Congratulations! The first week of the 2025 fantasy football playoffs is here. If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you made it. If your league doesn’t implement a playoff system, then these last weeks are just as important for accumulating those points.
No looking back from here on out. Let’s dive right into the matchups for Week 15!
PlayerProfiler is home to award-winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out.
Quarterback
Start: Jaxson Dart
After a lackluster fantasy output in his return from injury in Week 13, Jaxson Dart and the Giants were on bye last week. Before the rookie’s concussion in Week 10, however, he put up over 20 fantasy points in four out of five games. He is in a prime spot to bounce back this week.
Jaxson Dart‘s Advanced Rushing Metrics
In Week 15, the Giants will host the Washington Commanders, who allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Look for our sixth-ranked QB this week to come through in the clutch for your team in round one.
Honorable Mention: Baker Mayfield
Sit: Caleb Williams
For all intents and purposes, I think most of us would agree that Caleb Williams has shown some significant improvement in his sophomore season, his first with new head coach Ben Johnson. However, since Week 1, when he posted 24.2 points against Minnesota, his better games have been against lesser defenses. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, Week 15’s matchup is not against one of those defenses. The Bears will host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Browns have been tough on opposing quarterbacks all year. Led by the NFL sack-leader, Myles Garrett, they have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Let’s leave Williams on the bench for this week if possible.
Honorable Mention: Jordan Love
Running Back
Start: Travis Etienne
Travis Etienne‘s Athletic Profile
Travis Etienne has quietly put together a solid season to this point, coming into Week 15 as the RB11, averaging 14.6 PPR points per game. Along with his top-ten yardage output of 917 yards, he is also fifth in the league in red-zone touches with 45. Indeed, the former Tiger has established himself as the unquestioned lead back in Jacksonville.
Week 15 brings another opportunity for the former first-round pick to add to his impressive fifth season. The Jaguars host the New York Jets on Sunday. The Jets allow the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. As their passing game continues to be pedestrian at best, look for the Jags to continue to lean on their steady RB1.
Honorable Mentions: Woody Marks, Chris Rodriguez
Sit: Kenneth Walker
As a heavy KW3 investor this draft season, I have dealt with this ambiguous backfield much more than I would’ve liked. While some of his efficiency metrics really pop, the Seahawks just haven’t seen it fit to give Kenneth Walker the kind of volume we need for him to be a reliable asset in fantasy.
Kenneth Walker‘s Efficiency Metrics
In addition to the volume concerns and Zach Charbonnet vulturing touchdowns, Seattle has a less-than-favorable matchup this week at the running back position. Their Week 15 opponent, the Indianapolis Colts, allow the twelfth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Granted, it isn’t the Houston Texans we’re talking about, but when combined with the concerns mentioned above, it’s enough to make me hesitant in trusting the former Spartan with everything on the line.
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Monangai, Kimani Vidal
Wide Receiver
Start: A.J. Brown
A.J. Brown‘s Athletic Profile
After a rocky start to the year, A.J. Brown has garnered no less than 10 targets in each of his last four games, reasserting himself as a focal point of the Philly offense.
As with most of his recent matchups, Brown’s Week 15 opponent is also a plus matchup for his position. The Las Vegas Raiders allow the sixth-most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers. Better late than never; if you were able to navigate the waters early in the year, it seems the former second-round pick is primed to live up to his fantasy draft capital when it matters most.
Honorable Mentions: Terry McLaurin, Jauan Jennings
Sit: Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman has, for the most part, been a solid wide receiver for fantasy this year. But, as managers are well aware, he has also posted some stinkers. Twice in his last four games, in fact, Pittman has scored less than 5.0 PPR points. Likely, some of his recent struggles have stemmed from his quarterback playing through injury. And while that particular problem may be out of the way, with Daniel Jones landing on IR after rupturing his Achilles tendon last week (on the opposite leg of his fractured fibula), his new quarterback is none other than the retired Philip Rivers, a recent grandfather. Adding this to the fact that the former Trojan has a tough matchup this week, going up against the vaunted Seattle defense, and I’m avoiding Colts not named Jonathan Taylor (and maybe Tyler Warren) this week, as we see how the 44-year-old can reassimilate to being an NFL quarterback.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Wilson, Luther Burden III
Tight End
Start: Juwan Johnson
In the Saints’ first matchup with division rival Carolina Panthers, in Week 10, Juwan Johnson caught all four of his targets for 92 yards and a score. That was in Carolina. This week, the Saints host the Panthers as part of Sunday’s second slate of games. As the clear-cut number two target earner behind Chris Olave, Johnson has been mostly solid since that three-week slump early in the season.
He has had a bit of a mini-slump over the last two weeks, not quite getting to the double-digit mark in fantasy output. But expect that to change this week. Let’s start Johnson with some confidence this week.
Honorable Mention: Darren Waller
Sit: Mike Gesicki
Coming off a 20-point game against the Buffalo Bills, it might seem tempting to just plug in Mike Gesicki in your playoff lineup. In the words of the recently retired Lee Corso: “Not so fast, my friend!”
The Bengals will host the Ravens this Sunday. This game is two weeks removed from a matchup in which the Ravens held Gesicki to 3.9 PPR points. The Ravens also allow the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends, while allowing the ninth-most to opposing wide receivers. Expect Joe Burrow to lean heavily on his talented wideouts this week, leaving Gesicki as the odd man out.
Honorable Mention: Oronde Gadsden II
That’s all for this week.
As always, thank you for reading!
Feel free to hit me up on X, Instagram, or Bluesky to let me know if you agree or disagree, or to share your own lineup dilemmas!
Many Successes,
Kyle
For more articles from PlayerProfiler, check out the fantasy home page – NFL Fantasy | PlayerProfiler – Fantasy Football News & Media
