National Football League

Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 15 in 2014

Published Dec. 11, 2014 9:30 a.m. ET

Fox Sports

Starts:

QB – Matt Ryan, ATL

Matty Ice is starting to heat up. Ryan has thrown for over 300 yards in back-to-back games. Now, his Falcons fly home and out of the Green Bay cold. At the Georgia Dome, Ryan has a TD:INT ratio of 13:4. On the road, it’s 12:7. That’s with one more away game, too.

Other notables: Mark Sanchez (PHI), Jay Cutler (CHI), and Eli Manning (NYG)

RB – Latavius Murray, OAK

Remember that Thursday game when Murray ran for 112 yards and two TDs on only four carries? Yeah, that was against the Chiefs. This week, they play Kansas City, again.

Other notables: Isaiah Crowell (CLE), Chris Ivory (NYJ), and Mark Ingram (NO)

WR – Martavis Bryant, PIT

You can call it a hunch, but I think that Bryant finds the end zone this week. The Falcons are one of only two teams to allow over 1,000 receiving yards to opposing WRs in the last five weeks combined (Chicago is the other defense). Last week, Bryant had 109 receiving yards and one TD on four receptions. Granted, one play was a 94-yard touchdown. This will be his first NFL game in a dome. Look for the speedster to fly.

Other notables: Sammy Watkins (BUF), Kenny Stills (NO), and Allen Hurns (JAC)

TE – Delanie Walker, TEN

Justin Hunter is out for the year and Kendall Wright was out last week with a hand injury. Walker led the Titans with 10 targets last week. The Jets also have allowed the most TDs to opposing tight ends this season (12 touchdowns).

Other notables: Larry Donnell (NYG), Zach Ertz (PHI), and Julius Thomas (DEN)

Sits:

QB – Colin Kaepernick, SF

He hasn’t thrown a TD in the fourth quarter all season. So, when Kaepernick only has three quarters to work against Seattle, I’m going to advise that you bench him. Two weeks ago, CK7 didn’t throw a TD pass against the Seahawks and was intercepted twice. That was at San Francisco. Now, the 49ers must travel to Seattle. I’m not saying Kaepernick will do worse than Week 13, but he won’t be much better.

Other notables: Drew Stanton (ARI), Derek Carr (OAK), and Ryan Tannehill (MIA)

RB – Trent Richardson, IND

In the past four games, Houston has only allowed one rushing touchdown by opposing RBs. Even without Ahmad Bradshaw, Richardson has now completed back-to-back games with fewer than nine carries per game. Expect Daniel Herron to continue to be utilized in the passing game instead of TRich.

Other notables: Ryan Mathews (SD), Frank Gore (SF), and Matt Asiata (MIN)

WR – Reggie Wayne, IND

The transition to replace Wayne is almost complete. Last week, he only tallied one reception for five yards against Cleveland. Donte Moncrief has totaled more receiving yards than Wayne in each of the past three games. Andrew Luck has thrown eight TDs in the last three meetings against the Texans. That may sound like good news for Wayne, but it’s more of an endorsement for Moncrief. You see, even though Wayne has 66 more targets than Moncrief, the rookie has one more TD than the veteran.

Other notables: Doug Baldwin (SEA), Michael Crabtree (SF), and Stedman Bailey (STL)

TE – Andrew Quarless, GB

Aaron Rodgers may be having an MVP-type season, but the Bills still defend the TE position well. In the past five games, opposing TEs have scored zero TDs against Buffalo. In the entire season, only Martellus Bennett (Week 1) and Tim Wright (Week 6) have scored. That’s seven straight weeks the tight end has been held scoreless (in TD-only leagues).

Other notables: Tim Wright (NE), Jason Witten (DAL), and Heath Miller (PIT)