As Adam Levitan
pointed out in Tuesday's Daily Dose, a healthy
Owen Daniels "was everywhere" Monday night against the Ravens. Though Daniels showed obvious rust with three drops, he produced season highs in targets (11), receptions (5), and yards (91) in his first game in over a month.
Slow to recover from a third ACL surgery, Daniels was arguably the biggest fantasy disappointment at tight end in the first month of the season. By mid-October, though, he was showing encouraging signs of regaining 2007-2009 form. I recommended Daniels as the top tight end pickup in Weeks 6 and 7 before an aggravated hamstring injury sent him to the sidelines.
In the five weeks that Owens missed, a far less talented
Joel Dreessen performed as a top-10 fantasy tight end. It's reasonable, then, to expect Daniels to threaten top-five numbers after his strong Monday night performance against the second-toughest defense versus tight ends. With the fantasy playoffs in high gear, Daniels squares off against the Titans (eighth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends), Broncos (fifth-most), and Jaguars (sixth-most) in Weeks 15-17.
In a week with tumbleweeds rolling through the waiver wire at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, Daniels is the No. 1 pickup. For those who miss out,
Rob Gronkowski is a fine consolation prize. Underwhelming to this point,
Kevin Boss and
Bo Scaife also have dream matchups in Week 15.
On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players available at each position as we head into Week 15. Full writeups of each player are below.
***
Editor's Note: You can get our
Season Pass package at a discount rate for the fantasy playoffs. Tons of extra stat tools, projections, columns, and playoff rankings, and Chris Wesseling's Dynasty league coverage -- all for just $4.99.
Tight Ends1.
Owen Daniels2.
Rob Gronkowski3.
Kevin Boss4.
Bo Scaife5.
Randy McMichael6.
Andrew QuarlessQuarterbacks1.
Jason Campbell2.
Kerry Collins3.
Matt Hasselbeck4.
Tarvaris Jackson5.
Alex Smith6.
Matt Flynn7.
John SkeltonRunning Backs1.
Javarris James2.
Mike Hart3.
Anthony Dixon4.
Rashad Jennings5.
Bernard Scott6.
Lance Ball7.
Dimitri NanceWide Receivers1.
Louis Murphy2.
Nate Washington3.
Anthony Armstrong4.
Earl Bennett5.
Ruvell Martin6.
Brandon Gibson7.
Arrelious Benn8.
Jacoby Jones9.
Donald JonesDefense/Special Teams1. Cowboys
2. Buccaneers
3. Cardinals
4. Browns
Tight EndsOwen Daniels, Texans - Though Daniels did show rust, it's a good sign that the majority of those targets came well before the Texans entered pass-heavy comeback mode in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens out of the way, Daniels has fantasy-friendly matchups against the Titans, Broncos, and Jaguars over the final three weeks. He's a legit top-five option for Week 15.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - Only Mike Ditka and Junior Miller have scored more touchdowns as a rookie tight end. Only
Antonio Gates and
Marcedes Lewis have found the end zone more in 2010. Gronkowski is up to 10th in tight end fantasy points on the season, and no tight end has scored more points over the past five weeks. Now an every-down player, Gronk is well worth TE1 consideration against the Packers.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Kevin Boss, Giants - The Giants receivers just can't stay healthy.
Mario Manningham left Monday night's game with a hip flexor strain and
Steve Smith followed him to the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Boss benefited with nine targets, four receptions, and a touchdown. His role should continue to grow in Week 15. No defense in the league surrenders more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than Philly's.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Bo Scaife, Titans - It's not the pair of goal-line touchdowns that landed Scaife on this list. Those points are long gone. Scaife does have a great matchup in Week 15, however, against a Texans defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. He's a borderline top-15 option this week.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Randy McMichael, Chargers - The
Antonio Gates reports went from possibly shutting it down from the season to vowing to get back on the field. Gates will be a game-time decision for Thursday night against the 49ers. McMichael hasn't been a great bet for yards as a fill-in, but he's worth a look in TD-heavy leagues if Gates ends up sitting out again.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Andrew Quarless, Packers - The rookie is only worth a look if
Matt Flynn stays under center for one more week. Quarless led the team with five receptions and 62 yards last week, doing almost all of his damage in the final two quarters as Flynn's go-to target. The risk is such that Quarless is only an option in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
As Adam Levitan
pointed out in Tuesday's Daily Dose, a healthy
Owen Daniels "was everywhere" Monday night against the Ravens. Though Daniels showed obvious rust with three drops, he produced season highs in targets (11), receptions (5), and yards (91) in his first game in over a month.
