This weekly piece looks at the trends and makes recommendations for players who might be worth rostering or starting in our fantasy lineups. We will look primarily at how roles changed over the first 15 weeks of the season for a player on each team, and if that is signal or noise for the rest of the season.
More Week 16 Fantasy Football Fun!: | Sneaky Starts | Fantasy Football Waiver Wire | Weekly Sleepers & Streamers | Starts & Sits | Skrip’s Week Winners | NFL DFS | NFL Player Props | IDP Analysis | Bold Predictions | Survivor Picks | NFL Injury Report | Dynasty Trade Targets | Weekly Rankings | Dynasty Risers and Fallers
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NFL Week 15 Usage Trends
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Trey McBride in a Class By Himself
Trey McBride cemented his place atop all tight end rankings for the season with another 12 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He was the entire Cardinals’ offense, and it was like the Texans were fine to let him get his production while they absolutely shut down everyone else.
ATLANTA FALCONS
More Wild Kyle Pitts Stats
We know that Kyle Pitts set an all-time record for tight end points in a game last Thursday, but his last three games have been excellent. His 337 yards in those three contests make up 45.5% of his entire number for the season. His 30 targets in that span are 10 more than any other player on the Falcons.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Tight Ends Fail Despite Best Matchup Possible
Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely both completely busted against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that was far and away the worst against tight ends this season. Andrews caught two passes for 18 yards, while Isaiah Likely was shut out completely in this game and was not even targeted.
BUFFALO BILLS
Cook Back on Top
James Cook actually beat out Travis Etienne by 0.10 fantasy points in half-PPR scoring because of an incredible all-around game. Cook had 107 rushing yards and two scores and added another touchdown through the air. He now has at least 20 touches in four straight games and remains one of the league’s last workhorse running backs
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Tetairoa McMillan Fails in Big Spot
Tetairoa McMillan couldn’t get on the same page with Bryce Young on Sunday and caught just two passes for 25 yards. It was a disappointing result after scoring four touchdowns in the last three games. Last time out against the Saints, he managed five receptions for 60 yards, but Week 15 was a bust.
CHICAGO BEARS
Cole Kmet Replaced
Cole Kmet has been officially replaced by Colston Loveland in the tight end pecking order. We should have seen this coming after the 2025 draft, but it took this long for it to finally materialize. Kmet finished a game where the Bears scored 31 points with two catches for 28 yards.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Burrow Blames Himself
Joe Burrow told the media that he was one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL in this game, and he was right. There likely won’t be many Burrow managers advancing after his team put up zero points and Burrow threw 225 yards and two interceptions.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Quinshon Judkins Goes as Browns Go
Quinshon Judkins touched the ball 15 times on Sunday, but that resulted in just 17 yards as he rushed for 21 but caught negative four yards. It looks like we might have some Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde coming from Shedeur Sanders, so as the Browns’ offense goes, so likely will Judkins go as well.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Injuries Can’t Stop Javonte Williams
Javonte Williams left the Sunday Night Football game against Minnesota three different times with injuries, but he still was able to pile up 91 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He had more rushing attempts than all other Cowboys combined and appeared to be fine in the second half of the game. It will just be worth monitoring if something comes up on the injury report this week.
DENVER BRONCOS
Bo Nix Legacy Game
Bo Nix stared down the teeth of a nasty Green Bay defense and came away with more than 300 yards passing and four touchdowns to four different receivers as the Denver Broncos defeated the Packers at home. It was a very welcome sight for Nix managers as he hadn’t reached 20 fantasy points in any game since October 26.
DETROIT LIONS
Amon-Ra St. Brown GOAT Game
Amon-Ra St. Brown always has great games, but Sunday’s contest against the Rams was especially awesome. He set season-highs in targets (18), receptions (13), and receiving yards (164) while also catching two touchdowns in the Lions’ close loss to the LA Rams.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Christian Watson Injury Might Open Some Doors
Christian Watson was just starting to break out again when he suffered a chest injury on Sunday against Denver. He actually went to the hospital but was released to go home. Watson had five targets, but players like Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden would need to step up if Watson must miss time for another injury. Those two played 65% and 35% of snaps, respectively, in this game.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Nico Collins Produces in Crunch Time
Nico Collins opened the game against the Cardinals with a 57-yard touchdown and added another score later to finish with 85 yards and two scores. He was another in a long list of elite fantasy football wide receivers that did what we needed them to do in Week 15.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Philip Rivers and Ameer Abdullah Build a Connection
Philip Rivers showed his family and kids he coaches that he “wasn’t scared,” but now anyone who picked him up just to see if unc’s still got it can safely drop him. Rivers finished with 120 passing yards on 27 attempts. He did throw a touchdown and an interception, but his favorite play of the day was a check-down to Ameer Abdullah. Rivers or Riley Leonard might be up next, but there is no need for us to wait around to find out.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Travis Etienne Week-Winner
Travis Etienne was inefficient rushing the ball, being bottled up for 32 yards on 12 rush attempts. But Trevor Lawrence found him for three receptions for 73 yards, and all three went for touchdowns. You would think that the Jets would have caught on after the first two, but apparently not. This was Etienne’s best game of the season by about 10 points.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Kareem Hunt Losing Work
