Ladies and gentlemen, Christmas is one week away!

I’m not sure about you, but I have a hard time coming up with gift ideas when people ask me what I want for Christmas. I’m simple, I like wearing the same general group of outfits every day, and I feel pretty content with what I have. With that being said, I definitely know one thing that I want for Christmas this year and I’m going to take a guess and think that you want the same thing: a fantasy football championship.

With Week 16 ending on the 28th this year, you’re going to know pretty quickly after Christmas if your Christmas wish came true!

All joking aside, we each have a lot to be thankful for this year, even though it has been a trying and testing year for every single person. No person in the world has been unaffected by Covid, which is absolutely crazy to think about, but I know that there’s at least one thing that everyone can look back on and find to be thankful for in 2020.

While you’re enjoying time in small groups with your loved ones this Christmas season, I hope that you’re able to reflect on these things that have brought you joy this year. For me, I’m extremely thankful for the listeners of our podcast and the readers of this weekly fantasy projections article. This is my first year in the fantasy football space full-time and it has been a nightmare season to step into, but your support and appreciation for my work has kept me going and I thank you for that.

So, enjoy this next week before the Holidays, enjoy the time with your loved ones, and enjoy the games on the tv this weekend. Best of luck in your fantasy football playoff matchups and I hope that you’ll be back to read Week 16’s fantasy projections article as you look to set your championship lineups.

Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos

Date/Time: December 19, 4:30pm ET
Spread: Bills -6.5
Over/Under: 50 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Bills 28.25, Broncos 21.75

Buffalo Bills

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Denver Broncos

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Quarterback

Buffalo: Allen’s coming off of a disappointing performance, in comparison to Week 13, but it was still enough to get the job done for fantasy football. Against the Broncos, Allen should be right back in the mid-range QB1 conversation. The Broncos are a tougher defense for opposing QBs, as they’re only allowing 220.7 passing yards per game, but Allen’s shown that he can succeed in tough matchups recently. With his rushing ability to fall back on too, Allen’s a safe play every single week.

Denver: Lock’s coming off of an impressive performance, which is good news for Broncos fans long-term, but it’s not worth trusting him in your playoff matchup. He can remain on your bench this week, otherwise you’re just playing with fire.

Running Backs

Buffalo: Moss got back involved in the offense this past week, but it failed to amount to anything of significance against the Pittsburgh defense. With the split backfield with Devin Singletary, plus the lack of overall plentiful volume, Moss is nothing more than a desperation RB3 play. The Broncos can be beat on the ground – 4.6 yards per carry and 1.3 rushing touchdowns per game – but this offense is going to rely on Allen’s arm to carry them. Both Singletary and Moss should be on your bench this week.

Denver: Gordon’s experienced a bit of a resurgence lately and he’s now becoming a reliable fantasy asset. Even though he continues to split work with Phillip Lindsay, who has been woefully inefficient, he’s providing a safe floor each week. Buffalo’s allowing 4.6 yards per rush attempt this season and 1.2 rushing touchdowns per game, which bodes well for Gordon’s fantasy outlook. He can be started as a mid-range/low-end RB2 that will need to score to finish higher.

Wide Receivers

Buffalo: Diggs has to be in consideration for fantasy football MVP this season based on his play and where you were able to secure him in your drafts. Not many people projected that the Bills would be this pass-happy and Diggs has soaked up targets in this offense. He’s now crossed over 100 receptions on the season to go with his 1,167 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Even if Bryce Callahan somehow comes back for this matchup, Diggs is going to continue to get open at will against the Denver corners. Fire him up as a mid-range WR1 this week. With John Brown out of the lineup, Beasley moves back into the mid-range WR3 conversation. He should see plenty of targets in this one too, which gives him a bump up in Full PPR formats. Davis is a bit boom-or-bust, but he’s coming through for fantasy managers that continue to plug him in their starting lineup. He can be viewed as a high-end FLEX option again this week.

Denver: Patrick’s not seeing absurd target totals, but he’s now scored three touchdowns in the past two games. Against Buffalo, Patrick can continue to be viewed as a high-end FLEX play with upside. Jeudy has all the talent in the world, but Lock has not been able to connect with him this season. Jeudy now has a 46.5% catch rate this season on 86 targets. The targets are exciting for Jeudy’s future in the NFL, but he can’t be trusted until Lock starts to find him regularly. He can be avoided this week. Hamler reeled in two touchdowns last week, but only on two receptions. Hamler has a bright future in the NFL, but until he starts to see six or more targets each week, he belongs in the low-end FLEX conversation.

Tight Ends

Buffalo: Knox continues to become more involved in this offense and he appears to be a key part of their future plans. While he can be viewed as a low-end streaming option this week against the Broncos, it’s probably best to look elsewhere until we have a larger sample size to work with here.

Denver: Fant exited last week’s game early with a mystery illness, but it sounds like he’s on track to play in this game. He can be started as a low-end TE1.

FantasyProjection Buster: The Broncos didn’t throw the ball much last week, but when they’ve been playing from behind, Hamler’s seen a ton of targets. Does that continue here or does he fall back to just a few targets?

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Carolina Panthers vs Green Bay Packers

Date/Time: December 19, 8:15pm ET
Spread: Packers -8.5
Over/Under: 51 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Packers 29.75, Panthers 21.25

Carolina Panthers

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Green Bay Packers

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Quarterback

Carolina: Bridgewater and the Panthers offense stalled a bit in Week 14, but Bridgewater was able to find the end zone as a runner to save fantasy managers that took the chance on him. Unfortunately, Bridgewater has another tough matchup in front of him against the Packers defense. The Packers are the 8th most difficult matchup for opposing QBs in fantasy football, which means that it’s probably best to look elsewhere for your Week 15 matchup. Bridgewater can be viewed as a low-end QB2.

Green Bay: You have to go all the way back to Week 6 to find the last time that Rodgers finished outside the top-10 QBs on the week. He’s now thrown a ridiculous 39 touchdowns on the season to only four interceptions and he’s one of the forerunners for the NFL MVP award. Rodgers is matchup proof at this point and he should be able to torch this young Panthers secondary. Fire up Rodgers as a top-3 option yet again.

Running Backs

Carolina: With Christian McCaffrey out for this game, Mike Davis has to be viewed as a must-start option. Against the team that’s allowing the fourth most fantasy points to opposing RBs, Davis should be viewed as a solid low-end RB1 with upside.

