Welcome to the Week 15 Fantasy Football FAAB Guide. You made it to your league’s playoffs! What a moment this is for you! Soak it in. Tell people how cool you are. Just consider this: is it more difficult to win at season-long fantasy football or DFS? I had several debates about that question and I hope you will too. You will find obvious player opinions in this piece such as Dalvin Cook is a top-2 RB no matter what, but I will also give you useful, less-heralded takes like Rashaad Penny will be a top-10 RB in the fantasy playoffs. If you need Waiver Wire adds only, check out my Fantrax pal Colin McTamany’s Waiver Wire Rankings here.
More fantasy football fun for Week 15: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | D/ST Streamers
Week 15 Fantasy Football FAAB Guide
$1,000 is a common budget size for season-long leagues and that is the template for my FAAB bid percentages. The Week 15 Fantasy Football FAAB Guide attempts to cover all styles of fantasy scoring, but I write this article from a redraft and PPR point of view. All roster percentages for this week come from Fantrax and Yahoo fantasy football leagues.
NO MORE BYES!!!!!!!!!!!
QB ADDS
| PLAYER | FANTRAX ROSTER% | YAHOO ROSTER% | BID RANGE | MATCHUP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taysom Hill | 73% | 50% | 7-10% | @TB |
| Gardner Minshew | 18% | 2% | 4-7% | WAS |
| Mac Jones | 73% | 33% | 3-5% | @IND |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | 56% | 30% | 3-5% | ATL |
| Ben Roethlisberger | 64% | 22% | 2-4% | TEN |
| Justin Fields | 72% | 19% | 1-3% | MIN |
| Teddy Bridgewater | 61% | 25% | 1-3% | CIN |
| Zach Wilson | 53% | 7% | 1-3% | @MIA |
| Tyler Huntley | 6% | 0% | 1-3% | GB |
| Baker Mayfield | 65% | 29% | 1-3% | LV |
| Taylor Heinicke | 56% | 34% | 1-3% | @PHI |
Reference Points
- Mallet finger be damned! Taysom Hill was the QB I planned to play in my DFS lineup all week long. Then for some reason, I allowed roster percentages to freak me out. Turns out I blew it, because even though they came late in the game, Hill was able to rack up 2 rushing TDs at the Jets. He didn’t throw any TDs, but he didn’t throw any picks either. He is at Tompa Bay this weekend, so I reduced the FAAB I was willing to spend on him this week, but garbage time scoring could still benefit you in Week 15.
TAYSOM HILL RUN IT HOME!!!
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/JOHqxihnYL
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 12, 2021
- It’s Monday night when I write this, so it’s possible Gardner Minshew isn’t the starter this weekend against WFT. However, if he is, he definitely is worth the dough I am advising. He opens up more opportunities in the Eagle’s passing game than Jalen Hurts. That’s it.
- Jimmy Garoppolo has thrown at least 40 passes in a game three times this season. It doesn’t happen very often. However, over his last six games, Jimmy G. has thrown 11 TDs to just 3 INTs. His closing schedule includes home dates with ATL and HOU. The George Kittle revival show certainly adds to Garoppolo’s usefulness. I’m not saying you should bid on him, I’m just saying you could do much worse than him.
- I hope this is the last time I talk about Teddy Bridgewater. I should catch plenty of flack for even including him in this listing instead of the Leftovers section. Yet, he has so many exciting fantasy viable players on the offensive side of the ball, that we have to consider his services in 2 QB and superflex leagues. Give him a look in those types of leagues only or if you’re desperate for a replacement for injured QBs like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Taylor Heinicke. I really thought Courtland Sutton would bust out against my bozo Lions, but Teddy couldn’t make that happen.
RB ADDS
| PLAYER | FANTRAX ROSTER% | YAHOO ROSTER% | BID RANGE | MATCHUP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rashad Penny | 54% | 21% | 70-90% | @LAR |
| Cory Clement | 4% | 1% | 15-20% | @NYG |
| Ameer Abdullah | 37% | 11% | 2-4% | @BUF |
| Kenneth Gainwell | 65% | 13% | 2-4% | WAS |
| Derrick Gore | 7% | 2% | 1-3% | @LAC |
| Ronald Jones II | 69% | 21% | 1-3% | NO |
| Matt Breida | 36% | 18% | 1-3% | CAR |
Reference Points
- Good lord in heaven! Picking up RBs this week is a futile enterprise. Outside of Rashaad Penny and Cory Clement, there are hardly any rushing options to shore up your playoff roster. Clearly, Rashaad Penny is healthy now. He banged out 137 yards rushing paired with 2 TDs in New York this past Sunday. For those of you who aren’t diehard draft stans, Penny was a first-rounder of the Seahawks in the 2018 version of the draft. Injuries galore have hampered any consistency or quality production from Penny so far. In Week 14 though, Penny showed the rest of us why Seattle has been so patient with him. Penny is readily available in Yahoo leagues, so you have an opportunity to grab a starting RB on a team that has a healthy Russell Wilson and a schedule of LAR, CHI, and DET over the next three weeks. Spend away on Penny!
