Here you’ll find Joel Smyth’s fantasy football PPR rankings for Week 15 — you can find his half-PPR rankings here. Remember to bookmark this page as Joel will be updating his rankings to help you with your lineup decisions throughout the week.
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Justin Boone's Rest-of-season rankings
Note: You can check out Joel's half-PPR rankings right here.
Here you’ll find Matt Harmon’s fantasy football PPR rankings for Week 15 — you can find his half-PPR rankings here. Remember to bookmark this page as Matt will be updating his rankings to help you with your lineup decisions throughout the week.
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Justin Boone's Rest-of-season rankings
Note: You can check out Matt's half-PPR rankings right here.
Here you’ll find Scott Pianowski’s fantasy football PPR rankings for Week 15 — you can find his half-PPR rankings here. Remember to bookmark this page as Scott will be updating his rankings to help you with your lineup decisions throughout the week.
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Justin Boone's Rest-of-season rankings
Note: You can check out Scott's half-PPR rankings right here.
It’s fantasy football playoff time and we’re all excited with the stakes raised. And come three weeks from now, you might be in your moment of glory, confetti falling on you and deafening cheers all throughout the stadium (or living room).
Life only makes sense looking backwards, but of course we need to live it forwards. But if you’d like a sneak peak of what might happen this month, I’m here to entertain you.
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Let’s go through the four main positions and give you 12 players who could have a December to Remember in the fantasy playoffs. I’ll give an obvious pick, an underrated pick and a sleeper pick at all four spots. Dream big, gamers — you just might get what you want.
The Obvious Pick: Josh Allen doesn’t have the easiest slate for the fantasy playoffs (Patriots, Browns, Eagles), but he’s proven to be matchup-proof for his career. He’s three points better than the QB field on average, and tends to amp up his rushing game in the latter part of the season.
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An Underrated Pick: It would help Brock Purdy if his opponents fight back on offense and force a few pinball games. But there’s nothing wrong with a finishing kick of Titans, Colts (ravaged by injury) and Bears, with every game weather-safe. The Niners are getting healthy at the right time, boosted by the Week 14 bye.
A Sleeper Pick: Marcus Mariota will start Week 15 against the Giants, then it’s wait-and-see mode with Jayden Daniels. But in Mariota’s last three starts, good things have happened: QB3, QB9, QB13. Washington closes with a lovely schedule for passing production: Giants, Eagles, Cowboys.
The Obvious Pick: Christian McCaffrey is an unfair cheat code again this season, 40 touches ahead of the field and playable in any game script. He’s currently on pace to sail past 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving, and he’s already banked 13 touchdowns. No reason this music won’t play all season.
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An Underrated Pick: Saquon Barkley has been sitting in the disappointment file all year, but maybe last week’s splashy game against the Chargers (20-122-1) will get him going. Star OT Lane Johnson should be back soon, and Barkley gets a dream slate to attack in December (Raiders, Commanders, Bills).
A Sleeper Pick: Bam Knight can’t be a proactive pick in Week 15, up against that ridiculous Houston defense. But if you can survive through this week, Knight gets to aim at the Falcons and Bengals, two defenses that everyone runs against. Trey Benson is out for the year, clearing the runway for Knight.
The Obvious Pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba has outclassed the receiver field all year, giving us just one washout game out of 13. And it’s possible the Seahawks might lean on him a little more than usual going forward — not that he’s lacked for opportunity — if the team feels the 2,000-yard milestone is in play.
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An Underrated Pick: There are conditions with a Michael Wilson recommendation: he needs to get past Houston this week, and things become complicated if and when Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel) returns. But Wilson has been a locked-in WR1 for the weeks Harrison doesn’t play, and I doubt he’d vanish even if Harrison comes back. The Bengals in Week 17 could be a holiday present from the fantasy gods.
A Sleeper Pick: Over the last six weeks, Wan’Dale Robinson leads all receivers in both targets and catches. There’s only been one touchdown, but Jaxson Dart is back and the PPR scam is alive. The Commanders in Week 15 and Raiders in Week 17 are lovely matchups.
