13 insights fantasy football managers need to know ahead of Week 15

It’s Saturday morning and fantasy managers are already feeling tilted after the opening game of the fantasy football playoffs. There was massive anticipation heading into Thursday night’s showdown between the Rams and 49ers. Each team was coming off an impressive win, with LA scoring 44 points in Week 14 and San Francisco putting up 38 — season highs for both teams.

Naturally, two teams combining for 82 points the previous week had fantasy managers expecting an explosive start to the playoffs. This matchup was supposed to be filled with impactful fantasy performances, one after another, setting the tone for a strong opening week. Instead, we got a lot of rain and very little scoring.

This game was a stark reminder that getting big-time scoring numbers from your own players in a fantasy playoff matchup is great, but facing a fantasy manager who started Cooper Kupp Thursday night might be even better.

Never a dull moment in fantasy football. The tilting will continue all the way until the end of Week 17, when the 49ers get a chance for some fantasy redemption on the road in Detroit. I am pretty sure we will get a few TD scores in that one, and there is an even better chance rain will not be an issue indoors at Ford Field.

Here are a few things fantasy managers should keep an eye on heading into the rest of the Week 15 slate and beyond.

1. A Josh Allen masterclass

So, about that Bills 44-42 loss in Week 14. Josh Allen was magnificent. He stood out as the most impactful player on the field in the highest-scoring NFL game of the year.

There were 12 touchdowns scored and Allen was responsible for six of them. He became the first player since Otto Graham in 1954 to pass for three touchdowns and rush for three more in the same game. Allen was simply electric in a performance you had to see to believe.

If Allen’s scoring numbers seemed absurdly high, it’s because they were. He broke Michael Vick’s long-standing record for fantasy points scored in a single game — a mark that had held firm since 2010.

Allen’s performance pushed him up to QB2 overall in total fantasy points and PPG on the season, trailing only Lamar Jackson. This could be the sixth season in a row Allen finishes as a top 3 QB in PPG. If he can pass by Jackson, he would finish No. 1 overall among QBs for the fourth time in his career.

There will be more chances of fireworks and a shootout environment this week as the Bills head into Detroit in a matchup of the two highest scoring teams in football.

2. Puka Nacua’s takeover is complete

For those who viewed the Rams wide receiver hierarchy as a co-WR1 situation, or a 1A and 1B setup, the past five days have put those beliefs to rest for good. Nacua continues to dominate and looks poised to do so for the foreseeable future.

In Week 14, Nacua delivered one of the top performances of the entire season at wide receiver, leading the Rams to that dramatic — and much-needed — home win over the 11-win Buffalo Bills. Nacua’s 41.8 points were the fourth-most of any wideout this year. His catch-and-run on a screen pass put a dramatic exclamation point on the best fantasy performance of his career.

He was easily Thursday’s top performer as well, finishing with nine touches for 108 combined yards and 17.8 PPR points against the 49ers. Since Nacua returned from injured reserve, his game has reached another level of production.

While injuries have derailed his chance to challenge the NFL’s all-time receptions record for the first two seasons of a career, Nacua still recently accomplished another impressive milestone.

Nacua is set to face the New York Jets in Week 16 and Arizona in Week 17. He’s already being viewed as a first-round pick in 2025 redraft leagues, with a potential 2021 Kupp-type season in store for one of fantasy’s biggest target earners.

3. ‘Tis the season for King Henry

The Ravens return to action this week, fresh off their bye, rested and refreshed. They entered the bye with a 2-2 record over their past four games — an absolute murderer’s row of matchups that included three playoff teams and a 35-34 thrilling victory against the Bengals. This week, they get a chance to tee off against the hapless 2-11 New York Giants. Expect a heavy dose of Derrick Henry.

Mere mortals at the running back position often break down this time of year — especially 30-year-olds. But Henry has a history of ramping up and delivering some of his best performances in the final months of a season. In fact, four of his six highest single-game rushing totals have occurred after Dec. 1. His yards-per-game averages paint a picture of impending doom for defenses.

