Every NFL team is in action as the fantasy football playoffs begin, and start 'em, sit 'em decisions have never been more difficult or more important. Having a reliable set of weekly fantasy projections and rankings is crucial in a week like this, and the more expert analysis, opinions, and stats you can absorb, the better it will make your Week 15 lineup choices.
To prove we truly believe in the "more is better" approach to fantasy football research, we’re happy to offer SN Fantasy readers an exclusive look at Draft Sharks’ award-winning weekly rankings and projections. We'll also highlight players at each position who stand out in our rankings compared to theirs so you get multiple perspectives on a few of the biggest start-or-sit headaches. To see Draft Sharks' exclusive Week 15 3D floor-to-ceiling projections, become a Draft Sharks member today at the link below!
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Week 15 Fantasy Football Projections, Rankings from Draft Sharks
Week 15 fantasy QB projections, rankings
Spotlight Player: Aaron Rodgers, Packers vs. Rams (SN Ranking: 9 | DS Ranking: 14)
We're not dramatically different from Draft Sharks on Rodgers' ranking, but we ultimately like his matchup a little more. L.A.'s overall ranking vs. QBs is solid, but in Weeks 9-13, it allowed an average of 293 passing yards and nine total TDs to QBs. That stretch included matchups against Colt McCoy and Andy Dalton. The Rams looked great against Derek Carr and the Raiders last Thursday, but traveling to chilly Lambeau Field for a Monday night game doesn't figure to bring out the best in them. Rodgers should be good for around 250 yards and multiple TDs.
SN's WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 15 fantasy RB projections, rankings
Spotlight Player: Cam Akers, Rams @ Packers (SN PPR Ranking: 23 | DS Ranking: 36)
Akers saw a decline in snaps last week (42 percent compared to 72 percent the week before), but he still dominated carries (12 compared to three for Kyren Williams) and posted 42 yards and a TD. He needed that TD to save his day, as he had just one catch, but Akers still has a lot of upside in a favorable matchup against Green Bay's 30th-ranked run defense. We see him as a borderline RB2, even in PPR leagues, while Draft Sharks sees him more as a TD-dependent option that's better suited for standard leagues, which isn't unfair.
Spotlight Player: Jamaal Williams, Lions @ Jets (SN PPR Ranking: 16 | DS Ranking: 34)
Williams is a bit TD-dependent, as we saw last week, but he still led the way in Detroit's backfield with 16 carries. He'll get plenty of opportunities, and in Detroit's suddenly high-powered offense, that usually leads to an RB2 finish. Draft Sharks doesn't trust him to produce against New York's 13th-ranked run defense, and with just one target in the past six games, he doesn't have many ways to bolster his fantasy output if he doesn't find the end zone.
SN's WEEK 15 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 15 fantasy WR projections, rankings
Spotlight Player: Terrace Marshall, Panthers vs. Steelers (SN PPR Ranking: 47 | DS Ranking: 87)
Marshall has received just four targets over the past two games, so it's easy to understand why Draft Sharks doesn't have high hopes for him. We're focusing on the matchup (Pittsburgh allows the fifth-most fantasy points to WRs) and D.J. Moore's ankle injury. Marshall still plays around 85 percent of offensive snaps, so he's on the field and has the potential for more targets soon. We expect him to post flex-worthy numbers this week, but Draft Sharks is much leerier of Carolina's low-powered offense.
Spotlight Player: Adam Thielen, Vikings vs. Colts (SN PPR Ranking: 48 | DS Ranking: 32)
Thielen has posted at least seven catches in two of his past three games, so perhaps we're underrating him a bit, but it's also important to note that he had just two catches in Weeks 11 and 13. Consistency is clearly an issue. Indianapolis allows the second-fewest fantasy points to WRs, so we're not nearly as optimistic about Thielen's floor and ceiling this week.
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Week 15 fantasy TE projections, rankings
Spotlight Player: Evan Engram, Jaguars vs. Cowboys (SN PPR Ranking: 19 | DS Ranking: 11)
Engram had one of the best TE performances of the season last week, catching 11-of-15 targets for 162 yards and two TDs, but in his four previous games, he caught just 10 passes for 56 yards. Dallas is allowing the fewest fantasy points to TEs, so Engram isn't necessarily a safe bet for production. He should get a decent number of targets, raising his floor in PPR leagues, but we'd opt for some similar TEs in better matchups.
Week 15 fantasy defense projections, rankings
Spotlight Player: Minnesota Vikings vs. Colts (SN Ranking: 15 | DS Ranking: 4)
No team allows more fantasy points to D/STs than the Colts, so we love this matchup for Minnesota, but have you seen all the favorable matchups for available D/STs this week? It's streamer heaven. As a result, the Vikings' relatively lackluster D falls down our rankings a little more than it does on Draft Sharks. Over its past four games, Minnesota has generated just four sacks and two takeaways while allowing an average of 30.5 offensive points per game. It does have a special teams TD in that span, but that's not something you can count on. So, yes, Minnesota is a fine streaming option given the matchup, but we just think there are better defenses in similarly favorable situations.
