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Fantasy Football Start Sit Week 15: The 49ers Set The Tone
The fantasy playoffs leave no room for hesitation. Week 15 brings soft matchups for Brock Purdy, Woody Marks, Devin Neal, and Jauan Jennings -- but also several landmines that could sink your lineup.
This week’s start-sit guide cuts through the noise and highlights the players you can trust with your season on the line.
The right lineup decisions, powered by Draft Sharks rankings, can make all the difference.
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Quarterbacks
Brock Purdy aims for another top-12 week while Justin Herbert's slide continues
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Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers carry the slate’s second-highest implied total (28.5), and Purdy draws a friendly matchup.
Tennessee has allowed the third-most fantasy points to QBs over the last four weeks, including 364 yards and 4 total TDs to Shedeur Sanders in Week 14. Sam Darnold and Trevor Lawrence also posted top-12 finishes against the Titans.
Including a rushing score in Week 11, Purdy has produced multiple TDs in four of his five starts. With several fantasy mainstays either slumping or facing difficult matchups, Purdy stands out as an undervalued QB1 who should deliver top-10 production.
Sit
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
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Herbert is fading at the worst possible time. He hasn’t posted a top-12 finish since Week 9 and has thrown for only 81, 151, and 139 yards over his last three games.
Injuries have played a role. Herbert underwent surgery on his left hand and wore a heavily padded glove in Week 14. The offensive line has compounded the issue; Los Angeles ranks dead last in pass-block win rate (54%) and has allowed the third-most sacks (47).
This matchup offers little relief. Kansas City ranks ninth in pass-rush win rate and allows the seventh-fewest points per game. The Chargers are likely to lean run-heavy again, limiting Herbert’s upside.
You should try to find an alternative.
Running Backs
A pair of rookie rushers has the volume to deliver in playoff lineups
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Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Nick Chubb injured his ribs in Week 14 and has yet to practice. In his absence, Marks dominated Houston’s backfield. He played a season-high 89% of the snaps and handled 28 touches against Kansas City. If Chubb sits again, Marks is in line for another heavy workload against a far weaker opponent.
Arizona has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to RBs. Over their last five games, the Cardinals have surrendered 142.4 rushing yards, 10 total TDs, and 33.2 PPR points per game to the position.
Even if Chubb plays, Marks controls the backfield. Since Week 10, he has played 72% of Houston’s snaps and taken 73% of the carries.
It should be noted that Marks missed practice on Wednesday with a knee issue, but it was likely a maintenance day. He’s been banged up often but has played through injuries. Last week, he took a big hit and briefly exited the game if the fourth quarter before returning on the next drive.
Before last week, Marks also missed Wednesday's practice with an ankle issue but practiced in full on Thursday and earned 28 touches on Sunday.
We’ll keep an eye on his practice participation throughout the week. But if Marks plays, his volume and matchup make him a mid-range RB2.
Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints
Volume has driven Neal’s rise since he replaced the injured Alvin Kamara early in Week 12. Kamara handled a 69% snap share and 57% carry share through Week 11. Neal has nearly matched that workload, playing 75% of the snaps with a 51% carry share and 12% target share over the last three games.
During that span, Neal has averaged 16.3 touches, 71.3 total yards, and 12.1 PPR points, ranking as the overall RB20.
Kamara still hasn’t practiced, which sets up Neal for another full workload. The matchup is favorable as well. Carolina has allowed the fourth-most PPR points to RBs (30.1 per game) over the last four weeks.
Expect Neal to push for 15+ touches again. He is a high-floor RB2 with the volume to put up top-15 numbers for the second straight week.
Sit
Breece Hall, New York Jets
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Hall missed Wednesday’s practice with knee soreness. We don't believe his status is in doubt, but his fantasy outlook is.
Hall is coming off his worst performance of the season against Miami and now draws Jacksonville, which has allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to RBs.
The bigger problem is New York’s injury-decimated quarterback room. Tyrod Taylor (groin) and Justin Fields (knee) have yet to practice. If both sit, the Jets will turn to undrafted rookie Brady Cook, who completed only 47% of his passes, averaged 5.4 yards per attempt, and threw 2 INTs in relief last week.
Stacked boxes seem inevitable if Cook starts, and Jacksonville has allowed only 82.9 rushing yards per game anyway.
Hall saw only one target last week with Cook under center.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
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Montgomery has scored in two straight games and posted his second-best fantasy output of the season last week. That production may tempt you, but the underlying usage is shaky.
He hasn’t reached double-digit carries since Week 10, the first week HC Dan Campbell took over play-calling. Montgomery’s carry share has dropped from 41% to 33% since the switch, resulting in RB37 production. His goal-line role has also diminished, and he has only a 5% target share.
This week’s matchup compounds the issue. The Rams allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points to RBs and have surrendered only two rushing TDs to the position all season. Montgomery’s ceiling is severely limited, making him a risky start.
