Fantasy Football Player Notes

Week 15 Rankings

Position

Team

1. Lamar Jackson BAL (vs . NYJ)

If you're really here looking for justification to sit Lamar Jackson, please look elsewhere. Despite a non-fantasy-week-winning performance in Week 14, Jackson is still the best player in fantasy football. Even if he's slightly banged up and without his weapons, you really can't consider benching him after what we've seen this season.

7 hours ago

2. Deshaun Watson HOU (at TEN)

When it was announced that Will Fuller was out last week, there was concern with Watson, though no one could've expected the Texans to get blown out by the Drew Lock-led Broncos. Watson saved his fantasy day with two rushing touchdowns, finishing as the No. 4 quarterback on the week. Can he bounce back against a Titans team who's dealing with a variety of injuries in their secondary. After losing Malcolm Butler a few weeks back to injured reserve, Adoree Jackson is dealing with a foot injury that had him miss last week (no practice all week), and LeShaun Sims was also held out last week. That's three of their top four cornerbacks who may be out for this game. In two games against a healthy Mike Vrabel defense last year, Watson finished with 310/2 in the first meeting and then 210/2 in the second one. He also rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown between the two games, highlighting he has no problem with the scheme. Opposing quarterbacks have averaged 38.0 pass attempts per game, which ranks as the third highest mark in the league. The 7.27 yards per attempt is right around the league average, but that's before the injuries started piling up. Without Jackson in the lineup last week, we saw Derek Carr finish with 263/2 on just 34 attempts while playing without his starting running back and slot receiver. Watson has racked-up 18.9 or more fantasy points in five of the last six games with the only exception being the Ravens. You're not running from a team that's allowed multiple passing touchdowns in 8-of-13 games. Watson remains in lineups as a stable QB1.

14 hours ago

3. Drew Brees NO (vs . IND)

The 49ers were dealing with a few injuries last week, but whew… Brees absolutely buried them while throwing for 349 yards and five touchdowns (also added a rushing touchdown). Coming into that game, they'd never allowed more than two touchdowns, and just four quarterbacks had thrown for more than one. They lost the game, but it certainly wasn't on Brees, who posted the fourth-best fantasy game by a quarterback in 2019. The Colts haven't been as tough on opposing quarterbacks, as they've allowed seven quarterbacks to throw for at least 296 yards. There have been six quarterbacks who've averaged 6.3 yards per attempt or less, while there's been seven quarterbacks who've averaged at least 8.3 yards per attempt. Those who haven't: Nick Foles, Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mason Rudolph, and Joe Flacco. Let's just go ahead and say Brees isn't a part of that group. They've allowed a massive 69.2 percent completion-rate, which meshes well with the record-setting Brees who's completed at least 70 percent of his passes in four straight seasons (including 73.6 percent this year). With the run-game struggling to get going and the defense dealing with quite a few injuries, Brees may throw a bit more than usual. Play him as a middling QB1 here.

12 hours ago

4. Patrick Mahomes KC (vs . DEN)

The 13.9 fantasy points Mahomes scored last week was just the third time in his career he's finished with less than 15.2 fantasy points. Fantasy owners seem to be panicking, though, as Mahomes has now failed to reach 20 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games, which means he's not carrying fantasy teams to victory on his own. This is what everyone talked about this offseason, as regression has settled in, though Mahomes is still very elite. The fact that he's failed to throw more than one touchdown in six of the last eight games is concerning right now, however, as he's about to go into a matchup with the Broncos, a team that's allowed more than one touchdown pass just five times all season. The first time these teams played was in Denver and Mahomes was trending towards a big game, completing 10-of-11 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown before dislocating his kneecap. Mahomes may be catching them at the perfect time, though, as the Broncos have allowed eight passing touchdowns over the last four weeks since their bye, which is a lot considering they allowed just seven passing touchdowns in the nine games before their bye week. They were missing Von Miller for one of those games (Week 13) but got him back last week. Divisional games are always somewhat tough to predict, but knowing the Broncos have allowed each of the last four quarterbacks to play against them finish as the QB5 (Deshaun Watson), QB17 (Philip Rivers), QB9 (Josh Allen), and QB8 (Kirk Cousins), Mahomes needs to remain in lineups as a middling QB1 who still presents a rock-solid floor.

14 hours ago

5. Russell Wilson SEA (at CAR)

Wilson struggled last week, and while he is likely to play better this week, the Panthers are one of the worst teams against the run this season. Seattle will be running often and finding a lot of success, which limits Wilson's upside in this matchup. While he is still a QB1, he is not a top tier play.

