Fantasy Football Start 'Em Sit 'Em for Week 15 TNF - Chiefs vs Chargers
Thursday Night Football in Week 15 is likely the first game with fantasy football playoff implications for many managers. Week 15 is the semi-finals for most leagues, with a small percentage of players playing it out as a regular-season matchup and starting the post-season week with the semi-finals. The Kansas City Chiefs will look to extend their winning streak to seven games against the LA Chargers on Thursday, and here is who you should start or sit in fantasy football from this game.
Also read: NFL DFS picks: Best DraftKings and FanDuel lineup advice for NFL Week 15
Start ' em
QB Patrick Mahomes
"Outside of Patrick Mahomes I don't have much faith in any of those quarterbacks over in the AFC" ~@DariusJButler
#PMSOverreactionMonday #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE https://t.co/sJxM6Hv8t5
The Chiefs offense is not fixed despite their recent success, but Patrick Mahomes can still dazzle opposing defenses on the field and do just enough to help his team win.
The Chargers will likely limit the run game, which could end up being a bad decision as Mahomes is made to throw the ball more. This is Mahomes' second game against the Chargers in 2021. He put up 260 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the first matchup. This time around, he is projected to have at least 24 fantasy football points with multiple touchdowns and over 300 yards.
RB Austin Ekeler
Austin Ekeler is THE premier pass-catching back in the NFL 🎸
⚡️ 58 catches (3rd)
⚡️ 535 yards (1st)
⚡️ 7 receiving TDs (1st) https://t.co/iPq2inHbLI
Austin Ekeler is technically labeled a game-time decision with his ankle injury, but he is expected to play through the injury in a big game this week. The Chiefs are prone up front with Chris Jones ruled out, and Ekeler is on his own streak with at least one touchdown in every game since Week 8, and at least 80 all-purpose yards in every game since Week 11. He's still seen an RB2 despite the injury.
Sit 'em
TE Jared Cook
Jared Cook over 3.5 receptions (+120)
With Allen out, there's 10.3 targets up for grabs
Chargers OC indicated the TEs could see an uptick in usage, which would work against a NYG team allowing 5.5 catches/game to the position (7th-most)
Cook averages 5 targets/game WITH Allen https://t.co/AACkR8d8aq
Jared Cook just can't be trusted each week these days. He's touchdown-or-bust against the Chiefs and has two catches for 27 yards against them back in Week 3. Kansas City's defense has been playing better since their last meeting, and they should be able to cover Cook enough to keep him from scoring. He shouldn't have more than five points in fantasy football this week.
Chargers D/ST
#Chargers rank 6th in rush defense EPA since the bye week. One of many nuggets in here 👇🏻 twitter.com/danielrpopper/…
Their defense hasn't allowed more than 22 points since Week 11 and has eight sacks between their last two games. However, they are facing a red-hot Chiefs offense, and LA has struggled against the run at times this season. CEH and Darrel Williams could team up and run all over the Chargers this week, with Tyreek Hill getting some speciality run plays and Mahomes scrambling for first-downs. Even Kansas City's defense is a better pick in fantasy football than LA this week.
Also Check Out: Complete NFL Week 15 TV Schedule