Kareem Hunt saw his carries decrease for the fourth straight week, and he grabbed the ball just six times in this game against the Chargers. Isaih Pacheco was up to 11 in this game, so it appears Hunt has lost his role unless the Chiefs get down near the goal line. But with Patrick Mahomes now out, those trips might be much less frequent.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Time to Move On From Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty has had 15 weeks to show us something, but it’s time to move on. He just turned in his seventh performance of the season under 10 fantasy points. He rushed nine times for 35 yards and had seven receiving yards. In the fantasy playoffs, we need players who are going to have a better than 50% chance of even reaching 10 fantasy points.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Week 15 Bust for Ladd McConkey
Ladd McConkey busted for fantasy managers, catching just two passes for 20 yards on the road. In what has become a concerning trend, McConkey now has three or fewer fantasy points in three of his last four games. He has been under 40 yards in all four games.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Puka Nacua Succeeds Despite Injuries
Puka Nacua reached 181 receiving yards on just nine receptions this week and poured in over 23 fantasy points without even catching a touchdown. He actually left the game against Detroit for a period of time, but came back to finish because he is one of the toughest SOBs in the league. In a league-winning season, he gave a week-winning performance.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Waller’s a Winner
Darren Waller led the Miami Dolphins in targets (eight), was one yard behind De’Von Achane for the receiving lead (66), and scored both of Miami’s touchdowns against Pittsburgh Monday night. They aren’t asking Tua Tagovailoa to throw a lot right now, but when they do, he is looking Waller’s way first right now.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Justin Jefferson Can’t Connect Again
Justin Jefferson has officially hit rock bottom. In a second game where McCarthy performed well, and the Vikings played a terrible defense (Dallas), Jefferson was still awful. Jefferson is above 50 yards receiving in just one of his last seven games, and he hasn’t scored since Week 9. For a player who was once one of the most explosive deep threats in fantasy football, it’s been difficult to watch games like Sunday, where he finishes with two catches for 22 yards.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The New England Patriots Finally Get Their RB Right
TreVeyon Henderson broke open two long touchdown runs to finish the day with 148 rushing yards and two scores, while also adding 13 receiving yards. Henderson out-carried Rhamondre Stevenson 14-6 in this game, so hopefully the reins have been turned completely over.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Devin Neal Injury Leaves Many Open Questions
Devin Neal was on his way to a nice game with 32 total yards and a touchdown before he suffered a hamstring injury that forced him out of the game against Carolina. He had been playing a workhorse role for Alvin Kamara, who is out injured, but now that is in jeopardy. Who would step up if Neal and Kamara are out is an open question right now.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Tyrone Tracy Takes the Lead
After splitting 50-50 with Devin Singletary in Week 14, Tyrone Tracy played in 76% of snaps against Washington. He was able to amass 97 yards and two touchdowns on 18 touches. Singletary only had six touches in the game.
NEW YORK JETS
Breece Hall Not Helping Fantasy Managers
Breece Hall had back-to-back great games at the end of November, but now has two duds to start December. In Week 15, Hall finished with 4.7 fantasy points with just 23 rushing yards and 14 receiving yards. His next two opponents (Saints and Patriots) are also tough run defenses.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Dallas Goedert Back-to-Back
Dallas Goedert built on his solid week in Week 14 and contributed seven catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders. Goedert has had these incredible ups and downs this season, but it appears right now he is on a heater and totally clicking with Jalen Hurts.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Kenneth Gainwell Looks Better Again
Jaylen Warren came into Monday night dealing with an illness, so maybe he should get a break. But once again, Kenneth Gainwell looked like the much better running back. He rushed 13 times for 80 yards and caught seven passes for 46 yards. Warren also had 15 touches, but you have to wonder if Gainwell gets more work as the Steelers try to lock up the AFC North in the coming weeks.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Brock Purdy Back to Form
Brock Purdy reached 295 passing yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another 44 yards with no turnovers against Tennessee. Purdy was a popular streamer in Week 15, and he did not disappoint. This was far and away the best game of his season, and it appears he has shaken off all the injury rust.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Sam Darnold Backtracks
Sam Darnold finished with an empty 271 yards passing on Sunday, as the Seahawks beat the Colts by kicking six field goals for an 18-16 win. Darnold had three passing touchdowns in Week 14, so he hopes to get back on track in Week 16 against the Rams on Thursday night, which could help decide the division.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Mike Evans Like He Never Left
In his first game back from an extended injury absence, Mike Evans played on only 55% of snaps (not great), but managed to see 12 targets and caught six balls for 132 yards. That’s simply incredible and shows the upside Evans has for the rest of the season. He was immediately back to being the number one option.
Tennessee Titans
Ultra-Efficient Tony Pollard
Despite playing only 52% of snaps, Tony Pollard had his second straight ultra-efficient game. He rushed 14 times for 104 yards and a touchdown, adding another eight yards through the air. He has had two of the best games of his career the last two weeks, and has 265 yards and three touchdowns in that span.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Ben Sinnott is No Zach Ertz
Ben Sinnott was a popular pickup to replace Zach Ertz for Week 15, but he caught just one pass for 36 yards. With Marcus Mariota under center against a weak Giants defense, he was not asked to throw much, leaving Sinnott and other Washington pass-catchers wanting more.
Data Sources: Pro Football Focus, NFL Next Gen Stats, Football Guys Snap Summary, FTN Air Yards, Pro Football Reference, Team Rankings, Fantasy Points Data Suite
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