Slow to recover from a third ACL surgery, Daniels was arguably the biggest fantasy disappointment at tight end in the first month of the season. By mid-October, though, he was showing encouraging signs of regaining 2007-2009 form. I recommended Daniels as the top tight end pickup in Weeks 6 and 7 before an aggravated hamstring injury sent him to the sidelines.
In the five weeks that Owens missed, a far less talented
Joel Dreessen performed as a top-10 fantasy tight end. It's reasonable, then, to expect Daniels to threaten top-five numbers after his strong Monday night performance against the second-toughest defense versus tight ends. With the fantasy playoffs in high gear, Daniels squares off against the Titans (eighth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends), Broncos (fifth-most), and Jaguars (sixth-most) in Weeks 15-17.
In a week with tumbleweeds rolling through the waiver wire at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, Daniels is the No. 1 pickup. For those who miss out,
Rob Gronkowski is a fine consolation prize. Underwhelming to this point,
Kevin Boss and
Bo Scaife also have dream matchups in Week 15.
On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players available at each position as we head into Week 15. Full writeups of each player are below.
***
Editor's Note: You can get our
Season Pass package at a discount rate for the fantasy playoffs. Tons of extra stat tools, projections, columns, and playoff rankings, and Chris Wesseling's Dynasty league coverage -- all for just $4.99.
Tight Ends1.
Owen Daniels2.
Rob Gronkowski3.
Kevin Boss4.
Bo Scaife5.
Randy McMichael6.
Andrew QuarlessQuarterbacks1.
Jason Campbell2.
Kerry Collins3.
Matt Hasselbeck4.
Tarvaris Jackson5.
Alex Smith6.
Matt Flynn7.
John SkeltonRunning Backs1.
Javarris James2.
Mike Hart3.
Anthony Dixon4.
Rashad Jennings5.
Bernard Scott6.
Lance Ball7.
Dimitri NanceWide Receivers1.
Louis Murphy2.
Nate Washington3.
Anthony Armstrong4.
Earl Bennett5.
Ruvell Martin6.
Brandon Gibson7.
Arrelious Benn8.
Jacoby Jones9.
Donald JonesDefense/Special Teams1. Cowboys
2. Buccaneers
3. Cardinals
4. Browns
Tight EndsOwen Daniels, Texans - Though Daniels did show rust, it's a good sign that the majority of those targets came well before the Texans entered pass-heavy comeback mode in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens out of the way, Daniels has fantasy-friendly matchups against the Titans, Broncos, and Jaguars over the final three weeks. He's a legit top-five option for Week 15.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - Only Mike Ditka and Junior Miller have scored more touchdowns as a rookie tight end. Only
Antonio Gates and
Marcedes Lewis have found the end zone more in 2010. Gronkowski is up to 10th in tight end fantasy points on the season, and no tight end has scored more points over the past five weeks. Now an every-down player, Gronk is well worth TE1 consideration against the Packers.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Kevin Boss, Giants - The Giants receivers just can't stay healthy.
Mario Manningham left Monday night's game with a hip flexor strain and
Steve Smith followed him to the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Boss benefited with nine targets, four receptions, and a touchdown. His role should continue to grow in Week 15. No defense in the league surrenders more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than Philly's.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Bo Scaife, Titans - It's not the pair of goal-line touchdowns that landed Scaife on this list. Those points are long gone. Scaife does have a great matchup in Week 15, however, against a Texans defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. He's a borderline top-15 option this week.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Randy McMichael, Chargers - The
Antonio Gates reports went from possibly shutting it down from the season to vowing to get back on the field. Gates will be a game-time decision for Thursday night against the 49ers. McMichael hasn't been a great bet for yards as a fill-in, but he's worth a look in TD-heavy leagues if Gates ends up sitting out again.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Andrew Quarless, Packers - The rookie is only worth a look if
Matt Flynn stays under center for one more week. Quarless led the team with five receptions and 62 yards last week, doing almost all of his damage in the final two quarters as Flynn's go-to target. The risk is such that Quarless is only an option in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
QuarterbacksJason Campbell, Raiders - Campbell has not only posted passer ratings over 105 the past two weeks, he's also been a top-10 fantasy quarterback in both games, averaging 21.9 points. With
Jacoby Ford and
Louis Murphy as downfield threats,
Darren McFadden out of the backfield, and
Zach Miller showing signs of life, the Raiders offense is close to clicking on all cylinders. Campbell gets a half-hearted Denver defense this week allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. He's not a bad fill-in for playoff owners desperately seeking a quarterback solution.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Kerry Collins, Titans - Given time to throw, Collins connected on three touchdowns in the final two quarters at Indy to snap the Titans out of a three-game offensive funk. With playmaker
Kenny Britt breathing life into the aerial attack, Collins is worth a look in Week 15 against the Texans -- the friendliest defense in the league for fantasy quarterbacks.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks - With both of starting receivers out, Hasselbeck threw four picks but still managed 285 yards and two scores at San Fran. He's now averaging 299 yards over the past five games. If