Green Bay: While Jones didn’t exactly smash last week like we all expected him too, he still didn’t hurt your team. He’s seeing plenty of touches in a fantastic offense and he now gets a matchup against the defense that’s allowing the 9th most fantasy points to opposing RBs. While Carolina was viewed as a cake-walk matchup earlier on this season, they’ve tightened things up here recently. Even with that being said though, Jones is too talented to not be viewed as anything less than a low-end RB1. Start him with confidence this week. Williams continues to see work in this offense, but it’s not reliable enough to provide standalone value. Unfortunately, it’s just taking away from Jones’ overall potential.

Wide Receivers

Carolina: The crew should all be back together for this game against Green Bay. Anderson should still lead this team in targets, but he’ll most likely have Jaire Alexander to worry about all game. Anderson’s still a great mid-range/low-end WR2 start, but his upside might be capped in this game. Moore’s a risky play coming off of not playing since Week 12. Don’t forget that he had a non-contact injury in that Week 12 outing that looked pretty serious. He is still a solid high-end WR3 start this week, but he certainly does come with some risk. Samuel’s been heavily involved in this offense nearly every single game this season and he’s been producing with his opportunity. He is heading into this game questionable, but it sounds like it’s a minor issue. He should suit up and he can be viewed as a high-end WR3 if he does.

Green Bay: Did you know that Adams is currently leading the entire NFL in receiving yards per game? He’s at 104 exactly, while the next highest is Travis Kelce at 96.2. Adams is playing out of his mind this season and he needs to be viewed as the consensus WR1 every single week. MVS came through with a big performance last week, but it’s going to be near impossible to trust him in your lineup this week. He can be played as a low-end FLEX option, but he’s been too inconsistent all season long to be viewed as anything more than that. You’re playing with fire if he ends up in your starting lineup. Lazard took a back seat last week to huge performances from Adams, MVS, and Tonyan. While Lazard always has the potential to reel in a touchdown from Rodgers, the percentage chances of that happening are dwindling quickly. Lazard should be viewed as a low-end FLEX play that could absolutely explode or he could crush your lineup.

Tight Ends

Carolina: None of the Panthers TEs should be considered for fantasy football this week.

Green Bay: Did you know that Tonyan is now the TE4 on the entire season? He’s scored in four straight games and Rodgers absolutely trusts him. The Panthers are allowing the 11th most fantasy points to opposing TEs and Tonyan absolutely belongs in your starting lineup as a mid-range TE1.

FantasyProjection Buster: MVS is coming off of a big game, but we know what he has the tendency to do, right? He can absolutely disappear. I like him in this game and I think he can have a big performance, but there’s always the possibility that he falls absolutely flat.

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Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Colts -7
Over/Under: 51 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Colts 29, Texans 22

Houston Texans

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Indianapolis Colts

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Quarterback

Houston: Watson fell flat last week against the Bears defense, but it’s hard to blame him. He was down several of his key receiving weapons and was playing one of the better defenses in the entire league. He has another tough matchup here in front of him with Indianapolis, which makes it hard to view him as a lock for your starting lineup. Even though he played well against them two weeks ago, it’s a risky play given some of the other options you may have available to you. Watson can be viewed as a low-end QB1 this week.

Indianapolis: Rivers wasn’t needed much last week as the Colts ran all over the Raiders defense. Even with that being the case, he still provided a safe enough floor for fantasy managers that he didn’t hurt them. Against the Texans though, we could see more of the same and Rivers fade into the background. He’s a low-end streaming option again in Week 15 that will need to throw a couple of passing touchdowns immediately before the Colts turn solely to their run game.

Running Backs

Houston: David Johnson seems set to return this week, but he’s going to have his hands full with the Colts run defense. The Colts are allowing the 3rd fewest rush yards per attempt in the NFL right with only 3.8. Unfortunately, Johnson’s season-long YPC of 4.0 doesn’t exactly instill confidence that he’s going to be able to overcome this tough matchup, which means that he’s going to need to find the end zone to return fantasy value. Johnson can be viewed as a high-end RB3 that has to find the end zone for you to be happy you started him. However, he does get a slight boost if Duke Johnson misses this game. In that case, David Johnson can be viewed as a low-end RB2 that should see a bump up in targets. Duke Johnson continues to see plenty of targets in this offense, but with David Johnson back, he’s going to have to be extremely efficient with his limited opportunity to finish anywhere near the top-24. Duke can be viewed as a mid-range RB3 this week at best, if he plays.

Indianapolis: Are we done with the trickery, Frank Reich? Can we confidently rely on JT for fantasy football moving forward? After what we saw Taylor do last week, I think the answer has to be yes, right? Taylor shredded the Raiders for 20-150-2 last week and it’s laughable to think that he gets an even better matchup in Week 15. The Texans are giving up a ridiculous 5.0 yards per carry this season and they’re allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing RBs while Las Vegas is giving up the third most. Taylor could easily put up over 100 yards and two touchdowns again this week and he’s on the edge of a top-5 ranking for me in Week 15.

Wide Receivers

Houston: Cooks appears set to bounce back this week after missing Sunday’s game against the Bears. He’s been banged up this season, but the Texans desperately need him on offense. He can be viewed as a low-end WR2 option against the defense that’s only allowing 22.4 fantasy points on average to opposing WRs. Coutee wasn’t targeted much last week in the blowout loss to Chicago, but he ended up finding the end zone on his limited opportunity. He is still worthy of FLEX consideration this week due to the need that Houston has for receiving options in this offense, but he’ll need to see more than the three targets he had last week to finish higher. Hansen has now put together two solid performances back-to-back in his increased opportunity. He’s bringing a safe floor and he can certainly be in the FLEX conversation. At this point of the season, you most likely have better options available to you, but he can be started in a pinch.

Indianapolis: Where did TY Hilton come from? After doing absolutely nothing the first half of the season, Hilton has now scored four touchdowns in his last three games. The Texans have no answer for opposing offenses right now and they’re allowing the 9th most fantasy points to opposing WRs. Hilton should be viewed as a high-end WR3 with upside. Pittman’s taken a backseat to Hilton over the past couple of games, but he’s still too talented to sit on your bench. He can be played as a FLEX option this week with upside.

Tight Ends

Houston: Akins had one of the most egregious drops in the end zone I may have ever seen. Yes, the sun may have been shining directly in his eyes, but he’s never going to get that wide open in the end zone ever again. Unfortunately, if Akins doesn’t find the end zone, you’re probably not going to be happy that you took the shot on him. He’s just not involved enough in this offense and this is a very tough matchup for opposing TEs. It’s probably best to leave Akins on your bench in a crucial week.

Indianapolis: At this point of the season, none of the Colts TEs should be considered for fantasy football.