The Obvious Pick: As you know, Jacoby Brissett took over the starting QB job in Arizona two months ago. Over that period, this is how Trey McBride has performed: TE2, TE3, TE6, TE1, TE1, TE3, TE2, TE13. If you’d prefer the raw numbers, they add up as such: 64-662-7. It feels like years ago when McBride couldn’t buy a touchdown; that was probably a Kyler Murray problem. Survive Houston in Week 15, and then McBride can take you home (he should torch the Bengals in Week 17).
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An Underrated Pick: Harold Fannin Jr. is on pace for 77-809-5, a remarkable rookie season given all the chaos around him. And Fannin and Shedeur Sanders showed legitimate chemistry in last week’s blow-up against Tennessee. The remaining games are all gettable: Bears, Bills, Steelers. It’s a shame the Cincinnati rematch is tucked into Week 18.
A Sleeper Pick: I understand the Miami passing volume is a reason to be concerned, and Darren Waller wasn’t even the team’s best tight end last week. But Waller always carries significant touchdown equity, and we need to be mindful of his delicious schedule for the fantasy playoffs (Steelers, Bengals, Buccaneers). Maybe you need a “show-me” game for now, but be ready when the Bengals come to town.
Kevin O’Connor is joined by Tom Haberstroh to break down the Oklahoma City Thunder dominating the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Cup quarterfinal as they continue their historic winning streak. Can OKC break the NBA record for the longest single-season win streak? Then, they discuss the San Antonio Spurs’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers without superstar Victor Wembanyama and share their picks for who will reign supreme in the NBA Cup.
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Next, the duo dives into why the NBA is seeing a rise in calf strains across the league and shares their thoughts on the NBA’s response. And, are the Grizzlies better without Ja Morant? Where are potential landing spots for Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Plus, James Barlowe joins KOC’s Draft Class to discuss AJ Dybansta’s electric game against Clemson, Darryn Peterson’s return to Kansas and how Nate Ament can bounce back from his struggles.
(0:47) OKC defeats Phoenix in NBA Cup quarterfinals
(6:10) Spurs beat Lakers in NBA Cup quarterfinals
(8:54) Thunder vs. Spurs NBA Cup semifinal preview
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(13:00) Increase of calf strain injuries in the NBA
(23:54) Knicks vs. Magic NBA Cup semifinal preview
(34:35) Ja’s last chance to make things right with Memphis
(43:36) Queen continues to shine for Pelicans
(46:28) Anthony Davis trade suitors
(57:20) Draft Class with James Barlowe
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant reacts after getting called for a foul in the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
(Wendell Cruz)
🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube
Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv
As we head toward the end of the NFL regular season, massive games for postseason implications intersect with critical matchups for the fantasy football playoffs. In Week 15, we have three such games between teams slated for playoff pushes. Here, I’ll break down those three games and the stakes involved for each team using The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator, along with a fantasy football note you need to know for both sides.
A blend of both worlds.
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Considering these two teams play in the sme division, I don’t think it takes much to see what the stakes are here. The Patriots are already the heavy favorite to win the AFC East after defeating Buffalo at home earlier this season. If they win here, it’s over for the Bills’ chances to take it back. A win here would also go a long way to increase Drake Maye’s odds to win MVP … or, if the Bills emerge victorious, it might even create a groundswell of support for Josh Allen’s case to repeat.
We’ve been in a state of worry and frustration, depending on how invested you are in this offense, over the wide receiver room all season. In Week 14, Gabe Davis led the team in routes run and Brandin Cooks played a big role. That room is what it is and there’s no point wishcasting anything else. What does deserve our attention is the play of Dalton Kincaid, who returned to the field last week and continued what looks like a Year 3 leap season.
Kincaid needs to rely on efficiency since he’s not a full-time player for this team. Good thing he’s having one of the most efficient seasons for a tight end in recent history. I think Kincaid is trustworthy as an every-week fantasy starter in the postseason. I sure can’t find 10 tight ends who profile better than he does at this stage.
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The Patriots are coming off a bye week and I’ll be watching for two possible post-bye promotions. In the backfield, TreVeyon Henderson makes for a strong post-bye rookie bump candidate for a running game that needs juice. Given the state of the line, they aren’t going to be an effiicnet ground game; might as well lean into being explosive. Henderson clears Rhamondre Stevenson, who has his good qualities, in that regard. Henderson is in a good spot against a Bills run defense that’s vulnerable.