1 day ago

6. Ryan Tannehill TEN (vs . HOU)

Ryan Tannehill has been absolutely on fire for fantasy football since his first start in Week 7, averaging 22.6 fantasy points per week, which is second only to Lamar Jackson. Across the entire season, Tannehill ranks first in passer rating (109.4), first in yards per attempt (9.42), first in adjusted yards per attempt (9.35) and second in fantasy points per dropback (0.64). What I am trying to say is that Tannehill has not just been great to his standards, but among the best in the league this season. Clearly, that work he did with Peyton Manning is paying off tenfold. This week, Tannehill and the Titans face the Houston Texans, who have really struggled defensively as of late. The Texans have given up the most fantasy points to QBs over the past five weeks (24.7). They even got lit up by Drew Lock and the Broncos last week, which should make them hungry for a bounce-back game, though that will likely have to come from their offense. The combination of the weak defense and the pressure Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense should keep on Tannehill to stay aggressive makes him a quality QB1 option this week. Also, Derrick Henry was dealing with lower body issues last week, which could lead to more passing attempts this week, if they are still an issue.

2 days ago

7. Jameis Winston TB (at DET)

After getting multiple opinions on the fracture he suffered on his throwing hand in Week 14, Winston has been cleared to play this week. The question now becomes: Do you want to trust a quarterback playing through a fractured hand while missing his top receiver? There'll be many fantasy owners debating it when they see the Lions on the schedule, a team that's allowed multiple passing touchdowns to 9-of-13 quarterbacks. It's not just the touchdowns, either. They've allowed at least 7.2 yards per attempt to every quarterback not named Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins. That's allowed six different quarterbacks to throw for 300-plus yards against them. All-in-all, there have been just three quarterbacks who've failed to post at least 18 fantasy points against the Lions. Kirk Cousins, who threw the ball just 30 times last week while letting their rushing attack take care of business. Philip Rivers, who threw for 293 yards but had no touchdowns. And lastly, Haskins, who doesn't put up points against anyone. If you remove all the rushing totals for quarterbacks, the Lions have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. They've also only intercepted five passes all season, which bodes well for Winston's odds of staying on the field. There's certainly a lot more risk in this matchup than we'd hoped, as he would've been a top-five play if we knew he and Evans were healthy. Instead, he's teetering on the low-end QB1/high-end QB2 radar. If completely torn between him and someone else, Winston would be the one I'd play for upside.

14 hours ago

8. Jimmy Garoppolo SF (vs . ATL)

It's been a very hit-or-miss year for Garoppolo to this point, as he started out the year extremely shaky, but appeared to have his confidence restored when the team traded for Emmanuel Sanders. Does one wide receiver make that much of a difference? Now, to be fair, while he's changed, so has the Falcons defense. Ever since their bye week, they're a different team. They've held the combination of Drew Brees (twice), Jameis Winston, and Kyle Allen (twice) to just five passing touchdowns over the last five games. What do they all have in common? They're all in the Falcons division. That makes a big difference, as they know those teams very well. It's still the same scheme/personnel who was horrendous for the previous 24 games. Still, we do have to take note of their recent surge on defense. The real issue with Garoppolo is that if the Falcons have gotten better or he doesn't have it going through the air, he bombs your fantasy lineup, which is why more than half his games have netted 13 or less fantasy points (including three with Sanders). Because of that, he stays in the QB2 territory, though he's towards the high end of that.

13 hours ago

9. Dak Prescott DAL (vs . LAR)

He's coming off back-to-back brutal matchups against the Bills and Bears, though he was able to post rock-solid fantasy numbers (17.4-plus) in each of them. It surely helps that he threw the ball 49 times in each of those games, but that's seemingly a regular thing with him nowadays, as he's thrown 46-plus passes in four of the last five games. The Rams defense presents another tough matchup for him, as they're coming off a game where they held Russell Wilson touchdown-less for the first time in a calendar year. There are just three quarterbacks who've averaged more than 7.36 yards per attempt against the Rams all year, and two of them were prior to acquiring Jalen Ramsey. This is a must-win game for both teams, as both are vying for a playoff spot, and it should bring the best out of them. Outside of getting embarrassed by Lamar Jackson (who hasn't?) for five touchdowns in Week 12, the Rams have allowed just three passing touchdowns since Week 5. That's a span of seven games, which is rather impressive. The 61.8 percent completion-rate ranks 7th-best, 6.70 yards per attempt ranks 5th-best, and 3.84 percent touchdown-rate ranks 10th-best. Prescott also reportedly suffered a sprained left hand and injury to his right index finger against the Bears, adding another level of uncertainty. He's more of a high-end QB2 this week than the must-start QB1 he typically is.

