2022 NFL season: Week 15 fantasy football matchups

The Titans have allowed the most passing yards, second-most passing touchdowns and second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence each put up over 30 fantasy points against the Titans over the last two weeks. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are finally back healthy and playing at the same time. Herbert should finish as a top-three QB in Week 15, but he has disappointed in other great matchups this year.

White struggled against the Bills in Week 14, but most QBs struggle in Buffalo. White had over 300 passing yards in each of the two games prior and should be able to move the ball easily against the Lions defense. The Lions are allowing a league-high 23.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks in 2022. Over the last five weeks, they have allowed four quarterbacks to score 25-plus fantasy points against them. White should be ranked as a top-10 QB in Week 15.

This is gross, I know. But Ryan has had a couple 20-plus fantasy point performances this season in plus matchups, and the Vikings are a plus, plus, plus matchup. The Vikings have allowed an insane 343.6 passing yards per game over the last five weeks. Every QB not named Taylor Heinicke has scored 17-plus fantasy points against the Vikings since Week 8. If you need a replacement for Kyler Murray or Lamar Jackson, Ryan is a viable (but risky) option in Week 15.

Goff has been very solid for fantasy as of late… but he has played three straight games at home, in the dome. Goff's home/road splits are absolutely astonishing this season; he is averaging 21.3 fantasy points per game at home, and just 8.5 points on the road. This is because he has just TWO total passing touchdowns in away games (and 20 pass TDs at home). To make things worse, the Jets have not allowed an opposing quarterback to hit 250 passing yards or throw for more than one passing touchdown in any game since Week 3. They have allowed just five total passing touchdowns over their last ten games. You are playing with fire if you plan to trust Goff in your fantasy playoffs this week.

Have defenses figured out the Dolphins offense? I don’t know… but Tagovailoa has certainly not looked the same over the last three weeks. Tagovailoa has scored just 16, 13.8 and 12.6 fantasy points over his last three games. To make things worse, he will face the Bills in Week 15… in Buffalo… with snow in the forecast. The Dolphins had heaters on the sidelines in Los Angeles last week; good luck dealing with Western New York weather! Plus, the Bills' defense has been very good against opposing QBs for most of this season, allowing just one QB to score more than 20 fantasy points against it in 2022.

Brady and the Buccaneers offense is broken. Brady has not scored more than 18 fantasy points in any of his last eight games, and he gets a tough matchup in Week 15. The Bengals are allowing the lowest completion percentage and seventh-fewest fantasy points to QBs this season. The Bengals even limited Patrick Mahomes to just 19 points two week ago. Brady has no upside in this matchup.

Start RBs against the Texans, it really is this simple. They are allowing the most rushing yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points to the running back position in 2022. Pacheco hasn't had a massive fantasy performance yet in his career, but he has been steadily putting up double-digit points in each of his last four games. If the Chiefs give Pacheco at least 15 touches in this game, he should have no issue putting up 15+ fantasy points.

Dobbins returned from IR in Week 14, and immediately led the backfield in snaps, carries, and yards, putting up 120 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against the Steelers. His workload should only increase next week as he continues to get healthier. The Browns' run defense has been terrible, as it has allowed the third-most yards per carry, second-most rushing touchdowns, and third-most fantasy points to RBs this season. I am playing Dobbins with confidence in Week 15.

After being massively overlooked this offseason, Sanders is shockingly the fantasy RB12 so far in 2022. Sanders has been reliable in plus matchups, and he gets a super favorable opponent in Week 15. The Bears have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to the running back position this season. Sanders has had 140+ rushing yards and two TDs in two of his last three games. He is a must-start.

If you won Knight off waivers following Week 12, you are a happy camper. He put up 15+ points in Week 13 and Week 14. He has looked fantastic as a runner and has shown that he belongs in this league. Unfortunately, he gets a surprisingly tough matchup this Sunday. The Lions are allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to RBs since Week 8. They have faced Saquon Barkley, Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones, Travis Etienne, David Montgomery and Devin Singletary during that span… and did not allow one of them to hit 10 fantasy points.  

The Titans have allowed a league-low 2.7 yards per carry since Week 4 and no running back has hit 60 rushing yards against them in that span. They also have allowed just three scrimmage TDs to RBs during that span. The good news? The Titans have allowed the second-most receptions to RBs this season. In PPR leagues, Ekeler is still safe to have a solid fantasy week, but his yardage and TD total might be lower than usual.

Chubb's production has significantly declined since Deshaun Watson's return. Chubb has scored just eight fantasy points in each of the last two weeks. The Ravens have allowed just 2.7 yards per carry to running backs over their last six games and have not allowed a 50+ yard rusher in a game since Week 7… against Chubb (91 yards). Chubb is far too talented to sit in the fantasy playoffs, but Watson is going to have to look much better in this game to allow Chubb more scoring opportunities.

• Alec Pierce
• Michael Pittman Jr.