In the receiver corps, I’ll admit that I’ve struggled to pick the Stefon Diggs weeks. He’s cleared an 80% route participation just twice this year, against the Panthers in Week 4 and the Jets in Week 11. There is no discernible playing time pattern for Diggs. That said, it would make sense for the team to give him an increase in work now that we’ve arrived at the most critical games, especially this week against his former team that he dunked on for a season-high 146 yards back in Week 5. Given the playing time concerns, you can’t rank Diggs too highly but he’s at least a high-end fantasy WR3 in this matchup.
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Since this is our one out-of-conference game, the stakes aren’t quite as high. However, both teams need to hold serve to keep pace for division titles.
The Broncos will travel to Green Bay as the heavy favorite to win the division. They’ve already bested the Chiefs but the Chargers are still lurking. If Denver wins this game and Los Angeles loses, they have a 98% chance of winning the AFC West. On the flip side, the Packers can’t afford to look ahead to next week and their rematch with the Bears. If Chicago beats the Browns and Green Bay loses, it’s a coin flip for who wins the NFC North and the Week 16 game will carry almost all the weight in deciding it.
RJ Harvey just turned in his best game as a pro and, even if it was in an easier matchup against the Raiders, it was a needed positive datapoint. The Broncos running backs in Weeks 11 and 13 — with Harvey starting — ranked 12th in yards before contact per running back rush attempt (1.41) and 32nd in yards after contact (1.59). They were the only team under 2.0 in this span. Harvey ranked last among qualified rushers in Next Gen Stats rush yards over expected in Weeks 13 and 11. He was having issues leaving yards on the field. That corrected in Week 14, when Denver ranked fifth in yards before (2.15) and 14th in yards after contact (2.85). That is back closer to where it was in the first 10 weeks with Dobbins starting (6th and 12th).
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Harvey looked more decisive and hit holes with more authority. The matchup is challenging this week but given his passing game work, goal-line role and improved play in Week 14, I trust Harvey as an RB2 in this game.
Since he returned in Week 8, Christian Watson ranks 12th among wide receivers in yards per route run versus man coverage. He’s caught four touchdowns against man coverage. This is a critical note as the Packers prepare to play one of the most man-heavy defenses in the NFL.
Watson has been playing the best football of his career so he’ll probably draw shadow coverage from Patrick Surtain II. That makes him a risky option in this game but I’ve found it hard to get him out of my top 20-24 wide receivers based on how well he’s played. Be ready to accept some volatility for him this week.
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Meanwhile, Jayden Reed caught all three targets against man coverage for 25 yards in his return to action. He’s a sleeper candidate against a team that’s ceded the fifth-most air yards to slot receivers this season.
The Rams have a 99% chance to make the postseason as it stands today. A win or a loss in this one doesn’t move the needle all that much. However, if they lose to Detroit as the 49ers beat the Titans and the Seahawks beat an injury-ravaged Colts team that is potentially starting a 44-year-old quarterback, their chances to win the NFC West drop below 40%.
The Lions don’t have much of a shot to win their division at this stage but are alive in the NFC Wild Card race. Since this is a conference game, they need a win here. Their playoff chances will swing between 60% and 30% based on the result.
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In the previous nine weeks of the season, Jameson Williams was one of the most disappointing players in the NFL. He was barely involved in the Lions offense. Since Week 10, he’s been incredibly productive on a per-route basis, despite taking a zero in a matchup.
Whether it’s because Dan Campbell took over play-calling from John Morton, or simply because Sam LaPorta went on IR, Williams has begun to get the volume many hoped to see before the season. In this matchup against a Rams defense that, if you can beat their pressure packages, is vulnerable on the back-end, I’d be chasing Williams’ ceiling outcomes.
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In previous years, Sean McVay has typically just entrusted his backfield to one man at a time. That has been even more true in the Kyren Williams era. And yet, as we head toward the end of the season, Blake Corum appears to have officially made this into a committee backfield.