13 hours ago

10. Kyler Murray ARI (vs . CLE)

It hasn't been a great two weeks for Murray owners, as he's completed just 39-of-64 passes for 357 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. They were difficult matchups with the Rams and Steelers, but the worrisome part is that he's rushed for just 30 yards in those two games. That lack of production on the ground is tied to the hamstring injury he suffered in practice before their Week 13 game. He should be getting closer to 100 percent by the time this game is played. That's important because the Browns have done well against the pass but have allowed plenty of production on the ground to quarterbacks. They've allowed the 13th most fantasy points to quarterbacks but have allowed just the 18th fewest fantasy points through the air. The 244 yards and four touchdowns they've allowed on the ground to quarterbacks amounts to the fifth most fantasy production in the league. They've still yet to allow a 300-yard passer against them this season, but have allowed a quarterback to account for two-plus touchdowns in 9-of-13 games. Because of that, we've only seen four quarterbacks finish outside the top-15 for that particular week, which highlights the floor that Murray should have in this game. Keep in mind that three of the four quarterbacks who didn't were Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges, and Luke Falk. Murray should be expected to post low-end QB1 numbers this week, though he'll need to use his legs a bit to get there.

13 hours ago

11. Aaron Rodgers GB (vs . CHI)

It was another underwhelming fantasy performance out of Rodgers, as the Packers offense is apparently content with barely beating bottom-of-the-barrel competition. However, if there were ever a week to get a lead and sit on it (like they did against the Redskins), it's this one. When throwing the ball against the Bears you open yourself to turnovers, which can swing a game. The Bears have still yet to allow a top-12 quarterback performance against them this year, though David Blough and Dak Prescott finished with two of the top three performances against them, which both came in the last two weeks. The ceiling against the Bears was Teddy Bridgewater's 281-yard, two-touchdown performance back in Week 7, which netted 19.9 fantasy points and a QB13 finish. They've now allowed four multi-touchdown games, but never more than two touchdowns. Oddly enough, the only quarterback to average more than 7.7 yards per attempt against the Bears was Jared Goff, who completed just 11 passes in their Week 11 game, though a 50-yard completion propped-up his YPA numbers. The Bears have faced a decent number of passes, too, as the 37.2 pass attempts per game suggests. Back in their Week 1 matchup, Rodgers threw for 203 yards and one touchdown. He was a bit Jekyll and Hyde against the Bears last year, totaling 286/3/0 in the first matchup, but was then held to 274/0/1 in the second one. Over the last eight times he's played the Bears, Rodgers has topped 300 yards once (2016). However, he's thrown 10 touchdown passes over the last three games he's played against them at home. Rodgers has been so hit-or-miss in fantasy, it's tough to see him overcoming the brutal matchup that's yet to allow a quarterback finish as a top-12 option, but at home, it's tough to bet against him. Consider him a low-end QB1 this week.

14 hours ago

12. Baker Mayfield CLE (at ARI)

After seeming like he was on the right track, Mayfield took a giant step back in fantasy owners' hearts last week after he completed just 11 passes for 192 yards and no touchdowns against the Bengals. There was some concern about him not living up to expectations due to the run-game going off, but nobody expected what we saw take place. He's now totaled less than 200 yards passing in three of his last four games, but should you be considering him as a streamer this week? Absolutely. The Cardinals are the worst pass defense in the league, and it's not even close. Let's count the ways: They have allowed 8.40 yards per attempt (3rd-most), a 6.64 percent touchdown-rate (3rd-most), and a ridiculous 71.8 percent completion-rate (highest in NFL). They've allowed an average of 26.6 completions per game. Not pass attempts, but completions. They've allowed an average of 311.5 passing yards and 2.46 passing touchdowns per game. The only three quarterbacks who didn't finish as top-12 options were Russell Wilson (odd), Daniel Jones, and Devlin Hodges. The only quarterbacks who failed to finish with at least 7.4 yards per attempt were Andy Dalton and Daniel Jones. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about the matchup, outside of the fact that Mayfield has been maddeningly inconsistent. Still, this matchup is good enough where he's in the low-end QB1 conversation.

3 days ago

13. Carson Wentz PHI (at WAS)

He's not particularly in a great place right now, but neither are his receivers, as he walked into last week's game with just three active receivers, then lost Alshon Jeffery early in the game. He does have five touchdown passes over the last two weeks and has scored at least 19.9 fantasy points in each of them. While those games were against the Dolphins and Giants, his next matchup is against the team he had his best game of the year. Granted, he had both Jeffery and DeSean Jackson the first time they played the Redskins, but still. They're a defense that kind of plays into the Eagles' strength, which is up the middle of the field and through the tight ends. They've allowed a 72.5 percent completion-rate to tight ends this year, so look for Wentz to find his talented duo quite often. The best way to describe the Redskins as a defense is inconsistent. We've watched them allow three-plus touchdowns to guys like Sam Darnold, Kyle Allen, Wentz, Tom Brady, and Mitch Trubisky, but have also watched them hold Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, and Jimmy Garoppolo to one or zero touchdowns. Their pressure-rate is bottom-10 in the league, but they've generated a sack on 8.7 percent of drop backs which ranks No. 5 in the league. Everything about them just screams 'guessing game' for what you're getting. Knowing Wentz has posted 306/2 and 313/3 the last two times he's played the divisional rival, we should expect a solid performance, but at what point do all these losses at wide receiver impact our ability to start him? Consider him a high-end QB2 this week.

