Fantasy Football Week 15 Predictions

The NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" business. Fantasy football is even more ruthless. It is what can you do for us next week.

For Drew Brees and Jay Cutler owners cursing their starting quarterback's inconsistency in a disappointing season, you are going to like what they have in store for you Monday night. You have to love the matchup of those gunslingers going against their own shaky defenses this week.

Get ready for some classic Monday night magic...in the fantasy football playoff semifinals no less.

This is Bleacher Report's Week 15 Predictions, where we hype the MVPs, breakouts, busts, bounce-back players, top matchup plays by position and waiver-wire options. Expect to see a lot of hype around the hidden gems in the New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears matchup, among others.

Heck, we even find value in the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans in this pivotal week. Yeah, you're going to want to read all about that here. We help you get a jump into your fantasy Super Bowl.

Note: All data referencing fantasy scoring against specific positions is drawn from the sortable stat reports provided by FFToday.com.

MVP

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears) 

Projected stat line: 370 yards passing, four touchdowns

This has been a modest season by Brees' lofty fantasy standards, but his loyal owners are going to be rewarded in a pivotal Week 15 matchup that can propel teams to their Super Bowl. The Bears are a defense ripe for the picking.

Not only is Chicago the worst team in fantasy against quarterbacks, but it has also given up some huge performances to the NFL's elite passers. Aaron Rodgers ripped them for 617 yards and 10 touchdowns in two games, while Tom Brady went for 354-5 in one.

Also, the Saints defense hasn't played well, so facing the Bears' own potent offense should make this a wide-open game on Monday Night Football, particularly since the weather report is unseasonably mild. Odds Shark doesn't list this game as the highest total of the week (54), but the quarterbacks facing these suspect defenses can make it so.

Load up on your stars and sleepers on both teams. Brees will have plenty of targets for Jimmy Graham, Kenny Stills, Marques Colston and even Nick Toon. Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas should be busy in the ground game, at the goal line and out of the backfield, too.

This is fantasy Monday night magic personified. There is nothing like rallying into your fantasy Super Bowl with some late-scoring sleepers in the final game of Week 15.

Honorable Mention

TE Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)

QB Tony Romo/RB DeMarco Murray/WR Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (at Philadelphia Eagles)

RB Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Atlanta Falcons)

RB Matt Forte/WR Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)

QB Andrew Luck/WR T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Houston Texans)

WR Steve Smith, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Biggest Breakout Star

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

WR Marquess Wilson, Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)

Projected stat line: Five catches for 80 yards and a touchdown

The most likely places to find breakthrough fantasy players this time of year is to look behind the injuries. With Brandon Marshall (rib) out for the season, the Chicago Bears will turn to a player who has spent the bulk of the season idle, wideout Marquess Wilson. 

Wilson is a solid addition in all leagues where you lost Marshall or are just in need of promise at the receiver position. He is still available in 99 percent of ESPN.com leagues and 94 percent at CBSSports.com, so he has been about as slept on as a player gets.

Wilson has just seven catches for 53 yards in his career, but he can trump those totals (with a touchdown) in his first NFL start in place of Marshall. Most important: Wilson has quarterback Jay Cutler in his corner. Cutler told Rich Campbell of Chicago Tribune back in November:

"

You forget how good he is (as) such a young player. We had him really going at training camp before he got hurt, so we were really excited about him. Guy gets hurt, goes on IR and you kind of forget about him a little bit because you have to move on. So getting him back is a little bit of a boost for us.

Morale-wise and in the huddle he has fun, so it's fun to have him back.

"

Cutler went so far as to say there are things Wilson can do even better than Marshall and Jeffery, fairly high praise.

"

He's a little bit smoother, a little bit fluid in and out of cuts. He's got great body control, but he can still go up and get the ball, so he's a little bit of a different type of guy, which we kind of need.

"

With Jeffery expected to garner a lot of defensive attention, Wilson should get plenty of targets Monday night against the Saints. Wilson just might be the ace in the hole many of your playoff semifinal underdogs need this week.