FantasyProjection Buster: Cooks has a very generous projection total, but there’s always the possibility that he comes up short if he’s continuing to battle injury.

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Detroit Lions vs Tennessee Titans

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Titans -11
Over/Under: 51.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Titans 31.25, Lions 20.25

Detroit Lions

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Tennessee Titans

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Quarterback

Detroit: It looks like we’re going to see Chase Daniel back on the football field this week in place of the injured Matthew Stafford. Even though the Titans are the 5th easiest matchup for opposing QBs, we can’t look Daniel’s way for fantasy football for anything outside of 2QB leagues.

Tennessee: Tannehill wasn’t needed much last week as Derrick Henry rumbled to multiple scores, which could very well happen again here, but he still provided a safe floor for fantasy managers. Against a defense that has allowed 9.2 yards per pass attempt over the past three weeks, Tannehill should be in your lineup as a low-end QB1 with upside. Tannehill and the Titans offense should be able to score at will this week.

Running Backs

Detroit: Swift should see the majority of the work again this week and he should be heavily targeted out of the backfield in a game that Detroit is expected to be trailing in big time. The Titans are allowing the 7th most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season and Swift has the talent to make his opportunity count. He can be viewed as a mid-range RB2 this week with upside if he does see upwards of five targets in the passing game.

Tennessee: There’s really no point in dissecting this matchup. The Lions are terrible at stopping opposing RBs and Henry could easily run for over 150 yards this week. He should be viewed as the consensus RB1.

Wide Receivers

Detroit: Jones is really the only Lions receiver that you should be looking at this week with Chase Daniel at QB. While Daniel has stepped in at different points through his career and helped keep an offense afloat, he’s not going to elevate this team by any means. Daniel could look to keep the ball close to the line of scrimmage and the scoring opportunities might not be there for Jones. He can be viewed as a mid-range WR3 this week with little upside.

Tennessee: Brown injured his ankle again this past week, but appears to be good to go heading into this week’s matchup against the Lions. With Jeffrey Okudah out for the season and Desmond Trufant on IR, the Lions have been absolutely gashed by opposing passing attacks the past few weeks. Brown belongs in your lineup as a top-5 option. Davis wasn’t needed much last week and he disappointed fantasy managers in a plus matchup. This week, everything lines up again for Davis to have a fantastic game, which puts him squarely in the low-end WR2 conversation. There’s the possibility that the Titans only throw the ball 30 times, but Davis should still see plenty of scoring opportunities.

Tight Ends

Detroit: Based on the TE position and how good Hockenson has been this season, you’ve still got to plug him into your starting lineup. Daniel is certainly a downgrade at QB from Stafford, but he could also look to lock onto his athletic tight end. Hockenson can be viewed as a mid-range TE1 this week.

Tennessee: Unfortunately, Geoff Swaim saw the most targets at the TE position for Tennessee this past week. While fantasy managers would love to start Jonnu Smith, there’s just no guarantee that this coaching staff will use him the right way. Smith’s off the redraft radar.

FantasyProjection Buster: Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing exactly what this Lions offense is going to look like with Daniel at QB. It’s a great matchup for these receiving weapons, but there’s a high percentage chance that this offense falls short of expectations with Daniel at the helm.

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Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Vikings -3
Over/Under: 46.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Vikings 24.75, Bears 21.75

Chicago Bears

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Minnesota Vikings

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Quarterback

Chicago: Trubisky has now finished as the QB6, the QB24, and the QB7 each of the past three weeks since he took back over as the starter. While some may look at the QB24 rankings with skepticism, that was simply due to the touchdowns going to the run game that week against Detroit. He’s playing really well recently and he now has seven touchdowns to only two interceptions over that time frame. Against Minnesota, who is allowing 7.2 yards per pass attempt this season and 256.6 passing yards per game, which both are among the worst in the league, Trubisky is a solid streaming option yet again. He can be viewed as a high-end QB2 with upside.

Minnesota: Cousins had a tough matchup last week and he didn’t come through for fantasy managers that chose to plug him in. Against the Bears defense that is only allowing 17.4 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs this season, it’s probably best to view Cousins as nothing more than a mid-range QB2. If his receivers can make some big plays, he can easily finish in the top-12, but that’s not something worth betting on in the fantasy football playoffs.

Running Backs

Chicago: Montgomery now has 409 total yards over his past three games. He’s been playing very good football and he’s finding the end zone with regularity. The Vikings are a bit more stout against the run than they are the pass, but Montgomery should still see enough work in this game to return low-end RB1 value.

Minnesota: It doesn’t quite matter the matchup for Cook at this point, does it? He’s going to see a ridiculous amount of touches each week that provide a safe floor for fantasy managers. Even if the Bears can “shut him down” again in Week 15, he’s going to see too many carries for it to matter. He can be started as a mid-range RB1 again here.

Wide Receivers

Chicago: Robinson got back to work in Week 14 and reeled in nine of his 13 targets for 123 yards and a touchdown. With Trubisky bouncing back and helping keep this offense moving, Robinson’s moved back into the weekly top-5 conversation. Against the Vikings, who are giving up the most fantasy points to opposing WRs this season, there’s no reason to move Robinson any lower than the WR7 on the week. Fire him up with confidence.

Minnesota: Both Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson fell flat in Week 14, but they’d been playing extremely well up to that point. If you were able to advance with either one on your roster, you can still plug them into your lineup this week as mid-range WR2s. Against the defense that’s the fifth-toughest matchup for opposing WRs, there’s not much room for upside on paper, but both of these players had great games the last time they played. Start them again with confidence.

Tight Ends

Chicago: Jimmy Graham came down with the touchdown last week, but Kmet was the main option in between the 20’s. Kmet now has 14 targets over his past two games and he’s showing that he can be a reliable streaming option each week. He’ll have to find the end zone to crack the top-12, but for fantasy managers that are in a pinch, Kmet’s a solid option.

Minnesota: It’s trending towards Kyle Rudolph not playing again this week, which puts Irv Smith in the streaming conversation. He’s a mid-range TE2, but he has a good chance to reel in a touchdown against the 3rd easiest matchup for opposing TEs this season.

FantasyProjection Buster: Trubisky’s looked great in recent weeks, but he has had trouble against this Vikings defense in the past. That was when they were a much tougher matchup and before this offense changed. This is going to be a very interesting game to watch to see if Trubisky can hit or even exceed expectations.