13 hours ago

14. Tom Brady NE (at CIN)

It's been a rough go for Brady over the last two months and we've talked about that rather extensively. The question fantasy owners will be asking themselves this week is whether or not the Bengals are a good enough matchup to play him. To start, opponents have averaged just 29.8 pass attempts per game against the Bengals, which is the second-lowest total in the league. Brady has averaged 40.2 pass attempts per game, but do the Patriots dial it back in this one, or do they to instill some confidence in the passing game? When quarterbacks drop back to throw a pass, they're averaging a massive 8.39 yards per attempt, which ranks fourth-highest in the league behind only the Raiders, Giants, and Cardinals. The touchdown-rate of 4.13 percent is a bit lackluster for that type of yardage, but that's because they can't stop anyone on the ground. Oddly enough, the only three quarterbacks they've held to less than 16.3 fantasy points is over the last three weeks, as Devlin Hodges, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield struggled to hit that mark. Playing Brady this week comes down to pure narrative. If you're basing it on his play as of late, he's nothing more than a mid-to-low-end QB2 with limited upside. If you're expecting the Patriots to try and get their passing-game on track while using this game as a springboard, you're expecting more. I'm somewhere in-between, but I will say this… Brady hasn't attempted less than 36 pass attempts since way back in Week 2. The Bengals have held exactly 2-of-13 quarterbacks to less than 7.2 yards per attempt. Even if we take the lows of those two numbers, we'd have 260 yards and likely two touchdowns. He's in the mid-to-high-end QB2 territory this week and should present a solid floor.

14 hours ago

15. Jared Goff LAR (at DAL)

He had a mediocre game last week against the Seahawks where Sean McVay really changed things up with the personnel, and it did give them the element of the unknown, so kudos to him. Still, his finish was just QB17 on the week. The Cowboys had not allowed a quarterback to hit the 20-point threshold through 10 weeks but have now allowed three of the last four quarterbacks they've played to hit that number. It does help that each of them rushed for at least 43 yards and a touchdown, which is something we're obviously not getting out of Goff. Make no mistake about it, the Cowboys are not a bad pass defense. They've allowed just 6.92 yards per attempt and a 3.64 percent touchdown-rate, both of which rank top-10 in the league. Trubisky was the first quarterback to throw for three touchdowns against them, and in fact, he was just the fifth quarterback to throw more than one touchdown against them. The games Goff has done well in this year have come against the Bucs, Falcons, Bengals, and Cardinals. Those are all teams towards the bottom of the league when it comes to yards per attempt and touchdown-rate to quarterbacks. If you've played Goff against bottom-feeder defenses, you've done well. If you've played him against non-bottom-feeder defenses, you've done poorly. This matchup doesn't strike me as a bottom-feeder, despite the fact that they've lost three in a row. Goff should be considered a mid-to-low-end QB2.

13 hours ago

16. Ryan Fitzpatrick MIA (at NYG)

There were some fantasy owners who trusted Fitzpatrick with their fate last week and the process was actually right, but unfortunately, he lost both DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson to concussions during the game, limiting his options to throw to. We likely won't know the status of Parker or Wilson until later in the week, which means we must approach Fitzpatrick with caution, though the Giants are as good of a matchup that he could ask for. They've allowed an extremely high 8.24 yards per attempt, which is the fourth-highest mark in the league, while allowing a 5.49 percent touchdown-rate, which is fifth-highest. Their run defense has also played much better as of late, allowing just 266 yards on 93 carries (2.86 yards per carry) over the last four games, which has led to more passing totals for opposing quarterbacks. Despite Carson Wentz looking lost and being down to just two active wide receivers, he managed to put together a 325-yard, two-touchdown game on Monday night, while playing in the rain. The only quarterbacks who have failed to score at least 18.9 fantasy points against the Giants were Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins, who threw the ball just 38 times combined. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick hasn't thrown the ball less than 33 times since taking back the starting job. If Parker plays, Fitzpatrick belongs in the high-end QB2 conversation. If he's forced to sit, Fitzpatrick moves into the middling QB2 territory with a lower floor/ceiling combo.

