We have two Monday Night Football matchups with many fantasy championship hopes continuing or dying off after tonight. Hopefully, some big performances out of some superstar players helped make up for the duds on Thursday Night Football putting your team in a good position to win. As always, there were eye-catching performances around the NFL with many takeaways to discuss ahead of next week. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest takeaways from Week 15 as we prepare for the rest of the fantasy football playoffs.
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Week 15 Takeaways
Stock Up
Brian Thomas Jr is one of my biggest takeaways from Week 15 with his impressive performance on Sunday. Thomas had 10 catches for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns resulting in a 32.5-point performance. This marks his third straight game with at least 10 targets and 16.6 fantasy points while two of those games were with backup quarterback Mac Jones. In the final two weeks of the regular season, he has favorable matchups against the Raiders and Titans secondaries making him a must start despite the QB situation, BTJ is working his way into the top four rounds of fantasy football drafts next season and am intrigued to see how he finishes the season out.
After a week full of drama in Philadelphia, A.J. Brown had a monster performance when it mattered most with 8 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown resulting in 25 fantasy points. This marked the first time since Week 1 that Brown had more than 10 targets in a game and finished with his highest catch total of the season. Brown has always been an inconsistent performer in fantasy football, but this performance gives managers more confidence ahead of the final two matchups of the season. While I do not expect to see the volume he had this week over the next two weeks, matchups against the Commanders and Cowboys make him a lineup lock.
Sam LaPorta is starting to heat up after a slow start to the season. LaPorta has seen at least six targets in five straight games resulting in at least 10 points in four of those contests. He had his best game of the season due to the increased volume in the Lions passing attack finishing with 7 catches for 111 yards in the loss. There has been a direct correlation with LaPorta’s increased involvement within the offense since the injury to WR Kalif Raymond. Next Week, they take on the Bears who have allowed over 100 yards to two of the last three tight ends they have played making LaPorta a must start in Week 16.
Stock Down
It is hard to buy into any of the Kansas City Chiefs offensive playmakers for the rest of the 2024 season. This week the offense scored 21 points in large part due to their defense creating six turnovers resulting in favorable field position. Outside of the points off of turnovers the same problems remain for this offense hurting each player’s fantasy outlook. Travis Kelce only has two touchdowns this year, the running backs are averaging less than 4 yards per carry, the wide receivers have not had a 20-point performance since the Rashee Rice injury, and Patrick Mahomes is now hurt. With two tough matchups ahead against elite pass rushes, I fully expect this offense to continue their struggles ultimately making their fantasy options less appealing.
After a three week stretch of 25 catches for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns, Cade Otton has not been the same player over the last five weeks. In the last five weeks, Otton has 25 catches for 179 yards and 0 touchdown catches which correlates with the return of Mike Evans. Otton has only one performance in double digits during that stretch and is starting to become the team’s third option behind Jalen McMillian. McMillian in the last two games has 9 catches for 134 yards and 3 touchdowns while seeing at least 6 targets in both games. With Otton’s role in the offense decreasing, he can be avoided in your starting lineup for the rest of the season.
Joe Mixon is the last guy whose stock is trending down after Week 15. Mixon has been awesome this season with six games over 20 points despite missing a few weeks this season. In three of the last five weeks, Mixon has failed to rush for over 2 yards per carry resulting in pedestrian fantasy performances. The Texans have two of the toughest matchups for opposing running backs ahead in the Chiefs and Ravens that lowers his floor. Despite the tough matchups and struggles as of late, Mixon is still a lineup lock, but he might not have another massive performance up his sleeve,
Highest Scorers
After the disappointing performances we got on Thursday, the performances yesterday did not disappoint. We saw veterans like Davante Adams and Mike Evans combine for nearly 80 points. Adams is working his way into the wide receiver one category now with three straight great performances. We saw the shootout in Detroit lead to massive days for many players in fantasy football with four players making the top ten highest scores of the week. Josh Allen has wrapped up the MVP race and is playing the best football of his career. Allen will continue these big performances over the next two weeks against the Patriots and Jets. Below are the top ten scorers from Sunday’s action.
- Davante Adams WR (NYJ) 42.8 Points
- Josh Allen QB (BUF) 41.3 Points
- Jared Goff QB (DET) 41.1 Points
- Amon-Ra St. Brown WR (DET) 37.3 Points
- Mike Evans WR (TB) 36.9 Points
- Lamar Jackson QB (BAL) 36.1 Points
- Brian Thomas Jr. WR (JAX) 32.5 Points
- James Conner RB (ARI) 30.8 Points
- Aaron Rodgers QB (NYJ) 30.1 Points
- Jahmyr Gibbs RB (DET) 28.4 Points
Running Back Notes
The Broncos have typically rotated Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime at running back, with McLaughlin starting recently due to strong performances. However, none of the running backs had a standout game this week, as all averaged 3.0 yards per carry or less. Williams played the most in the first half, while McLaughlin and Estime saw limited snaps. After McLaughlin’s injury, Williams took over for a stretch, but Estime played a larger role in the fourth quarter. If McLaughlin misses time, it’s likely to be a two-man backfield between Williams and Estime.
The Chiefs are going with a clear RB committee for the rest of the season despite Isiah Pacheco now being fully healthy. Pacheco and Kareem Hunt had a 50/50 split in snaps played while Samaje Perine took every third down snap for the Chiefs. Hunt was the better back Sunday with 13 carries for 45 yards while Pacheco had 13 carries for 32 yards and has been inefficient since returning from injury. With a true three-headed committee forming in Kansas City, Isiah Pacheco should be avoided in your starting lineups. The Chiefs have the Texans and Steelers next which make it even harder for the running game to get going.
