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10 Lineup Busts and Avoids for Week 15

The playoffs are in full swing now. How's it going? I'm heading into a bitter, two week showdown in one of my leagues against the guy who lets me watch RedZone on his new television every Sunday and I'm actually excited about it. As I close in on the end of my first year at Rotoballer, I've realized that writing for this site hasn't just given me a place to share my fantasy sports knowledge with y'all--it's also helped me become better at fantasy football. I'm second guessing myself less. I'm playing the match-ups more efficiently. Writing this column and reading the great work on this site has been a tremendous lifesaver, especially when I drafted David Johnson and Greg Olsen in the league I'm talking about.

But enough about how Rotoballer is great and all the writers on this site have taught me loads of great fantasy tips! We can gush about this once Week 17 arrives, unless you're still playing in Week 17. Right now, you want to know things that'll help you in the playoffs. I've got you covered!

Below are ten lineup busts and avoids for Week 15 of NFL action.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!

 

Top 10 Busts - NFL Week 15

Andy Dalton (Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals)

The Bengals are on the road against the Vikings this week, which is not a good thing for Andy Dalton. Minnesota is fifth-best against opposing fantasy quarterbacks. Dalton is an inconsistent quarterback who went through a surprisingly long stretch without an interception before throwing one against the Bears last week. By the way, let's talk real quick about how bad Dalton was last week: 14-for-29, 141 yards, a touchdown, and the aforementioned interception. Am I supposed to trust him this week, in the fantasy playoffs, on the road? Nope.

Kirk Cousins (Quarterback, Washington Redskins)

Kirk Cousins has struggled the past two weeks, culminating in a 151 yard performance against the Chargers in Week 14. After two big games against Minnesota and New Orleans, it looked like Cousins was turning a corner as a top fantasy option, but he's looked pretty mediocre in the three games since. The Cardinals aren't a great pass defense, but they do have an interception in four straight games and haven't allowed a passing touchdown in two of their past three games. In shallower formats, there are better options.

Jamaal Williams (Running Back, Green Bay Packers)

Aaron Rodgers is back! The Packers will likely end up passing the ball more, which limits the number of touches that Williams will get, though he has shown that he can be active in the passing game. The Panthers have a strong run defense, so Williams is lower for me than a lot of other running backs. He's been on a hot streak, but signs point to that streak potentially ending this week.

Doug Martin (Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

You aren't giving Martin another chance, right? Sure, he found the end zone last week, but he was so ineffective that he was benched for Peyton Barber in the second half. Martin's a bust this week because he's not going to touch the ball enough to do anything. Expect Barber to see the majority of the snaps out of the back field.

Carlos Hyde (Running Back, San Francisco 49ers)

Hyde's had a rollercoaster season, looking like an above-average running back at times and then looking like he was about to get replaced by Matt Breida at other times. The 49ers take on the surprisingly-good run defense of the Tennessee Titans this week, though, who have been limiting opposing running backs to 73.8 yards-per-game. Hyde's not a great choice in Week 15.

Robby Anderson (Wide Receiver, New York Jets)

There's been a lot to like about Anderson in 2017. Starting in Week 7, Anderson either had 100 receiving yards or found the end zone in every game, until that streak stopped with last week's three catch, 27 yard performance against the Broncos. Now, the Jets have a road match-up with the Saints and star rookie corner Marshon Lattimore, and they'll be starting Bryce Petty at quarterback. It's entirely possible that Petty leans on Anderson and forces him the ball, but it's just as likely--if not more so--that Anderson ends up with something like four catches for 30 yards. Avoid him.

DeAndre Hopkins (Wide Receiver, Houston Texans)

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't like Hopkins this week, despite that the fact that he has accounted for 158 percent (OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT) of Houston's offense this season. Hopkins has been the definition of a high floor guy because he sees double-digit targets more often than not (in fact, he's only seen a single-digit number of targets in three games this year!). But Houston is moving to its third starting quarterback of the season, T.J. Yates, and the Texans aren't lucky enough to be playing the one teams Yates is capable of beating, the Cincinnati Bengals. Nope, the Texans get the league's top defense this week in the Jacksonville Jaguars. I'd be worried about Hopkins because we don't know what to expect from Yates in this one. You can't sit him because he gets the volume needed to put up a strong stat line even in a terrible match-up, but you should temper your expectations.

Amari Cooper (Wide Receiver, Oakland Raiders)

It's officially been a lost season for Cooper after a combination of ineffectiveness and injury have helped him have exactly one good game. Even when Cooper found the end zone in consecutive weeks (Week 11 against New England and Week 12 against Denver), there was a caveat--just three catches for 28 yards against the Patriots, and a concussion against the Broncos. Cooper reaggregated his ankle injury last week and likely isn't at full strength for this game against the Cowboys. Cooper hasn't been effective this season when playing at anything less than his peak.

