X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 15 Surprises? We Must Overreact Immediately!

Week 15 brought unexpected fantasy football surprises and busts. Mike Riggall analyzes overreactions to Breshad Perriman, Terry McLaurin, Kenyan Drake, and more.

In Week 15, the quarterback position fell according to plan for the most part. Lamar Jackson threw for five touchdown passes against a soft Jets pass defense finishing as the No. 1 quarterback on the week, while Jameis Winston was able to play with a broken thumb to finish as the No. 2 quarterback on the week, throwing for 458 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Tannehill continued to produce against a Texans Defense that's been giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks while Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz rounded out the top five.

At wide receiver, Breshad Perriman was only targeted six times against the Lions but he scored three touchdowns, finishing as the No. 1 receiver on the week while starting in place of the injured Mike Evans. Anthony Miller continued his late-season dominance ending up with nine catches, 118 yards and a touchdown against the Packers, and Tyler Lockett finally got back on track against a struggling Panthers Defense, catching eight balls for 120 yards and a touchdown to finish No. 5 on the week.

The only curve balls thrown at us at the running back position in Week 15 were Kenyan Drake and Mike Boone. Drake scored four touchdowns on his way to finishing as the No. 1 running back on the week, and Boone finished in the top-15 after filling in for an injured Dalvin Cook. Over the last few weeks the Bengals have started using six offensive linemen at times, and as a result, Joe Mixon has become relevant again. If you remained patient with Mixon throughout the season you should be rewarded in Week 16 when it matters most because he will face a Dolphins Defense that's been giving up big points to running backs all year. At tight end, George Kittle, Travis Kelce, Tyler Higbee, Darren Waller, and Zach Ertz finished one through five which shouldn't surprise anybody. If anything, the biggest surprise at the tight end position on the week may be that Ian Thomas underwhelmed against a vulnerable Seahawks Defense. Last week is now in the rearview mirror, and now we need to look ahead and evaluate how to move forward to Week 16.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Breshad Perriman (WR, TB)

Week 15 Stats: 6 targets, 5 catches, 113 yards, 3 TD

Breshad Perriman started in place of the injured Mike Evans and turned just six targets into 113 yards and three touchdowns. It appears that Perriman may be a little boom-or-bust, similar to Evans has been this year, but with Chris Godwin likely out for Week 16 with a hamstring injury, Perriman may be the best receiver the Buccaneers have left standing on their roster.

Bottom Line: The Buccaneers play against the Houston Texans in Week 16 who surrender the 14th-most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season. With Evans and now Godwin out of the lineup, Perriman will likely be Jameis Winston's No. 1 receiving target in a game that will likely shoot out.

 

Terry McLaurin (WR, WAS)

Week 15 Stats: 5 targets, 5 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD

On Terry McLaurin's 75-yard touchdown, he caught a 15-yard pass from Dwayne Haskins off of play-action, the Eagles defensive back dove and missed him, taking out another defensive back in the process, which allowed McLaurin to run for 60 yards after the catch for a touchdown.

Bottom Line: The Redskins face a Giants Defense in Week 16 that's given up the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers on the season, so it's likely that McLaurin comes through again on championship weekend.

 

Steven Sims Jr. (WR, WAS)

Week 15 Stats: 11 targets, 5 catches, 45 yards, 1 TD

Sims played 69.8% of the snaps in Week 15 and over 70% of the snaps in Week 14. Sims is very athletic and has demonstrated tremendous playmaking ability when he is given the opportunity.

Bottom Line: The Redskins are in evaluation mode trying to see who has potential for their future and with Dwayne Haskins playing somewhat better, Redskins receivers are somewhat viable as long as they have a decent matchup. Sims may be able to pop a big play against the Giants struggling secondary in Week 16, but he is even more boom-or-bust than Terry McLaurin and should be treated as such.

 

Greg Ward (WR, PHI)

Week 15 Stats: 9 targets, 7 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD

The Eagles were decimated at wide receiver heading into Week 15 and Greg Ward led all receivers in targets with nine. In Week 15 Carson Wentz distributed the ball as follows: Zach Ertz (10), Greg Ward (9), Boston Scott (7), Dallas Goedert (6), Miles Sanders (6) and JJ Arcega-Whiteside (2).

Bottom Line: Over the last two games, Ward has played at least 75% of the snaps against both the Giants and Redskins. It's clear the Eagles will rely on heavily on their tight ends and running backs in the passing game throughout the remainder of the season, but Ward is clearly their main threat on the outside, making him an option for you in Week 16 against the Cowboys if you need a receiver.

 

Kenyan Drake (RB, ARI)

Week 15 Stats: 22 carries, 137 yards, 4 TD, 1 target, 1 catch, 9 yards

Last week I referenced David Johnson's Week 14 involvement in the Cardinals backfield and basically said that Drake was still the lead ball carrier in Arizona but Johnson's snap count was a little concerning. Well, that turned out to be absolutely wrong, we shouldn't have been concerned about David Johnson at all, as Drake played on 75.4% of the snaps and absolutely dominated touches in the Cardinals backfield.

Bottom Line: In Week 16 the Cardinals will face a Seahawks defense that gives up the 14th-fewest fantasy points to running backs but has given up production to running backs in the passing game. Don't get too crazy with Drake this weekend and play him over players like Leonard Fournette or Todd Gurley, but at the same time, don't be scared to use him.

 

Wes Hills (RB, DET)

Week 15 Stats: 10 carries, 21 yards, 2 TD, 2 targets, 2 catches, 1 yard

Wes Hills played on just 36% of the snaps in Week 15 compared to Ty Johnson who played on 45% of the snaps. Although Hills didn't play as much as Johnson, he touched the ball twice as much.

Bottom Line: Even though Hills led the Lions backfield in touches, he still only gained 22 yards from scrimmage off of his 12 touches. The Lions play the Broncos in Week 16 who are decent on defense, so Hills' outlook isn't very promising, especially since there's a chance that Kerryon Johnson makes his return to the lineup from injury.

 

Ricky Seals-Jones (TE, CLE)

Week 15 Stats: 4 targets, 3 catches, 29 yards, 2 TD

Every tight end that plays against the Cardinals Defense puts up a significant statistical performance. David Njoku's inactive status was a huge surprise on Sunday and the situation needs to be monitored heading into Week 16.

Bottom Line: Even if Seals-Jones starts again in Week 16, the Browns face a Ravens Defense that gives up the fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends, which makes Seals-Jones a less than ideal play.

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Moises Ballesteros

Riding An 11-Game Hit Streak
Victor Mesa Jr.

Starting Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF