Week 15 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

The fantasy football playoffs are here and there are no more bye weeks! What could be better? Well, I suppose perfect health for all our players, but such is life in the NFL. If you are in your league’s playoffs (and how could you not be if you have read this column for the last 14 weeks?), take a brief moment to revel in your accomplishments. OK, now on to the task at hand. Below are my Week 15 Flex rankings, which incorporate well over 300 players. As you can see, I ranked most players with injury issues as if they are playing this week. Keep that in mind when going through your lineup decisions.

Though all 32 teams are in action this week, there are still some wrinkles that can cause consternation for fantasy managers. Week 15 features three games that will be played on Saturday. That means three more unique lock times throughout the week and may add a layer of strategy to this week’s proceedings. The results of Saturday’s games may affect how you deploy your players on Sunday and Monday. None of that will change how I rank a player, but it may be something to think about when dissecting your matchup. In addition to injury concerns, there are several NFL locales where weather may be a factor. As of now, it looks like we will mostly be in the clear, save for some cold temperatures. But make sure you cross your T’s and dot your I’s before clicking that submit button.

Running Back Notes

Seahawks running back Ken Walker was a godsend for fantasy managers during the middle of the season. Over six weeks beginning in Week 5, Walker was the overall RB2 in half-PPR leagues. During that timeframe, he was a top-24 fantasy back in all six weeks, including a trio of top-eight weekly finishes. Since then, however, things have not gone nearly as well for Walker. He struggled in Week 12 and then was forced out of the following game early with an ankle injury. Walker missed last week’s game but is reportedly good to go for Week 15. That is the good news. The bad news is that Seattle is on a short week and faces a San Francisco 49ers defense that is murder on the run game. They lead the NFL in rushing yards allowed and yards per carry allowed to opposing running backs this season.

All of these circumstances leave fantasy managers in a tough spot. I am generally in the “start your studs” camp when it comes to the fantasy football playoffs. The last thing you want is to lose your matchup because one of your big guns went off while on your bench. But you also do not want to start a running back who is playing at less than 100 percent and faces quite literally the most difficult matchup there is at his position. And you do not want to start an underperforming player on a Thursday night. Ultimately the decision on whether or not to start Walker depends on your other options. I think he is right at the cusp of being a Flex-worthy play for me this week. I have him ranked 30th among running backs.

Rhamondre Stevenson is another running back who may be at less than full strength heading into Week 15. Stevenson left Monday night’s victory prematurely due to an ankle injury. New England is also facing a short week, but at least we can afford to wait until Sunday before deciding on whether to start him. If the Patriots clear him, the matchup Stevenson faces is one of the best in the league. The Las Vegas Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing backs this year. They have also given up the most receiving yards to running backs. That is important because Stevenson trails only Austin Ekeler and Christian McCaffrey in terms of receptions at the running back position. I currently have Stevenson as my RB19, and will likely bump him up a few spots in the coming days if the news is positive regarding his ankle issue.

Wide Receiver Notes

As I alluded to at the top, there are several prominent players who I have ranked rather optimistically below. That is especially true at the wide receiver position. Some of the names on this list include Tee Higgins, Courtland Sutton, Jakobi Meyers, Brandin Cooks, Treylon Burks, and Nico Collins. Higgins and Meyers were limited participants in practice on Wednesday, while the rest were DNPs. Higgins is the only one in this group whom I would consider a must-start if he plays on Sunday. The others are currently in the dreaded WR4 range in 12-team leagues. That makes them borderline Week 15 Flex plays depending on the other wideouts on your roster.

One of those options could be Josh Palmer of the Los Angeles Chargers. Palmer has been a WR1 over the past six weeks. However, that run directly coincided with the absence of Mike Williams. Keenan Allen also missed two games during that stretch. With both of their stud wide receivers back in the fold, Palmer was relegated to an ancillary role. Having said that, such a role on the Chargers is arguably better than a more prominent role on a lesser team. Palmer was the overall WR43 a week ago which is exactly where I have him ranked this week. The Chargers face the Tennessee Titans, who are a well-known pass funnel defense. Palmer should have opportunities to make plays with the defense keyed in on Allen and Williams. I think Palmer is a viable Week 15 Flex considering the questionable status of several wideouts in that range.

Tight End Notes

Two of the top tight ends could be back in the mix as early as this coming Sunday. Both Dallas Goedert and Darren Waller have been designated to return from injured reserve by their respective teams. Goedert has been out since Week 10, while Waller has been out for over two months. I usually want no part of starting a player who is returning from a lengthy absence due to injury. Yet, we all know what a black hole the tight end position continues to be. If you have either Goedert or Waller and have been struggling to find a suitable streamer, I can understand the desire to just plug your once-and-future starter back in there and live with the results.

Week 15 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

More Week 15 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex Rankings