By SCOTT FELTS
For most fantasy football players this is the first week of the fantasy football playoffs. If you’ve made it into your leagues’ championship round congratulations. If not, it’s probably because you didn’t read this article the second half of the season.
No worries, I’ll provide some offseason tips to get you ready for next year in both re-draft and dynasty leagues, as well as a full season of advice next year.
If you have made it to your fantasy playoffs, then you know that sometimes luck is just as important as fantasy knowledge. However, when everyone in your league is subject to the same chance for luck, it’s the knowledge like this article provides that can set you apart. With that let’s get started with the Week 15 selections for Sit, Start, Snipe.
SIT
QB: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (vs Cleveland) I wonder if Caleb can paint “inconsistency” on his fingernails because that is the word for him in 2025. His completion rate is less than 60%, which is lower than both Justin Fields and Cam Ward. Williams has five fantasy games over 20 points but also five under 13 points. He has failed to score more than 16 points in three of his last four. The Browns allow the fourth fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. Avoid Williams this week.
RB: Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings (vs Dallas) Even though the Vikings starter has returned, backup Jordan Mason makes it hard to start Jones. It’s always hard in fantasy when there’s a platoon at a position. Last week Jones saw 14 touches against a weak Commanders defense, but scored less than eight fantasy points. This is the third time in as many weeks Jones has scored less than 10 points. Over the last three games the Cowboys have allowed the eighth fewest rushing yards per contest and, over the last four, the fewest overall fantasy points to opposing running backs.
WR: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (vs Dallas) Hard to believe I’m suggesting benching arguably the best wide receiver in football during the fantasy playoffs. The last two weeks, Jefferson has scored a total of less than six points, including only two catches for 11 yards in a game this past week where J.J. McCarthy finally looked like a pro quarterback. The Dallas secondary is weak, but it doesn’t matter if Minnesota isn’t even trying to get the ball to Jefferson. (For the record, sit Dallas receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, too, as this is a bad matchup for them.)
TE: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (vs Chargers) Sorry TayTay but your boyfriend isn’t fantasy relevant anymore. Kelsey caught only one pass for 8 yards on five targets last week and has scored in single digits in eight out of 13 games. This week he faces a tough Chargers defense that shuts down even top tight ends.
START
QB: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs NY Jets) If you read this article last week I told you to pick up Lawrence, and now is the time to start him. Lawrence has seven passing touchdowns over the past three games and faces a terrible New York Jets defense in Week 15 while scoring almost 20 fantasy points last week. When all is said and done this season, Lawrence will likely be a top 10 quarterback scorer in fantasy.
RB: Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints (vs Carolina) Can you say the next Alvin Kamara? In the last three weeks, not only has Neal run the ball but shown elite reception capability. Last week he rushed 19 times for 70 yards with a reception and a touchdown. This week, he faces a Panthers defense that is allowing the eighth most fantasy points to running backs.
WR: Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers (vs Denver) Watson is making the most of his catches. Over the last four weeks he has turned 17 catches into at least 18 fantasy points in three out of four of those games. Last week he caught four balls for 89 yards and two touchdowns. Denver’s defense is good, but Watson and the Packers passing offense is like a hot wheel of pepper jack.
TE: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons (vs Tampa Bay) We finally have the Kyle Pitts we all expected as a pro tight end. This season he already has set a career high for receptions and is just 37 yards away from a career high receiving yards in a season. The fifth-year player out of Florida has scored 15 fantasy points in back-to-back weeks and faces a Buccaneers defense who has surrendered the sixth-most passing yards this season.
SNIPE
QB: Sam Darnold, Seattle (vs Colts) (Rostered in 40 to 45% of leagues) You would think rainy Seattle would be brutal on a veteran quarterback’s joints, but Darnold threw for three touchdowns and 249 yards and added 23 rushing yards in a blowout win over the Falcons last week. Over the course of the season, he ranks in the top 10 in passing yards and averages 15.4 fantasy points per game. Don’t be like the Colts… have a capable backup on your roster.
RB: Blake Corum, LA Rams (vs Denver) (Rostered in less than 35% of leagues) Even though Corum isn’t the starter in L.A., he still managed 12 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns last week. Add another 81 yards and a touchdown in Week 13and it’s definitely time that Blake be off the waiver wire. He is the type of player that can make the difference in a close fantasy playoff game, so he’s worth rostering just so he can’t beat you.
WR: Darius Slayton, NY Giants (vs Washington) (Rostered in 20 to 25% of leagues) Slayton has a great schedule during the fantasy playoffs (Washington, Minnesota, Las Vegas). The Commanders and Raiders have two of the worst defenses in the NFL and the Vikings struggle against receivers. Slayton himself is averaging 10.5 fantasy points over the last four games. He’s another stash so he doesn’t slash your playoff hopes kind of guy.
TE: Isaiah Likely, Ravens (vs Bengals) (Rostered in less than 10% of leagues) Yes, Mark Andrews is officially the starter for Baltimore, but Likely had four catches for 25 yards and a touchdown in Week 14. He’s had at least six targets and 12.5 fantasy points in back-to-back games and most importantly faces the Bengals, who gave up almost 40 points to fantasy tight ends from Buffalo in Week 14.
Playoff Pointers
No Commanders RB has seen more than two targets in a game since Week 8.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield is averaging just 12 fantasy points per game over his last seven games. In his first six games he averaged almost 21 ppg.
The Minnesota Vikings defense has not allowed 26 points to an opponent since November 9th.