Mike Williams and
Ben Obomanu return this week, Hasselbeck is worth a look against a Falcons defense allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Tarvaris Jackson, Vikings - Jackson's performance against the Giants is suprising only to the host of short-sighted analysts claiming for weeks that he gives the Vikings a better chance to win than
Brett Favre did. I wouldn't overreact to one game, however. Jackson is better than he showed Monday night, and there's potential for QB2 fantasy value in Weeks 16 and 17 at Philadelphia (10th-most points to opposing QBs) and at Detroit (eight-most) with
Percy Harvin joining
Sidney Rice in the lineup.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Alex Smith, 49ers - Smith was much higher on this list last week, and his 26 fantasy points against a subpar Seahawks secondary were anything but a surprise. Don't go chasing those points this week, though. On a short week, Smith travels to San Diego to face the league's No. 1 defense, a unit that surrenders fewer fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks than any other. Smith is worth grabbing for Week 16 at St. Louis and Week 17 versus Arizona, but he's not recommended for Thursday's game.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Matt Flynn, Packers -
Aaron Rodgers has already begun his concussion testing, but we won't have a good read on his status for the Patriots game until later in the week. While our game-charter noted that Flynn looked better than his numbers last week, it's going to be awfully hard to trust him after managing just three points against the Lions. Rodgers owners can pick up Flynn for insurance, but there are better options on the wire in most leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
John Skelton, Cardinals - The strong-armed rookie impressed with his poise and athleticism against the Broncos, but it wasn't exactly a convincing performance. He managed just 3.9 yards per on 37 pass attempts while finishing with a 52.3 passer rating. Skelton has already been named the starter at Carolina, but the Panthers surrender just the 30th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Skelton is only a last-ditch option this week.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Tony Romo,
Matthew Stafford,
Shaun Hill,
Rex Grossman,
Tim Tebow,
Colt McCoyRomo, Stafford, and Hill all have a chance to return in Week 16. … Grossman is being prepared as a reliever for
Donovan McNabb. … The home fans are clamoring for Tebow with
Kyle Orton hitting his usual December swoon. … McCoy is "optimistic" that he'll return this week.
Running BacksJavarris James, Colts - With
Donald Brown struggling to the tune of 2.2 yards per carry over the past three weeks, James was the beneficiary of a career-high 17 carries against the Titans. Indy's goal-line back has scored three times in the past two games and six times in the past six weeks, averaging close to 10 fantasy points per week. If
Joseph Addai and
Mike Hart sit out again, there's no question that James is a better fantasy play than Brown.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Mike Hart, Colts -
Joseph Addai (neck) remains without a timetable for a return,
Donald Brown is a negative play waiting to happen, and the Colts prefer
Javarris James in a niche role. Hart (ankle) was able to make it through a light workout Monday night, but his status for Week 15 remains up in the air. If he makes it back to a full practice by Friday, he could be the favorite for feature-back duties against the Jaguars and into Week 16 at Oakland.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Anthony Dixon, 49ers - Dixon has produced 93 yards on 23 carries over the past two weeks compared to
Brian Westbrook's 54 yards on 18 carries. Westbrook is clearly a better option in PPR leagues, but Dixon is arguably his equal in standard scoring formats. The 49ers' goal-line back should be owned in more than 45 percent of CBSSports.com leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Rashad Jennings, Jaguars - With phenomenal interior run blocking, Jacksonville's rushing attack is rolling like a juggernaut down the stretch. As
Maurice Jones-Drew's change-of-pace complement, Jennings has averaged 69 yards on seven carries (9.4 YPC) with a score in each of the past three weeks. Not just a must-have handcuff for MJD owners, Jennings is also worth a look as a flex option against the Colts in Week 15.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Dimitri Nance, Packers - Nance is the third back in a three-headed monster, so there's not much upside here. He is considered the favorite for goal-line looks, however, so he's worth a look for desperate owners in TD-heavy leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in TD-heavy leagues
Bernard Scott, Bengals -
Cedric Benson is averaging 2.4 YPC over the past three weeks and 3.2 YPC going back to Week 7. With Benson due to hit free agency in 2011, it would behoove the Bengals to take a long look at a more explosive Scott in Weeks 16 and 17 of a lost season.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Lance Ball, Broncos - Ball has leapfrogged
Laurence Maroney and
Correll Buckhalter to emerge as
Knowshon Moreno's clear backup the past three weeks. He rushed eight times for 38 yards (4.8 YPC) against the Cardinals. Moreno has an ideal fantasy playoff schedule, but he's been among the most injury-prone backs in the league. It's not a bad idea to grab Ball as injury insurance.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Jerome Harrison, Eagles - Defenses are so worried about
