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Week 15 Sit/Start: RBs and WRs

Start: Rico Dowdle — Dallas Cowboys (at CAR)

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Dallas’ running game has looked significantly better since turning the keys over to Rico Dowdle. He’s improved each week and has brought some balance to a Cowboys offense that lacked playmakers outside of WR Ceedee Lamb. In a loss to the Bengals, Dowdle rushed for 131 yards on just 18 attempts. This is just a week after he broke his career-high for rushing with 112 yards against the Giants. The Panthers allow the most fantasy points to running backs in the league. Dowdle will feast.

Sit: Nick Chubb — Cleveland Browns (vs KC)

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Chubb’s best fantasy day of the season came three weeks ago against the Steelers. He scored on two short touchdown runs but only managed 59 yards on 20 carries. That was also his highest rushing total in seven games. Chubb’s commitment to returning to the field quickly after a knee injury is impressive. He’ll likely look much better after a full year of recovery. For ’24, we’d keep him glued to your fantasy bench. He’s not worth the risk against a stingy Chiefs defense.

Start: Chuba Hubbard — Carolina Panthers (vs DAL)

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With Jonathan Brooks on the mend with a second torn ACL, the backfield in Carolina is turned back over to Chuba Hubabrd full-time. In the Panthers’ last outing, Hubbard carried the ball 26 times for 92 yards and a TD. He added four receptions for 15 yards on five targets. He’ll be a major player on the ground and through the air in Carolina’s Week 15 matchup versus the Cowboys.

Sit: Isiah Pacheco — Kansas City Chiefs (at CLE)

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Pacheco reclaimed his role as the No. 1 back in Kansas City’s offense last week. Unfortunately, that didn’t amount to a particularly strong fantasy day. Pacheco led the way with 16 touches to Kareem Hunt’s six, but only amassed 61 yards and failed to reach the end zone. Even with an increased role, the Chiefs’ offense in ’24 isn’t what we’ve grown accustomed to from this team. With the fantasy playoffs at stake, Pacheco is a low-upside option heading into a difficult matchup against the Browns’ defense.

Start: Jonathan Taylor — Indianapolis Colts (at DEN)

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Jonathan Taylor is one of the top plays of the week heading into a critical matchup for his Indianapolis Colts. The Colts take on the Denver Broncos in a game with serious playoff implications. Both teams are battling for a Wild Card spot and a win could go a long way. With the Colts in desperate need of a strong offensive performance, we expect them to go to Taylor early and often – especially considering the team is coming off a Bye with an extra week of rest.

Sit: D’Andre Swift — Chicago Bears (at MIN)

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Swift should be nowhere near your lineup heading into the fantasy playoffs. The Chicago running back has been in a massive rut over the last few weeks. He hasn’t eclipsed the 40-yard mark in three games and has been held scoreless during that stretch. It started with a 13-carry, 30-yard performance against the Vikings back in Week 12, and he takes on the same daunting Minnesota defense this week. Chicago will likely be trailing in this game, leading to them abandoning the run early once again.

Start: Tyrone Tracy Jr. — New York Giants (vs BAL)

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The Giants were anemic offensively last week against the Saints. They didn’t score their first touchdown until late in the fourth quarter — a 1-yard TD from Tracy Jr. However, the rookie rusher remains a steady contributor for fantasy managers. Tracy Jr. had his best day in weeks against the Saints, cashing in on that short touchdown run and adding five receptions for 38 yards as a receiver. Somebody has to get the ball in this Giants offense, and Tracy Jr. is the clear leader in the backfield. He out-touched backup RB Devin Singletary 21-2 versus New Orleans.

Sit: Tank Bigsby — Jacksonville Jaguars (vs NYJ)

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We don’t need to tell you to ‘sit’ Travis Etienne Jr. You’ve likely already been doing that for weeks. But, some of you might be inclined to give Tank Bigsby a chance after his Week 14 performance — 18 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD, 13.2 FP (PPR). Save yourself some heartache. The Jaguars have given us no reason to believe in their offense. Even if Bigsby leads the backfield in touches, there’s no guarantee he finds any running lanes. The Jets are bad, but their run defense has been fine this year — 22nd in fantasy points allowed to RBs.

Start: Sincere McCormick — Las Vegas Raiders (vs ATL)

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Those playing in deeper fantasy formats might look at Raider RB Sincere McCormick for some security. Nominal starter Zamir White was lost to IR and third-down back Alexander Mattison hasn’t played in three weeks. McCormick has run well over the last three weeks, totaling 175 yards on 32 carries. Atlanta’s defense is truly awful and was just lit up by Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings. McCormick has a chance for a breakout performance.

Sit: Najee Harris — Pittsburgh Steelers (at PHI)

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Harris has had a nice run in fantasy leagues thanks to a streak of finding the end zone. That should come to an end in Week 15 against a stout Eagles run defense. Harris hasn’t run for over 80 yards in a game since before Pittsburgh’s Week 9 Bye. If he doesn’t score a touchdown, Harris is not a viable fantasy asset. Keep him away from your lineup in a crucial week.