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Seattle Seahawks vs Washington Football Team

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Seahawks -6
Over/Under: 44.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals:

Seattle Seahawks

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Washington Football Team

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Quarterback

Seattle: Over the past six games, Wilson has finished as the QB10, the QB19, the QB12, the QB19, the QB21, and the QB8. After his start to the season where he was finishing in the top-5 regularly, he’s disappointed fantasy managers down the stretch. In this matchup against Washington, Wilson should be viewed as a low-end QB1. Washington is currently allowing only 6.1 yards per pass attempt, which is the the fourth fewest in the NFL. Additionally, they’re only surrendering 206.3 passing yards per game, which is the third fewest in the NFL. With the talent that Wilson has, plus his receiving weapons around him, he can certainly come through for fantasy managers, but that’s far from a guarantee. With his play recently, plus the tough matchup, it’s probably best to temper expectations with the veteran QB.

Washington: The last we heard from Ron Rivera, Alex Smith could start on Sunday even without practicing. Even if he does end up playing, he’s not worth looking at for your Week 15 matchup. There’s simply too much risk there.

Running Backs

Seattle: Carson and Carlos Hyde both saw plenty of work on the ground last week due to the big lead that Seattle was playing with against the Jets. In this matchup, which figures to be a little bit closer, Carson should see the majority of the work. While Washington is only allowing 15.2 fantasy points per game to opposing RBs, Carson should still enough work to return high-end RB2 value.

Washington: Antonio Gibson seems set to miss another game this week, which puts JD McKissic right back in the start-worthy conversation. Washington inserted McKissic as a full workhorse back last week, rather than just his receiving role that he’s had for the majority of the season. Seattle’s a tougher matchup for opposing RBs, so we could see McKissic’s efficiency struggle this week, but he could see even more check-downs as Smith is likely to have little mobility. It’s a risky play, but it’s one that could absolutely pay off. McKissic can be viewed as a high-end RB3 this week with upside.

Wide Receivers

Seattle: Metcalf came through for fantasy managers yet again last week and he’s now the WR3 on the season. While Washington is the fourth toughest matchup for opposing wideouts, there’s no reason to sit Metcalf this week. He’s a locked-in WR1 every single week at this point. Did you know that Lockett has finished inside the top-30 WRs just once over the past seven games? While he brings ridiculous upside every single week, we’re now getting to the point where we can’t rely on that at all. Lockett’s still worth viewing as a low-end WR2, but he absolutely has the possibility of crushing your lineup in Week 15 in a tough matchup.

Washington: No matter who is at QB for Washington this week, McLaurin belongs in your starting lineup against Seattle. While Seattle has tightened things up recently, they’re still one of the easiest matchups for opposing WRs. Start McLaurin as a mid-range WR2 this week with upside.

Tight Ends

Seattle: Dissly was able to find the end zone last week, but he still only two targets. He can’t be trusted for fantasy purposes.

Washington: Thomas has now completely entered the circle of trust. He’s producing every single week with his opportunity and he should see plenty of targets again this week. Fire him up as a low-end TE1 with upside.

FantasyProjection Buster: Lockett’s fading down my Week 15 rankings more and more every day. Everything points to him struggling in this matchup again, but he always has the potential to connect with Wilson in the back of the end zone and obliterate my projections for him.

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New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Dolphins -1
Over/Under: 41.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Dolphins 21.25, Patriots 20.25

New England Patriots

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Miami Dolphins

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Quarterback

New England: Newton really hurt your lineup in Week 14 if you chose to start him. While he will still remain the Patriots’ starting QB, there’s no way we can trust him this week after the performance we just saw. Newton’s a low-end QB2 this week in my rankings.

Miami: Tua came through for fantasy managers that plugged him into their starting lineup due to the projected game-script. Unfortunately, Tua now has to go up against a Bill Belichick defense that suffocates rookie QBs and he has very few starting healthy weapons. Tua’s nothing more than a low-end QB2 this week.

Running Backs

New England: Harris still continues to see enough work to keep him on the redraft radar, but he carries virtually no upside whatsoever. If you can, I’d recommend avoiding him in Week 15 and going with a player that has more upside in their offense. Harris can be viewed as a mid-range RB3.

Miami: With the news that Myles Gaskin is likely to miss this next game, you’re looking at a crowded backfield for the Dolphins in Week 15. Salvon Ahmed has gotten in limited practices this week, but it’s still unclear as to whether or not he’s going to pay. If he suits up, he’s the RB that’s worth plugging into your lineup, but as nothing more than a high-end RB3 with his injury concerns. If Ahmed sits, DeAndre Washington should receive the majority of the carries, but he hasn’t proven to be particularly effective in his previous opportunities. Matt Breida should be active, but he’s unlikely to make any sort of impact this week. Lynn Bowden Jr. is probably the only RB that you can plug into your lineup regardless due to the lack of receiving weapons for Miami. If Jakeem Grant, DeVante Parker, and Mike Gesicki all miss this game, Bowden could easily see 10+ targets. He’s worth plugging into your lineup as a high-end RB3 in Full PPR formats, but only if you’re in a pinch.

Wide Receivers

New England: Meyers is still probably the only Patriots WR that you want to go anywhere near for fantasy purposes, but this matchup is no joke. The Dolphins corners should be able to eliminate Meyers from the game and force Newton to beat them elsewhere. Meyers is nothing more than a low-end FLEX play in Week 15 and it’s probably best to completely avoid this WR room altogether.

Miami: At the time of writing, there’s absolutely no clarity as to who is going to be suiting up for the Dolphins this week at WR. With Parker and Grant both battling injuries, it’s impossible to project this right now. My recommendation would be to completely avoid this WR room even if Parker and Grant are able to battle through. There’s just too much risk involved with both of them.

Tight Ends

New England: None of the Patriots TEs should be considered for fantasy football.

Miami: At the time of writing, I would be shocked if Gesicki suits up for this game. While he was limited on Thursday, it doesn’t seem likely that he plays in this matchup. If he does suit up, he might not play his full allotment of snaps and he’s a risky mid-range TE2 start. Otherwise, it’s probably best to completely avoid this TE room.

FantasyProjection Buster: This entire game. I’d avoid it completely if you can.

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Jacksonville Jaguars vs Baltimore Ravens

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Ravens -12.5
Over/Under: 47.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Ravens 30, Jaguars 17.5

Jacksonville Jaguars

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Baltimore Ravens

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Quarterback

Jacksonville: Minshew’s back for the Jaguars this week! While there’s a greater conversation to be had about why he’s been on the bench this entire time, that’s for another time. Minshew’s return gives a boost to all the receiving weapons in this offense, but this is not the matchup to get too excited about. The Ravens are allowing the 6th fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs this season and they should be able to create an immense amount of pressure against this Jaguars offensive line. Minshew’s nothing more than a low-end QB2 in Week 15.