Rashaad Penny was GONE 🚀pic.twitter.com/q397vWMa6s
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) December 12, 2021
- The Cowboys found themselves in the curious position of having to lean on fifth-year veteran Cory Clement to beat Washington this past Sunday. Tony Pollard has a partially torn plantar fasciitis which caused him to miss the Cowboys last game. It seemed like he would be unavailable for awhile, but head coach Mike McCarthy says he is “feeling a lot better” about Pollard playing in Week 15 at the Giants. I am dubious of this claim because even if Pollard plays he won’t be as effective as Clement can be. You can forget Ezekiel Elliott too who is certainly not right at this time. That knee is a problem. So…Cory Clement is the best current option for a team that is destined for the playoffs. They need their RBs to be healthy which means resting Elliott and Clement for a while. This assumes that Dallas uses logical, sound reasoning when it comes to roster management. That is definitely not a guarantee. Still, fire up some FAAB bucks for Clement!
WR ADDS
| PLAYER | FANTRAX ROSTER% | YAHOO ROSTER% | BID RANGE | MATCHUP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamison Crowder | 76% | 37% | 3-5% | @MIA |
| Robby Anderson | 78% | 35% | 2-4% | @BUF |
| Gabriel Davis | 43% | 3% | 2-4% | CAR |
| Nico Collins | 40% | 1% | 2-4% | @JAX |
| Marquez Callaway | 63% | 25% | 2-4% | @TB |
| Allen Lazard | 42% | 4% | 1-3% | @BAL |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | 69% | 12% | 1-3% | ARI |
| K.J. Osborn | 50% | 38% | 1-3% | @CHI |
| Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | 37% | 28% | 1-3% | @PIT |
| Laquon Treadwell | 18% | 1% | 1-3% | HOU |
Reference Points
- Jets rookie WR Elijah Moore is on the IR for now which leaves him unable to contribute to the promising growth of Zach Wilson. Have no fear though, as Jamison Crowder is here to save the day! Crowder started the season injured, but has six targets each over his last two games. The main draw here is the schedule The next two games for Crowder are against MIA and JAX. That’s promising, even if Zach Wilson’s growth isn’t.
- Robby Anderson has been a major bummer this year. He started Week 1 with a 57-yard TD reception. Since then, it’s been a real buzzkill when it comes to squeezing fantasy points out of him. His 7 catches for 84 yards and a TD last Sunday was by far his best output of the season. He will be catching passes from rotating QBs according to head coach Matt Rhule. Take a flier on Anderson if you’re feeling frisky.
- I loved Gabriel Davis coming into 2021, but he was mostly stuck at the 4th WR position on the depth chart this season behind Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders. He has a two-game scoring streak going and he had a season-high 8 targets in the loss at Tompa Bay. Josh Allen has a foot sprain now, but he is expected to play at home against CAR Sunday. Davis is worthy of your FAAB bucks as a reserve WR with potential.
Josh Allen finds Gabriel Davis and Buffalo makes it a three point game 👀#BillsMafia
— TWSN (@TWSN___) December 13, 2021
- Another fun, young WR named K.J. Osborn also has a two-game scoring streak going. His value though is tied to Adam Thielen. If Thielen is out next Monday night, it’s party time. If he can go, Osborn gets fewer targets. My experience tells me Thielen will need another week. Sprained ankles are a big deal for WRs. Therefore, our math tells us we should pick up Osborn as a WR3 with relative confidence.
TE ADDS
| PLAYER | FANTRAX ROSTER% | YAHOO ROSTER% | BID RANGE | MATCHUP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Seals-Jones | 28% | 20% | 3-5% | @PHI |
| Cole Kmet | 58% | 27% | 2-4% | MIN |
| Albert Okwuegbunam | 19% | 1% | 2-4% | CIN |
| Brevin Jordan | 15% | 0% | 2-4% | @JAX |
| Ty Conklin | 61% | 47% | 1-3% | @CHI |
| Nick Vannett | 3% | 0% | 1-3% | @TB |
| Josiah Deguara | 7% | 0% | 1-3% | @BAL |
| Gerald Everett | 63% | 31% | 1-3% | @LAR |
| Evan Engram | 79% | 33% | 1-3% | DAL |
| James O'Shaughnessy | 14% | 1% | 1-3% | HOU |
Reference Points
- It’s too bad more TEs can’t be like George Kittle. We’ll just have to hang in there with Ricky Seals-Jones. He’s coming back from a hip injury, but he’s only 26 and he has seen his fair share of targets when he plays. Don’t let Week 14 make you hesitant. Even if Kyle Allen starts this weekend for WFT, you can start Seals-Jones with your head held high.
