Week 15 QB, RB & WR Rankings

The list is going to seem a little short this week without all the Broncos and Chargers, but after watching Thursday's game, you probably are already behind your team projection if you had anyone but Keenan Allen, Ryan Mathews or Andre Caldwell.  I didn't see any of the expert sites taking a flier on Caldwell, but instead throwing their respective kudos in the direction of Jacob Tamme.  I like Jacob Tamme, but if you took a flier on a backup TE because it was assumed he was taking over Wes Welker's job for a week, you probably deserve to be behind.

Anyways, 2nd to last rankings of the year.  It's semi-finals week for the majority of fantasy players, so let's get you to a championship game.  Start the player ranked closest to #1 in any Sit/Start problems you're having.

RB

1) LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia
2) Jamaal Charles, Kansas City
3) Marshawn Lynch, Seattle
4) Eddie Lacy, Green Bay
5) DeMarco Murray, Dallas
6) Matt Forte, Chicago
7) Shane Vereen, New England
8) Frank Gore, San Francisco
9) Zac Stacy, St. Louis
10) Alfred Morris, Washington
11) Ben Tate, Houston
12) Steven Jackson, Atlanta
13) Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh
14) Fred Jackson, Buffalo
15) Pierre Thomas, New Orleans
16) Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati
17) CJ Spiller, Buffalo
18) Chris Ogbonnaya, Cleveland
19) Rashard Mendenhall, Arizona
20) Reggie Bush, Detroit
21) Chris Johnson, Tennessee
22) Toby Gerhart, Minnesota (Questionable)
23) Ray Rice, Baltimore
24) Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay
25) Rashad Jennings, Oakland
26) Darren Sproles, New Orleans
27) Donald Brown, Indianapolis
28) Andre Brown, NY Giants
29) Chris Ivory, NY Jets
30) Andre Ellington, Arizona
31) BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati
32) Joique Bell, Detroit
33) Jordan Todman, Jacksonville
34) Lamar Miller, Miami
35) Daniel Thomas, Miami
36) DeAngelo Williams, Carolina
37) Stevan Ridley, New England
38) Jacquizz Rodgers, Atlanta
39) Marcel Reece, Oakland
40) Mike Tolbert, Carolina

Rob Gronkowski's departure for the season opens up the door for the already heavily targeted Shane Vereen to see a workload like no other week of his short career.  Miami already is a terrible run stuffing unit, and the fact that Vereen is seeing double digit targets leads me to believe we have as strong a possibility as ever for an enormous game.  Rumors of Stevan Ridley's resurgence are just that.  Vereen has Belichick's trust.

I like Zac Stacy a lot this week in what smells like a trap game.  We all knew the Saints would struggle in road contests against New England and Seattle, and they did.  After an emotional prime time win against division rival Carolina last week, I can see the Saints overlooking the Rams entirely in preparation of next week's rematch.  Stacy is the beneficiary.

I'll never be this high on a Cleveland running back again, but everything lines up for Chris Ogbonnaya this week.  Terrible run defense, time share mate already ruled out, weather looking a bit treacherous.  He's a desperation play, yes,  but he's as good a desperation play as there is.

Speaking of desperation plays, I'm not a fan of any offensive weapon in the NY Jets-Carolina Panthers game.  If you have Chris Ivory and you don't have other options, how are you still alive in the playoffs?

Jordan Todman makes for an interesting play this week against fading Buffalo.  Just 3 short weeks ago, I was seeing Buffalo touted as the fantasy defense to own heading down the stretch.  They've lost 2 straight games since then and have a trap game of their own against the suddenly competitive Jacksonville Jaguars.  No MJD opens the door for everyone to see what Jordan Todman can do.  He's a Hail Mary play, but if you're in a jam, he's going to get touches.

I don't want to dive head first into Adrian Peterson's Questionable tag.  I don't think he's playing, but if he does, you play him.  Plain and simple.  AP is a robot.

