X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Crucial Pivots for Fantasy Football Week 15

Us fantasy folks have a mantra that gets repeated ad nauseam throughout the season. "Start your studs" is the standard cliché you hear when it comes to making obvious lineup decisions. No one should be starting the likes of Derek Carr over Aaron Rodgers just because Carr has an easy matchup...or should they?

That's what we'll be addressing here. Maybe not that specific lineup decision, but there are some fantasy superstars who are walking into a brutal matchup in the fantasy playoffs.

Before I start telling you to blow up your entire lineup (I'm not going to) I should state that the "start your studs" model works more often than not. Please, for the love of all things fantasy, don't play yourself out of the playoffs. Don't overthink it. Just take a closer look at who else is available to you. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at some potential sits in this all-important week.

 

Stars Worth Fading

Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB)

The aforementioned Aaron Rodgers is the name that will garner the most attention this week. I am far from the first one to address whether or not he should be benched on the road in Chicago, nor will I be the last. The 2018 version of Rodgers has not been the Rodgers of old. Whether that's due to his knee injury earlier in the year, or questionable play-calling from former coach Mike McCarthy, his numbers are down from a fantasy perspective.

Add in Green Bay's toughest game of the year at Chicago and this is poor timing for fantasy playoffs. You're not benching Rodgers outright based on these factors alone. He's still QB9 on the year so it's not like he's killing you. But I will say that if you're sitting on someone like Dak Prescott or Lamar Jackson, players who have excelled in soft matchups, you're better off taking the streaming route.

I'm in a league where I do not have a backup for Rodgers and the waiver options are the likes of Josh Allen and Case Keenum. That's when you should pump the breaks. You don't need to stoop that low. After all, if you look at how the Bears have defended fantasy quarterbacks this season, you'll notice that the QB with the most points was Brock Osweiler with 26. Rodgers was second with 23.1. This isn't a must-bench, simply a situation where you should consider other options just in case a better one is out there.

Sony Michel (RB, NE)

Since returning from his knee injury early in the year, Sony Michel has only topped 100 yards once in four games with just one touchdown over that span. In fact, both his 133-yard outing and a score came in the same game against the Jets. The Patriots continue to lean on James White in the passing game extensively, eating into Michel's workload in the process.

Michel draws the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, a team that is allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. I know what you're thinking: the Patriots are matchup proof, Tom Brady has Mike Tomlin's number, etc. But why risk it if you don't have to? Why force yourself into playing someone in a tough matchup with a limited workload?

Michel had been a "set it and forget it" type of back a few weeks ago, but now is not that time. You're better off going with a red-hot Derrick Henry in an easy matchup versus the Giants. Or Doug Martin against the Bengals, the league's worst defense against opposing fantasy running backs. Consensus rankings have Michel in the low-teens, but I would venture as far down to the mid-twenties before leaving in my lineup.

Kenny Golladay (WR, DET)

This one flat out pains me. Kenny Golladay has been as popular as it gets amongst the fantasy football nerds, myself included. He's cooled off a bit over the last few weeks and now faces a very underrated Buffalo defense. The Bills are giving up just 28.8 total fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers, a rate that is third-best in the league.

This is a tough matchup for the Lions as a whole. You're better served using Curtis Samuel in a superb matchup, Sterling Shepard regardless if Odell Beckham Jr. plays, or Larry Fitzgerald in a game that could be high scoring.

Alshon Jeffery (WR, PHI)

Perhaps this a bit of an obvious name this week but it warrants a discussion nonetheless. Since beginning his season back in Week 4, Alshon Jeffery comes in at WR24 on the year. You might be thinking that's not quite that bad as that still makes him a flex play. But if you take his more recent numbers and consider just Weeks 8-14, you'll come to learn that he is only WR57 over that span. He has taken a significant step down late in the season and he just lost his starting quarterback.

Carson Wentz is unlikely to play due to a back injury, forcing Nick Foles under center. I'm willing to go much lower down the rankings in benching Alshon. I'm talking Dede Westbrook and Dante Pettis territory, someone who has been on a bit of a tear. I'd find a receiver who's put together a couple strong outings in a row and leave Alshon on the bench.

Kyle Rudolph (TE, MIN)

I almost didn't bother throwing in a tight end this week thanks to the dreadfulness of the position. I then decided I should at least mention one who has name recognition. Kyle Rudolph ranks as TE14 on the season which is a lot worse than it sounds. As I said, tight end is a wasteland. If you don't have a top-five option, you're probably in a rough spot.

Unless you are truly desperate for a starter, you can probably cut bait with Rudolph entirely. Another cliché take on fantasy is that when it comes to tight ends 6-12, all you're hoping for is a score, something Rudolph hasn't done since Week 3 against the Bills. I'd suggest rolling the dice on a more trendy name such as Ian Thomas, C.J. Uzomah, or Vernon Davis with Jordan Reed likely out this week.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Alec Burks16 mins ago

Questionable On Friday
Dean Wade32 mins ago

Won't Play Against 76ers
OG Anunoby58 mins ago

Ruled Out Again Friday
Nick Senzel9 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray9 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele10 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons11 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler12 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson12 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele12 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle12 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans12 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic12 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric12 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney12 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga12 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant13 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith13 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen13 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara13 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele13 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes13 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson13 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic13 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar13 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton13 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert13 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones13 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Rhys McKee13 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Chidi Njokuani14 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson14 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo14 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley14 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque14 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez15 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler15 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel15 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley15 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal16 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes16 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis16 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer18 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw18 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler18 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager18 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz18 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds20 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano22 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad23 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov23 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto23 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin23 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard23 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins23 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist23 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear23 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard2 days ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown3 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff3 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins3 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams3 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT3 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn3 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield3 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR3 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras3 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen3 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers4 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson4 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Mock Draft: First-Rounder With Trades

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than a month away. Yet, that isn’t soon enough for football fans. While everyone wants to discuss the quarterback class and the first few picks, the NFL Draft doesn’t end after the first round. Teams will find starters and star players on the second and third days of the... Read More


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football, Waiver Wire Pickups

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact- Part III

Throughout the NFL's offseason, many players see their fantasy football values fluctuate based on their movement and personnel decisions by their respective teams. Throughout this series, we have identified 12 players who have seen their fantasy football value increase over the free-agency period. The final big fantasy football value movement will come after the NFL... Read More


UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Value Plays: Week 1 Bargain Bin for DraftKings Including E.J. Perry, CJ Marable, Jace Sternberger, more

Welcome to the Week 1 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 1 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings'... Read More


2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More