Before we get to the Week 15 rankings, let’s address some of the biggest issues Fantasy players are facing as quarterback heading into the Fantasy Semifinals, starting with potentially one of the biggest injuries of the season:
Are there streamers worth trusting to replace Jalen Hurts?
Gardner Minshew. He’s probably the only widely available quarterback I would feel comfortable starting this week with. In six-point-per-pass-TD scoring formats, he had 22.8 and 18.4 points in his two starts last season, and in 2020, he’s topped 20 points six times in nine games — and lacks AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert to play. I don’t think Minshew is as good as Hurts, even as a passer, but Minshew is quite competent, and this offense is in a good position for him to hit the ground running. The only hesitation is a very tough matchup, but considering apparently half the league will be playing in sub-zero temperatures and high winds this weekend, that’s not enough to freak me out. Minshew could end up in the top 12 QB for me before all is said and done.
What’s up with Justin Herbert?
Herbert has been a huge disappointment this season, and he hasn’t had as many excuses lately. He’s played without his best weapons and a bevy of key linemen for much of the season, and while the line is still a mess, he’s had Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the last two weeks and has one touchdown and two interceptions on 93 attempts. This is horrible. The Chargers’ offensive game planning is a mess, rarely taking advantage of Herbert’s massive arm strength with any regularity, and too often leaves the Chargers trying to string together attacks in 5-yard blocks. He still shoots more than 40 times most weeks and has prodigious talent, so I’m probably still starting Herbert – his advantage is too immense to leave a really attractive option on my bench. But he’s more of a low-end QB1 than the elite guy we expected him to be.
Can you still trust Geno Smith without Tyler Lockett?
Lockett is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks with a broken finger, and that’s bad news for a Seahawks offense built heavily around their top two pass receivers — 48% of Smith’s targets went to Lockett or DK Metcalf , with Noah Fant’s 53 targets ranked third on the team, less than half of Lockett’s total. And Smith has been especially effective at targeting Lockett, continuing a trend that has continued for basically Lockett’s entire career – his 8.9 yards per target stands above Smith’s solid 7.8 Y/A. Marquise Goodwin is a solid deep threat and Fant and WIll Dissly are a decent tight end duo, but I think Smith will miss Lockett, a reliable option in the middle and deep games. It’s not enough to seat Smith in what we hope will be a shootout against the Chiefs, but it does make his margin for error a little smaller.
Is Trevor Lawrence now a must-have Fantasy QB?
I was a little skeptical of Lawrence’s recent streak, because one of the hardest things to do when analyzing points is differentiating between a streak and a player reaching a new level of performance. However, after another brilliant performance against a very good Cowboys defense in Week 15, I am in agreement. Sure, it could turn out to be a lucky streak, but Lawrence was an elite prospect who showed signs of taking a big step forward earlier this season with his rebuilt receiving corps, and now it looks like he’s solidified his place as one of the best. defenders in the League. The Jets’ defense is pretty good, but Lawrence has earned the benefit of the doubt as a top 10 QB.
Here are my starting rankings for the QB position for Week 16:
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- Patrick Mahomes vs SEA
- Josh Allen @CHI
- Justin Fields vs BUF
- Justin Herbert @IND
- Joe Burrow @NE
- Tua Tagovailoa x GB
- Kirk Cousins vs. NYG
- Geno Smith @KC
- Dak Prescott vs. PHI
- Trevor Lawrence @NYJ
- Tom Brady @ARI
- Gardner Minshew @DAL
- Derek Carr @PIT
- Daniel Jones @MIN
- Deshaun Watson vs. AT THE
- Aaron Rodgers @MIA
- Jared Goff @CAR
- Brock Purdy vs WAS
- Taylor Heinicke @SF
- Russell Wilson @LAR
- Mitchell Trubisky vs LV
- Baker Mayfield vs. DEN
- Mac Jones vs. CIN
- Trace McSorley vs. ALSO
- Zach Wilson vs JAX
- Nick Foles v LAC
- Davis Mills @TEN
- Tyler Huntley vs ATL
- Malik Willis vs HOU
- Sam Darnold vs. DET
- Andy Dalton @CLE
- Desmond Ridder @BAL