- Noah Fant is the big name TE in Denver, but Albert Okwuegbunam is the more talented player. He saw 56% of the Bronco’s snaps Sunday. That doesn’t matter though, because Okwuegbunam is a popular choice in the red zone for Teddy Two Gloves. It was garbage time, but check out his athletic TD effort below. I expect the playing time to still be adequate enough for you to start Albert in the fantasy playoffs. TEs that maximize their snaps are rare. Okwuegbunam caught all five of his targets against my bozo Lions Sunday and I expect more consistent targets going forward. Add this solid TE on the cheap.
TOUCHDOWN, @AOkwuegbunam!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/SPdOzMkOnK
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 12, 2021
- Texan TE Brevin Jordan scored a TD in the loss to the Seahawks over the weekend. With Davis Mills in the starting lineup, Jordan saw a season-high 7 targets. Houston stinks and will be trailing often ROS. Jordan has 12 team league appeal. This is the last week to get him cheap.
The Leftovers
- Week 14 still leaves us with more questions to ponder. Can Dalvin Cook dominate with a shoulder injury through the rest of the fantasy playoffs? How many more 100-yard receiving games will Hunter Renfrow have this season? How serious is the sprained foot Josh Allen is dealing with and can he not only play through it but put up top-5 QB outputs week to week?
- The following players with uncertain roles are all worth mentioning, just in smaller doses. Davis Mills has shown flashes of potential in his limited outings this season for the Texans and he should get the chance to show off, even more, this weekend against the Jaguars. Jalen Guyton and Josh Palmer both performed admirably without Keenan Allen in the lineup last Sunday against the Giants, but Allen is expected back for the short week Thursday night against division rival KC. Jakeem Grant of the Bears had one catch in the loss at Lambeau in Week 14, but he made it count as he took it 46 yards to the house. Geoff Swaim and Anthony Firkser both performed evenly this past weekend while A.J. Brown remains out of the lineup and Julio Jones did very little to warrant more targets. Cam Newton will share time at QB with Phillip Walker, but Newton might be worth starting in two QB or superflex leagues because he can rack up the rushing TDs whenever the Panthers get close to the end zone.
| PLAYER | FANTRAX ROSTER% | YAHOO ROSTER% | BID RANGE | MATCHUP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Mills | 22% | 2% | 2% or less | @JAX |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling | 66% | 51% | 2% or less | @BAL |
| Josh Palmer | 29% | 2% | 1% or less | KC |
| Tre'Quan Smith | 54% | 10% | 1% or less | @TB |
| Jalen Guyton | 35% | 15% | 1% or less | KC |
| D'Wayne Eskridge | 25% | 0% | 1% or less | @LAR |
| Foster Moreau | 30% | 21% | 1% or less | @CLE |
| Jakeem Grant | 6% | 1% | 1% or less | MIN |
| Cam Newton | 58% | 29% | 1% or less | @BUF |
| Geoff Swaim | 8% | 0% | 1% or less | @PIT |
| Josh Reynolds | 44% | 8% | 1% or less | ARI |
| Kyle Allen | 3% | 0% | 1% or less | @PHI |
| Cameron Brate | 11% | 3% | 1% or less | NO |
| Adam Humphries | 12% | 0% | 1% or less | @PHI |
| C.J. Uzomah | 44% | 14% | 1% or less | @DEN |
| Phillip Walker | 7% | 0% | 1% or less | @BUF |
| Anthony Firkser | 28% | 5% | 1% or less | @PIT |
| Jared Goff | 46% | 7% | 1% or less | ARI |
| Ryan Griffin | 4% | 1% | 1% or less | @MIA |
Post Script
The Week 15 Fantasy Football FAAB Guide is here to serve you. If you have any questions related to your fantasy football FAAB selections, please DM me on Twitter @mjgovier any time. You can also read my ROS Rankings and listen to my Fantrax podcast The Fantasy Football POV which absolutely has the most information for your buck (it’s free). New episodes come out every Thursday morning. However you absorb your preferred fantasy football content, FantraxHQ has you covered. Thanks for stopping by. Now go splurge with those FAAB bucks!
Week 15 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex
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