Michael Vick's playmaking ability that
LeSean McCoy is averaging 6.9 yards per carry over the past month while catching six passes per game. McCoy owners should protect themselves by picking up Harrison as insurance for championship week.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Derrick Ward,
Jason Snelling,
Javon Ringer,
Isaac RedmanEditor's Note: On the outside looking in for the fantasy playoffs? You can get a new team via SnapDraft right now.Wide ReceiversLouis Murphy, Raiders -
Jason Campbell is playing well with two straight games over a 105 passer rating, and Murphy has been his go-to receiver. Targeted on 11 of Campbell's 30 attempts at Jacksonville, Murphy reeled in six balls for 59 yards and a touchdown. He travels to Denver in Week 15 to take on a defense that rolled over against the Cardinals last week.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Anthony Armstrong, Redskins - With
Santana Moss finally shaking his nagging injuries, Armstrong played second fiddle again in Week 14. Averaging 66 yards per over the past six weeks,
Donovan McNabb's No. 2 receiver has been a safer play than more ballyhooed talents such as
Steve Smith (CAR) or
Michael Crabtree. The matchup is right in Week 15 against a Dallas defense that has allowed the most points to opposing fantasy receivers and struggles mightily against deep threats.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Nate Washington, Titans - The matchup is right against a Texans defense allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers, but Washington is still going to be a risky play.
Kerry Collins needs a perfect pocket to get the passing game going, and coach Jeff Fisher is making noise about changing
Randy Moss' position to get him on the field with
Kenny Britt. Washington is high-risk, medium-reward in Week 15.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Earl Bennett, Bears - Replacing
Devin Hester in the starting lineup, Bennett has been
Jay Cutler's favorite target for three straight weeks now. While he's not nearly the big-play threat that
Johnny Knox is, he's a better play in PPR formats. Bennett remains a low-upside WR3 option for the fantasy playoffs.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Ruvell Martin, Seahawks - With
Mike Williams and
Ben Obomanu sidelined, Martin started opposite
Deon Butler in Week 14. A big target at 6'4/220, Martin hauled in four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown against the 49ers. He's only a fantasy option this week if Williams and Obomanu miss a second straight game. If Obomanu practices Wednesday, pick him up instead.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Brandon Gibson, Rams - Ever since
Mark Clayton went down, the St. Louis receivers have been like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. Gibson has been the most consistently targeted over the past six weeks, averaging five receptions and 55 yards. While he doesn't have the upside of many WR3 options, Gibson won't leave you with a goose-egg, either.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Arrelious Benn, Buccaneers - There's no question that the rookie possesses intriguing downfield playmaking ability. His targets have increased to have an average of five over the past three weeks, but I want to see that number closer to seven before I seriously consider plugging him in as a WR3 option.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Jacoby Jones, Texans -
Matt Schaub finally started to incorporate Jones into the offense in catchup mode Monday night, and the results were five catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Jones can't expect Schaub to pass 62 times every week, so he's merely a stash in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Donald Jones, Bills - With
Lee Evans likely out for the season, Jones and
David Nelson are the candidates to fill in opposite Stevie Johnson. Jones has 23 targets, 11 catches, and 122 yards over the past five weeks. Nelson has 13 targets, 11 catches, and 103 yards over the same span. My guess is Jones will be more consistently targeted over the final three weeks.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Long-Term Fliers: Mohamed Massaquoi,
Kevin Ogletree,
Jacoby Ford,
Laurent RobinsonDefense/Special TeamsCowboys - The Cowboys welcome short-leash quarterback
Donovan McNabb to Dallas. The Redskins offensive line has struggled to pass block, and McNabb had multiple interceptions dropped last week. He won't be so lucky this time around.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Buccaneers - It's a must-win home game for Tampa against a Lions team that plays much better at Ford Field than on the road. Despite a decent showing against the Bears,
Drew Stanton remains one of the worst passers in the NFL. Even with fill-ins at four positions, the Bucs defense is worth a roll of the dice this week.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Cardinals - The Panthers offense is last in the league in points scored and yards gained. They're among the five worst offenses in sacks allowed, interceptions thrown, and fumbles. The game is being played at Carolina, but the Panthers haven't played any better at home than on the road.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
Browns - A fantasy defense's dream,
Carson Palmer has thrown five pick-sixes this year. He also
leads the NFL with 15 interceptions for touchdowns going back to 2004. With rookie
Joe Haden playing like the next great playmaking corner, the Browns are worth a look this week.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
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