Underdog Battle Royale Week 15 Rankings

Quarterback:

1. Dak Prescott

2. Josh Allen

3. Matthew Stafford

4. Brock Purdy

5. Patrick Mahomes

6. Sam Howell

Sleepers: Jordan Love, Justin Fields, Joe Flacco, Desmond Ridder, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa

Honestly I don’t think it matters how you have them ranked, but Prescott and Allen should be the top 2 QBs off the board this week. This game has major shootout potential, and we saw what happened in the Eagles-Bills match-up a few weeks ago.

Stafford and Purdy are close to this upside, especially given their easy match-ups, but they also run a bit of a risk of not being pushed. Stafford especially has been playing excellent the past few weeks after not showing much of a ceiling all year. Against a Commanders secondary that basically everyone goes off on, I could see him finishing as QB1.

Guys like Mahomes, Howell, Love, and Fields are all fine, but I do think there is a drop-off after the top 4. We know these four have the upside to challenge, but the case feels thin this week. You will probably need at least one if not two rushing TDs from any of these to be comparable to the top 4 guys.

Running back:

1. Christian McCaffrey

2. Kyren Williams

3. Bijan Robinson

4. Rachaad White

5. Derrick Henry

6. Saquon Barkley

7. James Cook

8. Tony Pollard

9. Raheem Mostert

10. Ezekiel Elliott

11. Alvin Kamara

12. James Conner

Sleepers: Brian Robinson, De’Von Achane, Breece Hall, Jerome Ford, Kareem Hunt, Chuba Hubbard

The running back position is super strong at the top, as any of CMC, Williams, and Bijan can carry a backfield. White, Barkley, and Henry aren’t far off either.

Cook and Pollard are interesting as they are from one of the highest-scoring games on the slate, but it’s also one of the best defensive match-ups. Mostert got 2 TDs in this game a few weeks ago, and the Dolphins might rely on him more if Hill is banged-up, but he’s also sharing work with Achane.

I do like going back to the Elliott well as he should again see all the back-field work in this game. Brian Robinson appears to be healthy again, and I don’t mind this match-up for him either coming off a bye.

Wide Receiver:

1. Cooper Kupp

2. Deebo Samuel

3. CeeDee Lamb

4. Stefon Diggs

5. Puka Nacua

6. Tyreek Hill*

7. Brandon Aiyuk

8. Mike Evans

9. Rashee Rice

10. Drake London

11. Jayden Reed

12. Amari Cooper

13. Jaylen Waddle

14. DeAndre Hopkins

15. DJ Moore

16. Chris Olave

17. Brandin Cooks

18. Terry McLaurin

Sleepers: Gabe Davis, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, Noah Brown, Romeo Doubs, Adam Thielen, Garrett Wilson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquise Brown

The receiver position is a little weaker than normal this week, as some key injuries and tough match-ups limit the depth of this group. At the top I still like building around any of Kupp, Samuel, Lamb, and maybe Diggs. Kupp to me should be the top option, given this match-up vs a Washington secondary that hasn’t stopped anyone all season.

The Commanders’ match-up also makes Nacua the top 2nd option, as he’s just as capable of leading the Rams in targets in this game. Similarly, Aiyuk is a fantastic 2nd option from the 49ers if you don’t land Samuel.

The biggest question here is how we treat Tyreek Hill. He smashed this match-up a few weeks ago but is dealing with a sprained ankle. Even if he plays, are we really expecting the same Hill vs this elite secondary? Does that also have a trickle-down effect on Waddle is a question as well?

Honestly after about Jayden Reed, my confidence level of this group goes way down. I’d probably start looking to get more unique with some of the sleeper options, and hope some of the bigger names fail.

Tight End:

1. George Kittle

2. Travis Kelce

3. Jake Ferguson

4. David Njoku

5. Trey McBride

6. Kyle Pitts

Sleepers: Dalton Kincaid, Logan Thomas, Cole Kmet, Tucker Kraft, Davis Allen/Tyler Higbee, Hunter Henry, Dalton Schultz*, Darren Waller*

I think TE this week is split into three groups. At the top, you have the Kittle/Kelce group that truly has elite upside any given week. Kittle has the easier match-up, so I give him the edge this week.

Next, I see Ferguson, Njoku, and McBride similar. If everything goes right they have the upside to match the top tier. Volume should keep them producing a decent fantasy score, but they will need a TD to be a factor. Ferguson is tied with the top offense and best QB, so he has the edge in my book.

Finally, I see Pitts and the rest of the TEs as fairly similar options. Their offenses are a bit less certain, or their target share is more fluky. A couple interesting situations to keep an eye on, are the potential return of Schultz and Waller. Both could see large target shares, but carry injury risk. Also, if Tyler Higbee is out again, Davis Allen could be almost unowned vs one of the worst defenses in the league.