NFL DFS picks Week 15: Best sleepers, value players for FanDuel, DraftKings lineups

It's somehow mid-December, and the traditions are starting for families all over the country. For millions of fantasy football owners who didn't make it into their season-long playoffs, this week marks the annual migration to NFL DFS contests. If that's you, welcome! You're off to a good start by checking out our sleepers and values column. Every week, we highlight our favorite DraftKings and FanDuel plays that offer the most bang for your daily fantasy buck. 

Putting this column together has become my favorite weekly tradition. That's why I keep researching all the stats and trends religiously. It's not just about delivering entertaining content — it's about putting money in your pockets. 

All season long, we have been doing just that by targeting sleepers, under-the-radar value plays, and high-upside dart throws. We scour the DK and FD player pools to pinpoint the best investments. By capitalizing on affordable sleepers in certain DFS roster spots, we leave ourselves the budget to greatly improve other roster spots with weekly studs. Let's face it, in order to afford an Austin Ekeler ($8,500 on DK), you must invest in the occasional Elijah Moore ($3,600).

This column has consistently produced this season, and readers are seeing healthy returns on their DraftKings and FanDuel accounts. We have averaged 10-12 big hits per week, with a per-player average of right around 20 DraftKings points. That was no different in Week 14, with another 11 notable hits. Check out last week's highlights:

Wow — one of our best weeks of the season! We crushed it on these 13 picks and had a plethora of other plays reach at least the 10-12 point range. Thirteen plays averaging 21.5 DraftKings points for a per-player price of just $5,007? Yeah, that sounds like a good recipe for winning some tournaments and upping your bankroll for the Festivus season.  

WEEK 15 DFS: Best stacks

Let's get right back into the spirit of winning and roll into this week's slate with the confidence of a QB entering Ford Field. Here are our Week 15 sleepers and values for the main Sunday slate in Week 15. 

All player values are from DraftKings and FanDuel. All stats are from NFL.com and Pro Football Reference.

WEEK 15 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel

NFL DFS Picks Week 15: QB sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Dak Prescott, Cowboys at Jaguars (DK: $6,200 | FD: $7,500)

A tough Week 14 outing against the Texans drove Prescott's price down from $6,500 to $6,200, which honestly makes him too much of a value to pass up against the Jags. Jacksonville has allowed the fifth-most passing yards and eighth-most passing TDs this season. Over the past four contests, the Jags have surrendered a whopping 287 passing yards per game and nine total passing TDs. Bet on Dak to bounce back. 

Ryan Tannehill, Titans at Chargers (DK: $5,300 | FD: $6,900)

Roll your eyes if you want, but Tannehill has been a low-key assassin since returning from his ankle injury in Week 10. He has posted at least 250 yards or two scores in four of his five games and registered three games with between 19.2 and 23.04 DK points in that span. Now he draws a Chargers D that's tied for the fifth-most passing TDs allowed. With so many key L.A. defenders hurt — and the tall task of having to somehow slow down Derrick Henry — the Bolts should yield another fruitful day for Tannehill. 

Another solid Week 15 QB value: Andy Dalton, Saints vs. Falcons (DK: $5,200 | FD: $6,700)

WEEK 15 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

NFL DFS Picks Week 15: RB sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs at Texans (DK: $5,200 | FD: $6,200)

Floss regularly, make your bed, and start your RBs against Houston — these are a few of the basic keys to life, in my opinion. The Texans rank last in rushing defense, allowing 151 more ground yards to RBs than any other team in the NFL (141.1 per game). They have also ceded two more rushing TDs to the position — 16 total — than any other squad. They also allow a league-high 30.7 DK points and 27.4 FD points per game to RBs. So, after seeing what McKinnon did to a usually stout Broncos' defense last week (22 rushing yards, seven catches, 112 yards, two TDs), our eyes lit up at his $5,200 price tag. 

Jamaal Williams, Lions at Jets (DK: $5,600 | FD: $6,900)

Williams had his worst game of the season last week against a Vikings front-seven that really showed up in a big divisional game. The Jets have been pretty solid overall defensively, but they have given up an average of 119 yards and a TD on the ground over their past three games. Williams leads all RBs with 14 total TDs on the season, so it's fair to expect a bounce-back performance. 