Henry is also on the verge of breaking a Ravens single-season franchise record — possibly as early as this week. He needs just two rushing touchdowns to surpass Jamal Lewis’ record of 14.

Good luck to Brian Daboll, Tommy DeVito and the Giants — they’re going to need it. ‘Tis the season.

4. What an unlucky season for Saquon Barkley managers — no, really!

Barkley’s assault on the NFL record books continued in Week 14 — albeit a quiet one by his fantasy standards, with 14.4 points scored. He rushed for 124 yards on 20 carries and added 22 receiving yards. Barkley broke LeSean McCoy’s single-season Eagles rushing yards record and now sits at 1,623 yards for the season.

With four games left to play, he is just 367 yards away from becoming the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and 473 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time record. Barkley has set a new bar for what a free-agent skill position player can achieve in a new offense.

But from a fantasy perspective has Barkley’s season been unlucky? Despite Barkley averaging 23.1 PPG, his fantasy scoring and touchdown numbers could have been even higher. The reason? He’s been tackled at the 1-yard line an unusually high number of times.

For players like Henry or Josh Jacobs, this wouldn’t be as much of an issue. In many cases, they would simply get the ball again and power into the end zone for six points. But Barkley has to contend with the infamous “tush push.” Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who is tied for the NFL lead with 13 rushing touchdowns, often takes those short-yardage opportunities away from Barkley.

Barkley managers will get little sympathy from opposing fantasy managers. But he might be the first record-breaking running back whose fantasy managers have to worry about him being vultured so much.

5. Ja’Marr Chase: Best WR season of all time

Chase is having one of the best fantasy seasons ever at wide receiver. If the season were to end today, he would rank third in WR points per game (PPG) for the past decade. However, Chase’s true value lies in the leverage he provides over any other player at the position in fantasy this season.

The Chase vs. Justin Jefferson debate this offseason has ended in a resounding, “yeah, it was Chase.” I am proud to have been on the correct side this past summer.

Chase scored 45.1 points on Monday, propelling many fantasy managers into the playoffs, while knocking out countless others. Incredibly, this wasn’t even his highest-scoring game of the year — his 55.4-point explosion against Baltimore still holds that title for now.

He has three games with 40 or more points this season and owns three of the top five highest-scoring weeks of any wide receiver this year. I could go on and on about Chase, but we’ll have an entire offseason to discuss the 2025 top fantasy pick.

You never want to face an opposing manager with Ja’Marr Chase in their lineup, but the fear intensifies if Chase is playing on Monday Night Football.

Chase is well on his way to his first WR1 overall season. He is also tracking to finish with a Cincinnati Bengals single-season record trifecta. He needs three TDs to break Carl Pickens’ record of 17, and 20 catches to break T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s record of 119. The yardage record? Chase already has that from his rookie year (1455), a number he should blow out of the water.

6. Could the band stay together?

No team has been a better source of consolidated fantasy points per game than the Bengals. Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Burrow, Chase Brown, and Tee Higgins have been set-it-and-forget-it options for fantasy managers this season, providing smash values relative to ADP and high-scoring fantasy production.

Higgins is averaging a career-high 16.6 PPG with a 23.9% target share. Despite playing in only nine games, his on-field production and young age (25) position him as the most exciting skill-position player in the upcoming free agent class. I wrote about this in early November, and it was widely assumed both sides were headed in that direction.

Recent developments suggest both sides may be looking to keep the band together for the long term. The drumbeats started with Joe Burrow’s post-game comments.

Later this week, Higgins fired his agent.

He quickly signed with Rocky Arceneux, who also represents Ja’Marr Chase.

The writing is now on the wall in Cincinnati. The Bengals’ unstoppable passing game is looking like it will stay fully intact. Get ready to keep drafting those Bengals stacks in 2025.