While Williams still holds the clear lead (61% to 33%) in snap rate, Corum owns a 36% share of the backfield touches and has amassed 236 yards from scrimmage since Week 12. Even better, he’s gotten way more work inside the two-yard line, with a 50% touch share to 25% for Williams.
Williams remains a fantasy starter because this offense is so good that both backs can eat. He’s also the clear-cut passing-down option. However, Corum is now on the flex radar, even in a tough matchup like this one. Bare minimum, Corum needs to be on fantasy rosters just in case there’s an injury to Williams.
Pete Alonso bet on himself in 2025, and it paid off in a major way. Alonso agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, the team announced Thursday. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the deal Wednesday.
The contract comes a year after Alonso, 30, struggled to secure a long-term deal on the free-agent market.
With the move, the Orioles finally have their big-name free agent. Baltimore reportedly made a competitive offer for Kyle Schwarber before he signed a five-year, $150 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and had contacted outfielder Kyle Tucker about a deal. With the Alonso deal, Baltimore finally got its star slugger.
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Alonso fits in well with the Orioles, who were looking for an upgrade over Ryan Mountcastle at first base. While Mountcastle has shown flashes as a hitter in the past, he was well below league average in that area last season. Alonso immediately gives the team a middle-of-the-order power bat capable of posting big numbers regardless of the ballpark. That should work out well in Baltimore, where righties have had a tough time hitting home runs since the team altered the wall in left field.
After failing to land the mega-deal he desired last offseason, Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million pact to return to the New York Mets. That deal contained an opt-out after the first year, allowing Alonso to test the free-agent waters again if he turned in a bounce-back season.
He delivered on that, hitting .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and a 144 OPS+ over 709 plate appearances with the Mets in 2025. It was a resurgent performance for the slugger, who entered free agency last season coming off a down year, in which he posted a career-worst 122 OPS+.
Those 2024 struggles, combined with Alonso’s age and position, resulted in teams staying away from the slugger in free agency. Alonso hit the market last offseason after posting his lowest home run total and slash line since the pandemic-shortened 2020 MLB season, which lasted just 60 games.
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In 2025, Alonso proved that some of that decline was a fluke. He took a more aggressive approach at the plate, reducing his strikeout rate in the process. Despite playing in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball, he managed to increase his slugging percentage by .080 points. His exit velocity exploded, ranking in the 97th percentile with a 93.5 mph average. That figure was nearly 3 mph higher than his previous career high.
Those changes, particularly his increased exit velocity, suggest Alonso’s improved performance in 2025 was due not to luck but to a shift in approach. If those improvements stick, Alonso should continue to provide solid pop despite moving to another pitcher-friendly park.
The Orioles are going to pay to find out.
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While the history of MLB teams handing out big deals to aging first basemen is littered with cautionary tales — hello, Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard — Alonso’s 2025 resurgence might’ve done enough to help him stave off decline for a few more seasons.
Michigan fired head coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday. He was fired with cause for having an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.” The story broke with this news, but continued to evolve and a few hours later it was reported that Moore had been detained by police. Details will continue to come out as more is learned about this situation. Until then, Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey will just look at the football impact of Moore’s firing with the big question: Who will be Michigan’s next head coach? Signing Day has passed, so Michigan does not need to rush the process of finding their guy. The Transfer Portal opens January 2nd, and it would make sense to want to have a coach in place by that date. Kalen DeBoer is a name that is being rumored, but it is not known if he has any interest. Kenny Dillingham is another name the crew suggests as a good fit. Andy, Ross and Godfrey discuss who may be a good fit for the Wolverines going forward.
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Then, we get some more news from Ross in Vegas. It appears there is momentum to move the playoff to a 16-team model. Most of the conferences are on board, but the Big Ten is still not fully sold. The guys talk about the potential of moving to a 16-team playoff and what that format would look like. The other big piece of news is there seems to be a groundswell of support to get rid of the weekly College Football Playoff Rankings Show. How would ESPN handle the elimination of this show? Andy, Ross and Godfrey discuss how realistic this idea is.
