Sorry, Adrian Peterson. Week 15 has the potential to start your last hurrah with Derrius Guice out, but our Week 15 busts list doesn't think so. The Eagles just aren't a good matchup for the future Hall of Famer, and while he should get the workload, the numbers probably won't follow. The same could be true of Aaron Rodgers, and while not a future HOFer, popular waiver pickup Raheem Mostert might also be on the unhappy side of the fantasy start 'em, sit 'em bubble.
We're also concerned about usual fantasy starters, such as Devonta Freeman (@ 49ers) and Josh Allen (@ Steelers). Injuries combined with bad matchups could spoil the week for early-season fantasy stalwarts JuJu Smith-Schuster and Evan Engram, too. (Update: Injuries already spoiled the week for them because they're both officially out.)
WEEK 15 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
You guys made it too easy for us to get one particular bust call right last week: Darwin Thompson was always unlikely to have a good game against a strong Pats' defense, but fantasy owners swooned over him. We weren't as right about Mostert, who simply proved that he's the man to own in the San Francisco backfield, but as we already said, we're going back to that well. The Chris Carson bust call also backfired, with Rashaad Penny's knee injury really freeing him up to shine.
WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Don't even get us started on the Drew Brees bust pick -- if you sat him, we're very sorry. Those six touchdowns were undoubtedly tough to stomach on your bench. At least we got the Marquise Brown and Brandin Cooks bust picks right, and Mark Andrews' injury helped us get that right, too.
MORE WEEK 15: Sleepers | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 15 Fantasy Busts: Running backs
Devonta Freeman, Falcons @ 49ers (Billy Heyen). It's not hard to figure out that starting a player against the 49ers is risky, even after they just gave up more than 40 points to the Saints. The more pertinent information is that Alvin Kamara didn't have a big game, and neither will Freeman.
Adrian Peterson, Redskins @ Eagles (Vinnie Iyer). The Eagles are very hard to run on, especially with a power runner, and Peterson should be shut down with more of Chris Thompson in the mix.
Raheem Mostert, 49ers vs. Falcons (Matt Lutovsky). Everything is pointing in Mostert’s direction. He’s scored in three straight games, dominating RB snaps in each of the past two. The Falcons also aren’t a very good defense, and this feels like a game the 49ers should win easily, which would presumably create more second-half carries for Mostert. But we just have a bad feeling. Despite his snap advantage, he had just five more touches than Matt Breida last week, and it’s worth noting that one of his TDs came on a trick play where he caught a pass from Emmanuel Sanders. The Falcons are actually decent against RBs (tied for 20th in fantasy points allowed), and the game flow might actually lead to Mostert sitting more in the second half if he’s not needed. Plus, do you really think he’s going to score four games in a row? By no means is Mostert a “must-sit”, but there are more worries here than you might initially realize.
MORE WEEK 15:
Waiver pickups | FAAB planner | Stock watch | Snap counts | Fantasy playoff tips
Week 15 Fantasy Football Busts: Quarterbacks
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers vs. Falcons (Heyen). This isn't so much me expecting Garoppolo to have a bad game. Rather, I worry that people are too all-in on the idea that Garoppolo will throw enough to make this great matchup matter. Sure, he could find his way to three touchdowns, but I don't expect a game like last week.
Josh Allen, Steelers vs. Bills (Iyer). You need to keep him parked against a tougher defense than he faced last week.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers vs. Bears (Lutovsky). Rodgers has had fewer than two TDs in four of the past five games, and he’s failed to top 243 yards in any of the games in that span. He has a history of lighting up the Bears, but that didn’t carry over to Week 1 this year (203 yards, one TD). The Bears have remained stout against QBs most of the year (13.9 fantasy points per game in four-point passing touchdown leagues), so it's tough to be excited about Rodgers here.
Week 15 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide receivers
Allen Robinson, Bears @ Packers (Heyen). Robinson should probably get the Jaire Alexander treatment, which more often than not has led to quiet WR games. This could be a game where the targets swing back in Anthony Miller's favor.
Stefon Diggs, Vikings @ Chargers (Iyer). You may need to use him in seasonal, but he’s going to get old NFC North friend Casey Hayward, and the Bolts’ defense can bolt him down.
James Washignton/Diontae Johnson, Steelers vs. Bills (Lutovsky). Only one team allows fewer fantasy points to WRs than the Bills this year, so it’s foolish to gamble on a coin-flip WR like Washington or Johnson.
WEEK 15 DFS LINEUPS:
FD Cash | FD GPP | DK Cash | DK GPP | Y! Cash | Y! GPP
Week 15 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight ends
David Njoku, Browns @ Cardinals (Heyen). Njoku has been dealing with a knee injury all week, and he had surprisingly little usage in his first game back from a wrist injury last week. Arizona is the best matchup for any TE, but Njoku might not get enough targets for it to matter.
Jacob Hollister, Seahawks @ Panthers (Iyer). With Luke Kuechly and their safeties, the Panthers have been typically good in this kind of coverage.
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings @ Chargers (Lutovsky). Rudolph’s TD streak came to an end last week, as he received just two targets and posted 11 yards. It’s tempting to use him as long as Adam Thielen (hamstring) is out, but against the Chargers, who allow just 6.5 non-PPR fantasy points per game to TEs, he offers more risk than reward.
MORE WEEK 15 DFS: Values | Stacks | Lineup Builder
Week 15 Fantasy Busts: Defenses
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Bills (Heyen). I couldn't really arrive at a great bust defense this week, so I'll play on the narrative that Josh Allen's been better at protecting the ball and has enough weapons to put points up in Pittsburgh on Sunday night.
Minnesota Vikings @ Chargers (Iyer). This is a trap for a long road trip on the flip side of a serious potential upset.
Chicago Bears @ Packers (Lutovsky). Even though we like the Bears to limit Aaron Rodgers, we don’t think it will completely shut down the Packers offense or force many turnovers. It’s been mediocre most of the year, and the Packers don’t make many mistakes, so this is a low-upside play.