Last week was rough for my starts and sits. The quarterback starts missed badly, and the sits both finished as QB1s. The running back starts had Tony Pollard and D’Andre Swift. Swift has been underwhelming the past weeks. Pollard finished as the RB18, which is not great but not bad by any means.
The running back sits featured the Los Angeles Chargers running backs and Chuba Hubbard. The Chargers’ running backs did nothing fantasy-relevant. Hubbard, though, is the best value in fantasy football this season. He will likely finish as an RB1, just like Raheem Mostert last season.
Week 15 Quarterback Starts
Brock Purdy vs. Los Angeles Rams
Starts and sits had Brock Purdy last week, but on the opposite side. This week, Purdy is on the starts side. Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers are in last place in the NFC West. They host the Los Angeles Rams, who beat the Buffalo Bills last week and scored over 40 points. Matthew Stafford is looking to win the division, and Purdy will have to match the future hall-of-fame quarterback’s passing play on Thursday night.
Purdy has had five QB1 finishes in his last seven games, and the Rams are allowing the seventh-most fantasy ppg to the position, making Purdy one of my favorite starts in starts and sits this week.
Jameis Winston vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Jameis Winston is one of the most loving guys in the NFL. Everyone wants to hear Winston and see him play. Other than that, he is facing a Kansas City Chiefs defense that is allowing the tenth most fantasy ppg to quarterbacks. In fact, the Chiefs have been 32nd in pressure rate, 29th in EPA per dropback, and 22nd in YPA allowed since Week 8 per @TheFantasyPT. Honestly speaking, Winston will throw an interception, but this defense has been bad enough to allow Winston for another QB1 performance in the first round of the fantasy football playoffs. His turnovers make it difficult at times, but Winston gets a spot in starts and sits for his ability to always be fantasy-relevant.
Quarterback Sits
Baker Mayfield @ Los Angeles Chargers
Baker Mayfield has been a QB1 all season long. He is the QB5 in ppg this season and having the best year of his career. The Chargers, on the other hand, are allowing the ninth fewest fantasy ppg to quarterbacks as well as 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Los Angeles’ defense is tough and well-coached. I expect Mayfield to have one of his lower outputs of the season. I roster him in a few leagues where I will be benching him.
Jayden Daniels @ New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints are well into next season, especially with Derek Carr suffering a concussion and a broken left hand in their Week 14 game. The Saints without Carr this season are 0-3 and have lost the three games by a combined 65 points. This is why I have Jayden Daniels as a sit in Week 15. I fear the Commanders will blow the Saints out and let the running game in Brian Robinson handle most of the load on Sunday. This can easily backfire as Daniels is liable to be well a part of the running game and find the end zone a few times, but “gotta risk it for the biscuit,” I always say.
Week 15 Running Back Starts
Rico Dowdle @ Carolina Panthers
Rico Dowdle has seen 18 or more carries in three consecutive weeks. His YPC has also increased every week in that period. He also has consecutive games of over 100 rushing yards. Dowdle is getting hot at the perfect time. My favorite start in all of starts and sits is this man, Rico Dowdle, who faces the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have given up the most fantasy ppg to running backs all season long and the most rushing touchdowns on the season.
Rhamondre Stevenson @ Arizona Cardinals
Rhamondre Stevenson has had 73 or more rushing yards in three of his last four games. Stevenson has had strong weeks this season, as there was a month span where he was a top-seven running back in three of those four games. Stevenson is the RB24 on the season, and that is fine with me. He is a running back who is more than capable of stringing together powerful RB1 weeks with his elite catching ability. The Cardinals are allowing the seventh most fantasy ppg to the position as well as the seventh most receptions. Start Stevenson with confidence to help your team advance.
Running Back Sits
James Cook @ Detroit Lions
James Cook has silenced the haters since he entered the NFL. A rocky rookie year is understandable. The following two years, including this season, saw him finish as the RB12 last season and is now the RB14 this season. The issue is the match-up he faces in Week 15. The Lions are the best team in football. Their defense allows 16.51 fantasy ppg, the second-fewest, ten total touchdowns to the position in 13 games, and the fewest receptions given up. Cook is my favorite amongst all sits in starts and sits. This is a Josh Allen game where he puts a rest on who the MVP of the NFL is this season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Backs @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy ppg to running backs. The most impressive thing to me is that they have allowed only four touchdowns to running backs all season. The downside is they have given up 65 receptions to the position. Not getting touchdowns for a running back hurts unless they are one of the elites that catch the football as well. Bucky Irving and Rachaad White do that, but it is too risky to play at the most crucial time of the season. I am fading the Buccaneers’ running backs and living with the result.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 15 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!