13 hours ago

17. Kirk Cousins MIN (at LAC)

It was kind of what we expected last week with Cousins, whose pass attempts were limited in the blowout win over the Lions. They'll now head out on the road to play a Chargers team that's allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this year despite all the injuries they've dealt with. What really helps them limit the points in keeping their opponents off the field. The 57.8 plays per game is the lowest in the NFL and it's led to just 29.4 pass attempts per game, which is also the lowest in the league. When you add in the fact that the Vikings are the third run-heaviest team in the league while running the ball 49.1 percent of the time, and it needs to be a highly efficient game for Cousins. The Chargers have not allowed a quarterback to average 7.23 yards per attempt since back in Week 7 and have not allowed more than two touchdown passes since Week 3, so the efficiency hasn't been great for the Chargers' opponents, either. Knowing Cousins doesn't offer much on the ground, this is a matchup where he falls into the mid-to-low-end QB2 conversation because the ceiling/floor combo is just not good.

13 hours ago

18. Gardner Minshew JAC (at OAK)

We shouldn't have been expecting much out of Minshew against the Chargers, as it was a brutal matchup, but the aftermath of that game is the real problem. D.J. Chark is in a walking boot and considered "week-to-week" by Doug Marrone, which doesn't sound like he'll be on the field this week, which takes away a lot of appeal with Minshew. The Raiders have been a matchup to target with quarterbacks, as they've allowed 7-of-13 quarterbacks to account for at least three touchdowns against them. There have been just three quarterbacks (Joe Flacco, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Finley) who haven't accounted for at least two touchdowns. Flacco and Cousins both came over the first three weeks of the season when the defense was relatively healthy. When you see four different quarterbacks total 391 or more yards, you know it's not a fluke; it's a good matchup. In terms of fantasy points per pass attempt (no rushing totals), the Raiders have allowed a league-high 0.60 points per attempt. Extrapolating that, if a quarterback threw just 35 passes and did nothing with his legs, he'd wind up with 21.0 fantasy points. Knowing the Raiders are favored by nearly a full touchdown, we just might get 40 pass attempts out of Minshew. Knowing he adds value with his legs (at least 28 rushing yards in each of his last four starts), Minshew can be considered in the middling QB2 range, and he likely has a higher floor than most quarterbacks in that range.

13 hours ago

19. Josh Allen BUF (at PIT)

It was the worst-case scenario for Allen owners who wanted to believe he could produce no matter the matchup, as he looked horrendous against a dominating Ravens defense. Just one week later, he finds himself in another tough situation. The Steelers are one of the teams who brings an even more potent pass-rush than the Ravens, who were able to sack Allen six times in Week 14. The Ravens have pressured the opposing quarterback an average of 35.9 percent of the time, while the Steelers have pressured the opposing quarterback at least 40 percent of the time in every game since Week 5. Their sack-rate is No. 2 behind only the 49ers. Why is this important? Because Allen's 54.7 QB Rating under pressure ranks as the sixth-worst in the league. They're coming off a road game where they held Kyler Murray to just 194 yards passing and two yards rushing. No quarterback outside of Lamar Jackson has rushed for more than 22 yards against them. Passing the ball hasn't gone well against them since the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick, either. With him on the roster, they've allowed just 6.2 yards per attempt, 13 passing touchdowns, and 17 interceptions over the span of 11 games. There's been just one quarterback who's finished better than the QB16 during that time, and it was Baker Mayfield when he threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns, but had a rushing touchdown put him over the top (that was the only rushing touchdown they've allowed to a quarterback this season). When you add in the fact that this game is on the road in Pittsburgh, and you have yourself another game where it's tough to trust Allen as anything more than a middling QB2 with a low-end QB1 ceiling.

4 days ago

20. Mitch Trubisky CHI (at GB)

Outside of that Rams game on Monday night, Trubisky has played rather well over the last five weeks. He's completed 117-of-176 passes (66.5 percent) for 1,223 yards (6.9 yards per attempt), 11 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 97 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. From a fantasy perspective, he's totaled at least 18.9 fantasy points in four of the last five games, including back-to-back season-highs of 23.9 and 32.1 points over the last two weeks. The important part is that he's becoming a bit more mobile, totaling 21 carries over the last three weeks, netting 85 yards and two touchdowns, after he totaled just 15 carries for 58 scoreless yards in the first 10 games. Now on to the Packers, a team he's played three times in the last 15 months. He's failed to throw for more than 235 yards in any of those games and has combined for four total touchdowns in them. The Packers defense looked a lot different back in Week 1, as the Bears had very little chance to know how they'd use their new personnel. The Packers were a tough defense the first three weeks, but as time has gone on, they've started to show some weakness. Over their last 10 games, they've allowed 274.8 passing yards and 1.5 passing touchdowns per game. That's despite their opponents averaging just 32.5 attempts per game. The issue is that if Trubisky has another one of his bad days through the air, the Packers have been the best in football when it comes to limiting quarterbacks on the ground, allowing a league-low 2.78 yards per carry to them. In a divisional game on the road, it's tough to say you should trust Trubisky to keep up his hot streak. He's in the low-end QB2 conversation as someone who's simply too risky to play in a win-or-go-home fantasy football situation.