Wide Receivers
Jauan Jennings set to thrive against a leaky Tennessee secondary
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Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
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San Francisco is projected to score the second-most points this week against Tennessee, which melted down against Cleveland’s 29th-ranked offense last Sunday.
Jennings has led San Francisco’s WR group in receiving yards for seven straight games. Over that span, he owns a team-high 25% target share.
Since Purdy returned in Week 11, Jennings has topped six targets in every game, averaged 12.8 PPR points, and scored in back-to-back outings. He ranks as the WR23 during that stretch.
Jennings is well-positioned to keep rolling against a Titans secondary that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to WRs.
Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Meyers has been Jacksonville’s top WR since his Week 10 debut. In five games, he leads the team with a 25% target share and has scored 11+ PPR points in four straight, with TDs in three consecutive games. Meyers has quietly produced WR11 PPR production over that span.
Week 15 brings another strong setup. The Jaguars are implied for 27.5 points (fourth-highest) against a Jets defense vulnerable to WRs.
Since trading away Sauce Gardner, New York has allowed 14.8 PPR points per game to opposing No. 1 WRs.
Expect Jacksonville to accomplish pretty much whatever it wants on offense in this one.
Meyers arrives as a high-end WR3 with top-15 upside.
Sit
Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
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Sutton’s recent production has tailed off. From Weeks 1-9, he averaged 13.2 PPR points per game. Since Week 10, he has fallen to 11.2 per game -- WR29 during the stretch.
Sutton got out of the gate fast, posting four top-24 finishes in Denver's first five games. However, since Week 6, Sutton's only top-24 finish came against a Washington team that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to WRs.
Since Week 6, Sutton has faced three opponents (Jets, Texans, Chiefs) who rank 14th or better in terms of preventing fantasy points to WRs. Sutton has averaged 7.5 PPR points per game in those games. In his other five games against bottom-10 defenses, Sutton averaged 12.0 PPR points per game.
This week’s matchup is another obstacle. Green Bay has allowed only one WR to surpass 70 yards since Week 8 and ranks 12th in fewest fantasy points allowed to WRs.
Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts’ QB situation is dire enough that the team signed 44-year-old Philip Rivers to the practice squad. Rivers has not played since 2020 but may still start ahead of Riley Leonard and Brett Rypien. That’s a bad sign for Indianapolis’ pass catchers.
Before Pittman piled up five targets in garbage time last week, he’d been struggling to produce and wasn’t being featured as often. Pittman fell short of 30 receiving yards in the three previous games and tied for sixth on the team with a 16% targets per route rate over that span.
Week 15 looks worse. Indianapolis is implied for only 14.5 points and stands as the biggest underdog on the slate. Seattle allows the second-fewest points per game (17.4) and the sixth-fewest fantasy points to WRs. The Seahawks' secondary, led by CBs Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, and Devon Witherspoon, is a poor matchup for Pittman.
Pittman is a top-10 WR on the season, but reset your expectations this week.
His production has fallen off over the last month, and he carries significant downside risk in Week 15.
Tight Ends
The Ravens get a historically good matchup
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Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
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Likely is heating up at the right time. He has drawn six targets and topped 12 PPR points in two straight games, scoring once and nearly adding two more. Since Week 11, he has actually outproduced Mark Andrews on fewer routes:
| PLAYER | TARGET SHARE | ROUTE RATE | ADOT | PPR | PPR RANK |
| Mark Andrews | 15% | 74% | 8.8 | 7.1 | TE21 |
| Isaiah Likely | 16% | 54% | 9.5 | 7.6 | TE17 |
Likely has posted back-to-back TE1 finishes and faces a dream matchup in Week 15. Cincinnati is on pace to allow the most fantasy points to TEs in league history. The Bengals have already surrendered 97 receptions, 1,258 yards, and 15 TDs to the position -- all league highs.
Both Andrews and Likely are strong starts against the Bengals. Likely caught five of six targets for 95 yards vs. Cincinnati in Week 13. Another big outing sits well within reach.
Sit
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
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Henry enters the fantasy playoffs as a top-10 TE enjoying his best season since 2019. Before New England’s Week 14 bye, he delivered his two strongest performances since September.
Henry’s week-to-week consistency has been somewhat erratic. Hunter topped double-digit fantasy points in Weeks 3-4, then strung together seven straight starts with 9.1 or fewer points. Then, he posted another two outings with 11-plus points before last week's bye.
This week's matchup will make it difficult for Henry to have another top-12 finish.
Buffalo has allowed the fewest fantasy points to TEs, the fewest receptions per game (2.8), and the second-fewest yards per game (33.9). The Bills have yielded only two TE touchdowns all season.
Henry didn’t score in the first meeting, posting a modest 2-46-0 line in Week 5. Only one TE has reached double-digit points against Buffalo since Week 9.
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