Week 15 Saturday Fantasy Football QB/RB Start/Sit Decisions: Nick Mullens, Jake Browning, Ty Chandler and More

Week 15 of the NFL season has three Saturday games lined up. Let’s dive into the FantasySP start/sit tool and discuss some of the more popular trending decisions involving players in those games.

The first game will see the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals battle. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts then face off in the mid-afternoon contest before the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions square off in the night game.

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Quarterback Debate

Cincinnati’s Jake Browning and Minnesota’s Nick Mullens are two popular QBs in the start/sit tool. Pittsburgh’s Mitch Trubisky is pitted against them, and I’m going to toss Indianapolis’ Gardner Minshew in as well.

Browning has been great for the Bengals since taking over for Joe Burrow. He’s thrown for at least 225 yards and a touchdown in each of the past three games. He’s got six total touchdowns to two interceptions over that span.

Mullens is the new Minnesota starting QB. He takes over for Joshua Dobbs.

Mullens came on in relief last week and completed 9-of-13 attempts for 83 yards. He’s got some starting experience in his career, but will be making his first start since 2021.

Trubisky has appeared in four games this season, including one start. He’s starting for the injured Kenny Pickett.

Last week, Trubisky went 22-of-35 for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for 30 yards and a touchdown on eight attempts. He’s had some extra time to settle in after the team’s last game was on a Thursday.

Minshew has been the Colts’ starter since the season-ending injury to Anthony Richardson. Indy is 5-4 in his nine starts.

Minshew has thrown for at least 240 yards in each of the past three games, with four total touchdowns and two picks over that span. The team will be without star running back Jonathan Taylor again this week, so Minshew should have plenty of passing opportunities.

Mullens is part of trending decisions with Tennessee Titans’ Will Levis, New York Giants’ Tommy DeVito, Browning and Trubisky. Mullens is pitted against Levis, DeVito, Browning and Trubisky.

Browning is the top-ranked quarterback in the weekly projections, while Trubisky is the lowest. The easiest matchups are shared by Mullens and Levis, while the hardest matchups go to DeVito and Minshew.

I’m a fan of what Levis did a week ago and like his matchup against the Houston Texans enough to take him first among these quarterbacks. I’d roll with Minshew next, even with a tough matchup ahead against the Steelers.

Give me Browning against the Vikings next, followed by Mullens against the Bengals. I’d take DeVito against the New Orleans Saints over Trubisky against the Colts for the final spot.

Running Back Debate

Minnesota’s Ty Chandler is the most popular name amongst running backs in the start/sit tool. Denver’s Javonte Williams, Cincinnati’s Chase Brown and Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are all covered in matchups against Chandler.

Chandler will be starting in the place of the injured Alexander Mattison. Chandler is averaging 4.1 yards per carry this season, and should be the Vikings’ workhorse in week 15.

Williams is the Broncos’ workhorse, and has gotten at least 16 touches over the past three weeks. He’s scored just three touchdowns this season.

Brown is an emerging star for the Bengals. He’s got 20 touches over the past two weeks and is eclectic with the ball in his hands. 

Harris and Warren split the Steelers’ backfield. Harris has between 13-18 touches the past four weeks, while Warren is between 10-16 touches. Harris has gotten more touches in three of those four games.

Other running backs up against Chandler in the start/sit tool are Seattle Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker, Carolina Panthers’ Chuba Hubbard and Arizona Cardinals’ James Conner.

Walker is the top-ranked back in this discussion in the weekly projections, while Brown is the lowest. Harris and Warren have the easiest matchup, while several of these guys have extremely tough tests ahead. 

I’d prioritize backs that should get more work and have better matchups.

I like Harris against the Colts as the top option among this group of backs. I’d then try Chandler against the Bengals, followed by Warren against the Colts.

I’d take Conner against the San Francisco 49ers next, and then go with Williams against the Lions. I’d wrap things up with Hubbard against the Atlanta Falcons, Walker against the Philadelphia Eagles and Brown against the Vikings.