Thanks for joining me for Belly Up Start Em, Sit Em Week 15! I’m looking at guys with favorable match ups who might be on the fringe of your starting lineups. Also, digging up players to avoid if you’re in need of a home run this week as we continue to make a run. You made it here, now let’s take the title!

Start Em: QBs

Ryan Tannehill vs Det

Ryan Tannehill has a supreme match up this week as the Detroit Lions visit the Music City. The Lions have allowed opposing passers to complete 73.8% of their passes and have allowed the 6th most fantasy points over their last four outings. Tannehill has five games of 70% completions or better, he should have a field day against this secondary. This is a great opportunity for Tannehill to lead your team to the fantasy championship!

Ben Roethlisberger @ Cin

The Cincinnati Bengals are on the schedule at just the right time for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are coming off two consecutive losses. In their Week 10 match up, Roethlisberger had his season-high in passing yards and touchdowns with 333 yards and 4 TD in a 36-10 route. The Steelers have three consecutive games scoring under 20 points. They get back on track in Cincinnati this week.

Start Em: RBs

J.K. Dobbins vs Jax

The Baltimore Ravens have finally started giving their rookie RB an actual workload. Dobbins has toted the rock 10+ times in five of the Ravens last 6 games and has scored a rushing TD in 3 straight. The Jacksonville Jaguars have allowed a league-worst 668 rushing yards over the last month. Dobbins should continue to be the head man in the Ravens backfield and this match up, and could be in for a career day just in time to help you advance!

Cam Akers vs NYJ

Rams rookie RB Cam Akers has back to back games with 20+ carries and three consecutive games with 70+ yards rushing. The Jets allow over 140 yards on 27 carries from Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde last week. I expect the Rams to follow suit and make this game short to stay healthy ahead of the playoffs. The Rams offense should have no issue executing whatever they want to run against this Jets defense. Akers is in for a ton of work in the second half as the Rams should be comfortably out in front.

Start Em: WRs

Tyler Lockett @ WFT

The Washington Football Team pass defense has been more susceptible through the air as of late. Last week we saw 49ers WR Brandon Ayiuk turn 16 targets into 10 receptions for 119 yards, and Kendrick Bourne was a case of the dropsies away from having a serviceable fantasy day himself. The WFT defense will look to have QB Russell Wilson scrambling from pressure, and this is when we’ve seen Lockett do his most damage. These are the weeks when you play your studs, the targets have been there, and Lockett is due. Lockett has a high floor, and in a game with playoff implications, I expect Seattle to be on their A-game.

Corey Davis vs Det

Titans WR Corey Davis has quietly had four games with 5+ receptions and 100+ yards receiving. This week he faces the Detroit Lions secondary who is allowing the 2nd most fantasy points to opposing WRs. They have been particularly giving to options beyond their opponents’ main receiving threat. Detroit has allowed a double-digit fantasy day to multiple WRs in 7 consecutive weeks. Having posted double digit fantasy points in four of his last five outings, Corey Davis has a real opportunity to post WR2 numbers for you in your fantasy playoff match up.

Start Em: TEs

Jared Cook vs KC

Jared Cook and the Saints will have their HOF QB Drew Brees back under center hosting the Kansas City Chiefs this week. They will also be missing their top receiving threat in WR Michael Thomas due to an ankle injury. Kansas City has allowed the 2nd most points to opposing TEs, and the 34 receptions they’ve allowed over the last month is a league-high. The Chiefs have also allowed 4 receiving TDs to TEs, tied for 2nd most in the league. With Brees back and no MT, Cook should be a huge part of the Saints game plan in this one.

Evan Engram vs Cle

Evan Engram is 5th in the NFL in targets per game and 7th in receptions at the TE position. This week the Cleveland Browns visit MetLife Stadium. The Browns have allowed the 3rd most points per game over to TEs over the last month and have surrendered the 5th most receptions over that same span. Volume is key in fantasy football, and the Giants TE is sure to see target volume in this one. Although Engram is catching under 60% of his targets, he has a match up that’s hard to pass up in a “win or go home” scenario. 

Sit Em: QBs

Tua Tagovailoa vs NE

The New England Patriots are still stingy to opposing QBs, having allowed only 3 passing TDs over the last month. They have surrendered multiple TD passes just once in their last seven games. Tua’s top two pass catchers in TE Mike Gesicki and WR DeVante Parker are both questionable with shoulder and hamstring injuries making this an even more sketchy situation to start the rookie signal-caller. I am impressed with Tua’s development thus far in 2020, but I won’t be leaning on him in my fantasy playoffs with this match up.