7. Patrick Mahomes: Lack of production

The Chiefs won another close game in Week 14, this time defeating the LA Chargers 19-17. It marked Kansas City’s fourth consecutive victory with a margin of just two or three points. Winning has become an art form in Kansas City, and even the most vocal “they can’t keep getting away with it!” Chiefs detractors have to give props to Andy Reid and the 12-1 Chiefs.

Seemingly, almost every Chiefs game features a narrow win and a lack of high-end fantasy production from Patrick Mahomes. He finished with 210 passing yards against LA, resulting in a QB17 performance for the week.

Mahomes is currently the QB14 in PPG — the lowest average since he took over as the full-time starter in K.C. He has only passed for 20 TDs on the season (his career low is 26). Fantasy managers are actually having to make Mahomes start/sit decisions in the fantasy playoffs.

8. Alvin Kamara trending down?

Kendre Miller quietly returned to action in Week 14 and scored a rushing touchdown. Despite being continually criticized by former head coach Dennis Allen, Miller has received praise from interim head coach Darren Rizzi. Chalk this one up as another loss for Allen. Miller’s touchdown run proved to be the difference as New Orleans edged out the Giants 14-11. The second-year back is expected to see more opportunities down the stretch.

But what does Miller’s involvement mean for Alvin Kamara’s fantasy outlook? While it’s only a one-game sample, there are signs Miller could cap Kamara’s ceiling during the fantasy playoffs.

Kamara still finished the game with five catches but managed only 12.9 fantasy points. Since his 27.5-point performance against Carolina in Week 9, he has failed to finish higher than RB11 in any given week and hasn’t scored more than 15.9 points in a single game.

Kamara is already dealing with multiple challenges within the Saints offense, and it’s time to add Miller to that list. Kamara is still a must-start option in fantasy lineups, but expectations should be tempered to a low-end RB1 or high-end RB2 outlook.

9. Injuries are mounting at the TE position

Over his past six December starts, David Njoku has averaged 21.7 PPG. He has been targeted 30 times in the past two games — the most among all players during that span. Njoku continued to deliver for fantasy managers last week, hauling in seven catches and a touchdown against Pittsburgh. Everything seemed to be aligning for Njoku to become a league-winner at the position for a second consecutive season — but a late-season injury may derail that narrative.

Njoku is a massive loss for fantasy managers, but he is not the only tight end to be banged up in the fantasy playoffs. Evan Engram’s season is over.

Fantasy managers will have to roll with the punches and pivot to other options in a make-it-or-break-it Week 15 at tight end.

10. Trey McBride watch continues

Back in Week 13, I discussed McBride and his insane usage, high end fantasy production and baffling lack of TD catches. At the time, he was 25 catches away from breaking Diontae Johnson’s ominous 2022 record for the most catches without a TD. Well, we have now reached DEFCON 1. With 80 receptions, McBride is now six away from tying Johnson (86).

In Week 14, he ranked second to Njoku in targets and target share among all tight ends and posted a first-read rate of 32% en route to finishing the week with 14 fantasy points. His continued bad touchdown luck wasn’t due to a lack of red-zone opportunities, as he remained heavily involved in scoring situations.

This week Arizona and McBride face a New England defense that has allowed the fifth-most catches and receiving yards to tight ends this season. Fantasy managers rostering McBride will be overjoyed if he finally scores a touchdown.

10. Jordan Addison rising

Addison has been on an absolute tear lately. He exploded for 39.8 fantasy points in a Week 14 win over Atlanta, finishing with eight catches for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Addison led Minnesota in targets for the second time in three games, outpacing Jefferson 12-7.

Despite Jefferson’s limited target share, he still topped the 30-point mark, finishing with seven catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns. The combined 71.5 fantasy points by Jefferson and Addison were the most by any wide receiver duo in a game this season.

Scoring touchdowns has been a consistent theme for Addison during his time in Minnesota. The second-year pro now has 17 in just 28 career regular-season games. If he can reach double-digit touchdowns again this season, he would become only the fourth Vikings receiver to record multiple double-digit touchdown seasons. The other three? Randy Moss, Cris Carter, and Adam Thielen. Not bad company to keep.