Greg Olsen (Tight End, Carolina Panthers)

Yes, he's back. No, he isn't back. Olsen was targeted just once against the Vikings, finishing with a stat line full of zeroes. Things aren't likely to get better against a Packers squad that allows the second-least fantasy points to tight ends. At this point, we don't know what to expect from Olsen, and it's highly likely that Olsen owners have someone else they trust more on their roster already. Go with that other person.

Cameron Brate (Tight End, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Maybe you thought Brate was back after he scored twice against the Packers back in Week 13, but he followed that up with just one catch (on one target) in Week 14. The Falcons are a top ten defense against tight ends. O.J. Howard has more targets than Brate in two of the last three games and should continue to see his role expand with the Buccaneers out of contention and that whole tight end of the future thing he has going on.

 

More Week 15 Lineup Prep




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Parker Washington

Set to Play "Most Important Role" of His Career in Jaguars Offense
Elly De La Cruz

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Tyler Reddick

Is One of the Top Favorites to Win at Nashville
Kyle Larson

May Continue his Top-10 Consistency at Nashville this week
Christopher Bell

Is One of the Top Competitors for the Win at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Is A Must Start for Nashville DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

has Plenty of Upside for Nashville DFS Lineups
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Nashville Lineups?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dynasty Value May Have Peaked in 2025
Carson Hocevar

Is Likely to have Another Solid Result at Nashville
Tyler Shough

Should Dynasty Managers Consider Selling High on Tyler Shough?
NASCAR

Should Fantasy Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Nashville?
Garrett Wilson

Dynasty Upside Remains High Despite Questionable Offensive Environment in New York
Chris Buescher

Is A Decent All-Around DFS Option for Nashville Lineups
Daniel Suarez

is Likely to Drop Positions during the Cracker Barrel 400
Kenneth Gainwell

Carries Dynasty Sell-High Appeal After Breakout 2025 Campaign
Emeka Egbuka

Undervalued in Dynasty Formats After Underwhelming Close to 2025?
Trey Benson

a Dynasty Hold Despite Unfavorable Situation
Omar Cooper Jr.

a Long-Term Investment in the First Round of Rookie Drafts
Colston Loveland

Just How High is Colston Loveland's Dynasty Ceiling?
Garrett Crochet

Suffers Setback, Likely to Undergo MRI for Lat Tightness
Zay Flowers

A New-Look Offense in Baltimore Could Impact Zay Flowers' Dynasty Value
LeQuint Allen Jr.

a Dynasty Dart Throw with a Potential Path to Upside
Denny Hamlin

Could Denny Hamlin Dominate at Nashville?
Ryan Blaney

Is a DFS Tournament Option at Nashville
Ty Gibbs

Don't Overlook Ty Gibbs at Nashville
Joey Logano

Could Show Life at Nashville
Ross Chastain

Needs a Good Run at Nashville
Shedeur Sanders

Falling Behind in Quarterback Competition?
Isaiah Davis

Is Isaiah Davis the More Valuable Jets Handcuff?
Trey McBride

a Coveted Dynasty Cornerstone
Chet Holmgren

Fails to Step Up in the Season Finale
Brock Purdy

Still Not Valued as a Dynasty QB1
Cason Wallace

Ends Postseason with Strong Showing
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Caps MVP Season with Game 7 Exit
Justin Jefferson

an Obvious Bounce-Back Candidate
Stephon Castle

Continues Postseason Run with 16 Points
Julian Champagnie

Shines in Series-Clinching Win
De'Aaron Fox

Provides Secondary Punch in Game 7 Triumph
Victor Wembanyama

Earns Conference Finals MVP in Spurs' Game 7 Win
J.J. McCarthy

Holding J.J. McCarthy in Dynasty Leagues Will Require Patience
Harold Fannin Jr.

Does Harold Fannin Jr. Have Top-Three Upside in Dynasty Leagues?
Jaylen Waddle

the Top Receiver to Roster in Denver?
Josh Downs

Climbing Up the Dynasty Rankings with Bigger Role Ahead?
Jalen McMillan

Has Been 'Slightly Better' Than Teammate During OTAs
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Warriors Prioritize Depth Around Returning Steve Kerr
Donovan Mitchell

Remains Cleveland's Top Priority
Adou Thiero

Remains a Lakers Development Project
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76ers Hire Mike Gansey as President of Basketball Operations
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Chicago Bulls Explore Kevin Young as Coaching Candidate
Kyrie Irving

Reports He's Nearing Full Strength in ACL Recovery
Lane Hutson

Posts a Power-Play Assist in Game 5 Loss
Cole Caufield

Nets a Power-Play Goal in Season-Ending Loss
Seth Jarvis

Closes Out East Finals With Multi-Point Game
Logan Stankoven

Notches Three Points in Big Game 5 Win
Taylor Hall

Racks Up Three Points in Series-Clinching Win
Frederik Andersen

Remains Stellar as Hurricanes Clinch Finals Berth
Jacob Gonzalez

is Heading to the Big Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Mitchell Robinson

