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There are three Week 15 NFL games scheduled for Saturday, December 16. The contest featured in this article closes out the three-game Saturday slate and could certainly have some serious impact on fantasy football matchups. Below you can read our matchups analysis article for the Broncos vs. Lions game to help make any fantasy lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS.
This matchup is perhaps the most intriguing of the three-game Saturday slate with a trending Broncos squad that's won six of their last seven games traveling to Detroit to face a 9-4 Lions squad that's looking to bounce back from an ugly loss to Chicago in Week 14. This one packs plenty of fantasy punch and could factor into determining who advances in your league's playoffs.
Read our fantasy football breakdowns for these games -- the recommended starts, sits, and matchups we love heading into the Week 15 matchups. Good luck, RotoBallers!
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions
Spread: Lions -4.5
Implied Total: Broncos (21.75) vs. Lions (26.25)
Pace: Broncos (25th) vs. Lions (15th)
Broncos Off. DVOA: 14.7% Pass (16th), -1.2% Rush (10th)
Lions Off. DVOA: 22.5% Pass (13th), 7.9% Rush (4th)
Broncos Def. DVOA: 10.4% Pass (20th), 7.2% Rush (31st)
Lions Def. DVOA: 9.8% Pass (19th), -15.4% Rush (7th)
WEATHER: This game is inside a dome.
Matchups We Love
Lions RBs
Last week against Chicago, the Lions struggled early before scoring 13 points in the second quarter to take the lead. One of those touchdowns came from Jahmyr Gibbs for the first time in three weeks. Unfortunately, that was it for their point total, allowing the Bears to score 18 straight and win by 15. It took David Montgomery off the field more, limiting him to just 35% of the snaps. He still totaled 85 scrimmage yards with three receptions, so it wasn't a complete bust.
Jahmyr Gibbs breaks a big gain 🔥
— LionsNationCP (@CpLions) December 10, 2023
The game script is key to determining which of these two will see more snaps. Against Denver, who has won six of their last seven, it's hard to know how this contest will unfold. We know the Lions are a better team at home, so the edge goes to Montgomery this week, but both are in the top 24.
Sam LaPorta (TE, DET)
After scorching the earth two weeks ago, LaPorta disappeared last week, much of which can be attributed to Jared Goff's poor outing. Fortunately, he still had six targets and now gets the Broncos, who are giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends in the past six weeks.
Courtland Sutton (WR, DEN)
Detroit's defense keeps bleeding points, especially against the pass. If there's one player you can count on to score, it's Sutton, who made another incredible touchdown catch. He and Russell Wilson have amazing chemistry right now. You know the deal, if he doesn't score, it won't be great, but it's hard to overlook him this week.
Matchups We Hate
None
Other Matchups
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, DET)
Despite 15 targets in the past two weeks, St. Brown has just five receptions for 70 yards. He did find the end zone two weeks ago, but it's a little concerning. Returning home is a positive, but facing off against the Broncos secondary, led by Patrick Surtain II, is a tough spot. Fortunately, they move him all around the formation, so he's still an elite wideout, but his catch rate (70% on the year) needs to rebound for him to hit those top-12 numbers. Josh Reynolds scored a touchdown this week and remains the most appealing flex option of this group, assuming he plays as he's listed as questionable.
"For us to only put up 13 points...that's a disappointment."#Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown explains how he uses the game versus the Bears as fuel. However, he believes that the team is ready for the challenge ahead, adding:
"We were excited comin' in this week to work." pic.twitter.com/sWVcC2juy3
— Matt Broder (@mattbro21) December 14, 2023
Jared Goff (QB, DET)
Road Goff is always risky. Road Goff with cold weather is even worse. In hindsight, it was predictable that he would fail to deliver, although he was underwhelming even by those standards. It sets up as a bounce-back spot at home, but it's a tougher matchup and his recent performances are hard to overlook. Their center Frank Ragnow was out last week, which also impacted Goff's comfort level. He's back at practice, so Goff slots in as a streamer.
Javonte Williams (RB, DEN)
Williams led the way against the Chargers with 20 total touches for nearly 100 yards and a touchdown. They led from wire to wire, enabling them to pound the rock 31 times. It also meant less Samaje Perine, who still had five targets. Williams is destined for a timeshare, but that's okay if the game script cooperates. The one area where the Lions are still slowing opponents down is on the ground, so he drops a few spots this week but remains a top-24 back. Additionally, if you presume the Lions will be winning, then betting on Perine to haul in four to six passes late makes sense.
Russell Wilson (QB, DEN)
Wilson is playing very well from an NFL perspective and above average from a fantasy lens. He's finished as the QB15 or better each of the last three weeks, making him a potential streamer considering the plethora of injuries and the matchup.
Russell Wilson: Cool under pressure 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/9OfzxtMII1
— PFF (@PFF) December 15, 2023
Notable Injuries
Greg Dulcich (leg) - OUT
Josh Reynolds (back) - Questionable
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