2021 NFL Fantasy Football Start/Sit – Week 15

We no longer have to deal with bye weeks and we will have a full slate of games through the rest of the regular season.

You may have a set roster now, but you could be in the market for some flex plays to stream every weeks. Also, due to the recent COVID outbreak, you may need to replace someone who will not be able to play this week.

Will Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes be able to dust off his arm and have a huge fantasy outing against the Los Angeles Chargers?

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 15 of the 2021 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of QB Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.

I want to explain what I mean by “sit” and “start.” Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. My ‘sit’ players are guys I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.

START’EM

  • QB Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals) – Murray didn’t have a great game against the Rams, but he still passed for 383 yards and ran for another 61. He has a better match-up this week against the Lions, who are dealing with a COVID outbreak.
  • WR Russell Gage (Atlanta Falcons) – Gage couldn’t replicate his 130-yard output against the Bucs but he still caught four of his six targets for 64 yards against the Panthers. He is still a focal point in the Falcons offense. I would say that he is the second most-targeted weapon in the Falcons offense.
  • TE Dawson Knox (Buffalo Bills) – Bills QB Josh Allen is dealing with an ankle injury, but is expected to play against the Panthers. Knox had his best game since returning from injury a month ago. He had seven receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown against the Bucs. He get a half-dozen targets (or omre) against the Panthers.
  • RB Dalvin Cook (Minnesota Vikings) – Cook really screwed me last week. I wrote my fantasy and betting articles on Tuesday and then you start hearing rumblings on Thursday that Cook could play that night against the Steelers. He cracked the 200-yard mark and had a huge fantasy week. He should have a big game against the Bears this week.
  • QB Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) – Mahomes hasn’t been a no-brainer fantasy starter this season. He only has two passing touchdowns over his last three games. He should have plenty of attempts against the Chargers. I expect a high-scoring affair between the two teams. He will need to air it out a lot this weekend.
  • Miami Dolphins Defense & Special Teams – It’s a given that I will recommend streaming the D/ST that opposes the New York Jets. Miami’s defense is a sneaky defense as it is, so they should limit the Jets to near double-digit points.
  • WR Van Jefferson (Los Angeles Rams) – Jefferson has found his role since the acquisition of Odell Beckham Jr., he’s a red zone target. He will get single-coverage in the red zone and the Rams are taking advantage of that. Jefferson has caught a touchdown in each of his last three games.
  • RB Devonta Freeman (Baltimore Ravens) – Ravens QB Lamar Jackson injured his ankle last week and he’s listed as questionable against the Packers. I expect Jackson will play, but I expect more of a traditional running game for Baltimore with Freeman and Latavius Murray getting more touches.
  • TE Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers) – Freiermuth started the year with just one touchdown through his first six games. He has since turned into a red zone target and has caught six touchdowns over his last seven games. He should get at least one red zone target against the Titans.
  • WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cleveland Browns) – Peoples-Jones targets really depend on the health of QB Baker Mayfield. When the quarterback was ailing, DPJ was getting three to five targets per game, but when he’s healthy, DPJ gets 6+ targets per game. He is coming off a five catch, 90-yard performance against the Ravens.
  • RB Javonte Williams (Denver Broncos) – Williams is loving the extra touches he’s getting while RB Melvin Gordon has dealt with some nagging injuries. The Broncos will be back to more of a time-share running game, but Williams is turning into a touchdown vulture. He has scored four touchdowns in his last three games.
  • Los Angeles Rams Defense & Special Teams – The Rams stepped up big against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football and face a less talented Seahawks team this coming Sunday. Seattle did play great against a bad Texans team last week, but Seattle is still struggles on offense against good teams. 
  • Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) – Tua is coming off their bye and it gave him an extra week to help heal his injured thumb. He has been good in his last three games and has a TD/INT ratio of 5/1 over that period. Also, in two of those games, he has a completion percentage north of 81%. He faces the Jets this week and should have a solid fantasy output.

SIT’EM

  • RB Zack Moss (Buffalo Bills) – The Bills just doesn’t run the ball enough for Moss to be owned in standard leagues. He was even listed as an inactive against the Bucs. He’s lost a lot of snaps to RB Matt Breida and I would suggest that RB Devin Singletary is the only back in Buffalo worth a roster spot right now.
  • QB Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) – If you’re in a deeper league and have Lawrence on your team, it’s time to cut bait. You may want to put a keeper tag on him going into next year, but honestly, you will be able to get him in the draft next year after the numbers he’s put up. I’d rather start Saints QB Taysom Hill or even Texans QB Davis Mills right now.
  • WR Darnell Mooney (Chicago Bears) – Mooney was bumped down the depth chart when WR Allen Robinson returned. He isn’t getting the same amount of targets and his production took a huge nosedive as he only had one catch for 19 yards against the Packers.
  • RB Jeff Wilson Jr. (San Francisco 49ers) – Some people may want to take a flyer and put in a waiver claim on Wilson this week, but I wouldn’t do it. WR Deebo Samuel is getting the red zone touches and RB Elijah Mitchell could be back to take carries away from Wilson. The Niners running game has been a mix of backs all season due to injuries and that’s how they will finish the year.
  • QB Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders) – Carr isn’t worth a start in standard leagues and I would argue that he might be borderline in a 16-team league. He only has three passing touchdowns over his past four games. He faces the Browns this week and I expect him to have another rough outing. I’d rather start Patriots QB Mac Jones or Texans QB Davis Mills over Carr.
  • WR Jamison Crowder (New York Jets) – Crowder is owned in 33% of leagues and that percentage should be much, much lower. Yes, he’s getting over a half-dozen targets per game, but he isn’t doing anything with those. I’d rather go with his teammate WR Elijah Mooore over Crowder.
  • TE Dalton Schultz (Dallas Cowboys) – Schultz is coming off his worst game of the year. He only had one catch for four yards against Washington. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had trouble getting the ball out of his hand and it looks like LT Tyron Smith could miss a week or two with another injury. I’d rather go with Colts TE Jack Doyle or Washington TE Ricky Seals-Jones.
  • Seattle Seahawks Defense & Special Teams – The Seahawks D/ST had negative fantasy points the last time they met the Rams back in Week 5. The team is less talented now due to injuries and I expect another rough fantasy outing this week. I’d go with the Dolphins or Packers D/ST to stream this week.
  • TE Zach Ertz (Arizona Cardinals) – Ertz did have a solid outing against the Rams as he caught five passes for 42 yards. That’s about his peak when QB Kyler Murray is in the game. By the time Murray is down to Ertz in his check-downs, he’s a split-second away from tucking it and running it himself. The tight end position low on the totem pole in Arizona.
  • New Orleans Saints Defense & Special Teams – The Saints D/ST had a solid game the last time they played the Bucs back in Week 8. They had a defensive touchdown and two interceptions. I don’t see them having that level of game this week. The Saints D/ST hasn’t scored double-digit fantasy points since that game.

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sweetbob-author-picAbout the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.