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If you are reading this, you may have made it to your fantasy playoffs. Once you get in, anything can happen. We again have every signal-caller available this week after seeing six teams on a bye last week.
We must figure out which quarterbacks give us the best chance to advance. While we know any team you face this week will be good, we must consider which options afford us the most upside and which options will likely leave us "holding the bag." After all, scared money makes no money.
With that in mind, We are here to help fantasy managers with those difficult start and sit questions at the quarterback position with our Week 15 starts and sits.
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Week 15 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms
Brock Purdy - QB, San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Last Sunday, Brock Purdy had himself a game. After only 2.2 fantasy points in Week 13, thanks in part to a shoulder injury, Purdy completed 20 of 25 passes for 325 yards against the Chicago Bears. With 22.1 fantasy points, Purdy is now back inside the top 12 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 18.3 per contest.
People forget that heading into Week 14, Chicago was a top-5 defensive unit against the pass. Purdy's production is coming despite the absence of Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams.
The team may also have lost Isaac Guerendo, who exited the contest early. Don't feel too bad for Purdy, though. He still has George Kittle and Jauan Jennings. Jennings, in five games with Purdy and without Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel Sr., has 38 receptions, 505 receiving yards, and six touchdown grabs.
Jauan Jennings with Brock Purdy throwing to him in normal weather... he's so back 🤩pic.twitter.com/Rg9MzHrZ7D
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) December 8, 2024
This week, Purdy and the 49ers face divisional rival, the Los Angeles Rams. Los Angeles has allowed 18.37 fantasy points per game this season to opposing quarterbacks. While they had been much better as of late, Josh Allen just went off on them to the tune of 52 fantasy points, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns while adding three more rushing scores to his impressive fantasy performance.
I'm not saying Purdy duplicates Allen's performance on Sunday, but in Week 3 against this Rams defense, Purdy did throw for 292 yards while completing 73.3% of his passing attempts and scored three passing touchdowns of his own.
Tua Tagovailoa - QB, Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans
Tua Tagovailoa is on a heater as of late, finishing with 23.5 fantasy points in each of his last four starts. Since Week 11, only Josh Allen ( who just had a 50-plus-point performance) is averaging more fantasy points per game than Tagovailoas 25.2.
Tua Tagovailoa hits Jonnu Smith for this game-winning OT TD and keeps Dolphins playoff hopes alive. Offense closed when it mattered the most. pic.twitter.com/vSaD85HE4u
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) December 8, 2024
Let's look at the numbers. Since we were all hinting that Tagovailoa should consider retirement (concussions), his completion percentage has been 76%, while his passer rating is 112.5.
More impressive, he's averaged 282 passing yards per game since his return from the concussion and has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 15:1. His 74.5% completion percentage on the season leads the NFL, as does his 69% completion rate over the last three seasons.
In each of Tagovailoa's previous seven contests, he has completed better than 70%. The only quarterback to accomplish that in eight straight contests in one season was Joe Montana.
This season, the Houston Texans have surrendered a league-high (tied with Atlanta) 26 touchdown passes and are allowing opposing quarterbacks to finish, on average, with 16.52 fantasy points per outing. With the roll Tagovailoa is currently on and the touchdown passes the Texans have allowed, this is projected to be a successful fantasy outing once again for the Dolphins signal-caller.
Will Levis- QB, Tennesse Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals
With no byes this week, forcing Will Levis into your starting lineup is unnecessary. However, if you are in a Superflex or 2QB league, Levis offers upside this week that few quarterbacks can offer.
Heading into Monday Night Football and the conclusion of Week 14, the Cincinnati Bengals had surrendered just over 3000 yards passing along with 22 touchdowns. On average, quarterbacks, when facing the Bengals, had averaged 21.30 fantasy points per game, the most in the NFL. In the previous three contests the Bengals had played, they had allowed 1001 passing yards and nine touchdown passes.
We can joke about Levis all we want. However, before last week's seven-point outing, Levis had four consecutive fantasy finishes with more than 16 fantasy points and averaged a respectful 17.3 fantasy points between Week 10 and Week 13.
One thing to monitor this week will be the injury report. During the first half's final play, Levis was slammed to the turf and may have reaggravated that AC joint injury he had been playing through. If he can't go, Mason Rudolph is a sneaky option in a game that likely sees the Titans trailing early and having to throw it more than usual.
Will Levis #titans
Injured his right shoulder on this play. Gets slammed directly on the shoulder which is a common mechanism for an AC joint injury, which we know he’s been dealing with pic.twitter.com/2OfZLS9H8X
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) December 8, 2024
Week 15 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts
C.J. Stroud - QB, Houston Texans vs. Miami Dolphins
It is hard to trust C.J. Stroud in fantasy. In his last seven contests, Stroud has produced more than 15 fantasy points just once. During the season, Stroud is averaging just 14.6 fantasy points per game, which has him ranked as the QB25, just ahead of Daniel Jones and Rudolph.
Bryce Young (last 6 games):
1,273 yards, 7 tds, 4 intsCJ Stroud (last 6 games):
1,454 yards, 5 tds, 5 intsTime to have a conversation. pic.twitter.com/g3iOzYgIRF
— Panthers On Tap (@PanthersOnTap) December 8, 2024
Now in his second season, teams have found a formula for success against the former Buckeye: pressure. In year two, Stroud has been pressured on 37% of his dropbacks. That has led to a 52% catchable ball rate versus 59% when not pressured.
Another reason for his struggles likely lies in having Nico Collins absent for a few weeks and losing his security blanket, as that offensive line has been giving him nightmares all season.
Stroud has been sacked 19 times in the last five contests and sacked on 41 separate occasions throughout the season. He also threw five interceptions in the previous five games with just four touchdown passes. Averaging 233.8 passing yards per game. It doesn't get any easier this week as the Texans face a Dolphins team that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to the position this season.
Anthony Richardson - QB, Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos
Another quarterback coming off a bye that I am fading this week. Like Stroud, Anthony Richardson is facing a difficult matchup in Denver. The Broncos are allowing just 14.58 fantasy points per game to the position, the seventh-fewest. With Patrick Surtain II leading the defense, Denver has accumulated 12 interceptions this season, allowing just 17 touchdown passes.
If Richardson and fantasy managers are to find success this week, it will have to come through Richardson's legs. However, that too may prove difficult, as the Broncos have allowed just one rushing score from a quarterback this season and just 191 rushing yards.
Denver had the entire week to prepare for Richardson. Back in November, they faced Lamar Jackson and held the Ravens MVP candidate to three carries for four yards.
Russell Wilson - QB, Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles
They don't ask you how; they ask how many. Right now, the Steelers are stacking wins on top of wins, and Russell Wilson has won six of his seven starts this season. That said, Steeler's wins don't add up in the win columns for fantasy managers.
Without George Pickens in Week 14, Wilson completed just 15 of 26 passing attempts for 158 yards against the Browns. Luckily, he did complete two of those 15 passes for a pair of scores.
Russell Wilson looking like a point guard on this TD@steelers in control 💪 pic.twitter.com/D7YwwEcij0
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 8, 2024
Right now, Wilson may be the clubhouse leader when it comes to being the Comeback Player of the Year. In seven games, not only does he have a 6-1 record, but his 255 yards per game is the fifth-best mark in the NFL, as is his 103 passer rating. Despite his 13 to three touchdown-to-interception ratio this season, business is about to pick up in Week 15.
This week, Wilson will face an Eagles defensive unit that has allowed the sixth-fewest (14.48) fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, a unit that has allowed just 14 passing touchdowns in as many contests. The Eagles have been consistent; they have allowed 14.15 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks.
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