The Vikings have allowed the most receiving yards and second-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position in 2022. Per Next Gen Stats, the Vikings are abysmal at covering outside wide receivers, as they have allowed over 200 more yards than any other team to WRs aligned out wide this season. Minnesota got torched by both D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams for 40-yard receiving touchdowns last week. Pittman and Pierce are the Colts' outside WRs and both should have nice games in this matchup.

• Keenan Allen
• Mike Williams

In their first game back healthy together since Week 1, both Allen and Williams put up over 90 receiving yards. When healthy, these guys are must-starts… especially in great matchups. The Titans are allowing the most fantasy points to the wide receiver position this season -- Tee Higgins, Christian Watson, DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown and Zay Jones all put up over 20 points against them over the last four weeks. Start both Allen and Williams with great confidence in Week 15.

Wilson is averaging 21.5 fantasy points per game with Mike White as the starting QB. He also has had 75+ receiving yards in five of his last six games. He is an absolute baller. The Lions are allowing the second-most receiving yards and third-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position in 2022. Over their 13 games played this season, they have allowed 15 different WRs to put up 18+ fantasy points against them. Wilson should be ranked among the elites this week. (Also, Elijah Moore is a risky, but high-upside flex option.)

Chark has been fantastic over the last two weeks, putting up back-to-back 90+ yard games. Unfortunately, he gets a super hard matchup this week on the road. The Jets are allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers since Week 4. Over their last five games, the Jets have not allowed any WR to hit 55 receiving yards against them… they even just held Justin Jefferson and Stefon Diggs to under 50 yards in the last two weeks. Keep Chark on the bench this week and pivot to a guy like Alec Pierce or Elijah Moore, who both have much better matchups in Week 15.

Tom Brady and Evans have not been on the same page. Evans has scored 10 or fewer fantasy points in each of his last five games. To make matters worse, he has a tough matchup in Week 15 as the Bengals have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to WRs in 2022. Evans has the ability to have a big game in any given week… but it has been a very long time since he has given his fantasy managers a week-winning type of performance.

Smith-Schuster has been a very inconsistent fantasy scorer, putting up fewer than 10 points in 50% of his games played this season. This week, he gets a tough matchup against the Texans who have allowed the second-fewest receptions, fewest receiving TDs and fourth-fewest fantasy points to WRs in 2022. Teams CAN throw on the Texans, they just don't have to because they can win by running the ball 30+ times. Smith-Schuster is a risky flex play this week.

The Cardinals have allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends this season, by a large margin. Over their last five games, they have allowed Noah Fant, Tyler Higbee, George Kittle and Hunter Henry to each put up 70+ yards against them. Dulcich has had eight targets in each of the last two games, and with that type of volume against the Cardinals' weak defense, he becomes one of the safest plays at the TE position in Week 15.

Schultz has been one of the more reliable fantasy tight ends since Dak Prescott returned from injury --- he has scored 13+ points in four of his last six games. To add to that, the Jaguars have allowed the most fantasy points per game to the tight end position since Week 8. Over that span, they have allowed Travis Kelce, Chigoziem Okonkwo, Josh Oliver, Greg Dulcich, Austin Hooper, Mark Andrews, and Noah Gray to each score 10+ points against them. Schultz should be ranked as a top 5 fantasy TE in Week 15.

It is never easy plugging Conklin into your starting lineup… but if you are desperate, he could have a solid game in Week 15. The Lions have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2022. The Lions have allowed 9+ points to seven of the eight TEs that had 5+ targets in a game against them this season, while Conklin has had 7+ targets in each of the last two games. His upside is limited because he is Tyler Conklin, but if you are looking for a TE that can score 9-12 points this week, he is your guy.

Engram had a monstrous game in Week 14, putting up 162 receiving yards and two TDs… but I am not chasing those points in Week 15. Engram had 30 or fewer receiving yards in each of the four previous weeks and he gets an extremely hard matchup this Sunday. The Cowboys have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to TEs this season. Just one tight end has scored 10+ points against them in 2022 (Tyler Higbee in Week 5… and he needed 10 targets just to score 11.6 points). Engram scored fewer than 10 points in each of his last four matchups against the Cowboys (all with the Giants).

Andrews has scored fewer than seven fantasy points in three of his last six games and has not hit more than 12 points since Week 6. Unfortunately, he might have another low scoring week as the Browns are tied for the fewest receptions allowed to tight ends this season and have allowed just two TDs to the position all year long. Andrews played 56 offensive snaps and had zero receptions against the Browns in Week 7.

Higbee started the season off hot but has become a ghost over the second half of the year. He has scored fewer than four fantasy points in six of his last eight games. Brutal. His reception totals have significantly declined as of late, and he hasn't scored a touchdown all season long. To make matters worse, the Packers are tied (with the Browns) for the fewest receptions allowed to tight ends this season. Play anyone else in Week 15.