Baltimore: Look out, folks! Jackson’s heating up at just the right time. He’s now finished as the QB6 and the QB1 each of the past two weeks and there’s a very good chance that we see him finish in the top-5 yet again here against Jacksonville. The Jaguars are allowing the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season and the Ravens should be able to lean heavily on the run game here. He’s a smash play in Week 15.

Running Backs

Jacksonville: Robinson wasn’t on the field as much as previous games last week, but he still came through for fantasy managers and provided a safe floor. Against Baltimore, Robinson would typically be a fade candidate, but he’s too involved in this offense to sit. With the way he’s performed in tough matchups previously, there’s no reason to move off of Robinson in your fantasy playoff matchup. He can be viewed as a mid-range RB1 again.

Baltimore: With Mark Ingram now out of the picture, this backfield becomes a little bit clearer with only Dobbins and Edwards. Dobbins has to worry about splitting work with Edwards, and potentially losing some red zone touches, but there’s no reason to doubt that Dobbins can have a huge performance here. The Jaguars are allowing 4.6 yards per carry on the season and Dobbins has averaged 5.3 this season. Even if Dobbins only receives 15 touches, he should be efficient enough to finish within the top-15. He can be viewed as a high-end RB2 this week with ridiculous upside if he finds the end zone. Edwards found the end zone twice last week on only seven touches. While that’s unsustainable, he clearly has a role in this backfield now. With the Ravens being 13.5 point favorites at the time of writing, they’re going to be running the ball quite a bit and Edwards should see plenty of scoring opportunities. He can be viewed as a high-end RB3 this week with upside.

Wide Receivers

Jacksonville: Chark gets a significant boost with Minshew back in the lineup. Unfortunately, he has to deal with the second most difficult matchup for opposing WRs in all of fantasy football this week. Chark should see a bump up in targets, but there’s very little upside for him here. He can be viewed as a high-end WR3 this week. Otherwise, it’s probably best to view Laviska Shenault and Keelan Cole as low-end FLEX plays at best. They’ll need to find the end zone to crack the top-36.

Baltimore: After what we saw earlier this season, it seems weird to say, but Brown has now finished inside the top-36 WRs each of the past three weeks. Against Jacksonville, who is allowing the 6th most fantasy points to opposing WRs this season, Brown absolutely belongs in your starting lineup as a low-end WR3 with upside. He’s struggled with drops, which is concerning, but this matchup is too good to pass up. While he’s been placed on the COVID-19 list, there’s still a strong possibility that Brown is able to be cleared before this game. If he isn’t, it’s not worth trusting any of the Ravens receivers.

Tight Ends

Jacksonville: Eifert had been seeing some significant targets with Mike Glennon at QB, but that’s unlikely to continue with Minshew back under center. Eifert can be viewed as a low-end TE2 this week.

Baltimore: Andrews has now returned back to the top-tier conversation at the TE position. With Lamar Jackson bouncing back as a passer a bit the past few weeks, Andrews has benefited and is producing consistent numbers game after game. Against Jacksonville, who struggles mightily against TEs, Andrews should be viewed as a top-5 lock.

FantasyProjection Buster: The Ravens RBs absolutely have the chance to finish much higher than my projections if the touchdowns go their way. With the implied point total, there’s more than enough scoring opportunity.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: Bucs -6
Over/Under: 49.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Buccaneers 27.75, Falcons 21.75

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Atlanta Falcons

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Quarterback

Tampa Bay: Brady sailed a few passes last week, but he was still able to put together a decent performance before the Bucs turned to their run game. Against Atlanta, Brady absolutely deserves to be in the top-12 conversation. The Falcons are giving up the most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season and Brady belongs in your starting lineup this week.

Atlanta: Unfortunately, the days of Matt Ryan being a top-10 lock every single week seemed to have passed us. Ryan has finished inside the top-10 just once since Week 7, which is just not what you want to see from your fantasy football QB. He’s now finished his past four games though as the QB26, the QB17, the QB26, and the QB28. Ryan simply can’t be trusted anymore and he should’ve been out of your starting lineup a long time ago.

Running Backs

Tampa Bay: With Ronald Jones likely out for this game, Leonard Fournette is the likely candidate to step back in and carry the majority of the workload for Tampa Bay. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen enough from Fournette in his time on the field to warrant anything higher than low-end RB2 consideration here. Atlanta’s actually one of the toughest matchups in all of fantasy football for opposing RBs, so Fournette is going to have to see a ridiculous amount of volume to compensate for his assumed lack of efficiency. If Jones somehow does play this game, Fournette would go back to being inactive and Jones would land as a mid-range RB2 in my rankings.

Atlanta: Can we all agree that this is a backfield you should completely avoid at this point? Ito Smith led this backfield in carries and rushing yards last week with 11-42-0. Now, the Falcons take on the team that is only allowing 3.5 yards per rush attempt, which is the best in the NFL. Smith, Todd Gurley, and Brian Hill all need to be on your bench in Week 15.

Wide Receivers

Tampa Bay: The Bucs receivers weren’t needed much last week, but Evans was the main target for Brady. Looking forward to this week against the Falcons, who are allowing the 3rd most fantasy points to opposing WRs, Evans belongs in your lineup as a mid-range WR2. Godwin didn’t get much done last week, but the Bucs only threw the ball 23 total times. Against Atlanta, there’s most likely going to be more passing volume and it’s hard to find a better matchup for opposing wideouts. Godwin should be plugged right back into your lineup as a mid-range WR2. Brown came through for fantasy managers that played him last week and he actually led this team in receptions. With the matchup against Atlanta, it’s worth looking at Brown as a low-end WR3 option with upside for Week 15.

Atlanta: With Julio Jones out for this game, Ridley will step back in as the main option and he’ll do nothing but continue to produce. Even in a tough matchup on paper, Ridley shouldn’t be moved to anything less than the WR10 on the week. He should see plenty of targets and he has the talent and ability to get open frequently. Start him with confidence again this week. Gage took advantage of his increased opportunity last week and continuously picked up chunk gains. Against the Bucs, Gage can be viewed as a mid-range WR3 with upside.

Tight Ends

Tampa Bay: Gronkowski found the end zone last week, but he was only targeted twice. This could be due to the decreased passing volume, but it is concerning moving forward. With that being said, Gronk has a pretty good chance of finding the end zone any given week, which pushes him into the mid-range TE1 conversation automatically. You can start him confidently this week.