WR

1) Dez Bryant, Dallas
2) DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia
3) Calvin Johnson, Detroit
4) Brandon Marshall, Chicago
5) Josh Gordon, Cleveland
6) Alshon Jeffery, Chicago
7) Andre Johnson, Houston
8) Roddy White, Atlanta
9) Pierre Garcon, Washington
10) Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh
11) Torrey Smith, Baltimore
12) Jordy Nelson, Green Bay
13) TY Hilton, Indianapolis
14) AJ Green, Cincinnati
15) Marques Colston, New Orleans
16) Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City
17) Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota
18) Riley Cooper, Philadelphia
19) Mike Wallace, Miami
20) Stevie Johnson, Buffalo
21) Harry Douglas, Atlanta
22) Golden Tate, Seattle
23) Julian Edelman, New England
24) Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville (Questionable)
25) Steve Smith, Carolina
26) Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
27) Victor Cruz, NY Giants
28) Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay
29) Michael Crabtree, San Francisco
30) Greg Jennings, Minnesota
31) Kendall Wright, Tennessee
32) Emmanuel Sanders, Pittsburgh
33) Anquan Boldin, San Francisco
34) Brian Hartline, Miami
35) James Jones, Green Bay
36) Michael Floyd, Arizona
37) Nate Burleson, Detroit
38) Rod Streater, Oakland
39) Doug Baldwin, Seattle
40) Danny Amendola, New England
41) Terrance Williams, Dallas
42) Kenny Stills, New Orleans
43) Nate Washignton, Tennessee
44) Hakeem Nicks, NY Giants
45) Jacoby Jones, Baltimore
46) Jerricho Cotchery, Pittsburgh
47) Brandon LaFell, Carolina
48) Da'Rick Rogers, Indianapolis
49) Marvin Jones, Cincinnati
50) Marlon Brown, Baltimore

Calvin Johnson is not #1 for me this week because Baltimore might be the only team that can withstand free bulletin board material.  I'm expecting a tough game for Calvin this week, and while he is completely un-sittable, a small yardage, 1 TD game is what I'm feeling.  I hope you're ahead already on Monday.

Brandon Marshall, Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery are bunched at 4-6 with bad weather on the horizon, but I can't see going anywhere else this week, and I actually think all 3 get in the end zone this week.  Don't let weather screw with your decision making.

I am higher on Greg Jennings this week than I have been all season.  He has performed admirably with Matt Cassel as his QB and he draws the defense giving up the most fantasy points to WRs.  He lines up to have a good day, even though I think Cordarrelle Patterson is the Viking to own this week.

Larry Fitzgerald, Victor Cruz and Anquan Boldin are all as far down as they've been all season on my list for the same reasons: MATCHUPS.  I think Fitz's TD streak comes to and end against Tennessee, Victor Cruz is a fantasy disappointment because his offensive teammates are terrible, not to mention he draws Seattle, and Anquan Boldin will likely be a victim of game flow, as I don't think San Fran struggles with Tampa.

You can do better than Vincent Jackson this week.  I don't want to put my playoff hopes on praying for a garbage TD.

QB

1) Drew Brees, New Orleans
2) Nick Foles, Philadelphia
3) Matt Ryan, Atlanta
4) Tony Romo, Dallas
5) Matthew Stafford, Detroit
6) Cam Newton, Carolina
7) Jay Cutler, Chicago
8) Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco
9) Tom Brady, New England
10) Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh
11) Kirk Cousins, Washington
12) Andrew Luck, Indianapolis
13) Russell Wilson, Seattle
14) Joe Flacco, Baltimore
15) Andy Dalton, Cincinnati
16) Alex Smith, Kansas City
17) Ryan Tannehill, Miami
18) Matt Cassel, Minnesota
19) Matt Flynn, Green Bay
20) Chad Henne, Jacksonville
21) Carson Palmer, Arizona
22) Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tennessee
23) Case Keenum, Houston
24) Eli Manning, NY Giants
25) EJ Manuel, Buffalo

This late in the season, your QB situation should be sewn up tightly.  This ranking isn't necessarily a prediction of who will score the most fantasy points.  It is a combination of matchups and TRUST.  I think the Saints-Rams game is a trap for the Saints, but I trust Brees in all situations.  Read the list that way, and it will make total sense.

I'm also saying play Matt Ryan big time this week.  There is another team that has given up more than Falcons, and they're going to be in Atlanta this week!

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