NFL Week 15 fantasy football, betting cheat sheet: Alvin Kamara, Breece Hall ailing

Welcome to the Week 15 fantasy and betting cheat sheet, a one-stop shop for The Athletic’s game previews, injury and weather updates, and expert analysis. Bookmark this page and check back often, as we offer regular updates on Thursday and Friday to assist with fantasy lineups and betting decisions. We’ll come back with a special Sunday cheat sheet that morning as well.

Player rankings referenced in this article are current as of 10:45 a.m. ET, Dec. 13. For updated rankings, see the “Fantasy football player rankings” section.

The latest NFL news and headlines

Last updated: 10:45 a.m., ET, Dec. 13

Injury news | Weather report
Featured games | Best bets
Fantasy football playoffs | Fantasy football player rankings

Injury news

Updated through 10:45 a.m. ET, Dec. 13

Sunday 1 p.m.

Derek Carr, QB, NO (hand/concussion) — Questionable
Carr didn’t practice Thursday, and according to The Athletic, he fractured his left hand in the New Orleans Saints’ Week 14 win. According to a league source, he could miss several weeks. Jake Haener has been slated to start Week 15.

Alvin Kamara, RB, NO (illness) — Questionable
Kamara didn’t practice Thursday due to illness. If the illness lingers, Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams could share the load in the backfield.

Juwan Johnson, TE, NO (foot) — Questionable
Johnson was limited in practice on Wednesday. Luckily, the Saints have a capable backup in Foster Moreau. But with Carr out, I’m not sure anyone is excited about playing New Orleans pass-catchers.

Drew Lock, QB, NYG (heel) — Questionable
Tommy DeVito has officially been named the Giants’ Week 15 starter, as Lock tends to a heel injury.

Malik Nabers, WR, NYG (hip) — Questionable
Nabers was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice. Nabers is an obvious talent and could be lights out with a capable QB. Even in less-than-ideal circumstances, he’s averaged 14.2 PPR points since Week 12. With DeVito under center, starting any other Giants’ receiver is risky.

CeeDee Lamb, WR, DAL (shoulder) — Questionable
Lamb seems to make an appearance on the injury report every week, and it’s early, so no need to panic. If he sits, TE Jake Ferguson may benefit the most, and WRs Brandin Cooks, KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert could share left-behind targets.

Tyreek Hill, WR, MIA (wrist) — Expected to play
Jaylen Waddle, WR, MIA (hamstring) — Questionable
Hill is now expected to play, while Waddle remains questionable after being limited in Thursday’s practice.

Raheem Mostert, RB, MIA (hip) — Questionable
Mostert was limited in practice after being inactive for Week 14. De’Von Achane leads the Miami Dolphins backfield, and Jaylen Wright only had two carries with Mostert out in Week 14.

Breece Hall, RB, NYJ (knee) — Questionable
Hall didn’t practice Thursday and is “struggling a bit” with his injury, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. If he can’t play, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis will share the load again for the Jets and are viable deep-league flex plays.

Tony Pollard, RB, TEN (ankle) — Questionable
Pollard missed Thursday’s practice with an ankle injury, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. If he misses time, Tyjae Spears has the opportunity for a good fantasy week.

Cedric Tillman, WR, CLE (concussion) — Questionable
Tillman was limited in practice on Thursday, according to Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot. In Weeks 7-9, Tillman averaged 22.2 PPR points per game. But Jerry Jeudy has been the No. 1 WR in Cleveland in Weeks 11-14, averaging 24.6 points per game, and the Cleveland Browns will likely play in the rain this week (see the weather report below).

David Njoku, TE, CLE (hamstring) — Questionable
Njoku didn’t practice Thursday and is day-to-day with a hamstring injury, according to the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram’s Scott Petrak. Jordan Akins is next on the depth chart, though likely won’t start on any fantasy rosters.

