Week 15 Fantasy Football Duds
The fantasy football semi-finals were a week in which you needed to have one of the studs with a monster performance to stand a chance because there were several players who had huge, legendary week-winning performances that will be remembered for years to come. These are not those players.
Editor’s Note: Get the full breakdown on today’s podcast, and read up on the Week 15 Studs.
Quarterbacks
Philip Rivers @ KC
227 passing yards, TD, 3 INTs
Arrowhead is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL, but the Chargers had been one of the hottest offenses in the league, so this comes as a disappointment.
DeShone Kizer vs BAL
146 passing yards, 2 INTs, 35 rushing yards
If you started Kizer against the Ravens, DeShame on you.
Jay Cutler @ BUF
274 passing yards, 3 INTs
Cutler didn’t fare much better against the Bills. On the bright side, at least there wasn’t several feet of snow on the field.
Blaine Gabbert @ WAS
189 passing yards, INT, 28 rushing yards
The Cardinals are not a team that travels well to the east coast. The struggle was real for Gabbert as his completion percentage dipped below 40%.
Teddy Bridgewater vs CIN
no passing yards, INT, -3 rushing yards
Isn’t Bridgewater just the worst?!
I’m kidding, obviously. Bridgewater’s return after a devastating knee injury was one of the feel-good moments on Sunday.
Running Backs
Jamaal Williams @ CAR
10 carries, 30 rushing yards
I was worried about Williams going into this matchup. The offense is just so different with Rodgers behind center. How could it not be?
Aaron Jones @ CAR
3 carries, 47 rushing yards, 1 reception, 6 receiving yards
Jones is now locked into a change of pace role, it appears.
Lamar Miller @ JAX
9 carries, 32 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 1 receiving yard
It doesn’t get worse for an RB than when you are on the road, against a tough defense and your team is loses by 38 points.
Carlos Hyde vs TEN
16 carries, 25 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 14 receiving yards
Hyde just couldn’t hit his stride against the Titans. It is encouraging at least that the Niners stuck with the run even though it wasn’t working as planned.
Chris Ivory vs HOU
17 carries, 42 rushing yards
If the ghost of the Texans defense can still do one thing well, it is defending the run.
Jonathan Stewart vs GB
11 carries, 27 rushing yards, 1 reception, 9 receiving yards
If you were one of the owners who chased J-Stew’s 3 Week 14 TDs, you were in a world of hurt this week.
DeMarco Murray @ SF
18 carries, 59 rushing yards, 1 reception, 4 receiving yards
Murray should be able to land a pretty sweet sponsorship deal with Tide this offseason. He is washed.
Derrick Henry @ SF
7 carries, 19 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 9 receiving yards
The Titans’ insistence on giving Murray carries over Henry, makes me think that maybe Henry just doesn’t have what it takes to make it as a featured back in this league.
Matt Forte @ NO
7 carries, 24 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 10 receiving yards
Forte played bass for Bryce Petty and the Heartbreakers in Week 15.
Mike Davis vs LAR
6 carries, 19 receiving yards, 2 receptions, 20 receiving yards
Remember what I said about Lamar Miller? Mike Davis knows what I’m talking about.
Samaje Perine vs AZ
14 carries, 37 receiving yards, 2 receptions, 29 receiving yards
Just when it looked like Perine was the only RB in town, Kapri Bibbs emerges from the shadows to steal a TD.
Alex Collins @ CLE
12 carries, 19 rushing yards, 5 receptions, 33 receiving yards
In PPR leagues, Collins may have done just enough for you to survive. So long as you didn’t play against Gurley or Hunt.
Danny Woodhead @ CLE
1 carry, 1 rushing yard, 6 receptions, 31 receiving yards
I don’t think Woodhead is a viable fantasy starter, but like Collins, at least he had some receptions.
Wide Receivers
A.J. Green @ MIN
2 receptions, 30 receiving yards, 4 targets
There were some concerns about the matchup for Green, but what were you going to do? Sit A.J. Green? I think not.
Doug Baldwin vs LAR
1 reception, 6 receiving yards, 4 targets
There would be no 4th quarter heroics to save Doug Baldwin this week.
Adam Thielen vs CIN
3 receptions, 30 receiving yards, 5 targets
Being hooked on a Thielen was bad for your health in Week 15.
Devin Funchess vs GB
1 reception, 19 receiving yards, 4 targets
Funchess has another good matchup in Week 16 if you survived this dud. However, his owners should keep tabs on his practices this week. He appeared to injure his shoulder, though he only missed one play.
Jordy Nelson @ CAR
3 receptions, 28 receiving yards, 6 targets
I think Jordy will be fine next week. Especially if Adams is forced to miss time.
Golden Tate vs CHI
3 receptions, 33 receiving yards, 5 targets
Tate pooped in his big boy pants on Saturday. At least the uniforms looked amazing.
Corey Coleman vs BAL
1 reception, 16 receiving yards, 3 targets
Even without Jimmy Smith, the Ravens are good.
Cooper Kupp @ SEA
2 receptions, 21 receiving yards, 3 targets
Sammy Watkins @ SEA
2 receptions, 14 receiving yards, 5 targets
With Robert Woods back in the lineup, fantasy owners needed to adjust expectations for the other two Rams WRs.
Dede Westbrook vs HOU
2 receptions, 21 receiving yards, 2 targets
It’s like the Texans “knew” that Westbrook was the only WR the Jaguars had left. So they covered him.
Tight End
Jimmy Graham vs LAR
1 reception, -1 receiving yard, 3 targets
Just when I thought Graham couldn’t possibly do worse than his 0 yards on 2 targets last week, he has -1 yard on 3 targets.
Hunter Henry @ KC
3 receptions, 28 receiving yards, 3 targets
Even though the Goose didn’t goose his owners this week, he might as well have.
Ricky Seals-Jones @ WAS
2 receptions, 11 receiving yards, 6 targets
This is what happens when you trust an undrafted rookie TE in a Bruce Arians offense.
Dishonorable Mentions
Russell Wilson vs LAR
142 passing yards, TD, 39 rushing yards
Theo Riddick vs CHI
8 carries, 49 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 12 receiving yards
Ameer Abdullah vs CHI
1 carry, 8 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 13 receiving yards
Jordan Howard @ DET
10 carries, 37 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 26 receiving yards
Robby Anderson @ NO
5 receptions, 40 receiving yards, 12 targets
Danny Amendola @ PIT
2 receptions, 23 receiving yards, 4 targets
Paul Richardson vs LAR
2 receptions, 18 receiving yards, 7 targets
Kelvin Benjamin vs MIA
2 receptions, 20 receiving yards, 2 targets
Josh Doctson vs AZ
2 receptions, 16 receiving yards, 4 targets, -14 rushing yards
Tyler Kroft @ MIN
2 receptions, 1 receiving yard, 4 targets
Austin Seferian-Jenkins @ NO
2 receptions, 13 receiving yards, 2 targets