14 hours ago

21. Matt Ryan ATL (at SF)

We've seen Ryan's life without Calvin Ridley before, and he did well, but that was back when Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. It also doesn't help to know Ryan has topped 16.6 fantasy points just once since Week 6. He may have caught the 49ers at the right time though, as they just lost defensive end Dee Ford and cornerback Richard Sherman for multiple weeks. Does this make the 49ers defense one that can be attacked through the air? Potentially, as losing three top-tier Pro-Bowl-quality starters will do that (don't forget about linebacker Kwon Alexander on injured reserve). Not many realize it, but here are the last six quarterbacks who've played against the 49ers with their fantasy totals: Kyler Murray (21.0), Russell Wilson (16.6), Kyler Murray (26.7), Aaron Rodgers (9.5), Lamar Jackson (24.3), and Drew Brees (40.1). To be fair, a lot of those quarterbacks were mobile, something Ryan obviously isn't. He's also been sacked 39 times despite missing a game. Brees was just the first quarterback to throw for more than two touchdowns against them, while there's been just one other quarterback who's topped 241 passing yards. Going into San Francisco isn't an easy place to play, either. Even before they were considered the elite defense they are now, they allowed just one quarterback to top 19 fantasy points while at home last year. The injuries to Ford and Sherman help, but Ryan is still just a mid-to-high-end QB2.

13 hours ago

22. Derek Carr OAK (vs . JAC)

How many times this year do you think Carr has finished better than QB11? The answer would be one. That was back in Week 8 against the Texans when he threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns. He legitimately needs three touchdowns to get into QB1 territory because of how little he offers on the ground. The Jaguars have allowed three quarterbacks to hit that number against them this year, though one came just last week when Philip Rivers did it. The Jaguars reek of a team that's packed it in for the year, as they've lost both Marcell Dareus and Myles Jack on the front-seven, and while the run defense is practically non-existent, the secondary looked a bit toast last week, too. It's still a much better matchup on the ground, as they've allowed 7.99 yards per attempt on the year, while allowing 5.47 yards per carry on the ground. Carr doesn't throw the ball more than 34 times (hasn't since Week 2) regardless, but this matchup is one to have him throw even less. You can find better streamers for the fantasy playoffs.

13 hours ago

23. Eli Manning NYG (vs . MIA)

As of the time writing this, we don't know who'll be starting for the Giants, but for now, we'll expect Manning. He played well on Monday night for a guy who's been sitting on the bench for nearly three full months. The Dolphins are the next team up on the schedule, and while they've struggled to stop the run, the Giants haven't exactly been able to run the ball with any success. There have been just two games all season where the Dolphins have allowed less than two passing touchdowns, while they've allowed three or more on four occasions. That's why we've seen only Sam Darnold and Brian Hoyer finish outside the top-16 quarterbacks against them. Keep in mind that Darnold actually should've, but the overturned touchdown in that game shifted things. Eliminating all rushing production out of quarterbacks, the Dolphins have allowed 0.59 fantasy points per pass attempt, which ranks as the second-most behind only the Raiders. This is important for someone like Manning, who obviously offers nothing on the ground. He also has no mobility, but the Dolphins pressure the quarterback an average of just 29.1 percent of the time, which is the lowest mark in the league. When kept clean, Manning has completed 66-of-95 passes for 708 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception this year. He's a middling QB2 this week and one who might get into the top-15.

13 hours ago

24. Philip Rivers LAC (vs . MIN)

Did he come out of his slump last week? It certainly looked like it when he completed 16-of-22 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns against the Jaguars. Rivers has now thrown 31 or less pass attempts in five of the last six games, which is not great for a quarterback who has no mobility. The Vikings have allowed multiple passing touchdowns in 7-of-13 games this year, though just two quarterbacks have hit the three-touchdown mark. The significant thing about them (Matthew Stafford and Dak Prescott) was that they both threw at least 45 pass attempts, something highly unlikely with Rivers. It just so happens that Stafford and Prescott were the only two quarterbacks who've averaged more than 7.86 yards per attempt against them, so the yardage isn't even great. Knowing Rivers has finished better than QB14 just twice since Week 4, feel free to avoid him as a streamer in this game.