Later, it is a big weekend in college football. The biggest individual award in the sport will be given out on Saturday. Indiana’s quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, is the betting favorite to win the Heisman, but the guys think that Vanderbilt’s quarterback, Diego Pavia, might make a push to win the award. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love are the other two finalists for the prestigious award. Will Indiana or Vanderbilt have its first Heisman trophy winner? Plus, the guys make their I’ve Got A Feeling picks. They discuss the Army/Navy game, an FCS playoff game, and one of the first bowl games of the season.
Get ready for award and bowl season with College Football Enquirer.
Former Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(1:09) – Michigan fires Sherrone Moore
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(9:18) – Who should be Michigan’s next head coach?
(27:32) – Expanding to a 16-team playoff
(30:14) – Ending the CFP weekly rankings show
(37:34) – What would a 16-team playoff look like?
(49:48) – Heisman preview
(52:38) – I’ve Got A Feeling including an Army/Navy game preview
Check out all the episodes of the College Football Enquirer and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv
Yahoo Fantasy and Arena Club have teamed up to bring you a brand new experience – weekly Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs featuring top-performing fantasy football players.
If you’re new to Arena Club, here’s a quick rundown. Arena Club is THE premier online marketplace for sports cards, bringing the thrill of card collecting into the digital age. Users can open (“rip”) packs virtually, buy and sell graded cards, and manage their collections all in one place.
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[Rip your exclusive Yahoo Fantasy and Arena Club slab pack]
Now, let’s get into the partnership a bit. Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs feature real, graded NFL trading cards curated by Arena Club. Fans can purchase a slab pack, each containing a graded card of an active NFL player. There are two levels of packs — Silver costs $39 and Gold is set at $139. These packs will feature potential “Chase Cards” for the top fantasy football performers of the week, including your favorite quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. These Chase Cards are the most valuable cards in the Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs, worth up to 20x the price of the pack. They have also sold out in the past, so you don’t want to miss out on Week’s 15 slab packs.
The Yahoo Fantasy Slab Packs will go on sale on Thursdays at kickoff of the primetime game (8:15 p.m. ET) and be available until the conclusion of the Monday night game (or until they sell out). It’s the perfect way to start your fantasy week. You can head to ArenaClub.com or the Arena Club app and use the promo code YAHOO at checkout for 20% off your first slab pack or card purchase.
This Week’s Featured Cards:
Rip a slab pack today for a chance to pull exclusive cards of this week’s top fantasy performers:
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Quarterback
Josh Allen, Bills – The reigning MVP went off in Week 14 against the Bengals, totaling four touchdowns with 251 yards through the air and another 78 on the ground to finish as the QB1 in fantasy.
Joe Burrow, Bengals – For the first time all season, we got some vintage Joe Burrow. The Cincy QB threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns in a wild one against Buffalo.
Sam Darnold, Seahawks (Gold only) – It was a relatively care-free week for Darnold, who had three touchdowns as Seattle coasted to victory over the Falcons.
Matthew Stafford (Silver only) – A candidate to win MVP this season, Stafford has at least three passing touchdowns in four of his past six games.
Running Back
Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions – Gibbs didn’t have to do much to get to 33.5 fantasy points in Week 14, scoring three times while adding 120 yards on 19 touches.
Saquon Barkley, Eagles – There’s a chance this Barkley performance boosted you into the playoffs in your fantasy league. The Eagles back scored 20.2 fantasy points on a 20-122-1 line.
Josh Jacobs, Packers (Gold only) – Jacobs came alive in the final drive for the Packers to help seal a win over the Bears, finishing with 92 yards and a score.
Tony Pollard, Titans (Silver only) – Someone awoke the giant in Week 14 as Pollard exploded for 30.1 fantasy points on 25-161-2 on the ground.
Wide Receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks – JSN bounced back after a dud a week prior, scoring 24.6 fantasy points on a 7-92-2 line against Atlanta.
Puka Nacua, Rams – The Stafford-Nacua connection was on fire in Week 14 vs. the Cardinals. The L.A. wideout posted 32.2 fantasy points to lead all WRs on the week.
DK Metcalf, Steelers (Gold only) – Mostly quiet since Week 6, the Pittsburgh WR busted out of a slump with seven catches for 148 yards in Week 14.
Zay Flowers, Ravens (Silver only) – Flowers posted 16.6 fantasy points in Week 14, his highest total since the season opener.