Honorable Mention

RB Chris Johnson, New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans)

RB James Starks, Green Bay Packers (at Buffalo Bills)

QB Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

QB Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (vs. New York Jets)

RB Toby Gerhart/RB Storm Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Baltimore Ravens)

Biggest Bust

Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers (at Buffalo Bills)

Projected stat line: 40 yards rushing and no touchdowns

The Bills holding Peyton Manning to just four fantasy points in Week 14 should have been an eye-opening experience. That defense is legit. They are playing at home here against a Packers team that is scorching-hot.

Oh, and Lacy (hip) is banged-up and healing off a short week from Monday Night Football. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and might be headed for a light work week, if he is not on the wrong side of a game-time decision Sunday.

Even if Lacy plays, he will be at something less than 100 percent. He will also be facing a Bills defense that is in the top 10 in the NFL against the run and against fantasy running backs. While the Denver Broncos' C.J. Anderson was productive in fantasy last week against the Bills because of touchdowns, he was stuffed for a mere 58 yards on 21 carries.

There is little chance the streaking Packers beat up Lacy's body this time of year in a relatively unimportant nonconference game on the road. Expect him to get a bit of a breather here as the Packers gear up for the stretch run.

Fantasy owners have to start him, but they have to hold their breath he picks up a token goal-line touchdown. The yardage just won't be there this week.

Honorable Mention

QB Colin Kaepernick/RB Frank Gore/WR Anquan Boldin/WR Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers (at Seattle Seahawks)

WR Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

RB Tre Mason, St. Louis Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)

RB Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers (vs. Denver Broncos)

RB Rashad Jennings/RB Andre Williams, New York Giants (vs. Washington Redskins)

Biggest Bounce-Back Player

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

RB Chris Johnson, New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans) 

Projected stat line: 100 yards rushing, four catches for 30 yards and a touchdown

No one is expecting a big performance out of the Jets' Johnson at this point, except the always-confident CJ2K himself. We are going to go all-in on the revenge-game hype here, though.

"Of course I want to go out there and tear it up and show them what they missed out on, make them regret it," he told Dom Consentino of NJ Advance Media. 

Johnson has been getting more snaps, touches, carries and yards in recent weeks for the woebegone Jets, which lines him up nicely for a solid stat line against his former team...at Tennessee, no less. This is just the type of game in which Johnson breaks one of his once-patented long touchdown runs.

Johnson is headed for his first sub-1,000-yard rushing season of his career. He is approaching this game and the rest of the season with something to prove...to his current team and potential future team.

"I wouldn't just say something to prove; if there was something to prove, it's not [to Tennessee]," Johnson said. "They know the type of player I am."

The best news for fantasy owners is you can start Chris Ivory with confidence against the third-worst team in fantasy against running backs and the dead last rush defense. Even more, you have to consider running mate Johnson as a solid sleeper or flex option in this perfectly timed matchup.

Honorable Mention

QB Peyton Manning/WR Demaryius Thomas/WR Emmanuel Sanders/TE Julius Thomas, Denver Broncos (at San Diego Chargers)

QB Philip Rivers/WR Keenan Allen/TE Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers (vs. Denver Broncos)

RB Alfred Morris/WR DeSean Jackson, Washington Redskins (at New York Giants)

RB Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)

RB Giovani Bernard/RB Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)

WR Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Baltimore Ravens) 

WR Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)

WR Andre Johnson/WR DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans (at Indianapolis Colts)

QB Mark Sanchez/WR Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

Top QB Matchup Plays

Here are the bottom eight teams versus fantasy quarterbacks, per FFToday.com:

1. Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
3. Washington Redskins (at New York Giants)
4. New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)
5. Denver Broncos (at San Diego Chargers)
6. New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans)
7. Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
8. Green Bay Packers (at Buffalo Bills)

Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

Projected stat line: 225 yards passing and three touchdowns

Sanchez is coming off a very New York Jets-like performance: 96 yards passing and just 10 completions against the Seattle Seahawks. He was an awful fantasy option in that matchup and a very good one against the Cowboys at home here.

We fully expect the Cowboys to gear up to slow LeSean McCoy and the running game and force Sanchez to try to beat them downfield. While we wouldn't project big passing numbers for Sanchez against anyone, we will be so bold to predict a few touchdown passes in the play-action game with those safeties up in the box.

