Fantasy Football Week 15 Rankings: Matchups We Love and Player Stat Projections
It's the most wonderful time of the (fantasy football) year.
Think about it.
Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season means the playoffs are here, bye weeks are but a distant memory and games are on the docket for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
This is all kinds of fun. And, given the stakes, stressful as all get-out, too.
We're here to help alleviate some of that stress, though, with a look at our weekly rankings and a spotlight on the player with the best matchup—plus projected production—at each of the three marquee spots.
Quarterback
Top 10
1. Jalen Hurts, PHI (at CHI)
2. Josh Allen, BUF (vs. MIA)
3. Patrick Mahomes, KC (at HOU)
4. Joe Burrow, CIN (at TB)
5. Justin Herbert, LAC (vs. TEN)
6. Justin Fields, CHI (vs. PHI)
7. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA (at BUF)
8. Dak Prescott, DAL (at JAX)
9. Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs. IND)
10. Trevor Lawrence, JAX (vs. DAL)
Best matchup: Justin Herbert vs. Tennessee Titans
Herbert is grooving like your favorite holiday tune.
In his past two outings, he hasn't thrown for fewer than 335 yards. And despite attempting 98 passes in those contests, he hasn't thrown a pick, either. Oh, and the game before that all he did was match his season-high with three touchdown passes in another interception-free performance.
It's possible, though, this matchup produces even better numbers. The Titans have allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, per Yahoo, and the second-most passing yards per game.
Projected stats: 322 passing yards, three touchdowns
Running Back
Top 20
1. Derrick Henry, TEN (at LAC)
2. Austin Ekeler, LAC (vs. TEN)
4. Josh Jacobs, LV (vs. NE)
5. Jonathan Taylor, IND (at MIN)
6. Saquon Barkley, NYG (at WAS)
7. Dalvin Cook, MIN (vs. IND)
8. Joe Mixon, CIN (at TB)
9. Alvin Kamara, NO (vs. ATL)
10. Nick Chubb, CLE (vs. BAL)
11. Tony Pollard, DAL (at JAX)
12. Miles Sanders, PHI (at CHI)
13. Aaron Jones, GB (vs. LAR)
14. James Conner, ARI (at DEN)
15. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (at LV)
16. Travis Etienne Jr., JAX (vs. DAL)
17. Isiah Pacheco, KC (at HOU)
18. David Montgomery, CHI (vs. PHI)
19. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at JAX)
20. J.K. Dobbins, BAL (at CLE)
Best matchup: Isiah Pacheco at Houston Texans
If you placed a successful waiver claim on Pacheco earlier this season, well, it just might be the reason your squad is still alive now.
The dynamic rookie rusher has seized control of Kansas City's backfield and delivered one fantasy gem after the next. He's gone five consecutive contests with better than 80 scrimmage yards, tallying two of his three career touchdowns along the way. He also set season-highs for receptions (three) and receiving yards (23) his last time out, and while those numbers aren't big, they do show the Chiefs are willing to make him a bigger part of their aerial attack.
With the Texans on the docket, Pacheco should keep running wild. Houston has yielded the most fantasy points to running backs and the most rushing yards per game.
Projected stats: 84 rushing yards, 23 receiving yards, two touchdowns
Wide Receiver
Top 20
1. Justin Jefferson, MIN (vs. IND)
2. Tyreek Hill, MIA (at BUF)
3. Stefon Diggs, BUF (vs. MIA)
4. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (at TB)
5. Davante Adams, LV (vs. NE)
6. A.J. Brown, PHI (at CHI)
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (at NYJ)
8. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (at JAX)
9. Keenan Allen, LAC (vs. TEN)
10. Garrett Wilson, NYJ (vs. DET)
11. Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs. NYG)
12. DeAndre Hopkins, ARI (at DEN)
13. Amari Cooper, CLE (vs. BAL)
14. Christian Kirk, JAX (vs. DAL)
15. Jaylen Waddle, MIA (at BUF)
16. Chris Godwin, TB (vs. CIN)
17. Chris Olave, NO (vs. ATL)
18. Michael Pittman Jr., IND (at MIN)
19. Mike Williams, LAC (vs. TEN)
20. Tee Higgins, CIN (at TB)
Best matchup: Michael Pittman Jr. at Minnesota Vikings
Don't hold Pittman's Week 14 dud against him too much. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong in the Colts' 54-19 loss to the Cowboys.
The fact Pittman was only targeted four times in that contest shows Indy's offense was completely off-kilter. It was the first time all season he'd been targeted fewer than six times. Even after the outing, he's averaged a healthy 8.9 targets per outing, a number high enough to grant him an opportunity for a monster outing each time he hits the gridiron.
Those chances could elicit big numbers throughout the box score Saturday. Only the Titans have allowed more fantasy points to wide receivers than the Vikings, and the gap between them is negligible (0.69 points per game).
Projected stats: Seven receptions, 84 yards, one touchdown