NFL 2020 Week 15 Start & Sit Playoff Edition Round 2

So hopefully you are still building a lineup for your fantasy playoffs. Week 14 was tough. And we learned a couple of things: 1) With the exception of a few players, no player is untouchable. For me the “few” players are: (although I don’t have them all) You can’t touch this: quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, running backs; Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb; wide receiver, Davante Adams; and tight ends, Travis Kelce and Darren Waller. Other than that it is, lesson two about the matchups.

So for this edition let’s look at what teams are giving up the most fantasy points to respective positions and who might benefit.

Stats are courtesy of ProFootballReference.com 

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE MOST FANTASY POINTS TO THE QUARTERBACKS

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1. Atlanta Falcons (giving up an average of 23.1 fantasy points per game) v Tom Brady
2. New York Jets (22.3) v Jared Goff
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (21.6) v Lamar Jackson
4. Seattle Seahawks (21.4) v Alex Smith or Dwayne Haskins
5. Cleveland Browns  (20.9) v Daniel Jones
6. Tennessee Titans (20.8) v Matthew Stafford or Chase Daniels
7. Detroit Lions (20.2) v Ryan Tannehill
8. Buffalo Bills (19.7) v Drew Lock
9. Houston Texans (19.6) v Philip Rivers
10. Los Angeles Chargers (19.5) v Derek Carr

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FANTASY POINTS TO QUARTERBACKS

1. Los Angeles Rams (13.2) v Sam Darnold
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (14) v Brandon Allen/ Ryan Finley
3. New England Patriots (15.2) v Tua Tagovailoa
4. New Orleans Saints (15.4) v Patrick Mahomes
5. New York Giants (15.7) v Baker Mayfield

THE “AHH…BUT SECTION

1. Even though the WFT’s quarterbacks have a smash spot, remember last game the offense did not score a touchdown.  Smith was 8-of-19, 57 yards, and one interception before hurting his leg. While Haskins filled in and finished the game 7-of-12, 51 yards. 
2. The match-up against Cleveland can be either Jones or Colt McCoy.  They were sacked a combined eight times in their Week 14 matchup.  And neither threw for a touchdown.
3. Mahomes is going against the Saints defense giving up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the quarterback. You aren’t sitting Mahomes.  And while the Saints’ stats are impressive they just got beat by rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts who threw for 167 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions. 

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE MOST FANTASY POINTS TO WIDE RECEIVERS

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1. Minnesota Vikings (28.4 average fantasy points per game) v Allen Robinson
2. Dallas Cowboys (28.2) v Brandon Aiyuk
3. Seattle Seahawks (27.8) v Terry McLaurin
4. Atlanta Falcons (27.7) v Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Scott Miller, Chris Godwin
5. Detroit Lions (26.8) v A.J. Brown
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (26.3) v Willie Snead, Marquise Brown
7. New York Jets (26.2) v Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, Josh Reynolds
8. Tennessee Titans (26) v Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola
9. Cleveland Browns (25.7) v Darius Slayton
10. Houston Texans (25.6) T.Y Hilton

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE LEAST AMOUNT OF POINTS TO WIDE RECEIVERS

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1. Los Angeles Rams (17) v Breshad Perriman
2. Kansas City Chiefs (19.7) v Michael Thomas
3. Washington Football Team (19.8) v DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett
4. Chicago Bears (20) v Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson
5. New England Patriots (20.6) v Lynn Bowden, Mack Hollins

THE AHH…BUT SECTION

1. Yep, this is going to be a hard week for “elite” wide receivers.  
2. The Giants are in a smash spot and although Slayton was targeted eight times last week he finished with 31 yards.  No Giants’ receiver had more than 40 receiving yards. 
3. Remember wide receivers are quarterback dependent.  With injuries and Covid look to see who is in and who is out when making your roster. 

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE MOST FANTASY POINTS TO THE TIGHT ENDS

1. New York Jets (11.9 average fantasy points per game) v Tyler Higbee
2. Cleveland Browns (10.5) v Evan Engram
3. Cincinnati Bengals (10.1) v Eric Ebron
4. Chicago Bears (9.9) v Irv Smith Jr.
5. Atlanta Falcons (9.7) v Rob Gronkowski
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (9.6) v Mark Andrews
7. Buffalo Bills (9.5) v Noah Fant or Troy Fumagalli
8. Kansas City Chiefs (9.1) v Jared Cook or Adam Trautman
9. Philadelphia Eagles (8.8) v Dan Arnold
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8.7) v Hayden Hurst

DEFENSES GIVING AWAY THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FANTASY POINTS TO TIGHT ENDS

1. San Francisco Niners (4.7) v Dalton Schultz
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4.8) v Drew Sample
3. New England Patriots (5.0) v Adam Shaheen
4. Indianapolis Colts (5.6) v Jordan Akins
5. Arizona Cardinals (5.6) v Dallas Goedert or Zach Ertz

THE AHH…BUT SECTION

1. The New England Patriots defense will be going against WR4 and back-up tight end not to mention Bill Belichick’s record against rookie quarterbacks.  
2. Gronkowski in a smash spot is also in an offense that has lots of mouths to feed.  Last week Gronkowski was targeted two times, but he did manage a touchdown on one reception and two yards.  The two targets were the lowest of the season. 
3. The Colts’ defense although for the season has been good against the tight end, last week Darren Waller had 10 targets for seven receptions and 75 yards.  This will be the second meeting of the Colts and Texans in three weeks.  In week 13, Akins was targeted three times for two receptions and 10 yards. 

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE MOST FANTASY POINTS TO RUNNING BACKS

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1. Detroit Lions (26.5 average fantasy points per game) v Derrick Henry
2. Houston Texans (25.7) v Jonathan Taylor
3. Las Vegas Raiders (23.7) v Austin Ekeler
4. Green Bay Packers (23.) v Mike Davis or Christian McCaffrey
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (22.9) v J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, or Mark Ingram
6. Dallas Cowboys (21.) v Jeffery Wilson 
7. Tennessee Titans (20.) v D’Andre Swift
8. Cincinnati Bengals (19.) v James Conner or Jaylen Samuels
9. Carolina Panthers (19.) v Aaron Jones or Jamaal Williams
10. New York Giants (18.7) v Nick Chubb or Kareem Hunt
11. Denver Broncos (18.6) v Zack Moss or Devin Singletary

DEFENSES GIVING UP THE LEAST AMOUNT OF POINTS TO RUNNING BACKS

1. New Orleans Saints (13) v Clyde Edwards-Helaire
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (13.7) v Trayveon Williams or Samaje Perine or Giovani Bernard
3. Los Angeles Rams (14.5) v Frank Gore or Ty Johnson
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14.7) v Todd Gurley or Brian Hill
5. Atlanta Falcons (14.8) v Ronald Jones or Leonard Fournette

THE AHH…BUT SECTION

1. Keep an eye on the status of McCaffrey for this week. 
2. Running back by committee sucks and six of the top ten smash spots employee such craziness.  When looking for snap count percentage and touches go back at least three weeks ( or slip into my DM’s and ask).
3. Raheem Mostert is potentially out this week.  Last week with Mostert in Wilson wasn’t far behind in carries with 11 to Mostert’s 14.

And as always Good Luck and congratulations on getting this far.  Any questions come to talk to me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

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