It’s playoff time!
It’s time for savvy fantasy managers who have survived the barrage of injuries to cement their names forever as fantasy champions.
Now that fantasy rosters are primarily assembled, winning the waiver wire and making wise start/sit decisions is everything.
Week 15 features a slew of starts that might require a little extra fortitude to submit. It’s paramount to appropriately gauge floors, upside, and exploitable matchups.
As always, remember this is just a game, and do not target NFL players on social media for lackluster fantasy performances.
Let’s go win some titles, Wolves! The GOAT approves of this message.
WIDE RECEIVER STARTS:
Luther Burden vs. Cleveland Browns
This is largely dependent on whether Rome Odunze can return in week 15.
While Odunze missed week 14 with a foot injury, Burden caught four of his six targets for 67 yards against the Packers.
Over the past two games, the ordinarily stout Browns secondary has leaked some air to opposing WRs, giving up three touchdowns while allowing two players to score at least 13 points.
When on the field, Caleb Williams tends to look Burden’s way, targeting him on 24% of his routes.
Burden is efficient with his opportunities, forcing a missed tackle on 17 percent of his receptions, leading the Bears with 2.38 Y/RR and 0.47 FP/RR.
If Odunze sits again, Burden is a high-upside WR3/flex option.
Wan’Dale Robinson
Robinson has upped his game since Malik Nabers tore his ACL early this season. Pour one out really quick for what could have been!
Back to business.
The Commanders allow the ninth-most points to opposing WRs and the third-most yards to slot receivers.
Robinson has scored at least 12 points in three of his last five outings.
As Jaxson Dart’s go-to guy now, Robinson has averaged at least 10 targets in that same timespan and has scored double-digit points in each of his last three games with the rookie.
Robinson offers a safe floor play with TD upside to start the fantasy playoffs.
Jakobi Meyers
After escaping the clutches of the offensive black hole that is the Las Vegas Raiders, Meyers has thrived in Jacksonville.
Since uniting with Trevor Lawrence in week 10, Meyers has finished as a WR2 or better in four straight games, averaging 15.6 ppg.
Meanwhile, the Jets just allowed Jaylen Waddle to snag five passes for 50 yards and a TD.
There’s very little reason to expect the Jets to suddenly put the clamps on a suddenly dangerous Jaguars team in week 15.
Jaylen Waddle vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Speaking of Waddle, the endzone penguin has averaged a juicy 14.3 ppg since Tyreek Hill’s season-ending injury.
Waddle has seen nearly 45% of the Dolphins’ air yards and is averaging a healthy 2.55 Y/RR while being targeted nearly 13 yards downfield. In other words, when Waddle is targeted, it’s usually good for fantasy.
The Steelers have allowed the second-most yards to receivers in 2025, including the fourth-most to wide-outs where Waddle runs most of his routes.
Starting Waddle is only in question due to how run-centric the Miami offense has been in 2025.
Still, both teams are fighting for their NFL playoff lives, and the Dolphins might open up the aerial attack a little more this week. Waddle is a strong WR2 this week.
WIDE RECEIVER SITS:
Christian Watson vs. Denver Broncos
Outright sitting Watson might seem insane, given how well he has played since coming back from his 2024 ACL tear.
To say he’s been the best WR on the Packers is like saying Usain Bolt is slightly faster than Tom Brady.
Still, the Broncos have arguably the best lockdown corner in the game, Patrick Surtain II, who will likely see a lot of Watson this week.
Watson has scored five TDs in his last four games… the same amount of TDs the Broncos have surrendered all season.
He has been a bit of a TD-dependent receiver, being held under 60 yards in four of his seven games.
With the shadow threat of Surtain circling this matchup, it might be best to bet on a Watson bust game, especially with the return of Jayden Reed.
Michael Pittman vs. Seattle Seahawks
This isn’t an ageist thing!
Whether the legendary Philip Rivers is starting or whether it’s Riley Leonard, Pittman is tough to trust against a stout Seahawks secondary.
On the season, Seattle has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points and has the seventh-fewest passing TDs allowed.
Pittman has averaged fewer than 20 yards per game in three of his last four games while being targeted four or fewer times in half the games.
Pittman’s saving grace would come in the red zone, where he is targeted on 30% of his routes.
The Seahawks allow a completion on under 50% of receiver targets, and, with a bad QB situation, Pittman is a WR3 at best.
Xavier Worthy vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Someone check, when was the last time Worthy scored? Week 6, right?
Yeah, that’s bad.
The Bolts are a top 3 defense vs opposing wide receivers. Red flag.
Ranking 101st among 132 WRs with at least 100 routes run in Fantasy Points’ Average Separation Score? Red flag.
Patrick Mahomes struggling behind a bludgeoned offensive line. Need I say more?
Worthy has only gone over 60 yards once in his last nine games. No, thank you!
He offers no floor and little ceiling. Hard pass!
Zay Flowers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Wait, Flowers needs to be benched with the Bengals on the other side? Someone get this man a drug test.
Well, while you get the sanitized cup ready, at least hear me out.
Over the last few weeks, no receiver has scored double digits in PPR against the Bengals.
The last time Flowers played Cincinnati, he caught two balls for six yards.
Lamar Jackson has largely stunk since returning from injury, and he struggles to find Flowers in the end zone (only TD scored this season in week 1).
Flowers can be used as a slot, especially after roasting a bad Steelers offense for 124 yards on 11 targets, but there’s a very real chance he flops hard again this week.
