Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Week 15 Predictions

Week 15 in the NFL will serve as either the fantasy football semifinals or championship in most leagues, and if you're still playing, congratulations are in order for surviving the minefield of fantasy dread that was last week. We had in-game injuries to key players, as Melvin Gordon and Matt Forte each went down before hitting the 10-yard mark. We had quarterbacks committing turnovers like they were going out of style (Russell Wilson and Philip Rivers had five; Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger had three) and we had several other players turn in disappointing efforts (I'm looking at you, Mike Evans, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Jay Ajayi and Spencer Ware) at the worst possible time. All-in-all, it was another reminder that, no matter how confident or frightened you are by your league's point projections, this game will always be truly unpredictable. Nevertheless, we can still go in as prepared as possible, and I'm here to help with that. You can click through the gallery for a closer look at my top sleepers and potential busts for Week 15. (Getty)

Start: Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills

Opponent: vs. Cleveland Browns

On Sunday, Taylor threw for at least 200-plus yards and two touchdowns for the first time since Week 2. That should give you an idea of how inconsistent he has been this season, but a matchup at home against the Browns is enough to quell any quarterback's problems. Cleveland ranks 31st in the NFL in yards per pass attempt allowed and dead last (by far) in passing touchdown percentage (passing touchdowns divided by attempts) against, making Taylor a Top-10 option during this crucial week. Even if the snow plays a factor in the passing game (it didn't slow him down much last week)ryan , his ability to run (five rushing touchdowns in the last seven games) keeps both his floor and ceiling high in this dream matchup. (Getty)

Sit: Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans

Opponent: at Kansas City Chiefs

Mariota ran into the Denver Broncos pass defense buzzsaw last week and finished a brutal 6-of-20 for 88 yards and zero touchdowns. There's nowhere to go but up, but unfortunately for Mariota, he gets another difficult matchup this week. The Chiefs' overall numbers against QB's aren't all that great, but in four of the last five weeks they've held Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, Matt Ryan and Derek Carr to one touchdown or less, and they're at home where that intimidating pass rush is all the more dangerous. If you're in a standard one-QB league, I'd stay away from Mariota this week. (Getty)

Start: Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Opponent: vs. Tennessee Titans

Here are the quarterbacks the Titans have faced (with their weekly Yahoo standard-league QB finish in parenthesis) in their last eight games: Trevor Siemian (9th), Matt Barkley (7th), Andrew Luck (8th), Aaron Rodgers (1st), Philip Rivers (13th), Blake Bortles (5th), Andrew Luck (1st), Cody Kessler (11th). Some good. Some bad. All but one with a Top-12 finish. A lack of volume limits Smith's ceiling, but this matchup makes him a sneaky option in deeper leagues. (Getty)

Sit: Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Opponent: vs. Oakland Raiders

Since their Week 10 bye, the Raiders have only allowed one Top-10 weekly QB performance (Yahoo standard scoring) in four games. Granted, the competition during that stretch (Brock Osweiler, Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor and Alex Smith) hasn't exactly been top-tier, but neither has Rivers. While he has thrown for multiple touchdowns in each of the last six games, he has also completed just 57.08 percent of his passes and committed an ungodly 15 turnovers during that stretch. He just one Top-12 finish in those six games and can't be trusted as he seemingly gives fewer and fewer expletives as San Diego's injury-riddled season carries on. With Melvin Gordon possibly not around to keep the pressure off, Rivers is only an advised play in two-QB and deeper leagues. (Getty)

Start: Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers

Opponent: at Chicago Bears

Whether you play him at running back or wide receiver, he belongs in your lineup. Mike McCarthy has finally realized that after three weeks of favoring James Starks for some inexplicable reason, and the result has been 15 carries, 81 rushing yards, seven targets, five receptions, 61 receiving yards and a touchdown in the last two games for Montgomery. The Packers offense is so much better when he's at running back, and after out-snapping Starks 59-14 over the last two games, it would appear his role is safe moving forward. We've seen the big numbers Montgomery can put up when he's actually on the field, and while there is still some volatility in terms of volume, he's a solid deep-league option in standard-scoring formats with a major boost in PPR. (Getty)

Sit: Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles

Opponent: at Baltimore Ravens

Returning from a two-game absence due to a knee injury, Mathews carried the ball 15 times and played a season-high 50.0 percent of the snaps on Sunday. With Wendell Smallwood out for the year, and Darren Sproles in the concussion protocol, Mathews will have volume on his side. Unfortunately, it's difficult to imagine him doing much with that volume, as the Ravens are first in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.4) and have given up the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. This has the feeling of an 18-carry, 50-yard day for Mathews, so you're basically banking on a touchdown if you play him. (Getty)

Start: Devonta Freeman & Tevin Coleman, Atlanta Falcons

Opponent: vs. San Francisco 49ers

When Freeman and Coleman have both been healthy, it's been difficult to project which one to trust on a week-to-week basis. Fortunately for owners of both players, the 49ers have been in the giving spirit all season. They are last in fantasy points allowed to running backs (by nearly five points per game in standard Yahoo scoring), last in yards per carry allowed, last in total rushing yards allowed, last in rushing touchdowns allowed and last in explosive rushing plays (10 yards or more) allowed. There is room for both Freeman and Coleman to have big days, so start either with confidence. (Getty)

Sit: Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts

Opponent: at Minnesota Vikings

Gore's averages over the last four games: 49.5 rushing yards (3.14 YPA), 26.75 receiving yards and just one total touchdown. His weekly RB finishes over that stretch: 15th, 48th, 24th, 15th. His low ceiling is already concerning, and a matchup at Minnesota against the stout Vikings defense hurts his outlook even more. Even at a thin position, I'd treat him more as an RB3 this week. (Getty)

Start: Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears

Opponent: vs. Green Bay Packers

He was inconsistent earlier in the year, and there could be some rust after his four-game suspension, so it's understandable if there is some apprehension here. Nevertheless, Jeffery should immediately reemerge as Chicago's No. 1 WR, Matt Barkley has been throwing the ball pretty well, and the Packers, who rank last in the NFL in yards per attempt allowed, are undoubtedly susceptible on the back end. Weather permitting (it looks fine as of writing this), Jeffery is set up for a nice return. (Getty)

Sit: Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland Browns

Opponent: at Buffalo Bills

Pryor, whose worst game of the season (three targets, one catch, three yards) coincided with Robert Griffin III's return last week, has suddenly scored just one touchdown and tallied just one Top-20 WR performance in the last seven games. Things don't figure to get any easier this week, as there is snow on the forecast and the Bills haven't allowed a wide receiver to record more than 80 yards since Doug Baldwin in Week 9. (Getty)

Start: Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings

Opponent: vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Diggs Roller Coaster has featured the highest of highs and lowest of lows this season, as he has surpassed 160 yards twice but also been held below 40 yards twice. Nevertheless, many of his worst games have come when he has been banged up, and last week's three-catch, 55-yard performance had a lot to do with rising star cornerback Jalen Ramsey on the other side of the field. Now healthy and up against a beatable Colts secondary, Diggs is in line for another one of his big games. (Getty)

Sit: Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers

Opponent: at Washington Redskins

Steadily trending down, Benjamin hit rock bottom last week, as he turned four targets into one reception for 11 yards and was benched in the fourth quarter. Since recording four touchdowns in the first four weeks of the season, he has found the end zone just one time has surpassed 80 yards just twice. Set to see a bunch of Josh Norman on Sunday, there is no way you can trust him in the fantasy football playoffs, especially at such a deep position. He's untouchable even in deep leagues. (Getty)