What You Need to Know From Week 15

Photo: Mitchell Layton, USA Today Sports

SF @ SEA

• Brock Purdy hit George Kittle for two scores. He has 2QB/Superflex appeal vs Washington.
• Brandon Aiyuk barely got targeted, and it doesn’t appear that downfield passing will be a big part of the 49ers offense as long as their defense keeps playing at an elite level. Aiyuk is only a what-the-heck flex this week.
• Ken Walker was held in check by the 49ers defense, and now he isn’t practicing on Tuesday ahead of a Saturday game. He’s not a sure thing to play in Week 16, but Travis Homer isn’t a viable play as his replacement.
• Tyler Lockett suffered a broken bone in his hand and had surgery, putting his Week 16 in doubt. DK Metcalf should get a huge target volume and Marquise Goodwin turns into a what-the-heck WR3/Flex.
• Noah Fant scored and could take up some of the slack left by Lockett’s absence in the passing game. He’s a viable streaming tight end for Week 16.

IND @ MIN

• Jonathan Taylor left early with a high ankle sprain and will miss the rest of the season. Zack Moss and Deon Jackson will split work in his absence, but both are only desperation plays.
• Michael Pittman was a solid play on volume, but the Colts pass offense has little else to offer fantasy lineups.
• The Colts and Matt Ryan blew a 33-0 lead in this game, the largest in NFL history.
• Kirk Cousins posted a huge second half and overtime in the comeback effort and should be considered a low-end QB1 against the Giants.
• K.J. Osborn sparked the comeback with a big play and had the best game of his career. He’s a momentum what-the-heck flex play against the Giants.

BAL @ CLE

• Tyler Huntley was anemic in the passing game, and the Ravens offense couldn’t move the ball consistently through the air. The team will hope to get Lamar Jackson back this week.
• J.K. Dobbins proved that Week 14 wasn’t a fluke and had another big game. He deserves an RB2 start vs. Atlanta.
• Mark Andrews was quiet again, and he’s not an automatic start if Jackson can’t play, pending your other choice.
• The Ravens defense was good, and no one had a huge fantasy game for the Browns. Donovan Peoples-Jones scored, and Nick Chubb and David Njoku had acceptable output. But the Browns offense probably isn’t one we want to count on outside of Chubb in forecasted bitter cold and high winds this week.

MIA @ BUF

• Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle bounced back for strong weeks and have our trust against the Packers this week.
• Raheem Mostert was outstanding in the running game, although Jeff Wilson was out. With Wilson possibly back this week, Mostert is more flex than RB2, but with upside.
• Josh Allen was a maestro and busted out of a semi-slump, considering the expectations he set earlier in the year. He’ll still be limited by forecasted high winds in Chicago this week but can’t be benched.
• Dawson Knox had his strongest game of the year but isn’t a sure start this week because of the weather. Only Stefon Diggs should be in Week 16 lineups from this passing game.

PHI @ CHI

• Jalen Hurts had three rushing scores but also had some rough stretches as a passer. He hurt his shoulder late in this game and is looking questionable at best for Week 16 and maybe the rest of the regular season.
• Miles Sanders was held in check but has a higher ceiling in Week 16, with Hurts likely not there to take goal-line touches.
• Dallas Goedert wasn’t active for this game but should be up and available as a play for Week 16.
• Justin Fields made the fearsome Eagles defense look mortal and said after the game that he’ll try to make a run at Lamar Jackson’s single-season quarterback rushing record. Don’t hesitate to play him vs. Buffalo.
• David Montgomery scored twice, but his outlook in Week 16 will be dimmed a bit by the return of Khalil Herbert.