Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 15: Reviewing Fantasy Football's Top Fringe Starters

Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season brings it with the opening of the playoffs in most fantasy football leagues.

Mishandle your lineup now, and you won't get a chance to correct that problem. Not until next season, at least.

We'll try to avoid those debilitating mistakes then by providing two of our top start and sit recommendations for the week.

Start: Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos (at Detroit Lions)

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INGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 10: Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California Sunday December 10, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

After relying on his legs for a few games, Russell Wilson let his arm do the talking in Week 14.

He completed 21 of his 33 passes for 224 yards and posted multiple touchdown passes for the first time since the middle of November. He completed passes to 10 different players, five of whom had at least one double-digit gain through the air.

If he's spreading it around like that again Saturday night, he could put up even better numbers against a Detroit defense allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to the position, per Yahoo.

Sit: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins (vs. New York Jets)

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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 11: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium on December 11, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

It won't be easy to sit Tua Tagovailoa. He probably played a massive part in the fact you even secured a playoff spot.

He hasn't been the model of consistency, though, and he isn't exactly peaking entering the fantasy playoffs. Over the past three weeks, he's averaged a good-not-great 254.3 yards with three total touchdowns against two interceptions. He's been outscored in fantasy by 19 different quarterbacks during this stretch, per FantasyPros, several of whom have only made two starts.

This stretch also included his first tussle against the stingy Jets, who've surrendered fewer fantasy points to quarterbacks than anyone. In Week 12, he managed just 243 passing yards and posted his only stat line this season with more interceptions (two) than touchdowns (one).

Start: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, New England Patriots (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

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PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 07: Ezekiel Elliott #15 of the New England Patriots runs the ball during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 7, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

With Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined by a high ankle sprain, the Patriots have essentially turned their backfield entirely over to Ezekiel Elliott. He may not be the most efficient runner, but with volume like he's been seeing, he doesn't have to be.

In the past two weeks alone, he's handled 39 carries and been targeted 13 times. His work in the passing game might be the most intriguing part of this, as that's been much more fruitful for fantasy purposes. While those 39 carries yielded just 120 yards, he turned those 13 targets into 11 receptions for 112 yards and a score.

As long as Stevenson is out of the equation, Elliott should operate as a featured back. The workload alone is reason enough to lock him into your lineup.

Sit: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)

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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 19: Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks runs with the ball during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 19, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

The good news for Kenneth Walker III's fantasy managers is that the talented running back returned from a two-game absence in Week 14. The not-so-great news is that he didn't get many touches and barely made any of them count.

His eight carries were one less than Zach Charbonnet, who more than doubled up Walker in rushing yards (44 to 21). Walker was more involved in the passing game, but his four receptions for 33 yards don't sound as encouraging upon the realization that one of those catches spanned 27 yards. Take away that play, and you're looking at just 27 scrimmage yards for his other 11 touches combined.

Granted, the matchup was brutal against the San Francisco 49ers, but things won't let up at all for Walker here. In fact, the Eagles are the only defense allowing fewer fantasy points to running backs than the Niners.