Baker Mayfield @ NYG

Browns QB Baker Mayfield has been playing some of his best football as of late posting 677 yards and 6 TD passes over his last two games. This week he will travel to MetLife and face off against a Giants defense who has allowed just two touchdowns through the air over their last four outings while posting a 3-1 record. The 643 passing yards they have allowed over the last month is best in the league. The Browns will likely lean on their star RBs to carry them in a tight one, the Giants are allowing many points either.

Sit Em: RBs

James Conner @ Cin

James Conner has had a handful of disappointing games in the back half of the season, rushing for fewer than 50 yards in five of his last six games. Traveling to Cincinnati this week isn’t necessarily the match up it seems. The Cincinnati Bengals have allowed just 9 rushing TDs this season, tied for 3rd fewest in the NFL. They have also allowed just 2 rushing TDs in their last five games. I don’t feel too confident in firing up James Conner in a playoff scenario, temper expectations if you must play him.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs NO

The Chiefs rookie RB has been a fantasy disappointment the back half of the season to say the least. This week the Chiefs travel to New Orleans and take on a Saints defense that is allowing the 3rd fewest points to opposing RBs over their last four outings. They have been particularly stellar against RBs in the passing game allowing a league-low 41 yards on just 9 receptions over that span. CEH may be one of the guys you spent an early draft pick on, but you’ve probably had to abandon him to stay alive at this point in the season. Edwards-Helaire has rushed for 50+ yards just once in his last six games. This is not a favorable match up to have to rely on Clyde to carry your team to victory, if you have other options you have to use them here.

Sit Em: WRs

Tee Higgins vs Pit

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the league’s #2 passing defense from a yardage standpoint, and they lead the NFL in sacks. With the Bengals rolling out QB Ryan Finley on Monday Night Football, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to start anyone for the Bengals this week. Higgins’ value has taken a big hit since rookie QB Joe Burrow went down with a season-ending knee injury. He has posted less than 60 yards in each of his last four games. You have to look elsewhere for your WR services at the juncture of the season.

Jarvis Landry @ NYG

The New York Giants have allowed the 3rd fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs over the last month of the season. They have allowed the fewest yards to WRs (377), and have only surrendered a single receiving TD to the WR position over that span. Landry has had a roller coaster of a season from a production standpoint, and this isn’t a favorable match up for the Browns pass-catcher. I don’t expect it to be a high scoring match up at MetLife Stadium, creating a ceiling that could have you needing more to move on in your fantasy playoffs.

Sit Em: TEs

Jonnu Smith vs Det

Titans TE Jonnu Smith started 2020 on a terror, scoring 5 TDs in his teams’ first four games. Since then the former FIU Panther has reached pay dirt just twice. Facing off against the Detroit Lions doesn’t bode well for Jonnu to get back on track, having allowed the 4th fewest fantasy points to opposing TE over their last four outings. Jonnu has failed to reach 50 yards receiving in each game since Week 3 and the Lions have only allowed opposing TEs to surpass 50 yards receiving twice all of 2020.

Rob Gronkowski @ Atl

Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski has successfully resurrected his career, joining his former teammate Tom Brady in Tampa Bay posting 507 yards and 5 TDs on 38 receptions in 2020. This week the Buccaneers travel to Atlanta to face their division rival Falcons in Week 15. The improved Falcons defense has allowed the 7th fewest fantasy points to opposing TEs over their last four and surrendered a single receiving TD to opposing TEs over their last seven games. The Falcons are looking to play spoiler to a Buccaneer team that’s on the fringe of the NFC playoff race, and stopping Gronk is pivotal to making Brady uncomfortable.

Thanks again for checkin’ out Belly Up Start Em, Sit Em: Week 15! It’s Playoff time!! You can follow me on Twitter @bwhitt24, and the rest of the fantasy crew @bellyupfantasy. Join us live on Twitter and Facebook Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM CST for Belly Up Fantasy Live! Take a moment to like our new pages for our podcast, on Twitter @BUFantasyLive and find us on Facebook at Belly Up Fantasy Live. The crew will be breaking down the upcoming week’s fantasy outlook, and as always answering your questions in the comments! We have several talented writers joining the Belly Up team, be sure to check out their content coming soon! Enjoy 20% off of your www.manscaped.com purchase by using our promo code BELLYUPFANTASY. You’re Welcome!