11. The most valuable handcuff in fantasy football

Kenneth Walker missed last Sunday’s game, setting the stage for a massive Zach Charbonnet performance, and boy did he deliver. Charbonnet finished with 22 carries for 134 yards and two TDs. He also added seven catches for 59 yards. In the three games in which he has played over 80% of Seattle’s snaps (aka games Walker missed), he has averaged 27.1 PPG and owns a target share of 14.8%. He has finished as a top 8 weekly scorer at RB in all three contests.

Charbonnet was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, just one season after Seattle selected Walker in the very same round. A back with two-way ability and size, and this much production, should be leading someone’s backfield instead of being fantasy’s most valuable handcuff. Walker has been highly productive himself this season, and both players have thrived under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

Fantasy managers rostering Charbonnet are in for at least one more smash week. Walker is doubtful for Week 15.

Seattle faces a Green Bay defense that has been incredibly generous to RBs this season — the Packers have allowed 13 RB finishes in the top 24, tied for the third-most in football.

12. History repeats itself in Las Vegas

Last season, Josh Jacobs went down with an injury and Zamir White went from a rarely used backup to a high-volume, out-of-nowhere bell cow in the fantasy football playoffs. From Weeks 15-17, White averaged 15.9 PPG. Could history be repeating itself with Sincere McCormick?

For consecutive weeks, McCormick — a former undrafted free agent out of UT-San Antonio — has taken advantage of a banged-up Raiders backfield. Elevated from the practice squad, he has seized the opportunity. McCormick ran for 65 yards in Week 13 against Kansas City and took an even bigger step forward with increased usage and production in Week 14.

Head coach Antonio Pierce has sung McCormick’s praises and named him the team’s starting running back. McCormick could be shaping up to be this season’s version of White, emerging as a dark horse candidate to provide short-term RB utility for fantasy managers in the coming weeks.

13. Running back ups and downs in Carolina

For the second year in a row, Jonathon Brooks’ season ends with a torn ACL. Carolina selected Brooks as the first running back off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft. A dual-threat back with size, vision, athleticism and explosiveness — and with per-touch production comparable to Bijan Robinson at the University of Texas — Brooks was highly coveted in dynasty leagues and viewed by redraft managers as a potential cheat code down the stretch.

The promising rookie logged a season-high nine touches in Week 13 and was poised to gain valuable NFL experience while building momentum heading into 2025. Instead, disaster struck.

Brooks will miss almost all, if not the entire 2025 season, with a return in 2026 the most likely outcome. Chuba Hubbard will continue to lead the Panthers backfield this year, and will enter 2025 as the team’s unquestioned starting running back. He will have a great deal of momentum in fantasy. Hubbard’s on field play has been terrific. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark in last Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia.

The Panthers will play Dallas in Week 15. Hubbard has scored 20 or more fantasy points in a game six times this season and could be in store for another big outing. The Cowboys have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards and the most rushing TDs this season.

14. (BONUS!) Bill Belichick officially ACC-bound

Last week I wrote about Bill Belichick and his potential move to the University of North Carolina. I realize Belichick’s job status has absolutely nothing to do with fantasy football, but seeing him on a college sideline is about the most interesting coaching development imaginable. The NFL’s best making his debut in the college game at 72. Belichick seems to be fully embracing this new challenge.

UNC is making a massive financial commitment to Belichick, including plenty of money earmarked for assistants and an NIL collective that should keep the Tar Heels competitive in the ACC.

But there was one interesting detail in the fine print of the contract: the post-June 1, 2025 buyout. There is a window open for an easy return to an NFL sideline. Expect to hear a lot about it and plenty of NFL rumors surrounding Belichick if he is an instant winner next year in Chapel Hill. There could be a few teams with FOMO about their current head coaching situation if they see a six-time Super Bowl champion winning big games on Saturdays.

(Top photo of Sincere McCormick: Jay Biggerstaff / Imagn Images)



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