ESPN analyst Mark Brunell said on Mike and Mike in the Morning he has faith in Sanchez in directing Chip Kelly's uptempo Eagles offense (via NJ Advance Media's Matt Lombardo):

"

I absolutely do. It is because of Mark's maturity in the pocket. As a passer. His fresh start has given him new life. More importantly, he's surrounded by good players. He never had that in New York. At the quarterback position, that's very needy. You need good people around you. Right now, in Philadelphia, Mark Sanchez certainly does.

"

Sanchez, Jeremy Maclin, Jordan Matthews and perhaps even Zach Ertz look like quality starts in a game that should wind up being a shootout for NFC East supremacy. With the Eagles at home and having beaten up the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, you have to expect a strong performance for Sanchez and Co. here. 

Honorable Mention

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Atlanta Falcons)

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (at Philadelphia Eagles)

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. Washington Redskins)

Top RB Matchup Plays

Here are the bottom eight teams versus fantasy running backs, per FFToday.com:

1. Atlanta Falcons (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)
3. Tennessee Titans (vs. New York Jets)
4. New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)
5. Oakland Raiders (at Kansas City Chiefs)
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (at Baltimore Ravens)
7. Indianapolis Colts (vs. Houston Texans)
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Carolina Panthers)

Chris Ivory, New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans)

Projected stat line: 80 yards rushing and one touchdown

We have already delved into the quality of this matchup for the Jets at the Titans and their suspect defense. We feel inclined to give a vote of confidence for Ivory owners here too.

The Jets will still split carries, and they will remain stubborn with the running game. Ivory might have to share the spotlight with Chris Johnson in CJ2K's return to Tennessee, but he will be sharing the snaps, touches and yards, too.

We see Ivory hitting double-digit fantasy points along with Johnson, picking up a rushing touchdown of his own with a solid yardage total. Yes, the Titans are just that bad against the run and fantasy running backs.

Honorable Mention

Isaiah Crowell/Terrance West, Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

Giovani Bernard/Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)

Justin Forsett/Lorenzo Taliaferro, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Knile Davis, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)

Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Top WR Matchup Plays

John F. Rhodes/Associated Press

Here are the bottom eight teams versus fantasy wide receivers, per FFToday.com: 

1. Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)
2. Houston Texans (at Indianapolis Colts)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas Cowboys)
4. Atlanta Falcons (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
5. Green Bay Packers (at Buffalo Bills)
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Carolina Panthers)
7. New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)
8. Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)

Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

Projected stat line: Five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown

Matthews is coming off a tough game in a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks' Legion of Boom, but this one lines up for a nice rebound game, as we wrote in hyping Mark Sanchez in the Top QB Matchup Plays side. The rookie receiver has an outside shot at 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, and this game should get him closer to those lofty first-year totals.

Matthews is going to be an important target for Sanchez out of the slot, like he was Thanksgiving Day, when he went for four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys are going to pack the box more to try to slow LeSean McCoy, so we should expect the Eagles to find Matthews matched up on a linebacker sometimes.

It can lead to be a big play, breaking a short pass for a score for Matthews. Start him in all leagues.

Honorable Mention

Andre Johnson/DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans (at Indianapolis Colts)

Kenny Stills/Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)

Alshon Jeffery/Marquess Wilson, Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)

Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Cecil Shorts/Allen Hurns/Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Baltimore Ravens)

Martavis Bryant/Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Atlanta Falcons)

Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills (vs. Green Bay Packers)

Top TE Matchup Plays

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Here are the bottom eight teams versus fantasy tight ends, per FFToday.com:

1. Chicago Bears (vs. New Orleans Saints)
2. Dallas Cowboys (at Philadelphia Eagles)
3. Washington Redskins (at New York Giants)
4. Indianapolis Colts (vs. Houston Texans)
5. New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (at Atlanta Falcons)
7. Arizona Cardinals (at St. Louis Rams)
8. Denver Broncos (at San Diego Chargers) 

Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (vs. New York Jets)

Projected stat line: Five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown

The Titans' Walker has run hot and cold for fantasy owners, but we expect the move back to Jake Locker as the starting quarterback will put Walker on the right side of fantasy production. The matchup against the Jets defense certainly helps.