Atlanta: Unfortunately, Hurst went from being one of the more consistent TEs in all of fantasy football to crushing your lineup the past few weeks. Hurst has now finished inside the top-40 TEs just once out of the past four games. The TE position is a crapshoot any given week, so Hurst absolutely could come out this week and put together a fine performance, but if you have the opportunity to bench him, I’d strongly recommend it.

FantasyProjection Buster: The Bucs RB situation is an absolute mess right now. Unless we get specific clarity from Bruce Arians on what exactly this backfield will look like, there’s the possibility that we see Fournette fall well short of expectations.

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San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys

Date/Time: December 20, 1:00pm ET
Spread: 49ers -3
Over/Under: 45 points
Implied Vegas point totals: 49ers 24, Cowboys 21

San Francisco 49ers

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Dallas Cowboys

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Quarterback

San Francisco: Mullens will get the start here again for San Francisco, but he isn’t worth playing in Week 15.

Dallas: Dalton’s been playing well lately. At least he’s been playing well enough to keep this offense afloat. Unfortunately, it’s still not enough to push him into the streaming conversation for Week 15. He should remain on your bench.

Running Backs

San Francisco: Mostert has returned to limited practice, which makes this situation a little bit more confusing heading into Sunday’s game. If Mostert plays, he needs to be started against the defense that’s giving up 5.1 yards per rush attempt. Even if he isn’t 100%, he should be viewed as a low-end RB2. If Mostert is out, Jeff Wilson‘s a fantastic start this week due to the matchup and his full health status. He can be viewed as a mid-range RB2 in that situation. If Mostert plays, Wilson can still be viewed as a FLEX play due to his role in this offense and the matchup.

Dallas: Remember the good ol’ days when we could start Zeke and have zero qualms about it? Zeke has now only scored one touchdown in his last eight games and he’s topped 100 total yards just once in that time frame as well. The 49ers are only allowing .6 rushing touchdowns per game, which means that it’s unlikely Zeke scores here either. He can be viewed as a low-end RB2 this week against San Francisco. Pollard factored in quite a bit last week while the Cowboys were up big over the Bengals, but that’s unlikely to happen here again against the 49ers. Pollard should only be viewed as a low-end RB3.

Wide Receivers

San Francisco: Aiyuk’s likely the only receiving weapon that you’re going to be looking at on San Francisco this week, unless you’re wanting to completely roll the dice with Kendrick Bourne. With the way he’s been playing lately, which is arguably at a Pro Bowl level, he’s going to absolutely smash in this matchup. The Cowboys are allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing WRs and Aiyuk’s going to receive as many opportunities in this game as he can handle. Fire him up as a high-end WR2 with upside.

Dallas: Cooper found the end zone for a third straight game last week and he seems to have a natural chemistry with Andy Dalton. Cooper’s one of the most talented wideouts in the game and he should be in your starting lineup this week. Against the 49ers, who are pretty stingy against opposing WRs, Cooper should still be viewed as a low-end WR2. Lamb only saw two targets last week against Cincinnati, but he’ll be needed more here against the 49ers. He doesn’t present much upside in this offense, but he’s a safe low-end WR3 for your lineup this week.

Tight Ends

San Francisco: Reed’s involved enough in this offense to push him into the streaming conversation, but he’s done next to nothing in his opportunity recently. He’s a mid-range TE2 with little upside.

Dallas: Schultz continues to see just enough work to keep him in the streaming conversation, but the 49ers are allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing TEs. It’s probably best to look elsewhere for your Week 15 matchup.

FantasyProjection Buster: The 49ers backfield could easily fall short of expectations this week with how little clarity there is as of right now.

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Philadelphia Eagles vs Arizona Cardinals

Date/Time: December 20, 4:05pm ET
Spread: Cardinals -6
Over/Under: 49 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Cardinals 27.5, Eagles 21.5

Philadelphia Eagles

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Arizona Cardinals

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Quarterback

Philadelphia: Hurts came out and absolutely exceeded expectations last week against the Saints. When going back and watching through that game though, I continuously saw the Saints collapse inside and allow Hurts to roll out and extend plays with his athleticism. I expect the Cardinals to be prepared for this with a game of tape to look back on, which could limit Hurts’ overall rushing upside. He’s certainly still in the streaming conversation, but I’m pumping the brakes a bit before we get too carried away. He’s a mid-range QB2 that will need to break away a long run to finish much higher than that.

Arizona: After being one of fantasy football’s most consistent, top-tier producers over the first half of the season, Murray’s fallen off here in recent weeks. Things are starting to turn around for the young QB though and he’s now finished as the QB19 and the QB14 each of the past two weeks. It’s hard to trust Murray as a top-5 option this week, but he comes with QB1 upside every single game. He can be viewed as a mid-range/low-end QB1 this week that still belongs in your starting lineup.

Running Backs

Philadelphia: Sanders was able to come through last week in a tough matchup. Against the Cardinals, who are allowing the 12th most fantasy points to the position, Sanders should be right back in the high-end RB2 conversation. He’ll lose some touches to Boston Scott, which limits his overall upside, but he’s too talented to leave out of your starting lineup.

Arizona: Drake has now scored five touchdowns in his last four games and hasn’t finished outside the top-25 RBs since Week 10. He’s a solid bet to see 20+ touches every single week and he has a solid chance of finding the end zone yet again here. Against the defense that’s allowing the third most rushing touchdowns per game in the NFL, Drake’s a solid high-end RB2 start this week.

Wide Receivers

Philadelphia: Unfortunately, we don’t have a large enough sample size to go off of with Hurts to find out who he’s going to lock onto and feature in this passing game. With more of a tendency to run the ball, there might not be enough leftover to sustain fantasy value for Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, Alshon Jeffery, etc. Reagor’s probably the best option of the lot in this passing attack, but he is a boom-or-bust option for your FLEX in Week 15. I’d recommend looking elsewhere if you can.

Arizona: As of right now, Hopkins is the only Cardinals WR that you should be looking at for fantasy football. With his significant target share, plus his talent level, he’s an automatic mid-range WR1 start every single week. He’ll have to deal with coverage from Darius Slay this week, which is concerning on paper, but Hopkins has continuously exceed in tough matchups this year. He can be started with confidence in Week 15.

Tight Ends

Philadelphia: As Zach Ertz starts to see his snap share percentage climb, it hurts the overall ceiling and upside for Goedert. Goedert’s certainly still going to be heavily involved in this offense and he should present a safe floor, but the days of ranking him as a top-5 option are now behind us. Against one of the toughest matchups in all of football for opposing TEs, Goedert should be viewed as a low-end TE1.