Joe Burrow, QB, CIN (knee/wrist) — Questionable
Burrow was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice, but head coach Zac Taylor said his injuries won’t force him to miss any practice, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway.

Evan Engram, TE, JAX (shoulder) — Out
Engram didn’t practice Thursday, according to The Florida Times-Union’s Demetrius Harvey, and was ruled out Friday. His season will end with surgery for a torn labrum, per head coach Doug Peterson. Brenton Strange is next on the depth chart and has had two 10-plus PPR games this season, but go to another team for a roster fill-in. Think Cade Otton, Pat Freiermuth, Dalton Schultz or even Grant Calcaterra.

Austin Ekeler, RB, WAS (concussion) — Injured reserve
Noah Brown, WR, WAS (rib) — Out
Ekeler was placed on injured reserve last week after suffering another concussion. Brown is already out this week but could join Ekeler on IR due to a kidney injury, according to The Athletic’s Ben Standig.

Zane Gonzalez, K, WAS (foot) — Questionable
The Washington Commanders replaced Austin Seibert with Gonzalez after the former hit IR. Now Gonzalez is questionable for Week 15. Since starting for the Commanders, Gonzalez is 3-for-5 on field goals and 10-for-10 on extra points.

Harrison Butker, K, KC (knee) — Injured reserve
While he’s still on injured reserve, Butker was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice. After his replacement Spencer Shrader hit IR, the Chiefs have relied on Matthew Wright. In one game with the San Francisco 49ers and two with the Kansas City Chiefs, Wright is 11-for-12 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra-point attempts.

Hollywood Brown, WR, KC (shoulder) — Injured reserve
Brown received clearance to practice and should be designated to return Friday or Monday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. His return gives Mahomes another much-needed target.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, CAR (knee) — Injured reserve
Brooks was placed on injured reserve, meaning Chuba Hubbard, coming off a 20.7 PPR point Week 14 showing, will be the bell-cow back for the Carolina Panthers.

Sunday 4 p.m.

George Pickens, WR, PIT (hamstring) — Questionable
Pickens is doubtful to play in Week 15 due to a hamstring injury that is worse than first thought, according to The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. With Pickens out in Week 14, WRs Mike Williams, Calvin Austin III and Scotty Miller saw four targets each. During the fantasy football playoffs, it’s risky to rely on any Steelers receiver outside of Pickens.

Justin Herbert, QB, LAC (ankle/thigh) — Questionable
Herbert was limited at practice Thursday due to thigh and ankle injuries he suffered during the loss to the Chiefs, per Eric Smith of the Chargers’ official site. According to The Athletic, Herbert expressed pain but said this ankle injury is “probably not as severe” as the sprain he had earlier in the season.

Will Dissly, TE, LAC (shoulder) — Doubtful
Dissly is expected to miss a couple of weeks after suffering a shoulder injury against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Next on the depth chart, TE Stone Smartt had three targets and caught them all for 54 yards in Week 14.

Ladd McConkey, WR, LAC (shoulder) — Questionable
McConkey was a game-time decision in Week 14 and remains questionable heading into Week 15. When he sat last week, Joshua Palmer led all Los Angeles Chargers receivers with nine targets, six receptions and 78 receiving yards. Quentin Johnston was targeted seven times and ended with 48 receiving yards.

Bucky Irving, RB, TB (back/hip) — Questionable
Irving didn’t practice Thursday, according to Fox Sports’ Greg Auman. If Irving sits, Rachaad White is an obvious fantasy starter, but if Irving plays, White is limited to a risky flex play.

Mike Evans, WR, TB (hamstring) — Questionable
Sterling Shepard, WR, TB (hamstring) — Questionable
Neither Evans nor Shepard participated in Thursday’s practice. Jalen McMillan is a viable — if risky — Week 15 flex play with or without Evans and Shepard after scoring 21.9 PPR points last week. But if they sit, McMillan’s stock rises.

