We have finally arrived at the fantasy football playoffs for the 2024 NFL season. We hope you made it into your championship bracket!
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And if not, hopefully, you still have something to play for in your consolation bracket. Thankfully, for just the third time since Week 4, there are no teams on bye, so everyone will have their fantasy teams at full strength for Week 15.
With all 32 NFL teams playing, we’ve got a lot more players and matchups to choose from for our start ’em, sit ’em picks for this week. Going into Week 15, we’re especially excited about Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry and Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, who are our two must starts of the week.
Must-Start of the Week: Derrick Henry, RB (BAL) @ NYG
Derrick Henry comes into Week 15 as FantasyPros’ No. 2 running back option, but he really should be No. 1. He’s coming off a bye, which is huge for a running back who’s 30+ years old. Not only that, but Henry has rushed for 100+ yards in three of his last four games following a bye. He’s also been reliable as they come this season, never falling below 10 fantasy points and going over 15 seven times.
He gets a great matchup here against the New York Giants as well. They were actually pretty good against the run last week, but overall this season, they’ve been abysmal. They’re allowing the 4th-most rushing yards per game to RBs (115.2) and the 3rd-most yards per carry overall (4.9). Henry hasn’t scored a touchdown in two weeks, so it definitely feels like he’s due for a big day here against Big Blue.
Must-Start of the Week: David Njoku, TE (CLE) vs. KC
We were very high on Los Angeles Chargers TE Will Dissly going into Week 14, simply because he was playing the Kansas City Chiefs, who allow eight more yards per game to tight ends than any other team. Dissly started off well, but an injury took him out of the game. His backup, Stone Smartt, promptly stepped in and had the best game of his career with three catches for 54 yards.
The Chiefs simply cannot defend the tight end position, and they’re heading out to see one of the best ones in the league in Cleveland this week. David Njoku has had 13+ fantasy points in five of his last seven games, and he’s got a whopping 30 targets over the last two games. Jameis Winston obviously loves him, and he’s going to love him even more on Sunday against a Chiefs defense that doesn’t have many other holes.
Start ‘Em QBs
Aaron Rodgers (NYJ) @ JAX: The tale of Aaron Rodgers and the Big Apple is a sad one, as the team was recently officially eliminated from playoff contention. However, Rodgers has thrown for 300+ yards or two TDs in all but two games since Week 2.
He’s gone for 15+ fantasy points in seven of eight games, and he’s going against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that’s allowed the 2nd-most fantasy points per game to QBs (21.0). The Jags also give up the 2nd-most passing yards per game and have allowed 24 TD passes, third-most in the NFL.
Streaming Options: Bryce Young (CAR) vs. DAL, Will Levis (TEN) vs. CIN
Sit ‘Em QBs
C.J. Stroud (HOU) vs. MIA: C.J. Stroud has been one of the great disappointments of the 2024 fantasy football season. He was supposed to be a stud like last year, especially with the addition of Stefon Diggs.
Unfortunately, Diggs is out for the season, and Stroud has gone for under 15 fantasy points in six of his last seven outings. The Dolphins have a very stingy pass defense as well, allowing just 13.3 fantasy points per game to QBs, 2nd-fewest in football.
Other Sits: Baker Mayfield (TB) @ LAC, Anthony Richardson (IND) @ DEN
Start ‘Em RBs
Rico Dowdle (DAL) @ CAR: There have been some bright lights in Dallas for the Cowboys this year, believe it or not. One of those has been running back Rico Dowdle, who comes into Week 15 after rushing for 100+ in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
Dowdle should be a workhorse again this time around. The Carolina Panthers give up the most rushing yards per game to RBs (138.6, 20 more than the next worst team), the most rushing TDs to RBs (15), and the most fantasy points per game to RBs (25.0).
Other Start ‘Em RB Options: Chuba Hubbard (CAR) vs. DAL, Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) vs. BUF
Sit ‘Em RBs
D’Andre Swift (CHI) @ MIN: The Chicago Bears’ new RB had about as bad a start to his tenure in the Windy City as you can imagine. He had a nice little five-week run in mid-season after that, but he’s crashed back down to earth over the last few weeks. Particularly because the Bears offense has fallen apart.
He has only gone for 10+ fantasy points once in the last five weeks, and it certainly doesn’t help that he’s going up against the Minnesota Vikings. They held Swift to 30 yards on 13 totes a few weeks ago, and they give up just 13.7 fantasy points per game to backs, 3rd-fewest in the NFL.
Other Sits: Nick Chubb (CLE) vs. KC, James Cook (BUF) @ DET
Start ‘Em WRs
Tyreek Hill (MIN) @ HOU: The man they call Cheetah had to take to social media to push for more involvement in the offense. And it worked.
He’s coming off a 10-catch, 114-yard, one-touchdown performance, and has topped 15 fantasy points in three of four weeks. Tyreek Hill is so back, and he’s got the Houston Texans—who give up 25.1 fantasy points per game to wideouts, 4th-most in football—on the menu for Week 15.
Other Start ‘Em WR Options: Jauan Jennings (SF) vs. LAR, Garrett Wilson (NYJ) @ JAX
Sit ‘Em WRs
Tank Dell (HOU) vs. MIA: As we already discussed regarding C.J. Stroud, the Houston Texans offense has largely been a disappointment this season—especially in fantasy football—and Tank Dell is a part of that. He has not hit double-digit fantasy points in over a month, and the Miami Dolphins allow just 17.8 fantasy points per game to wideouts, the fewest in the league.
Other Sits: Zay Flowers (BAL) @ NYG, Tee Higgins (CIN) @ TEN
Start ‘Em TEs
Jonnu Smith (MIA) @ HOU: While the Texans aren’t necessarily bad at defending tight ends, Jonnu Smith seems to have become matchup-proof at this point in the season. He was a bit quieter last week, but an overtime TD saved his day. He has put up 58.5 fantasy points over the last four games, more than any other TE over that span. Jonnu Smith is now TE1.
Other Start ‘Em TE Options: Stone Smartt (LAC) vs. TB, Jake Ferguson (DAL) @ CAR
Sit ‘Em TEs
Dalton Kincaid/Dawson Knox (BUF) @ DET: It remains to be seen if Dalton Kincaid will be ready to go. But either way, this is a tough spot for him or his backup, Dawson Knox. The Lions’ secondary really struggles to cover wide receivers, but their linebackers are excellent at blanketing TEs. Detroit allows the fewest fantasy points to tight ends, at just 4.0 per game.
Other Sits: Mark Andrews (BAL) @ NYG, Sam LaPorta (DET) vs. BUF