13 hours ago

25. Jacoby Brissett IND (at NO)

He did exactly what he was supposed to against Tampa Bay last week, but he suffered another casualty in the process, as Parris Campbell was placed on injured reserve, joining Eric Ebron, Chester Rogers, Devin Funchess, and unlikely-to-play T.Y. Hilton. The Colts went out and signed Dontrelle Inman who played with the team last year, so at least they have a competent player for Brissett to throw to. The Saints suffered some injuries of their own last week, as edge rusher Marcus Davenport and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins were lost for the season. The Saints have allowed just four quarterbacks all season to average more than 7.56 yards per attempt, with three of them coming over the first three weeks when Rankins wasn't on the field. The fourth one was last week when Rankins had to leave after playing just 8 snaps. You think he matters? The Saints have allowed multiple touchdowns to quarterbacks in 10-of-13 games this year, which helps, but when you know Brissett is throwing to backups, why would you trust him any more than a mid-to-low-end QB2?

12 hours ago

26. Kyle Allen CAR (vs . SEA)

After another abysmal performance from Allen, the whispers are getting louder for Will Grier to get a shot under center. While in the fantasy playoffs, the last thing you want to do is start a quarterback who might get benched. Allen has now fumbled 12 times through 11 games and has thrown 12 interceptions over his last seven games. The sky is falling, but can the Seahawks secondary allow him to bounce back? The miniscule 4.34 percent sack-rate surely helps, as Allen has struggled under pressure. Quarterbacks have averaged 38.9 pass attempts per game against them, which ranks as the second-most in the league, and it's allowed 10-of-13 quarterbacks to finish with at least 16.1 fantasy points. The volume has been all quarterbacks have going for them, as the Seahawks have still yet to allow more than two passing touchdowns in a game. Looking at the 17 to 13 TD:INT ratio the Seahawks have allowed weighs heavily when you consider Allen himself has a 9:12 ratio himself over the last seven games. Rushing touchdowns have saved him the last two weeks, but it's not advisable to start someone who may get benched at halftime if he's not playing particularly well.

14 hours ago

27. David Blough DET (vs . TB)

There will be some who are crazy enough to consider Blough this week knowing he's about to play the Bucs defense. I understand those reasons, too. These teams are No. 1 and No. 2 in total plays per game this year, as they both average over 132 total plays per game. The Bucs have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and are the target of wide receiver matchups every week. But why is that? Volume has been a big part of that, as the 7.18 yards per attempt the Bucs have allowed actually ranks as the 16th lowest mark in football. The reason they're such an attractive matchup is due to the fact you cannot run on them, and it's why we've seen them face a league-high 41.2 pass attempts per game. Blough has thrown the ball 38 and 40 times in his two starts, which have come against the Bears and Vikings, two of the tougher opponents for quarterbacks. The Bucs have started to play better over the last month, too. The combination of Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Nick Foles/Gardner Minshew, and Jacoby Brissett have combined to average just 6.26 yards per attempt in that time. Blough is fine for 2QB leagues, but I'm not willing to trust him in standard 1QB formats.

14 hours ago

28. Drew Lock DEN (at KC)

What a performance by Lock, who completed 22-of-27 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns against the Texans in just his second NFL start. He's looked a lot different than the quarterback who played horrendously through the preseason. He'll be on the road again this week, though it'll be a bit tougher of a task against the Chiefs. Many mistake them for a bad defense, but they're really not. Sure, they've allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, but looking a bit closer, that's a bit misleading. They've allowed just 6.94 yards per attempt (12th-lowest), a 4.12 percent touchdown-rate (13th-lowest), have generated a sack on 7.4 percent of dropbacks (12th-best), and have allowed just 0.41 fantasy points per actual pass attempt (T-10th-lowest). Volume has been key for quarterbacks, as has rushing totals. The Chiefs have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points on the ground to running backs, something Lock is not really known for, though he does have some mobility. Knowing he's thrown just 55 passes through two starts highlights the slow pace of the offense, as it's similar to what happened with Brandon Allen under center. Playing in Kansas City is also known to be one of the toughest places to play, so when you combine all that with the team implied total of just 17.0 points, you have someone who's just a low-end QB2.

3 days ago

29. Sam Darnold NYJ (at BAL)

Darnold always has the capacity to completely let you down, plus the Ravens are generally a matchup you want to avoid. Stay away this week.

7 hours ago

30. Andy Dalton CIN (vs . NE)

He's coming off a game in which he didn't look particularly good, and that was against a sub-500 Browns team. Since returning to the starting job, he's completed 44-of-75 passes for 505 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. That's not going to give fantasy owners anywhere near enough confidence to start him against a Patriots team that has allowed one quarterback to throw for more than one touchdown, and that was when most of the defense had the flu and didn't practice all week. Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson were the only two quarterbacks to post more than 14.3 fantasy points against them all year, as the 5.78 yards per attempt and 1.84 percent touchdown-rate is far too much to overcome. Now missing both A.J. Green and Auden Tate, Dalton is not even on the 2QB radar this week.

