Our Week 15 fantasy football start and sit recommendations are now live. Two NFC West quarterbacks have plus-level matchups, including NFL MVP favorite Brock Purdy.
We’re also not sold on two young running backs as they face difficult opponents heading into this week’s NFL action.
As for the wide receiver spot, a young Los Angeles Rams player is potentially looking to break records. He has an easy go of it against a disaster class of a Washington Commanders defense.
Below, we look at our fantasy football start and sit recommendations for Week 15 of the NFL season.
Related: Week 15 fantasy football rankings
Week 15 fantasy football start and sit: Quarterbacks
Start
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford has been absolutely brilliant over the past three games, combining to throw for 802 yards with 10 touchdowns and just one interception. He threw for three scores against an elite-level Baltimore Ravens defense this past week, too. He now has the best fantasy matchup of Week 15 going up against a Washington Commanders defense that has given up 30 passing touchdowns compared to six interceptions on the season.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
How good has Purdy been since San Francisco’s Week 9 bye? He’s put up north of 1,500 yards with 13 touchdowns compared to two interceptions in five games (all wins). Purdy is now the fifth-ranked fantasy quarterback heading into Week 15. Taking on an Arizona Cardinals defense that ranks in the bottom 10 of the NFL stopping fantasy quarterbacks, Purdy is an obvious play for the fifth time in San Francisco’s past six games. It’s that simple.
Sit
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Whether it was high high-ankle sprain or something else, Lawrence was a mistake waiting to happen last week against the Cleveland Browns. Sure, he threw three touchdowns. But the injured quarterback also had three interceptions in the loss. It doesn’t get much easier this week against a Baltimore Ravens defense that has given up just 13 passing touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 13 games this season.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
The San Francisco 49ers’ defense has yielded a mere 14 passing touchdowns compared to a league-best 17 interceptions on the season. Sure, quarterbacks have put up yards against this unit. But it has not translated to fantasy success. Don’t expect that to change come Sunday. Murray has put up six total touchdowns in four games since returning from his torn ACL. We’re not expecting much from him Sunday in the desert.
Week 15 fantasy football start and sit: Running backs
Start
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Robinson has been consistently good over the past six games, going for 517 total yards and five touchdowns. He’s gained at least 50 rushing yards each game and has failed to score a touchdown in just two outings. Despite going up against a Buccaneers defense that has been good stopping running backs (1,092 yards, 5 TD in 13 games), we like Robinson’s consistency here.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Where Gibbs misses out on rush attempts (11.6 per game), he more than makes up on yards per carry (5.4) and receptions (45). This has the rookie nearing the 1,000-total yard plateau heading into Week 15 against Denver Broncos. They have also given up the most fantasy points to running backs on the season. You can do the math here.
Sit
James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Cook is another player who has stepped up recently, going for 463 total yards over the past four games. It has fantasy football owners ready to start him as a RB1 against the Dallas Cowboys. We’re just not buying it. Dallas has yielded the fourth-fewest fantasy points and an average of 3.8 yards per carry to running backs on the campaign. A similar back in D’Andre Swift went for just 39 yards on 11 attempts in Dallas’ win over the Phildelphia Eagles last week.
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s all about matchups this late in the fantasy football season. Etienne does not have a good one against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. They rank in the top 12 of the NFL in stopping fantasy running backs. Kyren Williams might have gotten to them last week. But we just don’t like this matchup for a player in Etienne who has not had a 100-yard rushing game since back in early October.
Related: NFL Week 15 offense rankings
Week 15 fantasy football start and sit: Wide receivers
Start
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
This rookie fifth-round pick from BYU has a chance to break the all-time receiving yards mark for a first-year player. He heads into Week 15’s matchup with the Washington Commanders having recorded 82 receptions for 1,113 yards. He also has a great matchup against a laughable Commanders defense that has allowed 2,580 yards and 20 touchdowns to wide receivers on the season.
Related: Blown call, late collapse leads to ugly Los Angeles Rams Week 14 loss
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
After struggling somewhat, Brown stepped up against two of the best defenses in the NFL in that of the 49ers and Cowboys (17 receptions, 208 yards). Despite Philadelphia losing both games, there has to be hope for continued production Week 15 against a Seahawks defense that has given up the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers.
Sit
D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears
Moore (76 receptions, 1,071 yards, 7 TD) has been among the few bright spots for the Chicago Bears this season. We’re certainly not sold on him as a legit option Week 15 against a Browns defense that has given up a sub 50% completion and the fourth-fewest fantasy points in the NFL to receivers.
Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
Based on his track record and average draft value, Diggs would be considered a must start each week. He’s put up nearly 1,000 yards with eight touchdowns on the season. Unfortunately, the embattled receiver has a difficult matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. They have yielded the seventh-fewest fantasy points to receivers. It’s going to be tough sledding for the Josh Allen-Stefon Diggs connection come Sunday afternoon.
Week 15 fantasy football start and sit: Tight ends
Start
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
Regardless of who is under center for the Vikings come Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts, Hockenson will be highly targeted. He’s seen eight-plus targets 10 times in 13 games. Hockenson heads into Week 15 with the third-most fantasy points among tight ends. He’s also slated for a matchup against a Colts defense that has yielded a 68% completion and the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends.
Sit
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Noticing a theme here? We’re not sold on Bears skill-position players against Cleveland. At tight end, there is a good reason for this. The Browns have given up just 38 receptions for 357 yards in 13 games against this position in 2023. The math is not hard.