Plans to Play in Game 1 After Finger Surgery
Ajay Mitchell

Ruled Out for Game 7
Jalen Williams

Unavailable in Decisive Game 7
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Magic Finalizing Hire of Sean Sweeney as Head Coach
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez is Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Deiveson Figueiredo

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Yadong Song Returns At UFC Macau
Alonzo Menifield

An Underdog At UFC Macau
Zhang Mingyang

Set For UFC Macau Co-Main Event
Tallison Teixeira

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Sergei Pavlovich

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Cameron Smotherman

Looks To Bounce Back
Kai Asakura

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
CFB

Faizon Brandon In Position to Start Week 1
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Dane Weber Commits to Cal
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Joey McGuire Attempts to Add Texas to Schedule
CFB

Mike Leach on 2027 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot
CFB

Maryland, Baylor Schedule Home-and-Home
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Taron Dickens Decommits From North Carolina
Jalen Williams

Limited in Game 6 Return
Jared McCain

Provides Bench Spark in Game 6 Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Posts Lowest-Scoring Night of His MVP Season
De'Aaron Fox

Struggles From the Field Thursday
MLB

MLB Proposes Hard Salary Cap as Part of Next CBA
Kenley Jansen

Tigers Place Kenley Jansen on Injured List With Pelvic Inflammation
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Strain
MON

Lane Hutson Struggles in Game 4 Loss
CAR

Logan Stankoven Nets Eighth Postseason Goal
CAR

Sebastian Aho Pots Game-Winner on Power Play
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Tallies Two Helpers in Impressive Road Win
CAR

Shayne Gostisbehere Records Two Assists in Game 4 Win
CAR

Frederik Andersen Establishes Hurricanes New Postseason Shutout Record
Yordan Alvarez

Continues Homer Barrage With Two More Long Balls on Wednesday
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Makes History With Seven More Shutout Innings Against Padres
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Lifted From Wednesday's Game Early With Hamstring Strain
Kenley Jansen

Exits Relief Appearance on Wednesday With Groin Injury
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez Pulled Early on Wednesday With Hamstring Issue
CFB

Drew Mestemaker a Top Big 12 Quarterback Right Away?
PGA

Sungjae Im Remains Boom-or-Bust at Colonial
PGA

Michael Thorbjornsen Trending in Wrong Direction Entering Colonial
Russell Henley

a Top Option at Colonial
Harry Hall

Hoping Putter Carries Him at Colonial
Rickie Fowler

Looks to Regain Momentum at Colonial
Pierceson Coody

Looking to Stay Hot at Colonial
Martin Necas

Collects an Assist in Game 4 Loss to Golden Knights
Gabriel Landeskog

Scores Only Avalanche Goal in Season-Ending Loss
Carter Hart

Finishes Series-Clincher With 20 Saves
Dylan Coghlan

Continues Unlikely Success Story
Cole Smith

Scores Series-Clincher Tuesday Night
Mark Stone

Nets Another Goal as Golden Knights Finish Off Avalanche
Ludvig Aberg

Looking to Exchange Momentum for a Victory in Fort Worth
Stephan Jaeger

Trending Upward as PGA Heads to Fort Worth
Max Homa

Comes Off Awful Putting Performance at PGA Championship
Tony Finau

Faces Different Test at the Colonial
Robert MacIntyre

Seeks Better Beginning in Fort Worth
Tom Hoge

Ups and Downs Could Continue at Colonial
Brian Harman

Not Having the Best Golf Season in 2026
Austin Eckroat

Struggling Too Often Heading to Charles Schwab Challenge
Zach Bauchou

Tries to Keep Momentum Rolling at Colonial
Keegan Bradley

Looking to Rebound at Colonial
Claude Giroux

Planning to Return for 20th NHL Campaign
Carter Hart

Aiming for Sixth Consecutive Win Tuesday
Evgeni Malkin

Inks New One-Year Deal With Penguins
Ben Griffin

Looking to Repeat This Week at Colonial
Rasmus Hojgaard

a Player to Avoid at Charles Schwab Challenge
Hideki Matsuyama

Needs Solid Driving Week at Charles Schwab Challenge
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of Charles Schwab Challenge
Akshay Bhatia

Lacking Driving Prowess Needed at Colonial Country Club
CFB

DJ Lagway Looking to Rebound at Baylor
CFB

Josh Hoover Tasked With Leading Indiana Back to the Playoffs
CFB

Braylon Staley the Next 1,000-Yard Tennessee Receiver?
CFB

Ahmad Hardy's Return Timeline Remains Unclear
Gage Jump

Athletics to Promote Top Pitching Prospect Gage Jump to Major Leagues
RANKINGS
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1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

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