For nearly four months, you’ve been grinding the waiver wire, making tough lineup calls, and building what you hope is the perfect roster.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re in the thick of a title chase. That also means you’re probably juggling injuries, debating between a couple of fringe starters, or staring down a brutal matchup decision.
Maybe you even spotted Kyle Pitts floating around the waiver wire earlier this season and prayed he wouldn’t come back to haunt you. While Roto Street Journal can help you recover from most fantasy disasters, there’s only so much that can be done when your opponent rolls out Mike Evans after injury and Pitts for what was the greatest tight end fantasy performance since 2000.
No matter what you’re searching for and why it brought you here, make your tough decision with confidence. Don’t go home because you were scared to make a big move.
We started both Trevor Lawrence and Jakobi Meyers last week, a ‘no-no’ that us staffers try to avoid, despite a full Jaguar receiving corps, and it worked out.
Big risk? Big win. We’re focused on winning around these parts. Here’s how we win this week:
Editor’s Note: These Week 15 Sleepers rank Tier 4 or lower on The Wolf’s Week 15 Rankings.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 15 SLEEPERS
Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks
@ Indianapolis Colts
For the third week in a row I am taking the quarterback playing against Indianapolis.
Seattle’s Sam Darnold has made it a few times on this list, most notably his 40-point fantasy week against Washington.
I was praying to not see The Wolf move him up into the third tier, and he didn’t. Down at No. 18, Darnold enters a Sunday matchup hoping to move the Seahawks into the No. 1 seed in both the NFC West and NFC Playoff Picture.
There are multiple reasons for his tier: currently slated to face off against rookie quarterback Ryan Leonard and because fantasy managers likely didn’t draft Darnold, so they likely still have a quarterback in a higher-ranked tier still on their roster and available to use.
But, I’m ready to see Darnold play under the assumption that Philip Rivers is under center for the Colts. If (when) that happens, Seattle likely won’t be able to rely on pounding the rock with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet.
I understand Rivers hasn’t played in years – and came out of retirement – but playing against a rusty guy with experience is harder than playing against a rusty guy who’s a rookie.
In two of Seattle’s last three games, Darnold has thrown multiple touchdowns and averaged 13.7 yards (a.k.a. a first down) per pass. In games throwing for multiple touchdowns, Darnold hasn’t scored less than 22 fantasy points, and has scored as many as 39.*
In the other? Seattle beat Minnesota in a 30-0 shutout.
With Rivers in, I’ll take the over on Darnold’s 16 pass attempts per game.
Darnold ranks in Tier 4 (QB 18) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Kyle Monangai, RB, Chicago Bears
Vs Cleveland Browns
I’d be lying if I said the Browns’ defensive line didn’t scare me. But the defense is on the field so much because of the inept offense that it’s bound to break down.
Running mate D’Andre Swift is a clear start, but because Kyle Monangai is quite evenly splitting with him, and it’s working for both week after week, you need to take advantage of the upside. Monangai is no longer a top Handcuff to Swift, he’s a standalone start.
Cleveland has allowed nearly 550 rush yards in the last five weeks, with three of those opponents being some of the worst in football: the Jets, Raiders and Titans.
Monangai has four touchdowns in the last five games and has had more rushing attempts than Swift in each of the team’s previous three games.
Chicago dropped from the No. 1 NFC Playoff spot to No. 7 following its loss to Green Bay last week. To climb back up a crowded conference, you want to run the ball more than you want to put the ball in Caleb Williams’ hands.
Monangai ranks in Tier 5 (RB 30) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Devin Neal, RB, New Orleans Saints
Vs Carolina Panthers
Suddenly, the Saints are welcoming their division leader to New Orleans this weekend.
Devin Neal joins Monangai as an unknown name at the beginning of the season who could make or break your playoff game.
Alvin Kamara (knee) has been ruled out, so Neal will get a third consecutive start against a Panthers defense that is 8th-worst against the run.
Neal saw a career-high in both attempts, yards and touchdowns last week in Tampa Bay, and there’s nothing to suggest the young New Orleans offense will shy away from him.
A few weeks ago, Kamara ran 22 times for 83 yards and caught all three of his targets for 32 yards. If Neal did that? Double digits from a guy stepping up in injury? That’s a fantasy manager’s dream.
Usually, we put a disclaimer that we feel more comfortable playing player “x” in PPR leagues, but it’s the opposite here. Neal is a standard-setting blessing.
Neal ranks in Tier 4 (RB 24) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Chimere Dike, WR, Tennessee Titans
@ San Francisco 49ers
Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike likely started turning heads in Week 8 when he posted back-to-back weeks with a touchdown.
Fantasy managers usually don’t look at the worst teams in the leagues for producers, but continuing to overlook Dike is a mistake.
Someone has to catch the ball and someone has to return kicks in Tennessee. Dike does both.
If your league scores for kick and punt return yards, this choice only gets better.
Dike scored back-to-back touchdowns in weeks seven and eight, and has three scores in the last three games.
It’s hard to predict game flow for Tennessee, and you have to bank on them having the possession long enough for him to reach his 7/8 target ceiling instead of his 3/4. But the 49ers are in the bottom third of the league in pass defense and not stellar on special teams.
The touchdown ceiling and increased usage is appealing, and Dike’s track record makes him a safe desperation start.
Dike ranks in Tier 6 (WR 50) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints
Vs Carolina Panthers
Juwan Johnson is looking to replicate the best game of his season again against Carolina.
In Week 10, Johnson had 92 yards and a touchdown against a Panthers defense that has struggled to contain tight ends all season.
Johnson has been on a downslide for the last three weeks since the Saints’ bye week, but has hit double digits in PPR leagues in two of those three.
This is also the worst remaining defense against tight ends that New Orleans will face this season. I’m a little hesitant that Carolina will know he burned them before and make it a point to defend. But then again, the Panthers have known that’s their weakness week-in and week-out and it hasn’t made a significant difference this season.
A top-12 finish is realistic for Johnson this week.
Johnson ranks in Tier 4 (TE 18) on The Wolf’s Week 12 Rankings.