Trey McBride, TE, ARI (knee) — Questionable
McBride was limited in Thursday’s practice, according to The Arizona Republic’s Theo Mackie. Tip Reiman is the next tight end on the depth chart, but Marvin Harrison Jr. could absorb some of McBride’s targets in his absence.

Josh Downs, WR, IND (shoulder) — Expected to play
Downs is now expected to play. He leads all receivers in targets per game (7.8) and PPR points per game (13.76). Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce are behind him, with 6.58 and 4.15, respectively, and stand to benefit most in Downs’ absence.

Sunday Night Football

Romeo Doubs, WR, GB (concussion) — Expected to play
Doubs is now expected to play. Predicting which Green Bay Packers WR will score meaningful fantasy points in any week is nearly impossible, but Doubs leads the pack in targets per game.

Luke Musgrave, TE, GB (ankle) — Injured reserve
Musgrave remains on IR but practiced in a limited fashion on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Even if Musgrave returns, Tucker Kraft is still the presumptive starter.

Kenneth Walker III, RB, SEA (calf) — Questionable
Walker is day-to-day, according to The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar. Zach Charbonnet had a massive Week 14 (38.3 PPR points) in Walker’s absence and should be started if Walker sits again.

DK Metcalf, WR, SEA (shoulder) — Questionable
Metcalf is questionable for Week 15. If he can’t play, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett should share his targets. Smith-Njigba has averaged 20.5 PPR points per game since Week 8 and can be started regardless of Metcalf’s status.

Monday Night Football

Aaron Jones, RB, MIN (back) — Questionable
Jones was limited at Thursday’s practice with a back injury. It’s early in the week for a decision for a Monday night game, but if Jones can’t play, Cam Akers is next up.

Zamir White, RB, LV (quadriceps) — Injured reserve
Alexander Mattison RB, LV (ankle) — Expected to play
White was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and Mattison is expected to play. Head coach Antonio Pierce said Mattison will fill a backup role in Week 15, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. Sincere McCormick has been far more efficient than Mattison, White and Ameer Abdullah and appears to be the new starter going forward.

Aidan O’Connell, QB, LV (knee) — Questionable
O’Connell didn’t practice Thursday and is questionable for Week 15. If he can’t play, Desmond Ridder is the next man up. Brock Bowers is playing every week no matter who is under center, but Jakobi Meyers’ numbers could be affected with a QB change. Jake Ciely has Meyers at WR29 for the week.

Roschon Johnson, RB, CHI (knee) — Questionable
D’Andre Swift, RB, CHI (groin) — Questionable
Johnson and Swift are questionable for Week 15, and if they can’t play Monday, the Chicago Bears’ depth at RB is non-existent. If he plays, D’Andre Swift could see high usage, despite averaging only 3.8 yards per carry. He does average 13.21 PPR points per game and can be flexed if needed. If both Chicago RBs can’t play, Travis Homer could be a decent flex option.

Darnell Mooney, WR, ATL (foot) — Questionable
Mooney was limited at practice Thursday, according to Tori McElhaney of the Falcons’ official site. He and Drake London are viable in fantasy lineups as the Falcons face the Raiders. But their success will depend on whether Kirk Cousins improves.

Weather report

Outdoor games only

According to Rotowire’s aggregated NFL-related forecasts, three matchups come with a 40-plus percent chance of rain, including the Chiefs-Browns (94 percent), Bengals-Titans (69 percent) and Cowboys-Panthers (43 percent). For a complete guide to how weather impacts gameplay, see “Jake Ciely’s Fantasy Football Strategy Guide to Weather.” As Ciely notes, the running game isn’t heavily impacted by rain; RBs typically get more carries in poor weather, so I’ll focus on the passing game below.

Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-10)

Most teams rely on their rushing attacks in the rain, but since his return, Cleveland’s Nick Chubb has averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. Jerome Ford averages 4.6 but has had three games with 2.8 or fewer yards per rush. Jameis Winston could be forced to throw, but he’s dismal in the rain, completing only 53.2 percent of passes with 12 interceptions to seven TDs (TruMedia). Jerry Jeudy has been a fantasy revelation lately (with 40.5 PPR points in Week 13), and Cedric Tillman is nearing a return. But be wary of the forecast. Kansas City’s Isiah Pacheco will likely see a heavy workload, and head coach Andy Reid will plan around the weather. During his career, Patrick Mahomes has played well in the rain, with a 103.8 passer rating, 70.1 percent completion percentage and 7.1 yards per attempt (look for Travis Kelce to have a big game).

Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) at Tennessee Titans (3-10)

Bengals RB Chase Brown has been averaging 22.34 PPR points since Week 9 and could see over 20 carries in Week 15 due to rain. Tennessee’s Tony Pollard (if healthy), fantasy’s RB17, also stands to see high usage. The quarterback gap in this matchup between Joe Burrow and Will Levis is massive. With or without rain, Will Levis is starting for very few teams — only in very deep Superflex leagues — because he is QB31 below injured Dak Prescott and benched Justin Fields and Daniel Jones.

Burrow doesn’t have much of a record with precipitation, but in the rain on September 10, 2023, the Bengals lost 24-3 to the Browns and Cincy’s QB was 14-of-31 for only 82 yards. In the 2022 AFC Divisional Playoffs, Burrow led the Bengals to a 27-10 win over the Buffalo Bills — in the snow. My advanced meteorological knowledge tells me that snow is not rain, but Burrow fared better in it, completing 23-of-36 passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns. No one will sit Ja’Marr Chase because of rain, but don’t ignore the forecast and plan accordingly.

Dallas Cowboys (5-8) at Carolina Panthers (3-10)

With a chance at rain for the QB matchup between Cooper Rush and Bryce Young, both teams may rely on the run. You can comfortably start running backs Rico Dowdle (Dallas) and Chuba Hubbard (Carolina). According to TruMedia, Rush has only one NFL pass attempt in the rain, offering little insight. Young, however, played in one rainy-day game during his rookie year (2023) against the Atlanta Falcons and Desmond Ridder, coincidentally in Week 15. The data isn’t representative given the small sample size, but Young went 18-of-24 with a completion percentage of 75 percent — 16 points higher than his career total.

What does make sense: That game ended 9-7 Panthers. Hubbard led the backfield with 22 caries, and the Panthers ran 36 times (including four rushes by Young). The Panthers QB threw for only seven yards per attempt, and his No. 1 target was Adam Thielen. If it rains in Carolina again this week, expect a similar game script. Thielen is the safest WR option in Carolina, with a reception-per-target rate of 75.7 percent, compared to Xavier Legette’s 58.2 percent. CeeDee Lamb is an every-week start for the Cowboys, regardless of conditions, but starting a Dallas WR outside of him is risky.

Featured games

Game-specific previews and live updates are available on the day of the game.

Sunday afternoon

Buffalo Bills (10-3) vs. Detroit Lions (12-1)

• Venue: Ford Field — Detroit, Mich.
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS

The Detroit Lions are slight home favorites over the Buffalo Bills in a potential Super Bowl preview. Last week, Josh Allen scored the most fantasy points ever by a quarterback, and he may need a similar performance to top the high-scoring Lions. Khalil Shakir has emerged as Allen’s primary target, scoring 21.6 PPR points in Week 14 and averaging 14.26 PPR points since Week 7, 106 receiving yards and one touchdown. Amari Cooper had a good showing last week, too, with 95 receiving yards, and although he was targeted 14 times, he only caught six of them. Since Cooper joined Buffalo, Shakir has averaged 8.57 targets per game, compared to Cooper’s 5.4. Detroit has a top-rated rush defense, ranking first overall in defensive rush success, but James Cook has cooked this season, with per-game averages of 16.06 PPR points, 4.6 yards per carry, and one touchdown.

