Week 15 Fantasy Football Quarterback Start/Sit: Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and More

Entering the first week of the fantasy playoffs for many leagues, you’re about to make your most important decisions of the season. While every position is crucial, quarterbacks score the most fantasy points on average, so getting a dud from your QB could knock you out before you even get a chance to show your managerial prowess.

With glory on the line, let’s look at three quarterbacks to start and three to sit in Week 15 of the NFL season. I used stats from NFL.com and our FantasySP defensive fantasy rankings to help determine the best and worst matchups. I will reference those numbers often.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Start

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Herbert is QB17 through 14 weeks. He has been at 12 fantasy points or less in five weeks (according to FantasyPros) and reached 20 points only twice. LA has been successful by controlling the ball and playing defense, not relying on their quarterback to throw 35 times per game (he averages about 28 attempts).

Volume will always be the main question with Herbert on this iteration of the Chargers. That’s a good thing for his team’s cause (they are often ahead and running, not behind and passing), but it lowers his fantasy ceiling.

While Tampa Bay is right at average in yards per pass attempt allowed, they have given up the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. It’s been more about volume than efficiency, as the Bucs have allowed the fourth-most passing yards. They are in the top 10 in most touchdown passes allowed and the bottom 10 in interceptions.

With the matchup in his favor, Herbert is a player set up to succeed. His ceiling isn’t as high as the top tier of guys, but Herbert is more likely to have a decent week against a poor pass defense.

Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Oh, boy. Does Rodgers want to come back and do this again next year? Do the Jets want to run through another year of building everything around Rodgers knowing it will inevitably crumble? It seems like these parties are headed for a breakup this offseason.

That’s still a few months away, though, and Week 15 falls in favor of the 41-year-old quarterback. Jacksonville has allowed the most yards per pass attempt and third-most fantasy points per game to QBs. The Jags did hold down the Titans last week, but I mean, come on…even a limited Rodgers has a much better chance of succeeding than the Tennessee offense.

Rodgers is nothing more than a streamer, but he has two receivers with star upside and is coming off his best game of the season (339 yards on 8.7 per attempt). Rodgers is a low-level player to consider if you’re without a quarterback.

Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers vs. Dallas Cowboys

We’ll finish the Starts with a double-whammy; call it a Christmas bonus. The situation for both players is the same, as they are fringe fantasy players who have great matchups, coincidentally against each other. They won’t be weekly options, but they are streaming guys here (with low ceilings).

The Cowboys have allowed the second-most yards per pass attempt and fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Carolina is 10th and sixth, respectively. While Joe Burrow just tore apart Dallas (not a surprise), the Panthers held down Jalen Hurts last week and almost upset the Eagles. That’s a major surprise, to say the least.

Both Rush and Young are low- to mid-level streamers, but they are in position to have decent fantasy scores this week. They are guys to consider if you don’t have a weekly starter.

Sit

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans vs. Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins @ Houston Texans

And we’ll start this section with another pair of quarterbacks facing off in Week 15. It’s the other side of the coin this time, though, as both the Dolphins and Texans have very good pass defenses.

Miami has allowed the 12th-least yards per pass attempt and third-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. The Texans are in the middle in fantasy points allowed but have given up the fifth-least yards per pass attempt. Both teams have been successful stopping the pass.

Tua is in the top 10 in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks, though his overall score is lower because of the four games he missed. Stroud has seen a steep drop off from his fantastic rookie season: he is QB19 by total fantasy points and QB25 in points per game.

Stroud and Tagovailoa are both risky plays in Week 15. You might not have a better option, but the four listed in the Start section are at least worth considering over these two.

Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Wilson had a nice run of matchups leading up to this week: His last five games were against the Commanders, Ravens, Browns, Bengals, and Browns again. Each of those teams is worse than average in terms of yards per pass attempt allowed and fantasy points per game given up to quarterbacks.

Over those five games, Wilson averaged 248.4 yards per game with nine total touchdowns and three interceptions. Wilson took advantage of a string of weaker defenses to put up strong stat lines and fantasy scores. The good times are about to come to an end, though, as Pittsburgh faces maybe the best pass defense in football this week.

Philadelphia has allowed the least yards per pass attempt and sixth-least fantasy points per game to QBs. I mentioned above that the Eagles were surprisingly held down by the Carolina defense, but Philly’s D did their own job, holding Young to 5.6 yards per pass attempt and Panther rushers to 3.5 yards per carry.

The Eagles pose a tough matchup for every quarterback, and it’s likely Wilson will struggle to put up big numbers in this one. There’s probably a better option out there unless you’re truly desperate.