Week 15 Fantasy Football Rankings: Breaking Down Each Position

If you are still alive in your fantasy football playoffs (or stretch run into the playoffs) heading into Week 15, then your biggest worries are probably injuries and how to set your lineup with a handful of worthwhile options.

Unfortunately, there were a number of impactful injuries once again in Week 14 that dramatically shifted the fantasy outlooks for those relying on players such as Andy Dalton, Tyler Eifert, Thomas Rawls, T.J. Yeldon and Vincent Jackson. The NFL is a league of attrition, and the same goes for fantasy football.

With pervasive health problems complicating lineup decisions that are already difficult enough, fantasy owners can use all of the help they can get heading into the postseason. With that in mind, here is a look at a breakdown of the top options for each position for Week 15.

Quarterback

Rank	Player	Week 15 Opponent
1	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	New York Giants
2	Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers	Oakland Raiders
3	Tom Brady, New England Patriots	Tennessee Titans
4	Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks	Cleveland Browns
5	Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals	Philadelphia Eagles
6	Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers	Denver Broncos
7	Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints	Detroit Lions
8	Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers	Miami Dolphins
9	Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans	New England Patriots
10	Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets	Dallas Cowboys

Thomas Rawls and Marshawn Lynch are both out with injuries, which means the Seattle Seahawks will likely rely on Russell Wilson even more, especially considering how impressive the signal-caller has been recently.

He posted 17 total touchdowns the last four games, including five passing touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday. The combination of Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett has been anything but pedestrian, and the old run-first days of the Seahawks offense are things of the past.

Baldwin discussed Wilson’s progress the last few games, per Larry Stone of the Seattle Times:

"

Everything he’s doing right now, he’s done before. But he’s just doing it at a very high level. He’s always been magnificent outside the pocket, but now he’s doing something he hasn’t done up to this level inside the pocket. It makes it so much easier on everyone else. To his credit, he’s playing unbelievable right now.

"

Cleveland was an abysmal 22nd in the league against the pass after Sunday’s action, which means Wilson will put up monster fantasy numbers in Week 15.

Running Back

Rank	Player	Week 15 Opponent
1	Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings	Chicago Bears
2	Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers	Oakland Raiders
3	Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4	David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals	Philadelphia Eagles
5	LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills	Washington
6	Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers	New York Giants
7	Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons	Jacksonville Jaguars
8	Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers	St. Louis Rams
9	DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers	Denver Broncos
10	Chris Ivory, New York Jets	Dallas Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles defense was an abysmal 28th in the league against the run heading into Monday night’s game and will have trouble stopping the Arizona Cardinals' David Johnson, who has filled in admirably for the injured Chris Johnson.

David Johnson is a threat on the ground and in the aerial attack with 191 rushing yards and 52 receiving yards the last two weeks. Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Sports weighed in on the young playmaker:

Look for Johnson to continue impressing against the vulnerable Eagles defense.

Wide Receiver

Rank	Player	Week 15 Opponent
1	Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons	Jacksonville Jaguars
2	Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos	Pittsburgh Steelers
3	DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans	Indianapolis Colts
4	A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals	San Francisco 49ers
5	Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants	Carolina Panthers
6	Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears	Minnesota Vikings
7	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Denver Broncos
8	Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys	New York Jets
9	Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars	Atlanta Falcons
10	Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks	Cleveland Browns

According to ESPN.com, the Indianapolis Colts allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers entering Monday night’s game. In fact, Indianapolis allowed 51 points and three touchdown passes to the Jacksonville Jaguars and 45 points and four touchdown passes to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last two games.

Enter DeAndre Hopkins, who already has a career-best 1,221 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches this year. He will torch the Colts secondary with first place in the AFC South on the line.

Tight End

Rank	Player	Week 15 Opponent
1	Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots	Tennessee Titans
2	Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers	New York Giants
3	Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars	Atlanta Falcons
4	Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans	New England Patriots
5	Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns	Seattle Seahawks
6	Jordan Reed, Washington	Buffalo Bills
7	Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints	Detroit Lions
8	Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers	Oakland Raiders
9	Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers	Miami Dolphins
10	Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs	Baltimore Ravens

Rob Gronkowski returned from injury for the first time since Nov. 29 and dominated the Houston Texans with 87 yards and a score. It was a reminder that he is the best tight end in football and one of the best overall players in the NFL.

Brady’s favorite target is simply too physical of a matchup for a Titans defense that allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends after Sunday’s games, according to ESPN.com. Look for yet another dominant outing from Gronkowski.

Kicker

Rank	Player	Week 15 Opponent
1	Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots	Tennessee Titans
2	Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers	New York Giants
3	Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona Cardinals	Philadelphia Eagles
4	Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos	Pittsburgh Steelers
5	Steven Hauschka, Seattle Seahawks	Cleveland Browns
6	Blair Walsh, Minnesota Vikings	Chicago Bears
7	Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers	Oakland Raiders
8	Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders	Green Bay Packers
9	Jason Myers, Jacksonville Jaguars	Atlanta Falcons
10	Mike Nugent, Cincinnati Bengals	San Francisco 49ers

According to ESPN.com, the Oakland Raiders allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing kickers this season after Sunday’s slate. The Green Bay Packers offense should roll behind Aaron Rodgers and company, which will put Mason Crosby in a perfect position to exploit that Oakland defense.

Defense

Rank	Defense	Week 15 Opponent
1	Cincinnati Bengals	San Francisco 49ers
2	Houston Texans	Indianapolis Colts
3	Carolina Panthers	New York Giants
4	Kansas City Chiefs	Baltimore Ravens
5	New York Jets	Dallas Cowboys
6	New England Patriots	Tennessee Titans
7	Arizona Cardinals	Philadelphia Eagles
8	Green Bay Packers	Oakland Raiders
9	Minnesota Vikings	Chicago Bears
10	Denver Broncos	Pittsburgh Steelers

Houston was overwhelmed from a talent perspective against the Patriots, but it will bounce back against the Indianapolis Colts, especially on the defensive side.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who is already filling in for the injured Andrew Luck, left Sunday’s game with a rib injury and may not be 100 percent against J.J. Watt and the Texans pass rush that sacked Brady three times Sunday.

Best of luck to the Colts offense against Watt and company with a limited quarterback situation following an embarrassing loss to the Jaguars.