Key Starters and Tough Calls - Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Week 15 Include Travis Etienne, Jerry Jeudy, D'Onta Foreman

Every week, I share some of my favored players to go with when dealing with challenging lineup decisions. These choices are based on my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a discount and get access to my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the 2022 fantasy football playoffs.

We feature players that you should lean to in tough calls, and guys who may exceed expectations this week are also highlighted, so you can feel even more confident about starting them. Skill position analysis here is based on my PPR rankings. When considering each player for your lineup, check my rankings to see exactly where they are positioned when compared to your other possible lineup choices.

Scott Engel was the No. 2 overall fantasy football accuracy ranker on fantasypros.com in Week 9. He finished as the No. 8 ranker for QBs and No. 3 for defenses in Week 13. 

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Quarterbacks – Fantasy Football Week 15

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Offense

Tagovailoa is coming off his two worst games of the season, and he hit a personal bottom for the year against the Chargers in Week 14. The recently ascending star was limited to 10 completions, 145 passing yards, and one TD by the Chargers' defense. Only a September 29 outing in which he was injured was worse in terms of statistical output in 2022.

The Miami WRs were undone by tight press coverage and Tagovailoa’s rhythm and timing were totally thrown off. The Bills now have a firm blueprint for how to defend Tagoviloa and get him off of his game, plus projected adverse weather conditions make him not worthy of starting usage in a fantasy playoff game in Week 15.

Quarterbacks I am recommending over Tagovailoa this week: Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Derek Carr, Daniel Jones, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan. You want to get at least a respectable stat line from your starter, and those QBs should have a better shot of providing a decent floor.

Tyreek Hill cannot be benched, and he has been used to playing in the cold in Kansas City. Jaylen Waddle has not finished as a top-25 fantasy WR in his last four games and he is not ranked inside my top 30 WRs this week. Tagovailoa and Waddle are at their best when they are in a rhythm together, and the matchup and potential weather conditions do not bode well for their outlook as a pairing.

Raheem Mostert should see a significant workload and if there is snow on the ground, that gives him an advantage over the defense in terms of getting his footing and keeping defenders off balance. He should be considered as a flex play.

Aaron Rodgers

Although he has not been regarded as a fantasy QB1 for most of this season, Rodgers has been decent enough to consider him a streaming option in some recent games. He has finished as a top 13 QB in three of his past five games, and if you need a fill-in play at QB this week, he can possibly provide satisfactory production.

Rodgers has passed for 2+ TDs in three of his past four games, and he has 2+ TD passes in nine of his past 10 home starts. The Rams rank 21st in passing yards per game allowed.

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 15

D'Onta Foreman

The Panthers used three RBs to spur a win at Seattle last week, but Foreman still led the way in rushing attempts with 21. He has 75+ scrimmage yards in three of his past four games. Foreman is aiming for his fourth game in a row at home with 110+ scrimmage yards. He has 663 scrimmage yards in 2022 and needs 27 scrimmage yards to set a new career high (689 in 2021).

The Steelers rank 29th in rushing yards allowed to RBs over the past four weeks. Lock Foreman in as a fantasy RB2 for Week 15.

Jamaal Williams

He has emerged as an unexpected and top source of TD runs this season. Williams leads the NFL with a career-high 14 rush TDs in 2022. He has a rushing TD in four of his five past games and Williams is aiming for his third game in a row on the road with a rushing TD.

The Jets have allowed seven rushing TDs to opposing RBs in 13 games, which is tied for 10th in the NFL. The Lions play better at home, and average 18.4 points per game on the road, which ranks 24th in the NFL. Williams’s outlook for a decent day is boosted by volume. He has carried 16-plus times in five of his past six games.

Williams is very TD dependent, but I do have him ranked just outside the fantasy RB range this week, and consider him a viable flex option.

Travis Etienne

Etienne is in a slump that makes him a very uncomfortable starting option in a fantasy football playoff environment. His last two weekly finishes have been as RB 43 and RB38.  He faces a Dallas defense that ranks sixth in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs.

Managing Travis Etienne has been one of the rockiest rides ever. A volatile season to say the least. Three unique time periods.

Weeks 1-4 7.6 PPG The Bust Era

Weeks 5-11 18 PPG The League Winner Era

Weeks 12-14 3.7 PPG The Era of Devastation

Wild times for fantasy managers.

— TheOGfantasyfootball (@TheOGfantasy) December 12, 2022

We should see Etienne get a good amount of volume and he may get some TD opportunities. He has little upside potential but an ample amount of touches could lead to adequate production. But the matchup and recent stat lines lead me to rank him just inside the top 30 at RB.