More solid Week 15 RB values: Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys at Jaguars (DK: $6,200 | FD: $7,500); Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs at Texans (DK: $5,900 | FD: $7,600); Najee Harris, Steelers at Panthers (DK: $5,700 | FD: $6,600); Rachaad White, Buccaneers vs. Bengals (DK: $5,400 | FD: $6,900); Latavius Murray, Broncos vs. Cardinals (DK: $5,100 | FD: $6,500)

WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

NFL DFS Picks Week 15: WR sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Mike Williams, Chargers vs. Titans (DK: $6,300 | FD: $7,200)

We usually pick guys under $6,000 DK, but Big Mike just looks too tempting to pass up here. The Titans' young secondary has given up chunk-yardage plays to wideouts all season, having allowed the third-most receiving yards and second-most TDs to the position. Tennessee won't know what hit them by the time Williams, Keenan Allen, and Josh Palmer are done with them. 

Garrett Wilson, Jets vs. Lions (DK: $6,000 | FD: $7,800)

I keep going back to Wilson, but why wouldn't I at these prices? The rookie has arguably looked like the most dynamic receiver in his class, regardless of which future backup QB is flinging him off-line targets. Wilson's PFF scores are almost as impressive as his recent fantasy run. Over the past six games, he has averaged 18.1 DK points, and that's despite a 3.2-point dud against the stout Patriots defense in Foxboro back in Week 11. The Lions have surrendered the third-most fantasy points on both DK and FD to wide receivers this season, so picking Wilson is almost too easy. 

More solid Week 15 WR values: Josh Palmer, Chargers vs. Titans (DK: $5,600 | FD: $6,500); George Pickens, Steelers at Panthers (DK: $5,000 | FD: $6,100); Zay Jones, Jaguars vs. Cowboys (DK: $4,900 | FD: $6,300); Drake London, Falcons at Saints (DK: $4,700 | FD: $6,300); Michael Gallup, Cowboys at Jaguars (DK: $4,500 | FD: $5,700); DJ Chark, Lions at Jets (DK: $4,500 | FD: $6,100); Chris Moore, Texans vs. Chiefs (DK: $4,200 | FD: $6,000); Jameson Williams, Lions at Jets (DK: $4,100 | FD: $5,200)

WEEK 15 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

NFL DFS Picks Week 15: TE sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Dalton Schultz, Cowboys at Jaguars (DK: $4,400 | FD: $6,500)

I've been all over Schultz basically the entire second half of the season, and he has yet to disappoint. Since Week 8, the burly tight end has four games with at least 13.4 DK points despite regularly costing between $3,700 and $4,400. We love the discount production, so count us in once again this weekend against a Jacksonville defense that allows 13.3 DK points per game to tight ends. You don't need to swing for the fences with the TE position — most of the time you'll whiff if you do that. Winning DFS squads typically have solid TE floors, not massive TE ceilings. 

More solid Week 15 TE values: Gerald Everett, Chargers vs. Titans (DK: $4,300 | FD: $5,600); Greg Dulcich, Broncos vs. Cardinals (DK: $3,600 | FD: $5,600); Hunter Henry, Patriots at Raiders ($3,300 | FD: $5,200); Chig Okonkwo, Titans at Chargers (DK: $3,100 | FD: $5,100); Tyler Conklin, Jets vs. Lions (DK: $3,100 | FD: $5,000)

NFL DFS Picks Week 15: D/ST sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Denver Broncos vs. Cardinals (DK: $2,700 | FD: $3,700)

It can be hard to find value D/STs in a week that features three Saturday games and three prime-time games, but Denver stands out as the best bargain on the main slate. The Broncos D has been really good all year, and now it draws a home matchup against a Cardinals team that will be without franchise QB Kyler Murray (knee). Expect Colt McCoy to get sacked a few times and maybe throw an interception or two. Give us a pick-six and we're talking massive return on a sub-$3,000 investment. 

Other solid Week 15 D/ST values: Cardinals at Broncos (DK: $3,400 | FD: $4,400); Steelers at Panthers (DK: $3,100 | FD: $4,300)