Unlike last week, I think it's safe to declare that it's officially playoff time for everyone. I mean, everyone who made it (and shout-out to the people who are trying to keep the consolation bracket competitive, you're the real MVP.) If you're competing for that top spot, and maybe some slightly belated Christmas funding, you know it's more important now than ever to keep focus. To stay up with the trends. To realize where -- Wait. Hold on. Sorry, just a second. Ah. Got it. It appears I didn't see that I should've gotten Aaron Rodgers off of waivers in a league where I'm in the playoffs. Woof. Missed that one. Hmmm. Uh. Anyway.

Focus! That's what I was saying. Sure, you may have limped your way into the playoffs, or rode the New Orleans running backs in all the way to the top seed. That doesn't mean there's any excuse not to monitor trends, grab players off of waivers so your opponent doesn't, and know what you're doing instead of just locking-and-forgetting your lineup. Remember, nearly every year, the "Fantasy Playoff MVPs" are the guys who didn't play much of a role in season, but played a huge role in winning the whole thing. Today's column will focus on those guys, as well as keeping you away from the guys who are trending downward.

Warning: This may include me telling you to sit your studs. I'll make sure to tell you why, but anyone who followed my advice with guys like Mike Evans, Jerick McKinnon, or Doug Baldwin despite his bailout touchdown know what's up.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Running Back Questions

______ will either be on my bench or will RUIN my week.

A: Lamar Miller
B: Duke Johnson Jr.
C: Carlos Hyde
D: DeMarco Murray

There are a lot of guys who have me on edge this week; will Christian McCaffrey be actually utilized in a shootout? Will Leonard Fournette go back to being disappointing after his great Week 14 performance, or be utilized against the Texans? Far be it from me, though, to suggest not using those guys in the playoffs where there's big play potential. The Top-20 RB I'm most nervous to rely on in any capacity is DeMarco Murray. Murray is outsnapping his counterpart in Derrick Henry, but the San Francisco 49ers defense is getting better against the run, and Henry is getting the goal line work. I can't even recommend Murray as a flex apart from the deepest of leagues.

Bonus: I'm also avoiding Joe Mixon again until he can see double digit carries and be free from injury, and am also avoiding both Rex Burkhead and Dion Lewis in a game where the Steelers are going to force Tom Brady to throw it.

Against all odds, should you take a look at ___________ now?

A: Alex Collins
B: Jordan Howard
C: Jamaal Williams
D: Marshawn Lynch

This is almost certainly cheating since I like all of the guys on this list, but it's more to illustrate that Jamaal Williams belongs right about here in fantasy. I avoided discussing him last week because I figured it was common knowledge that he was the guy for the Packers right now, but shows what I know; I got him in free agency in an ultra competitive league, where he was dropped for (wait for it) Jimmy Garoppolo! Anyway, now that his ownership percentage in most platforms has soared from about half of all leagues to 80% in the last two weeks, know that he's not just a good pickup, but at the very least an RB2 in all formats. Just hope Aaron doesn't want to throw it too much...

Bonus: I could've also added Kenyan Drake to the above list, but I wanted to keep encouraging him to be played as he's arguably an RB1 against the Bills. Latavius Murray is also very worthy of a start despite last week, and if he's back to full practice before the weekend, I'm picking Mike Davis to be the only "where did he come from" guy last week (looking at you, Rod Smith) who keeps up the speed and workload in consecutive weeks.

Wide Receiver Questions

______ will either be on my bench or will RUIN my week.

A: Jarvis Landry
B: Mike Evans
C: Larry Fitzgerald
D: Doug Baldwin

Similar to above, I grouped together four guys I'm nervous about this week, but nearly all of them have some sort of redeeming quality... except for Mike Evans. While Evans isn't scared regarding his match-up with Trufant again, you cannot start a guy who has seen four receptions over two games and expect to roll through the playoffs. I really don't hate this matchup, but until we see the guy we drafted, he's bumped down to either a flex or a bench casualty.

Bonus: I can't recommend starting Chris Hogan until you see he's healthy, though he's got the potential, and can't recommend starting Stefon Diggs until he reaches the end zone, something that the Cincinnati Bengals have not been allowing frequently.

Desperate times call for a desperate use of ______.

A: Marquise Goodwin
B: Mohamed Sanu
C: Jamison Crowder
D: JuJu Smith-Schuster

I'm going to keep cheating until someone calls me on it, but I'm starting some combination of these guys in a ton of leagues this week because they are all such reception monsters recently. The one I'm most excited for, Mohamed Sanu, is..... guys, he's really exciting. His average receptions seems to go up by game, he smoked the Buccaneers the last time he faced them, and he's simply a factor now in what used to be a Julio-only offense. I wouldn't call using him "desperate", but considering he's being started in around 40% of leagues, maybe the fantasy universe is overlooking this one.

Bonus: In deeper leagues I'm still good with Marqise Lee in the WR3/4 territory as he's eeked into the Top-30 WR ranks, and Tyrell Williams is intriguing if you find you really need that boom-or-bust guy to win your matchup against a miserable Chiefs defense.

Tight End Question

In Week 15, I will stop blowing my horn for ASJ and start blowing my horn for _________

A: Benjamin Watson
B: Tyler Kroft
C: Eric Ebron
D: Jesse James

I basically dunked on myself already about this last week (though Hunter Henry was the right pick) but pickings are so slim here that I have to get myself motivated on tight end week after week. And damnit, this week I'm getting excited about Benjamin Watson. Watson's best game so far this season has been against the Cleveland Browns, and I'm putting in blind faith that he can do it again. I mean, how else do the Ravens score through the air anyway?

More Week 15 Lineup Prep