Jerick McKinnon

Isiah Pacheco is the clear lead ball carrier for the Chiefs, but against the Texans, who allow the most FFPG to RBs, McKinnon could also deliver a very helpful amount of fantasy points. He led the team with a season-high 134 scrimmage yards (112 receiving) and a career-high 2 rec. TDs in Week 14.

McKinnon has just 53 rushing attempts in 13 games this season, but he might see a few carries that could lead to a big run or two. He has long rushes of 30 and 18 carries this season. McKinnon has been targeted 6+ times in two of his past three games and he is an upside flex play in this projected rout.

The Chiefs likely won’t let the Texans hang around as the Cowboys did after seeing the film of Dallas’ Week 14 scare against Houston.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 15

Garrett Wilson

Wilson had six catches for a team-high 78 yards last week, his sixth game with 75+ rec. yards this season, most among rookies. He is aiming for his fourth game in a row overall with 5+ catches and 75+ rec. yards and his fourth in a row at home with 90+ rec. yards.

Garrett Wilson leads all first-year players with 63 catches and he ranks 2nd with 868 receiving yards, the most-ever receiving yards by a Jets rookie.

Of course, we know those totals were boosted by Mike White recently, and the announcement that he would not start in Week 15 was met by a collective groan from those who roster Garrett Wilson in fantasy football. It is possible that Zach Wilson could play well enough to post decent totals in his return to action, and getting the ball to his best playmaker will be a top priority.

The Lions rank 30th in FFPG allowed to WRs, so Garrett Wilson should still be started as a lower-end fantasy WR2 this week.

Jerry Jeudy

Last week, Jeudy had eight catches for 73 yards and a career-best 3 TDs. He is aiming for his third game in a row with 65+ rec. yards. Russell Wilson is out this week, and Jeudy caught two of his TD passes from him in Week 14. But Brett Rypien also found Jeudy for a TD catch, and the Broncos are decimated by WR injuries heading into their matchup with the Cardinals.

High target volume and a matchup with Arizona, which ranks 26th in FFPG allowed to WRs over the past four weeks, are the top reasons why you can still start Jeudy as a fantasy WR3 in Week 15.

Chris Moore

If you are searching for a streaming WR or flex option, many fantasy players are overlooking Moore, and he could be available on free agency. He was pushed into a prime WR role for the Texans last week, and Moore responded with career highs in receptions (10) and yards (124) against Dallas.

Moore will continue to operate in the same featured role this week, and the Chiefs rank 29th in FFPG allowed to WRs. Follow my RotoBaller colleague and friend Adam Koffler for the regular skinny on Chris Moore.

Of total wide receiver fantasy points allowed, the Kansas City Chiefs allow the fourth-highest percentage to slot receivers at 36%

Chris Moore has run 66.4% of his routes out of the slot this season

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a perfect storm for another eruption spot for CM https://t.co/rlf2k5TnE3

— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) December 16, 2022

Drake London

With a QB change to Desmond Ridder in Week 15, some fantasy players are considering starting London as Atlanta takes on New Orleans. A switch to the new passer may seemingly offer some raised hopes for London’s outlook. He led the Falcons with six receptions for a career-high 95 yards in Week 13. London had 5 catches for 74 yards in his Week 1 meeting with the Saints.

Ridder will obviously attempt to get the ball to his No. 1 target often in his NFL debut, but we can’t be certain at all how the rookie QB will fare in his first NFL game, and London does not have much in terms of complementary playmakers around him to ease defensive coverage. It’s just too risky to start London in a fantasy playoff game, so he should only be activated if you are digging deeper for a WR option.

Tight End – Fantasy Football Week 15

Mark Andrews

The Baltimore TE is coming off a 3.7-point performance in Week 14. But we cannot heavily overreact to the terrible outing from such a proven fantasy performer. Yes, Lamar Jackson is out again and Andrews scored only 9.4 points in his previous game. Andrews has also not caught a TD pass in six consecutive games.

Even though he has been disappointing, though, Andrews is still very capable of a 9 to 11-point performance this week, and many other TEs are not. Huntley knows that Andrews is his best pass-catcher and the Ravens QB may make a good effort to get him the ball in a “squeaky wheel” approach.

I do dock Andrews a bit for his lack of upside recently, and rank him just outside the top 5 at TE this week, but I am not going to sit him for a TE I would not normally consider for my lineup or significantly unreliable guys like Gerald Everett or Dawson Knox.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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