Kimani Vidal has fully taken over the Chargers backfield after slowly increasing his role in the last few weeks. After J.K. Dobbins went on injured reserve, Vidal emerged as the primary receiving back, and this week he saw the majority of the Chargers’ early down snaps. Despite the increased workload, he had limited production, rushing three times for nine yards and catching two passes for 13 yards. While he’s not a strong fantasy option against the Broncos in Week 16, Vidal could be worth considering for Week 17 against the Patriots if he continues to see more touches.
In a negative game script, Najee Harris played a career low 14 snaps while only seeing a 32.5% snap share against the Eagles. Jaylen Warren took on a larger role with the Steelers trailing for a majority of the day due to his role as the primary third down back. Warren’s increased role did not translate into fantasy production as he finished with 4 carries for 12 yards while only having one catch. Harris on the other hand finished with 14 rushing yards and only 1 catch. With games against the Ravens and the Chiefs ahead both running backs are no more than RB3s for the rest of the season.
Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot early in the third quarter of the game and was ruled out shortly after. He had been playing a larger role than usual, handling 75% of the Browns’ early down snaps. With Chubb sidelined, Jerome Ford took over as the primary running back for the rest of the game. Ford had a nice day finishing with 18.4 points against one of the top rush defenses in the NFL. Ford is now a top waiver wire target, though concerns remain about D’Onta Foreman, who could still be involved in the offense, potentially limiting Ford’s early down workload.
Pass Catcher Notes
Jalen Coker returned from a three-week absence due to a quadriceps injury, and his snaps increased significantly in the game following Xavier Legette’s early exit with a groin injury. Prior to his injury, Coker had seen a solid role, starting as the Panthers’ slot receiver and making notable contributions, including a 68-yard, 4-catch performance in Week 5. With both Coker and Adam Thielen active in this game, the Panthers opted to bench David Moore, who had been playing a significant number of snaps since Week 8. Coker had a big day in his return with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown. Thielen is still the guy to own in Carolina.
Over the past two weeks, Xavier Worthy has emerged as a key contributor for the Chiefs, surpassing DeAndre Hopkins, who has seen a reduced role with fewer routes run. Since Rashee Rice’s injury, the Chiefs have rotated several receivers, including Worthy, Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, and tight end Noah Gray, with Travis Kelce leading in routes run. Worthy has seen a notable increase in playing time, catching a career-high five passes in Week 13 and six in Week 14, while Hopkins has played fewer than 50% of the offensive snaps. With a strong matchup against the Texans next week, Worthy is a viable fantasy starter, while Hopkins, despite his target share, is not a must-start due to his limited route involvement.
Keon Coleman returned after missing four weeks due to a wrist injury, playing alongside a fully healthy and integrated Amari Cooper for the first time. Before his injury, Coleman had been a regular part of the Bills’ offense, typically playing over 75% of snaps. In the game, the Bills used a heavy rotation at wide receiver, with no player running routes on more than 64% of pass plays. Coleman played 27 snaps, catching a 64-yard pass, while Khalil Shakir saw the most targets. Amari Cooper on the other hand only had 32 snaps and finished with 0 targets. Coleman and Shakir are the wide receivers to own in Buffalo while Cooper is more of an afterthought in the pass game.
Romeo Doubs returned from a two-week concussion absence and immediately resumed his role as he finished first on the team in routes run while finishing second in snaps. He made an impact early with two touchdowns, including a highlight-reel catch, solidifying his status as the Packers most consistent pass catcher. Dontayvion Wicks, who had filled in during Doubs’ absence, reverted to a rotational role. Other than Doubs no Packers’ pass catcher finished with over 10 points. Jayden Reed saw more involvement than usual, running the ball four times and catching five passes. Despite the favorable matchups ahead it is hard to trust which Packers wide receiver is due for a big game.
Breakout Performances
Each Week I like to highlight three players whose stock is rising after a breakout performance. Jerome Ford is the first player as he had 84 rushing yards and a touchdown helping him score 18.4 fantasy points. With Nick Chubb out for the season he will take on a bigger role. DeVonta Smith had his best game of the season with 11 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown resulting in 28 points. A potentially increased role could make him a consistent starter the rest of the season. Brenton Strange filled in well for Evan Engram with 11 catches for 73 yards making him a valuable waiver wire addition for TE needy teams.
Injury Notes
There were multiple key injuries to superstar players on Sunday. David Montgomery suffered a knee injury that will cause him to miss the rest of the regular season and potentially the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain that could cost him a week or two. Geno Smith suffered a knee injury to which the extent is currently unknown. Alvin Kamara left the game early with an injury and his status is up in the air with the Saints’ being out of the playoff mix. A.J. Brown also left early and is a situation worth monitoring ahead of Week 15. Below are all of the main injuries sustained in Week 15.
David Montgomery RB (DET) Out for the Season
Geno Smith QB (SEA) Week to Week
Patrick Mahomes QB (KC) Week to Week
AJ Brown WR (PHI) Situation to Monitor
Alvin Kamara RB (NO) Week to Week
Nick Chubb RB (CLE) Out for the Season
Zach Ertz TE (WAS) Week to Week
Jaylen Waddle WR (MIA) Week to Week
Alec Pierce WR (IND) Week to Week
Jaleel McLaughlin RB (DEN) Week to Week
For all of the Week 15 takeaways in Fantasy Football check out this YouTube Video