Arizona: Arnold has now seen his involvement in this offense continue to rise over the past several weeks and he’s finding the end zone regularly. He’s still a touchdown-dependent TE2, but if you’re looking for a huge upside play at the position in Week 15, Arnold’s got a solid chance of finding the end zone yet again against the Eagles.

FantasyProjection Buster: Hurts’ projections are a bit more conservative because I don’t want to overreact to last week’s rushing production. However, if that wasn’t a fluke and the Eagles are intent running Hurts 18 times a game, he could easily exceed my projection totals.

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New York Jets vs Los Angeles Rams

Date/Time: December 20, 4:05pm ET
Spread: Rams -17.5
Over/Under: 43.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Rams 30.5, Jets 13

New York Jets

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Los Angeles Rams

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Quarterback

New York: Against the toughest matchup for opposing QBs, Darnold isn’t even anywhere close to the redraft radar.

Los Angeles: Goff’s been barely on the redraft radar this season, but he’s certainly in the streaming conversation this week against the Jets. The Jets are allowing the 2nd most fantasy points to opposing QBs and they’re not going to have an answer for the Rams receivers. Start Goff as a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 this week.

Running Backs

New York: The Rams are allowing only 3.9 yards per rush attempt and .8 rushing touchdowns per game this season. It doesn’t quite matter who is playing RB for the Jets this week, this is a RB room that you want to completely avoid if you can.

Los Angeles: Akers appears to have completely taken over this backfield, but it’s important to temper expectations heading into this matchup. The Jets have only allowed 1 100-yard rusher this season and they’re only allowing 3.9 yards per rush attempt. Akers can certainly see 20 touches again this week, but the efficiency might not be there. The Rams should look to easily exploit the weakness of the Jets secondary and that may leave very little left over for Akers. Akers can be viewed as a mid-range RB2 that will need to score to finish higher.

Wide Receivers

New York: In plus matchups, there’s certainly a case to be made that one or two of the Jets receivers should be able to put together a solid performance for fantasy purposes. However, against the Rams, there’s no way you can go anywhere near Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims, or Breshad Perriman. They’re all outside my top-50 receivers this week.

Los Angeles: There’s little reason to doubt that the receiving duo of Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods won’t be able to take advantage of the 7th easiest matchup for opposing WRs. Start both with extreme confidence as high-end WR2s with upside.

Tight Ends

New York: None of the Jets TEs should be considered for fantasy football this week.

Los Angeles: It’s going to be a roll of the dice to see which TE option in LA will finish with the most fantasy points, but both are decent options to look at in this matchup. They’re certainly still just streaming options, but against the easiest matchup for opposing TEs, both Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett have tremendous upside.

FantasyProjection Buster: Akers’ projections are a bit on the conservative side, but there’s a strong possibility that he sees 25+ touches again this week in a huge blowout. He could easily finish with more points than I’ve given him here.

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Kansas City Chiefs vs New Orleans Saints

Date/Time: December 20, 4:25pm ET
Spread: Chiefs -3
Over/Under: 51.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Chiefs 27.25, Saints 24.25

Kansas City Chiefs

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New Orleans Saints

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Quarterback

Kansas City: The Saints are allowing a mere 6.3 yards per pass attempt this season, but that doesn’t quite matter when it’s Patrick Mahomes, does it? Even in a tough matchup, there’s no reason to bump Mahomes outside of the top-3 on the week. Start him with confidence here.

New Orleans: With Drew Brees back this week against the Chiefs, he should at least be in consideration for your starting lineup. Based on the projected game-script, he could have a pretty good game. However, there’s the obvious re-injury risk. Brees falls in my rankings as a mid-range QB2, but there’s the possibility that he’s pulled in and out of the game for Taysom Hill based on the risk of re-injury. He’s a risky play for Week 15.

Running Backs

Kansas City: CEH saw an impressive 21 touches in Week 14, but he still only finished as the RB20. In the toughest matchup for opposing RBs, you’re betting on CEH seeing plenty of work again and him finding the end zone to finish in the top-15. Edwards-Helaire can be viewed as a mid-range/low-end RB2 this week that will have to see 20+ touches to even return that value in this matchup.

New Orleans: With Latavius Murray fading back into oblivion, Kamara’s seeing as much work as he can handle in this offense. However, not only is he seeing a solid workload on the ground, the Saints have now gotten him back involved in the receiving game. This should only increase more with Drew Brees back at QB too. With this amount of touches, plus Kamara’s talent, the matchup doesn’t quite matter. Start Kamara as a high-end RB1 this week against the Chiefs.

Wide Receivers

Kansas City: The Saints were a secondary that you could attack earlier on this season, but they’ve tightened things up here recently. Hill is still an automatic start every single week and he should be viewed as a top-5 option, even in a tough matchup. Otherwise, Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins are both low-end FLEX plays. If you play Watkins, you’re hoping that he soaks up targets and can provide a safe floor. Meanwhile with Hardman, you’re stuck hoping that he is able to break away a long play. In Week 15, I believe that you have other better options available to you.

New Orleans: Thomas has yet to find the end zone this season. How depressing is that? While he’s seeing a healthy dose of targets each week, the touchdowns are going elsewhere in this offense. He’s a safe high-end WR2 option this week against the Chiefs, but he’ll need to start finding the end zone to crack the top-12. Emmanuel Sanders and Tre’Quan Smith continue to be involved enough in this offense to warrant FLEX consideration, but it’s near impossible to determine which one of them is going to come away with the touchdown. You can start them if you’re in a pinch as FLEX options, but you most likely have some better players available to you.

Tight Ends

Kansas City: Even though the Saints are allowing 7.2 fantasy points per game to opposing TEs, there’s no way Kelce finishes below that mark. With the way Kelce’s been playing this season, you can fully expect that average to be much higher by the time Week 15 is done. Start Kelce as the TE1 every single week.

New Orleans: Cook has started to bounce back the past two weeks as he’s finished as the TE13 and the TE7. He’ll need to find the end zone to crack the top-15, but based on his usage, that’s a very strong possibility. He can be viewed as a touchdown-dependent streaming option for Week 15.

FantasyProjection Buster: Brees is a risky play for several reasons. He could easily exceed my projections if he plays the full game, but that’s not a guarantee.