With new cards released weekly based on fantasy performance, collectors have an ever-changing opportunity to grow their trading card collections with the NFL’s hottest names. Don’t miss out — and get ready to rip your slab pack!
The NFL was expecting a key battle in the NFC South, perhaps for first place, this Thursday night. The Atlanta Falcons didn’t follow the plan.
The Falcons came into this season with hopes of knocking off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the division, but not much has gone right. The Falcons piled up losses, Michael Penix Jr. didn’t take a step forward and then suffered a season-ending knee injury, and Kirk Cousins hasn’t saved the Falcons’ season. They’re 4-9, hoping to play spoiler. The coaching staff, particularly head coach Raheem Morris, might need a strong finish to save jobs. That’s all that’s left to play for after Atlanta was eliminated from playoff contention.
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Even though the Buccaneers are 7-6 and tied for first place in the NFC South, they’ve had their issues too. A loss Sunday to the New Orleans Saints, who were just 2-10 coming into the game, is their fourth in five games. Tampa Bay could have run away with the division title. Instead it’s tied with the Carolina Panthers with four games to go. The Bucs’ offense has gone into a slump even as it gets healthy. Baker Mayfield’s passer rating over Tampa Bay’s last four games is 65.2. Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin Jr. have returned but there haven’t been any positive signs of progress. Receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan are expected to return Thursday night, and perhaps they’ll get the offense out of its funk.
It’s not a great matchup for Thursday night, though it has playoff implications for the Buccaneers and perhaps some future ramifications for the Falcons. It’s the type of game that probably should have been flexed out of prime time, though the NFL had its best intentions when it scheduled it in May.
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to break a losing streak on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images)
This isn’t hard, though Raheem Morris might have his own opinion. The Buccaneers aren’t yet in must-win mode, considering they have two games left against the Panthers. But a loss here would sting. The Panthers would have a better shot at taking the NFC South title with a split against the Buccaneers (the Bucs currently have an edge in the tiebreaker against the Falcons, due to record in common games).
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If the Buccaneers beat the Falcons on Thursday and the Dolphins in Week 17, and split with the Panthers, they’ll take the division. The Falcons are already eliminated, though playing for jobs in 2026 is ample motivation.
Evans suffered a broken collarbone in Week 7, and there was no guarantee he’d be back this season. But Evans came back to practice last week and was activated to the active roster this week. Head coach Todd Bowles indicated Evans will play Thursday. The Buccaneers’ offense has been struggling for weeks, and it can’t hurt to add Evans, who had 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons before this year.
Rookie Emeka Egbuka’s production has fallen off since he had to take on No. 1 receiver duties, and perhaps he can get a bump with Evans taking up defensive attention. The Buccaneers’ hope for taking the division and then winning some games in the postseason might rest on Evans returning and looking like his usual self.
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This game opened Bucs -5.5, but was bet down to -4.5 at BetMGM. After a shocking loss to the Saints, Tampa Bay needs this game to keep pace in the suddenly tight NFC South race. The betting public is backing Baker Mayfield, and it will be interesting to see if Mike Evans is able to return and provide a much-needed offensive spark. — Ben Fawkes
Check out more of Ben’s work at the Yahoo Sports betting hub.
The Buccaneers are fighting for their playoff lives while the Falcons are playing out the string. Here are three fantasy angles to scout as you watch the game.
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Can Baker Mayfield get it going again? Mayfield has been playing hurt and the results show it — he’s been the QB27, QB18 and QB20 the past three weeks. Perhaps the return of Mike Evans will help perk up Tampa Bay’s passing game.
Will someone help Bijan Robinson in the Atlanta offense? The Falcons enter Thursday on a messy 1-7 skid, and it hurts to be without Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London. Kyle Pitts hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 4, but he’s nonetheless been the TE6 and TE7 the past two weeks.
Is Bucky Irving ready to pop? He’s been useful in two games off injury, checking in as the RB11 and RB13, though he hasn’t managed 4 yards a carry in either game. The Atlanta run defense is gettable, ranking a mere 19th in DVOA. — Scott Pianowski
Check out more of Scott’s work at the Yahoo Sports fantasy hub.