Everything you need to know about Saturday’s two NFL games from a fantasy football perspective. Also, you can follow Collin on Twitter at @ukfantasyballer.
Saturday Afternoon
Texans (9-4) vs. Jets (4-9)
The Texans are expected to dominate time of possession, passing yards and rushing yards and have a 70% chance to win.
The line: The Texans by 6.5
Quarterbacks
Deshaun Watson (HOU)
The Jets are middle of the road against the quarterback position, but among in the top 4 worst teams against receivers, so Watson should be able to find DeAndre Hopkins and his colleagues without issue. Watson completed 27 from 38 attempts for 267 yards and a TD in Week 14 and added 35 rushing yards on five carries. He’s not lighting up the scoreboard like in his first season, but he’s a solid start in this Week 15 matchup.
Running Backs
Elijah McGuire (NYJ)
Isaiah Crowell injured his foot in Week 14, and McGuire went on to carry it 17 times for 60 yards with a touchdown plus 3 catches for 23 yards. Prior to this, the most he had put up was 9 fantasy points. With Crowell ruled out, McGuire gets another shot, but the Texans run defense is among the top 10 against running backs and is giving up an average of only 22 fantasy points to the position and 11 total TDs on the year.
Lamar Miller (HOU)
The Texans rushing attack didn’t start as fantasy owners would have planned in Week 14 Alfred Blue rushed for a touchdown, but this was not a sign of things to come as Miller ended up as the main guy, with 14 carries for only 33 yards, but he added a touchdown and had 5 receptions on 6 targets. Miller will face a Jets defense that is giving up 25 fantasy points to the position. Last week Javorius Allen rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Jets and in the previous 6 games they have allowed 3 running backs to score over 30 fantasy points.
Wide Receivers
Jets
Robby Anderson, Quincy Enunwa and Jermain Kearse have not done a great deal of late. Enunwa started the season in the slot and seemed to have a connection with Darnold, but the whole offense has stuttered. I’d stay away from all 3 in Week 15.
DeAndre Hopkins (HOU)
I am slightly concerned about Hopkins. He has an average of 19 fantasy points per game and early on was putting up big fantasy performance, but as of late things have simmered down for the top dog in Houston. Since the BYE week these are his fantasy points per game: 14, 12, 16 and 13. In Week 14 he had 10 targets but only 4 catches for 36 yards. You will, of course, start him against this Jets defense but this is something to keep an eye on.
Keke Coutee (HOU)
Coutee had a nice couple of games in Weeks 4 and 5 and many thought this was the breakout happening, but since then it has been frustrating for the young receiver who has had injuries to deal with. He looks a prospect when fit and if he plays he could be a flex, as the Jets D is ranked 4th worst against the WR position. They give up 40 fantasy points per game to the position, so there will be plenty to go around.
Demaryius Thomas (HOU)
Thomas will be a flex option in Week 15 with upside, especially if Coutee can’t start. He had 4 receptions on 6 targets for 49 yards, which is his 2nd best points total since arriving in Houston.
Tight Ends
Chris Herndon (NYJ)
He was only targeted twice in Week 14, and this bucks a trend that reads much better for him in previous weeks. Against the Texans he has a good matchup, as they are ranked the 8th worst against the TE position and give up an average of 14 fantasy points to the position. Herndon is a fine streaming option in Week 15.
Julius Thomas (HOU)
He has had a couple of decent games this year, nothing too exciting, but in his last two outings he has recorded a 12-point game and a 7-point game and a touchdown. But he should not be in your thoughts for the Week 15 matchup against the Jets.
Saturday Night
Browns (5-7-1) vs. Broncos (6-7)
The Browns have really turned a corner since a few coaching changes took place and the Broncos, with Chris Harris missing, were bested by Nick Mullens and the 49ers in Week 14.
The line: Cleveland by 3.
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield (CLE)
He has a 58 percent completion rate in his first 6 starts as an NFL QB with an average of 16.5 fantasy points per game. Last week he was expected to put up big numbers against a leaky Panthers defense, which didn’t happen. I don’t expect Week 15 to be much better against the Broncos, who are ranked 12th against the position.
Running Backs
Philip Lindsay (DEN)
Since he has been given the nod as the main man in Denver, Lindsay has been trucking defenses for fun. He has 8 touchdowns in 7 games but last week’s touchdown papers over the mediocre production, as he had only 51 yards from scrimmage. He still earned 15.1 points thanks to finding the end zone. Against the Browns, he should have success and it would be a good idea for the Broncos to lean on their run game anyway.
Nick Chubb (CLE)
Chubb is ranked as the 13th fantasy running back and is having a fine first season. He has a touchdown in six of seven games since Carlos Hyde was traded. On the season, Chubb’s averaging 12.85 fantasy points per game and is once again an RB1 this week.
Wide Receivers
DaeSean Hamilton and Courtland Sutton (DEN)
First Thomas leaves for the Texans, then Emmanuel Sanders goes down injured and is out for the season. Now, the Broncos receiving core consists of rookies: Sutton as the main man followed closely by Hamilton. Sutton has 65 targets and 30 receptions, with a fantasy points average of 8 per game. Something tells me that in Week 15 he will not win you your matchup.
I think most people were expecting Sutton to take all of Sanders’ targets, but Hamilton plays the flanker position, so he was always going to see most of Sanders’ work. Expect both of these players to cause the Browns some problems, but I’d start Hamilton as a flex this week.
Jarvis Landry (CLE)
Landry’s season hasn’t been up to the standard we all expected from “safe hands” himself, but the past couple of games, the Mayfield-Landry connection has worked well. He’s coming off of a two-touchdown performance and should line up against Denver’s slot corner Justin Simmons, not the stud Chris Harris, who is out for the season with a broken leg. This Broncos defense is going to have its hands full against the Browns, who on any given Sunday have options all over the field.
Rashard Higgins & Antonio Callaway (CLE)
Higgins is consistent for around 8 fantasy points per game and Callaway provides a big-play threat, but he rarely pulls it off. With the Denver secondary banged up, there is an opportunity for either of these two to make a move, but I’d swerve away from them for Week 15 if you can. Both are, at best, low-end flex options.
Tight Ends
The only tight end that needs to be mentioned in this section is David Njoku. He is an athletic miss match that should be targeted much more frequently than he is at the moment. He had a 4-game spell in Weeks 4 to 7 that looked like the 2nd year tight end had fully arrived, but since the targets and receptions have been sporadic. He has a good matchup against the Broncos, who give up an average of 13 points to the position. He should be a solid TE1 this week, especially given the state of the position, but know he’s far from a sure thing.
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