14 hours ago

31. Devlin Hodges PIT (vs . BUF)

He hasn't cost them games, which is really all that Mike Tomlin wants out of him. He's now started three games this season and has yet to eclipse 21 pass attempts in any of them. When you look at the Bills and the fact that they've allowed just 6.16 yards per attempt and 12 passing touchdowns through 13 games, you know this is a matchup to avoid, even in 2QB leagues.

12 hours ago

32. Dwayne Haskins WAS (vs . PHI)

We're now five starts into Haskins' professional career and he's thrown precisely three touchdowns. He's also yet to throw for more than 214 yards in a game. You're not going to be starting him any time soon.

13 hours ago

33. Taysom Hill NO (vs . IND)

34. Case Keenum WAS (vs . PHI)

35. Robert Griffin BAL (vs . NYJ)

36. Ryan Griffin TB (at DET)

37. Tyrod Taylor LAC (vs . MIN)

38. Nick Foles JAC (at OAK)

39. Matt Moore KC (vs . DEN)

40. Josh McCown PHI (at WAS)

41. Matt Schaub ATL (at SF)

42. Matt Barkley BUF (at PIT)

43. Teddy Bridgewater NO (vs . IND)

44. Blake Bortles LAR (at DAL)

45. Will Grier CAR (vs . SEA)

46. Geno Smith SEA (at CAR)

47. Mason Rudolph PIT (vs . BUF)

48. Chase Daniel CHI (at GB)

49. Kyle Sloter DET (vs . TB)

50. AJ McCarron HOU (at TEN)

51. Mike Glennon OAK (vs . JAC)

52. Brian Hoyer IND (at NO)

53. Brandon Allen DEN (at KC)

54. Josh Rosen MIA (at NYG)

55. Marcus Mariota TEN (vs . HOU)

56. Garrett Gilbert CLE (at ARI)

57. Cooper Rush DAL (vs . LAR)

58. DeShone Kizer OAK (vs . JAC)

59. Ryan Finley CIN (vs . NE)

60. David Fales NYJ (at BAL)

61. Brett Hundley ARI (vs . CLE)

62. Jarrett Stidham NE (at CIN)

63. Nick Mullens SF (vs . ATL)

64. Sean Mannion MIN (at LAC)

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Who Should I Start

Select two players to see who the experts would start this week.

1	Derrick Henry (TEN)	RB
2	Christian McCaffrey (CAR)	RB
3	Chris Carson (SEA)	RB
4	Dalvin Cook (MIN)	RB
5	Ezekiel Elliott (DAL)	RB
6	Nick Chubb (CLE)	RB
7	Saquon Barkley (NYG)	RB
8	Leonard Fournette (JAC)	RB
9	Aaron Jones (GB)	RB
10	DeAndre Hopkins (HOU)	WR
	View all Flex Rankings

11	Todd Gurley (LAR)	RB
12	Alvin Kamara (NO)	RB
13	Michael Thomas (NO)	WR
14	Tyreek Hill (KC)	WR
15	Mark Ingram (BAL)	RB
16	Melvin Gordon (LAC)	RB
17	Chris Godwin (TB)	WR
18	Phillip Lindsay (DEN)	RB
19	Davante Adams (GB)	WR
20	Julian Edelman (NE)	WR

21	Raheem Mostert (SF)	RB
22	D.J. Moore (CAR)	WR
23	Austin Ekeler (LAC)	RB
24	Julio Jones (ATL)	WR
25	Joe Mixon (CIN)	RB
26	George Kittle (SF)	TE
27	Kenny Golladay (DET)	WR
28	David Montgomery (CHI)	RB
29	Travis Kelce (KC)	TE
30	Devin Singletary (BUF)	RB

1	Ronald Acuna Jr. (ATL)	LF,CF
2	Nolan Arenado (COL)	3B
3	Mookie Betts (BOS)	CF,RF
4	J.D. Martinez (BOS)	LF,RF
5	Trevor Story (COL)	SS
6	Justin Verlander (HOU)	SP
7	Cody Bellinger (LAD)	1B,CF
8	Trea Turner (WSH)	SS
9	Alex Bregman (HOU)	3B,SS
10	Jacob deGrom (NYM)	SP
	View All Rankings

11	Max Scherzer (WSH)	SP
12	Francisco Lindor (CLE)	SS
13	Gerrit Cole (NYY)	SP
14	Freddie Freeman (ATL)	1B
15	Javier Baez (CHC)	2B,3B
16	Charlie Blackmon (COL)	CF
17	Aaron Judge (NYY)	RF,DH
18	Juan Soto (WSH)	LF
19	Anthony Rendon (LAA)	3B
20	Bryce Harper (PHI)	CF,RF

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