Fantasy Football: Roddy White, Andre Johnson In Week 15 Starts, Sits

It’s time to put up (fantasy points) or shut up.

The fantasy football playoffs are in full swing, and if you’re reading this article, it means you can’t afford to lose this week. But that doesn’t mean the road to victory will be easy.

The fantasy postseason landscape is difficult to navigate, as the final stretch of an NFL season often is marked by unpredictability. Divisional matchups between teams facing each other for the second time this season can be toss-ups, regardless of prior record. Star players feeling the toll of 14 weeks of football might miss several days of practice, leaving you scrambling to determine their status for Sunday.

So what’s the good news? Your playoff opponent has the same issues to deal with. Going forward, every fantasy team gets a clean slate, and how you fill that slate is up to you.

There are plenty of juicy matchups to take advantage of this week, as well as immediate red flags to avoid. Let’s take a look.

START
Matt Ryan, quarterback, Atlanta Falcons: Matty Ice pulled through with a huge four-touchdown performance against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. He has a great chance to keep the ball rolling against a soft Pittsburgh Steelers pass defense at home. Unless you have a stud No. 1, start him.

Alfred Morris, running Back, Washington Redskins: Morris has been abysmal over the last two weeks, but Sunday presents a perfect bounce-back opportunity. Washington’s quarterback situation is a mess, and the New York Giants have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, so Morris should see plenty of touches.

Joique Bell, running Back, Detroit Lions: Bell has been a fantasy beast in his last two games, totaling nearly 50 combined points in standard-scoring leagues. With an upcoming matchup against a Minnesota Vikings defense that’s allowed 4.4 yards per rush attempt, there’s no sign of him slowing down.

Roddy White, wide Receiver, Falcons: Matt Ryan’s passes need to go somewhere, and Julio Jones’ status remains up in the air after he suffered a hip injury Monday night. Even if Jones ends up playing, it might be in a limited capacity, which means an extra bump in targets White, who’s scored three touchdowns in his last four games.

Jeremy Maclin, wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles: The Cowboys haven’t given up a ton of yards to wide receivers this season — except Maclin. The veteran torched Dallas for 108 receiving yards on eight catches back on Thanksgiving, and there should be plenty of offense to go around in Round 2.

SIT
Ryan Tannehill, quarterback, Miami Dolphins: Tannehill has cooled off, throwing for just one touchdown and one interception in his last two games. It’s hard to see him heating up in frigid New England against Darrelle Revis and the Patriots’ secondary.

Ryan Mathews, running Back, San Diego Chargers: It’s not looking too good for players named Ryan this week. Mathews was limited in the second half with an ankle injury Sunday, and he has to do battle against a stout Denver Broncos front seven this week. Leave him off your radar if you can.

Frank Gore, running Back, San Francisco 49ers: Gore hasn’t rushed for over 100 yards since Week 5 and has three total touchdowns on the season. Don’t expect anything special on the road against the Seattle Seahawks, who limited him to 28 yards on 10 carries on Thanksgiving night.

Andre Johnson, wide Receiver, Houston Texans: Johnson could be a game-time decision after suffering a concussion Sunday. Allow us to make a decision for you. He hasn’t scored double-digit fantasy points in standard leagues since Week 6, and the Colts have allowed just one touchdown to wide receivers in their last four games.

Vincent Jackson, wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jackson had a monster game last week. That’s the good news. The bad news is that his team’s offense still is anemic, and it faces a Carolina Panthers defense that just shut down the New Orleans Saints. Jackson isn’t the worst option, but you can do better.

Have a fantasy/NFL question for Darren? Send it to him via Twitter @darren_hartwell

Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images