RADIO
It is time for the playoffs in our fantasy leagues. Every lineup decision will be critical to our ability to take home the grand prize. One wrong move and our season is over. Starting the right players from our roster could be enough to allow us to sneak into the next round of the playoffs.
Knowing the warning signals by analyzing the matchups, injuries, and trends can really help fantasy managers make lineup decisions. Sometimes a bad matchup can prevent a good player from hitting their true potential. There are also players, who for whatever reason, have recently seen a reduction in workload, which is impacting their ability to produce for our fantasy teams.
With all that being said, let’s look at some players we should think twice about before we insert them into our lineups this week.
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Quarterback Concerns - Start Em for Week 15?
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
I don’t recommend streaming Tannehill into your lineups this week as the Titans will be on the road to play the Pittsburgh Steelers. Vegas has a 41.5 over/under set for this game. These are two of the slowest-paced teams in the league. He needs the opposing team to push the pace to help drive his fantasy production. Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are not going to be able to consistently move the ball down the field at an accelerated rate, which will prevent Tannehill from needing to push the ball downfield.
Tannehill has only passed for over 300 yards twice this season. Most of the year, he has been a steady QB2 with just two QB1 performances. The veteran quarterback has a nonexistent rushing floor for his fantasy production since he has just one game where he exceeded 30 rushing yards.
What To Do
Fantasy gamers will need to be leery about importing Tannehill into their lineups this week. His matchup against the Steelers is going to provide enough fuel to elevate his fantasy production. There is more than likely a comparable quarterback with a better matchup on the waiver wire that managers can start over Tannehill.
Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts
Wentz is another quarterback with a bad matchup this week. He will get the opportunity to suit up against the New England Patriots whose defense ranks second in the NFL with 13.8 fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks on the season. They have one of the stingiest defenses in the league, making it hard for opposing quarterbacks to pass the ball on them.
He has produced five QB1 weeks on the season. There have been moments where he looks like he could return to being a productive fantasy quarterback. Wentz will need to throw multiple touchdown passes for him to be successful on Sunday. New England’s defense is not going to allow him to consistently move the ball downfield through the air.
What To Do
Most fantasy managers are not leaning on Wentz in the playoffs. There are some that are looking to stream the position to maximize positional value. It would be best to stream a different quarterback into your lineup on Sunday considering Wentz might not be able to hit his upside against the Patriots' defense.
Running Back Concerns - Start Em for Week 15?
Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks
He will be the hot waiver wire claim for this week. After rushing for 137 yards and two touchdowns against the Houston Texans, many fantasy gamers are going to use him to fill the void at running back for their fantasy lineups. If you absolutely need a running back, then you might have to take a chance on him. There just aren’t many running backs available who are projected to receive a full workload.
Unfortunately, Penny will be playing in the worst possible matchup this week. The Seahawks will be traveling to Los Angeles to play the Rams. Their defense is allowing just 97.23 rushing yards per game. Vegas has the Seahawks listed as seven-point underdogs. With how Matthew Stafford has been able to consistently move the ball downfield lately, it’s not hard to imagine the Rams mounting up a sizable lead early in this game. If this happens, the game script will call for Russell Wilson to cook up the passing game, leaving fewer opportunities for Penny to grind out yards between the tackles.
What To Do
Penny shouldn’t be left on the waiver in your league. There’s a chance he goes nuclear down the stretch, making him a league winner in fantasy. We don’t want him helping another team in your league win the championship. The matchup is risky, and he should probably not be in your lineup unless you don’t have any other options.
Wide Receiver Concerns - Start Em for Week 15?
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Can anyone trust the Ravens’ offense? Lamar Jackson is dealing with a sprained ankle, and we don’t know if he’s going to be able to start this week. While coming off the bench, Tyler Huntley led that charge in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns, passing for 270 yards and one touchdown while also rushing for 45 yards. Huntley got Bateman more involved in the passing game.
The added volume led to Bateman’s best performance of his rookie season, catching seven balls for 103 yards, making him the WR18 for Week 14. He has four double-digit PPR performances on the season. However, prior to his 100-yard performance against Cleveland, Bateman went three games straight with less than 10 PPR fantasy points.
The Ravens will be hosting the Green Bay Packers at home. Vegas has a 43.5 over/under set for this game. This contest has one of the lowest implied point totals of the weekend. The Ravens have scored more than 20 points in three of their last 10 games. This is an offense that started the season off but has cooled down during the back half of the season.
What To Do
Depending on how the game is flowing, at best, Bateman is the third option in the passing offense. There have been games where he has received over a 20 percent target share. He also didn’t catch a pass in his Week 13 performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His workload hasn't been highly volatile over the last few weeks. Fantasy gamers should look at him as a risky option for their lineups.
There’s a chance that the Packers score enough points early in the game to force the Ravens to open up the passing game. However, there’s also the chance he doesn’t receive enough targets to become relevant for fantasy football purposes. I would start him if you want to take the gamble on his upside for your flex spot. But, I would also leave him on the bench if you had other options and you wanted to avoid the risk.
Bateman is only worth chasing this week if you want to gamble on the matchup fueling his fantasy production. Even with the promising game script, he is still a very risky fantasy asset since he’s receiving a limited workload. Rest him on your bench if you have a safer option for your flex. I would only start him if you need to gamble on his upside.
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