Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 15 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Rico Dowdle, Zach Charbonnet, Calvin Ridley, Tua Tagovailoa

December 14, 2024

Scott Engel supplies you with fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 15 (2024). He features key NFL players to start when faced with tight Week 15 fantasy football lineup decisions.

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights are an essential weekly feature on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, he focuses on players to choose as starting options when you are dealing with tight lineup decisions.

The lineup picks included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter the promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount and access his player rankings in all formats. Plus, you will gain access to a deep bucket of tools and analysis for fantasy football playoff usage.

When considering the players included here for lineup usage, also consult our staff fantasy football rankings to see if they are ranked higher or lower than your other possible starters. The skill position analysis is tied to Scott’s Week 15 PPR rankings.

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 15

Update: I am always looking to improve the Lineup Rankings, and have started to progressively incorporate more research into the process. Vegas odds are now strongly considered along with more data from 3rd party sources. The rankings are now optimized for even better possible results for the fantasy playoffs.

Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys

Dowdle is a top-10 fantasy running back for Week 15 against the Panthers. He can boost your team into the next round of the playoffs. Dallas’ lead RB is coming off two 100-yard games and no team allows more Fantasy Points Per Game to RBs than the Panthers.

Dowdle is running hard. breaking tackles and dodging defenders. Many fantasy analysts criticize him for inflated production based on matchups, but this is another good draw for him. To be considered a quality runner at all, a player must take advantage of exploitable matchups.  Dowdle gets a prime opponent for fantasy playoff purposes.

This week, I have Dowdle ranked ahead of Alvin Kamara, Chuba Hubbard, James Conner, and Jonathan Taylor.

Breece Hall, New York Jets

Breece Hall has toyed with the emotions of fantasy players for the last three weeks, and over the last two, he appeared unlikely to play early on and then the outlook changed by the weekend. The Jets backfield will be unpredictable in terms of touches, but the potential for quality production is there for any New York RB against the Jaguars, who field the worst defense in football.

I don’t rank Hall in my top 25 RBs, because his workload will be too uncertain. Braelon Allen may have the best shot at a TD, while Isaiah Davis is the best option as a deeper flex play for receptions.

This is the type of maddening situation where you cannot start any Jets RB comfortably at all. But one of the three RBs, likely Allen or Davis, might have some statistical promise in this matchup, so if you want to shoot for a bit of upside with no floor, flex Allen or Davis.

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

Zach Charbonnet in 3 games without Kenneth Walker 😳

23 touches/game
123 total yards/game
5 total TDs
24.8 fantasy points/game pic.twitter.com/iOdjnDeX6d

— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) December 13, 2024

The Seahawks RB is obviously a top starting option for Week 15, yet for some fantasy players, the question is, who to start him over? Those who had Charbonnet stashed on their bench or added him last week might be faced with the type of decision where they may have to sit an RB that they usually do not.

This week, Charbonnet is sixth in my RB rankings. I am just not reacting to last week when making such a strong recommendation. He is ranked just ahead of Joe Mixon, Josh Jacobs, and Chase Brown. The Seattle offensive line played its best game of the season last week, and Charbonnet is the type of RB who can perform better with regular touches.

He is versatile and is up to seven rushing TDs despite sharing touches for most of the season. Lock him in as an RB1. Green Bay ranks 22^nd in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs.

More NFL Week 15 Running Back Insights

• James Cook scored less than five fantasy points in Week 15. Forget last week. Cook will bounce back in a big way in the highest-scoring game of the week against the Lions. He’s a must-start RB1.
• We have not seen the true Isiah Pacheco yet since he returned. He’s more of a back-end fantasy RB2 right now. I am not recommending to sit Pacheco, though, because he can bust out again at any time. He is ranked just outside the top 20 RBs.
• If Bucky Irving cannot play, you have to consider Sean Tucker as a flex option. He had a 34-yard run last week and the Chargers rank 21^st in FFPG allowed to RBs over the past four weeks.
• I rank Sincere McCormick as a top-25 RB this week. I won’t recommend starting him over a guy who has been rather dependable in terms of helping take your team to the fantasy playoffs. But he has good vision and runs with determination. Atlanta’s run defense ranks 17^th in the NFL.
• Gus Edwards could provide a surprise boost to your fantasy team this week. Kimandi Vidal might continue to bid for more touches outside of the red zone. Edwards, though, will likely remain the Chargers’ goal-line hammer. Los Angeles will give him opportunities to punch the ball in for possibly more than one TD against Tampa Bay’s 28^th-ranked defense.
• I am getting a lot of questions on whether to start Rhamondre Stevenson this week. Lean to benching him in any close lineup calls. He hasn’t finished higher than RB18 in his last four games and did not register a TD in any of those outings. Stevenson has no upside to help your team advance into the next round of the fantasy playoffs.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 15

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

The Titans laid an offensive egg last week in what appeared to be a fantasy-friendly matchup with the Jaguars. Ridley, however, posted a decent stat line, with seven receptions for 59 yards. In divisional matchups, though, opponents are more familiar with each other and can sometimes stifle a fantasy outlook.