The Lions are fresh off a 34-31 victory over NFC North rivals the Green Bay Packers, where RBs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs shared rushing duties (and targets) per usual and each scored a touchdown. Jameson Williams led receivers with 80 yards on six targets, while Amon-Ra St. Brown, fantasy’s WR3, added 43 yards on five receptions. Buffalo’s pass defense is solid but allows opponents 2.87 seconds to throw, which ranks 26th overall. With an over/under set at an impressive 55 points, expect a thrilling, high-scoring fantasy affair.

Read the full preview (coming Sunday).

Sunday night

Green Bay Packers (9-4) vs. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)

• Venue: Lumen Field — Seattle, Wash.
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock

The Green Bay Packers are field-goal favorites on the road against Geno Smith and the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks, who are on a four-game win streak, defeating the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals (twice), and the San Francisco 49ers. Zach Charbonnet excelled in Week 14 (38.3 PPR points), rushing for 134 yards on 6.1 yards per rush and two touchdowns while adding 59 receiving yards with Kenneth Walker III inactive. If Walker’s out again, Charbonnet may find less room against a Green Bay rush defense top-10 in yards per game and yards per carry allowed. But that paves the way for the resurgence of DK Metcalf, who hasn’t scored more than 10 PPR points since Week 11. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has performed well with four 19-plus PPR point performances in the past five weeks and 7.85 targets per game over the full season.

On Green Bay’s offense, RB Josh Jacobs (fantasy’s season-long RB7) and QB Jordan Love (QB12 on a per-game basis) are the only clear fantasy starters. Christian Watson had 114 yards receiving against the Detroit Lions in Week 14, but the target distribution among receivers is thin, with Romeo Doubs (out Week 14) leading with 5.3 targets per game. Watson only averages 4.09, below TE Tucker Kraft (4.15). Seattle’s defense is better against the pass (10th in opponent passing yards per game) than the run, allowing 4.7 yards per carry and ranking 22nd in defensive rush success percentage (60.4 percent). Jacobs can exploit this weakness; however, relying on WRs from this team remains a gamble.

Read the full preview (coming Sunday).

Monday night

Chicago Bears (4-9) vs. Minnesota Vikings (11-2)

• Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium — Minneapolis, Minn.
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: ABC
• Streaming: ESPN+

The Minnesota Vikings are touchdown favorites at home against the struggling Chicago Bears, as Sam Darnold, the third-overall draft pick in 2018, faces 2024’s top pick Caleb Williams. Darnold intimately knows Williams’ struggles but is having a career year under head coach Kevin O’Connell as fantasy’s QB7 with a 108.1 passer rating (T-3rd), throwing for 3,299 yards (6th) and 28 TDs (T-3rd). His performance is bolstered by star WR Justin Jefferson (fantasy’s WR2) and Jordan Addison (WR20). Addison capitalizes when defenses focus heavily on Jefferson. RB Aaron Jones adds stability, averaging 14.35 PPR points per game, which gives O’Connell the flexibility in game planning against a vulnerable Bears defense.

Williams has faced scrutiny but is showing some promise with 16 touchdowns, only five interceptions and nearly 3,000 yards passing, which he could achieve with 254 yards in this game. Although his completion percentage and passer rating are low, he has scored over 26 fantasy points in two of his last four games. His inconsistency impacts receivers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze; however, Moore and Allen have had two 20-plus PPR point outings in the past three weeks, whereas Odunze put up 20.2 points in Week 14. Compounding Williams’ challenges is RB D’Andre Swift, whose 3.8 yards per carry and rush EPA of -31.95 are concerning. For comparison, league-leading Saquon Barkley’s rush EPA is 49.3. Moreover, Minnesota’s defense leads the league in defensive total rush EPA and is ranked second in yards per carry allowed, making Swift a bench candidate this week.