Start: Rachaad White — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at LAC)

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Figuring out the Tampa Bay backfield has been tricky this season. Rachaad White entered the season as the clear top option, but we’ve seen Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker shine at times. With Irving likely on the mend for some time, White should return as the No. 1 option. He was excellent in the Bucs’ most recent game against the Raiders, totaling 109 yards and 2 TDs. The Chargers are more formidable defensively than their division rival, but White’s usage should carry him to a strong day.

Sit: Darnell Mooney — Atlanta Falcons (at LVR)

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Mooney and the Falcons WRs have a favorable matchup entering Week 15. The Raiders’ secondary is beat up and they don’t have the depth to keep up with Atlanta’s skill players. However, Kirk Cousins has struggled mightily in recent weeks as the passing game has faltered. Something has to give. Mooney had a great game against the Vikings (6 receptions, 142 yards), but the Atlanta passing game remains a mess. Treat Mooney as a boom-or-bust option in Week 15.

Start: Amari Cooper — Buffalo Bills (at DET)

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Cooper’s performance last week against the Rams went under the radar. He hauled in 6 receptions for 92 yards, but was held without a touchdown despite Buffalo QB Josh Allen accounting for 6 TDs on the day. However, the big stat to come out of Cooper’s performance was the 14 targets. Allen is making it a point to get his No. 1 receiver the ball. In what should be a shootout, Cooper will get plenty of looks as Buffalo tries to end Detroit’s winning streak.

Sit: Marquez Valdes-Scantling — New Orleans Saints (vs WAS)

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MVS has had a nice stretch for the Saints, but that appears to be coming to an end. QB Derek Carr suffered a fractured hand in New Orleans’ win over the New York Giants last week, and it could hold the QB out for the remainder of the season. With either Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener set to take over under center, the Saints’ passing game will regress mightily. Neither QB has the ability to find Valdes-Scantling downfield consistently.

Start: Jaylen Waddle — Miami Dolphins (at HOU)

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The return of Tua Tagovailoa has set Jaylen Waddle on a path back to fantasy relevancy. The speedster has put together three solid performances in a row. Last week, Waddle tallied 9 receptions for 99 yards on 12 targets. And, that was against the New York Jets and the 2nd best defense at preventing fantasy points against opposing wideouts. In Week 15, the Dolphins take on the Texans who have allowed the sixth most fantasy points to receivers.

Sit: Tim Patrick — Detroit Lions (vs BUF)

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Patrick will be one of the top waiver adds after his breakout game last week versus the Packers. In his best performance of the year, Patrick accounted for 22.30 FP (PPR) with 6 receptions for 43 yards and a pair of scores. The Lions’ offense has shown that it can carry multiple fantasy-viable players in the passing game. However, Patrick remains a WR3/4 for a team that loves to run the ball. He might have another big game down the stretch, but we wouldn’t count on his production moving forward.

Start: Brian Thomas Jr. — Jacksonville Jaguars (vs NYJ)

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Rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been the lone bright spot for this Jaguars team. He’s remained a solid option despite the constant turmoil offensively. Last week versus the Titans, Thomas was targeted 12 times and hauled in 8 receptions for 86 yards. He always seems to make a big play and it doesn’t seem to matter who is under center for the Jags. Thomas Jr. has been a stellar draft pick for this team and should be considered a solid WR2/FLEX option for your fantasy lineups this week.

Sit: Xavier Legette — Carolina Panthers (vs DAL)

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The Panthers are trying to incorporate Legette into the passing offense. The team spent a first-round pick on him last April. He’s seen 22 targets over the last three weeks but has managed to secure just 10 of those for a total of 148 yards and 0 TDs. Bryce Young is establishing himself as a starting QB, but Legette hasn’t proven himself as a reliable option just yet.

Start: Jakobi Meyers — Las Vegas Raiders (vs ATL)

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The end of the season could be a huge stretch for Raiders wideout Jakobi Meyers. Vegas’ three remaining games will all be against teams that are in the top 10 of fantasy points allowed to WRs. Jakobi Meyers has seen 36 targets over the last three weeks — more than rookie phenom Brock Bowers. With Aidan O’Connell nursing an injury, we could see Desmond Ridder step in against his former team. Ridder would be highly motivated to perform well, and that means plenty of targets going Meyers’ way.

Sit: Tank Dell — Houston Texans (vs MIA)

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Tank Dell’s usage has gradually decreased recently. He saw 9 targets in back-to-back games in Week 9 and 10, 7 targets in Week 11 versus the Cowboys, 5 targets in Week 12, and in Houston’s last game, Dell was targeted just 4 times — tied for a season-low. Dell recorded just 1 reception for 23 yards in the win over the Jaguars. It’s been a disappointing Year 2 for the talented wideout. He’s safe to bench for the remainder of the season.

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