Cincinnati allowed 27-plus points in three of his last four games. The Bengals allowed five TD receptions to WRs during that span. Start Ridley as a fantasy WR3 this week.

Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns

Jerry Jeudy is finally breaking out
💥944 Yards (4th)
💥17.0 Yards Per Reception (1st)
💥14.0 FPPG (11th)

Since Winston has taken over
👀18 receptions (T-10th)
👀294 receiving yards (5th)
👀94 YAC (T-9th)
👀13 first downs (T-7th)#DawgPound WR MUST START https://t.co/Q292jA0fRg pic.twitter.com/1jmzYZMw1A

— Dynasty Dad (@DynastyDadFF) December 13, 2024

Many fantasy players will see the Chiefs matchup and consider reserving Jeudy. But Jameis Winston will aggressively attack any defense, and Jeudy is in the midst of the best stretch of his career as his new No. 1 WR. He posted 14-plus fantasy points in each of the last five games, with the marvelous 40.5 outing against the vaunted Denver defense in Week 13 being the obvious major highlight.

Kansas City allowed the third-most receiving yards to WRs over the last four weeks. Keep Jeudy active in Week 15.

DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

Don’t let the name appeal motivate you to pop Smith into your lineup without some second and third thoughts of reconsideration. He has not topped 40 receiving yards or four receptions in his last three games. A.J. Brown has the best WR/CB matchup grade of any WR on Pro Football Focus for Week 15 against the Steelers corners and will dominate the targets.

Against the Pittsburgh defense, points will have to be earned in real life and fantasy by the Eagles’ top playmakers. Brown and Saquan Barkley will obviously lead that charge in key situations, and Smith will be left out of the main offensive flow. I don’t have him ranked as a fantasy WR3 this week.

More NFL Week 15 Wide Receiver Insights

• Courtland Sutton is a top-10 fantasy WR this week. He will roll up a large amount of receptions against the Colts, who rank 21^st in catches allowed to WRs.
• Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson are both very good WR2 starts. Jacksonville ranks 28^th in FFPG allowed to WRs and the Jets may not be able to lean on their running game enough.
• Khalil Shakir is a must-start as a fantasy WR3. He is the most reliable pass-catcher for Josh Allen and will be an essential performer in the highest-scoring game of the week against the Lions. Amari Cooper is also starting to apparently feel more comfortable in the Buffalo passing game and is ranked as a top-25 WR.
• The Cardinals need to take control of a winnable game against the Patriots because they cannot afford to fall any further behind in a tight NFC West race. Getting the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. will be a priority. You can start him as a WR3 this week.
• Adam Thielen is a viable starter again as the Panthers take on the Cowboys. He is a dependable target for an improving young QB, and Dallas has allowed the most receptions to WRs over the past four weeks. He is a certain top 35 WR in my rankings.
• Christian Watson is the upside play among the Green Bay WRs. The Seahawks' secondary presents a formidable challenge. Watson, however, may be able to get deep on the outside for a few big gainers. Josh Jobe is a scrappy and improving CB but he might get beat by Watson downfield.

Quarterbacks And Tight Ends – Fantasy Football Week 15

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa’s stats in his last 3 games:

• 94 for 122 (77.1%)
• 970 pass yards
• 9 TDs - 0 INTs
• 124.0 passer rating#Dolphins pic.twitter.com/6p1LwacdHL

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) December 7, 2024

The Miami passer is back in a very productive groove and is ranked as a top 5 fantasy QB for this week. He finished as a top 10 QB in each of the last four weeks, and the Texans have allowed 26 TD passes to opposing QBs, tied for the most in the NFL. Tagovailoa will flourish as Miami battles to keep its playoff hopes alive.

I rank Tagovailoa ahead of Jared Goff, Joe Burrow, Sam Darnold, and Bo Nix for Week 15.

More NFL Week 15 Quarterback Insights

I am expecting a lower-scoring game between the Packers and Seahawks. Watson may hit on a few big gainers, but the Seattle defense has played much better recently and Love is not ranked in the top 15.

Baker Mayfield is not ranked in the top 12 because of the matchup against the Chargers. Without George Pickens, Russell Wilson is not even a surefire starter in superflex leagues. He is not ranked in my top 25 for the matchup vs. Philadelphia.

More NFL Week 15 Tight End Insights

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Andrews finished as a fantasy TE1 in six of his last eight games. The Giants defense is going to spend a lot of time on the field this week, and Andrews will be aiming for a TD reception in his third consecutive game. The Baltimore TE is ranked sixth at his position this week and should get the nod in any close lineup calls

Dalton Kincaid gets you involvement in the Buffalo-Detroit game and is ranked as a top 10 TE. You might consider Pat Freiermuth with Pickens out for the Steelers, but Wilson has never leaned on TEs too heavily and he is just a mid-range TE2. If you are desperate for a TE plugger, consider Stone Smartt, as the Chargers should pass the ball very effectively against the Buccaneers.

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