Read the full preview (coming Monday)

Atlanta Falcons (6-7) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)

• Venue: Allegiant Stadium — Las Vegas, Nev.
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

In a potential low-viewership “Monday Night Football” matchup, the Atlanta Falcons are favored over the struggling Las Vegas Raiders, who are eyeing the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Fantasy implications are murky, particularly with Kirk Cousins’ recent struggles, averaging just 6.8 fantasy points per game (FPPG) since Week 10 with a passer rating of 62.0. However, a matchup against the Raiders could mean redemption, especially if Maxx Crosby can’t get to Cousins, who struggles under pressure. (Meanwhile, could a poor performance could lead to a Michael Penix Jr. appearance?) Darnell Mooney remains a boom-or-bust flex option with 20.2 PPR points in Week 14 but only 5.0 in Week 13. Drake London offers a good floor with 15.18 PPR points per game this season, with a rare ceiling of about 30 points. Bijan Robinson is fantasy’s RB4, limiting Tyler Allgeier’s appeal.

On the Raiders’ side, Aidan O’Connell’s MRI (after a Week 14 exit) revealed a minor bone bruise, leaving his availability in question. If he can’t play, Desmond Ridder may start, creating uncertainty for Raiders receivers. Jakobi Meyers has a solid floor, averaging 15.1 PPR points per game, while Tre Tucker is a bench candidate with only 7.9 PPR points per game. Sincere McCormick is the most intriguing fantasy candidate for Las Vegas, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, more efficient than any other Las Vegas back. Zamir White was placed on injured reserve, and even if Alexander Mattison returns, McCormick should lead this backfield against a weak Atlanta rush defense.

Can anyone believe this is a MNF matchup?

Read the full preview (coming Monday).

Week 15 best bets

Austin Mock scours his weekly projections to spot the top values on the board.

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans under 47 (-110)

The Dolphins have struggled against quality opponents for almost two seasons now, and the Texans, off a bye, should present a quality defense to make life tough for Tua Tagovailoa. On the other side of the ball, Houston’s offense is a mess. The Texans cannot run the ball whatsoever, and their pass protection is horrible as well. In fact, their offensive line is committing a blown block or a pressure on 30 percent of offensive plays, according to FTN Data. That’s the worst mark in the league by almost five percent. Long story short, I think both offenses could find themselves struggling a bit this weekend.

• Worst price to bet: Under 47 (-110)

—Mock

See all of Mock’s best bets for Week 15.

Fantasy football playoff strategy

KC Joyner offers advice on how to approach the fantasy football playoffs.

Two quarterback upgrades

Jameis Winston is [a QB] upgrade candidate. He is ideally suited to take flight versus the Bengals since he has led all quarterbacks in vertical FPPG since Week 11. Winston is also available in 80.1 percent of leagues.

Russell Wilson doesn’t have the benefit of a Bengals matchup (unless you are in one of those rare leagues that have playoff games in Week 18). But the Pittsburgh Steelers have potentially high-scoring matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs. In addition, Wilson is sixth in vertical FPPG since Week 11, meaning he has downfield chops and is rostered in only 55.5 percent of leagues.

Winston and Wilson might be bench upgrades in many instances, but they are must-replace upgrades for fantasy managers who have QBs comparable to Geno Smith (49.8 percent rostered) or Kirk Cousins (54.3 percent rostered).

—Joyner

See all of Joyner’s insights.

Jake Ciely’s Week 15 fantasy football player rankings

Find out Jake’s top QB, RB, WR and TE for the week!

• There is no perfect widget out there, sadly, still. I know many view this on your phone, but 1) use the rankings widget on a PC/laptop/etc. if possible or 2) open in your phone’s browser, especially for Android users, to get the scrolling to work (or Android people can try a two-finger scroll).
• ECR = “Expert” Consensus Ranking (which isn’t updated by everyone consistently, so take with a grain of salt).
• Updated regularly, so check up to lineups locking.

Get Ciely’s full Week 15 analysis. Plus sleepers and projections.

Scoop City Newsletter

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

Sign Up

(Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)