The Jets have given up a league-worst 12 touchdowns to fantasy tight ends and are fifth-worst against the position. Walker will hit double digits for fantasy owners at least...if not one of his huge performance like the one he had in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys (10-142-1).

That performance for Walker came with Locker under center. Start Walker in all leagues in crunch time here.

Honorable Mention

Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas Cowboys)

Larry Donnell, New York Giants (vs. Washington Redskins)

Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)

Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins (at New York Giants)

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)

Top D/ST Matchup Plays

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Here are the bottom eight teams versus fantasy defense/special teams, per FFToday.com:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (at Baltimore Ravens)
2. St. Louis Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
3. Washington Redskins (at New York Giants)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Carolina Panthers)
5. New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans)
6. Tennessee Titans (vs. New York Jets)
7. New York Giants (vs. Washington Redskins)
8. Carolina Panthers (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)

Projected stat line: Three sacks, three turnovers and two touchdowns

Derek Carr and the Raiders have shown some life of late, including back-to-back home victories over these Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers—arguably their two biggest rivals. But this game should fall nicely for the Chiefs in the rematch here.

Kansas City is a tough place to play, as Carr will find out for the first time. Remember, the Raiders' last road game was a 52-0 loss at the St. Louis Rams.

Missouri will be the Raiders' house of horrors again here. The Chiefs are going to play this one out big and put up at least one defensive score, if not a few. 

Honorable Mention

Seattle Seahawks (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Detroit Lions (vs. Minnesota Vikings)

St. Louis Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)

New England Patriots (vs. Miami Dolphins)

Green Bay Packers (at Buffalo Bills)

New York Giants (vs. Washington Redskins)

Top Waiver-Wire Options

Every week in this slide, we look at the top 10 most added players in CBSSports.com leagues and then dig even deeper to highlight three of the best sleeper players at each position who are owned by less than 60 percent of fantasy teams.

1. RB Kerwynn Williams, Arizona Cardinals—The matchup isn't great, but the opportunity to emerge as the Cards' feature back is.
2. RB James Starks, Green Bay Packers—You have to love another solid game for Starks with Eddie Lacy (back) banged-up.
3. WR Charles Johnson, Minnesota Vikings—His emergence is legit, but this is a tough matchup at Detroit this week.
4. QB Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns—It will be interesting to watch him in his first NFL start, but don't start him in fantasy yet.
5. RB Chris Johnson, New York Jets—We love him in this revenge game.
6. RB Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers—He was huge a week ago and should be important again with Cam Newton (back) out.
7. TE Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns—The tight end is a young quarterback's best friend, if Johnny Football has those.
8. TE Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams—He is coming off a huge week and facing a favorable fantasy matchup.
9. WR Harry Douglas, Atlanta Falcons—If Julio Jones (hip) does not play...look out.
10. K Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons—They can score points in bunches and the matchup is right to do so here.

Quarterbacks

1. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)
2. Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)
3. Kyle Orton, Buffalo Bills (vs. Green Bay Packers) 

Running Backs

1. Knile Davis, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Oakland Raiders)
2. James Starks, Green Bay Packers (at Buffalo Bills)
3. Kerwynn Williams, Arizona Cardinals (at St. Louis Rams)

Wide Receivers

1. Cecil Shorts/Allen Hurns/Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars (at Baltimore Ravens)
2. Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh Steelers (at Atlanta Falcons)
3. Nate Washington, Tennessee Titans (vs. New York Jets)

Tight Ends

1. Mychal Rivera, Oakland Raiders (at Kansas City Chiefs)
2. Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
3. Owen Daniels, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Defense/Special Teams

1. Carolina Panthers (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
2. New York Giants (vs. Washington Redskins)
3. New York Jets (at Tennessee Titans) 

Kickers

1. Connor Barth, Denver Broncos (at San Diego Chargers)
2. Shayne Graham, New Orleans Saints (at Chicago Bears)
3. Nick Novak, San Diego Chargers (vs. Denver Broncos)

Note: All data referencing fantasy scoring against specific positions is drawn from the sortable stat reports provided by FFToday.com.

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Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.