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Cleveland Browns vs New York Giants

Date/Time: December 20, 8:20pm ET
Spread: Browns -6
Over/Under: 44 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Browns 25, Giants 19

Cleveland Browns

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New York Giants

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Quarterback

Cleveland: Don’t look now, but Baker’s playing some extremely good football recently. He’s finished as the QB12, the QB4, and the QB2 the past three weeks and the matchups haven’t exactly been cakewalks. Now up against the Giants, who will be without James Bradberry at CB, Baker becomes an intriguing play. He’s not going to crack the top-15 in my rankings, but he can absolutely be started if you’re in a pinch. We know he has the upside to come through for you.

New York: It’s looking like Jones is going to gut this one out and attempt to play. However, no matter who is starting at QB for the Giants this week, it’s not worth looking their way in fantasy football.

Running Backs

Cleveland: Since returning to the lineup, Chubb has yet to finish outside the top-20 RBs in those five games. Additionally, he’s found the end zone five times and has averaged 19 Half PPR fantasy points per game. Chubb’s been playing out of his mind and he’s playing as well as any other RB in the league. Start him with confidence this week as a top-5 option. Hunt came through last week for fantasy managers that took the shot on starting him. After doing next to nothing for several weeks, Hunt finally got involved in the receiving game and it turned into a top-5 fantasy finish. While he could easily see a heavy workload in the receiving game again this week, it’s important to remember that Hunt had finished outside the top-24 RBs the past three weeks prior to Week 14. He lands as a mid-range/low-end RB2 in my rankings this week that you can absolutely plug into your starting lineup if you’ve got him, but we shouldn’t go crazy and expect another top-10 performance from him.

New York: Gallman had a touchdown taken away from him by Dion Lewis last week, but he still provided a safe floor for fantasy managers. While the offense is likely to struggle this week, Gallman’s been extremely consistent this season and he deserves strong consideration as a low-end RB2. He doesn’t possess a ton of upside, but he should still see plenty of work.

Wide Receivers

Cleveland: Landry didn’t hurt fantasy managers last week in a tough matchup, but he took a back seat to Rashard Higgins. That’s unlikely to happen again this week and Landry should see plenty of work as he draws coverage from the rookie Xavier McKinney in the slot. Landry should soak up targets and he can be viewed as a high-end WR3 with upside. Higgins exploded for 6-68-1 last week on 10 targets. While he would’ve been a fade earlier this week due to assumedly facing James Bradberry on the outside, Bradberry is now set to miss this game due to landing on the COVID/Reserve list. Higgins could potentially draw coverage from rookie Darnay Holmes in Week 15, which would give the edge to the veteran receiver. He’s a risky play due to his inconsistencies this season, but he has an excellent chance of going off for another big game here. He can be viewed as a solid FLEX play with upside.

New York: While this is a favorable matchup for opposing WRs, none of these Giants receivers should be in your starting lineups this week. All of them can be viewed as low-end FLEX plays at best.

Tight Ends

Cleveland: Hooper has returned to practice and it’s likely that we see him suit up for this matchup. While he should see a couple of targets, it’s unlikely to be enough to push him into the top-12 unless he finds the end zone. The chances of that are slim as the Giants are only allowing 6.5 fantasy points per game to opposing TEs. Hooper can be viewed as a touchdown-dependent TE2 this week.

New York: Based on the TE position, Engram still belongs in your starting lineup as a low-end TE1. It’s not going to be pretty, but he has as good a chance as anyone to finish in the top-12.

FantasyProjection Buster: The entire Giants offense could crumble this game if Jones plays and he doesn’t have his mobility.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals

Date/Time: December 21, 8:15pm ET
Spread: Steelers -12.5
Over/Under: 40.5 points
Implied Vegas point totals: Steelers 26.5, Bengals 14

Pittsburgh Steelers

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Cincinnati Bengals

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Quarterback

Pittsburgh: Ben’s had some tough matchups recently, but he’s now finished outside the top-12 QBs for four straight weeks. His receivers are partly to blame for that with their egregious drops, but he should get back on track against the Bengals. The Bengals are allowing 7.2 yards per pass attempt and 250.6 passing yards per game this season. Ben should have a safe floor this week and he does come with upside due to the matchup. He can be viewed as a low-end QB1 this week.

Cincinnati: At this point, it seems highly unlikely that Brandon Allen is going to play in this game. Even if he did, there’s no way you’re considering him for fantasy football.

Running Backs

Pittsburgh: As of right now, it seems highly unlikely that James Conner plays in this game. If he does, he can’t be trusted as anything more than a low-end RB2 due to the way he’s looked this season. If Conner does indeed miss this game, Snell should step in as the primary ball-carrier. While we’re coming off a disappointing performance from Snell the last time he was the main guy, this is too good a matchup to at least not consider him. The Bengals are allowing the 8th most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season and Snell should be viewed as a low-end RB2 for Week 15. He’ll need to find the end zone to finish higher than that, but he’s absolutely someone you can plug in if you’re in a pinch.

Cincinnati: None of the Bengals RBs should be considered for fantasy football this week.

Wide Receivers

Pittsburgh: Just a few weeks ago, we were saying that you could start all three of the Steelers WRs as top-15 options. Well, that’s no longer the case. While this is a fantastic matchup, there’s a lot more uncertainty surrounding this receiving corps than there was the last time these two teams played. Diontae Johnson has a lot of question marks surrounding him this week after being benched for drops in Week 14. He could certainly come out here with a chip on his shoulder or the Steelers could bench him again as soon as he drops another pass. Due to his wide range of outcomes, Johnson should be viewed as a low-end WR2 this week. Smith-Schuster hasn’t been efficient this season, but he might be the most trustworthy receiving option in Pittsburgh right now. He can be started as a low-end WR2 this week as well. Claypool has now seen James Washington‘s snap count rise exponentially over the past two weeks and cut into his time on the field. Claypool now becomes a very risky low-end WR3 that you’re hoping is able to pull off a big play. Washington’s been performing well lately and he’s one of the most sure-handed receiving threats on this team. He’s an intriguing low-end FLEX play this week that could pay off yet again if his snap count numbers hold true.

Cincinnati: With Ryan Finley at QB, it’s recommended that you look elsewhere in this matchup. Higgins and Boyd are both low-end FLEX options with the QB downgrade.

Tight Ends

Pittsburgh: Ebron’s struggled with the drops, but this matchup is too good to pass up. The Bengals are allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing TEs this season, which makes Ebron a solid mid-range TE1 start.

Cincinnati: Sample could see significant targets again this week, but there’s going to be very few scoring opportunities. He can be avoided for fantasy football this week, as well.

FantasyProjection Buster: The Steelers WRs. Any of them could finish in the top-12 and there’s absolutely no predicting which one it will be.

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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.