Week 13: start, start, dump.  Hopefully, you followed their advice and your opponent picked up and played Rodgers. Drop Rodgers immediately if he’s still on your roster, except for dynasty of course.

Derrick Henry
Week 15 vs HOU: 21 rushes for 86 yards | 0 receptions on 1 target
Upcoming Schedule: NO / @HOU

Derrick Henry has a hamstring injury, which is why he was questionable for Week 15.  Fantasy owners were likely relieved when he was designated as “active” Sunday, but they were severely disappointed with his production.  For the first time since Week 8, Henry scored fewer than 20 fantasy points. In fact, he didn’t even break the 10 point mark. Henry was a league-winner in fantasy last year, and he appeared primed to repeat in 2019.  Henry had good volume (21 carries) and efficiency (4.1 yards per carry) but failed to score a touchdown. This is only Derrick Henry’s fourth game this season without a touchdown. In fact, he scored multiple touchdowns in four of the last five games.

While New Orleans is a tough matchup for running backs, Henry remains a must-start.

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Julian Edelman, WR Patriots
Week 15 at CIN: 2 receptions for 9 yards on 5 targets
Upcoming Schedule: BUF / MIA

Edelman has been the pinnacle of consistency in 2019, but he put up a dud this past week.  Before Sunday, Edelman had scored 10+ fantasy points in nine straight weeks. Edelman only received five targets against an easy Bengals opponent.  The Patriots offense has struggled recently, and Edelman has been playing through injuries.

Did the Patriots try to limit Edelman’s workload this week?  Maybe. Is he a guarantee for 10+ fantasy points against a tough divisional game Week 16 against the Bills?  Probably not. Should you start Julian Edelman in your championship? Definitely.

Austin Hooper, TE Falcons
Week 15 at SF: 3 receptions for 20 yards on 6 targets
Upcoming Schedule: JAX, / @TB

This is the second straight week that Austin Hooper has been in the Poopers section of this article.  Austin Hooper was the TE1 for the first two-thirds of the year and has been unusable for the final third of the year (injury & duds).  I expected Hooper to be better against the 49ers, especially with their defensive injuries. I admit I’m fading Hooper a bit for Week 16.  However, due to the scarcity at the position…you will probably have to start Hooper again Championship week.

Other Week 15 Studs

QB           

  • Lamar Jackson vs NYJ — 15/23 for 212/5/0 — 8/86/0 rushing
      • @CLE, / PIT

RB

  • Christian McCaffrey vs SEA — 19/87/2 — 8/88/0 on 10 targets
      • @IND / NO
  • Ezekiel Elliott vs LAR — 24/117/2 — 3/43/0 on 4 targets
      • @PHI /  WAS
  • Saquon Barkley vs MIA — 24/112/2 for 4/31/0 on 5 targets
      • @WAS / PHI
  • Chris Carson @CAR — 24/133/2 — 1/4/0 on 2 targets
      • ARI / SF
  • Mark Ingram vs NYJ — 13/76/1 — 1/10/1 on 2 targets — 2 pt conv
      • @CLE, / PIT
  • Nick Chubb @ARI — 17/127/1 — 3/21/0 on 3 targets
      • BAL / @CIN
  • Tony Pollard vs LAR — 12/131/1 — 2/12/0 on 2 targets
      • @PHI /  WAS
  • Todd Gurley @DAL — 11/20/1 — 3/18/1 on 7 targets
      • @SF / ARI
  • Mike Boone @LAC — 13/56/2
      • GB / CHI
  • Aaron Jones vs CHI — 13/51/2
      • @MIN / @DET
  • Carlos Hyde @TEN — 26/104/1
      • @TB / TEN
  • Joe Mixon vs NE — 25/136/0 — 3/20/0 on 3 targets
    • @MIA / CLE

WR

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TE             

      • @LAC / @DEN
  • Zach Ertz @WAS — 5/61/1 on 10 targets
    • BAL / @CIN
Other Week 15 Stinkers

RB

WR           

      • @PHI /  WAS
  • Kenny Golladay🎷vs TB — 3/44/0 on 7 targets
      • @DEN / GB 

TE           

  • Hunter Henry vs MIN — 2/29/0 on 2 targets — 1 fumble
      • OAK / @KC

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