UPI Sports Editor Al Butler’s top fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 15.
Dec. 12 (UPI) — Oftentimes in fantasy football, your starting quarterback is your « ride or die. »
Stars like Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers should never be benched when healthy. But the emergence of great passing games around the league has made other passers more relevant than ever before.
There are also several quarterbacks capable of producing fantasy points for you due to their running ability.
This week, I have Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Ben Roethlisberger ranked as my No. 1 quarterback for Week 15. Behind Big Ben, I have Brady, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson and Brees.
But there are also several other passers available if you are in a jam from losing superstar Carson Wentz or if you just need more from the position in the fantasy football playoffs.
You can read about some of my favorite options this week in the descriptions below. A full list of my top 20 rankings is underneath the descriptions.
Here are my Top 20 options at the position this week.
TOP 20 WEEK 15 RANKINGS BELOW
TOP SHELF
Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for a remarkable 1,446 yards in his last four games. He also has 14 passing scores against just three interceptions during that span. The Steelers are on an eight-game winning streak heading into a huge AFC matchup against the New England Patriots Sunday at Heinz Field. I’m expecting Roethlisberger to obliterate this defense, which just gave up three passing scores to Jay Cutler. Roethlisberger is my No. 1 fantasy football quarterback for Week 15 against a unit allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game and third-most passing yards to opposing quarterbacks.
New Orleans Saints star Drew Brees is my No. 5 option for Week 15. Brees and the Saints are hosting the New York Jets, a defense tied for allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing passers. Brees’ touchdown total isn’t as high as it hs been in past years, but he still has 3,569 passing yards and is conducting one of the best attacks in the NFL. He remains a high-upside QB1.
SNEAKY PLAYS
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is my No. 6 option for Week 15. Rivers and the Chargers are facing the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC West showdown. The Chiefs are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Rivers has 1,097 yards in his last three starts. I expect another huge yardage total in this bout for the QB1.
Dallas Cowboys sophomore Dak Prescott gets a matchup this weekend against the Oakland Raiders. He is penciled in as my No. 8 option in Week 15 against a unit allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game and sixth-most passing scores to opposing quarterbacks. Prescott is coming off of his best performance of the season. Last week against the New York Giants, he threw for 332 yards and tossed three scores, while not throwing an interception. I expect a QB1 performance again against this struggling Raiders unit.
LONGSHOTS
You might not believe this, but Blake Bortles is a solid starter at quarterback in your fantasy football playoffs. Well, at least this week. I have the Jacksonville Jaguars gunslinger ranked as a low-end QB1 in deeper leagues as my No. 13 option for Week 15. The Jaguars are hosting the Houston Texans Sunday, a unit allowing the third-most fantasy points per game and third-most passing scores to opposing quarterbacks. Bortles has thrown multiple touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time all season and should do so again here.
The Philadelphia Eagles might have lost NFL MVP candidate Carson Wentz for the season, but not many other teams have the luxury of turning to a Pro Bowl backup. While he wouldn’t be an exciting start, Nick Foles isn’t a terrible option for your fantasy football lineup. Foles comes in as a risky QB1 play against the New York Giants. The Giants have allowed more passing scores than any team in football. New York is also allowing the most fantasy points per game and second-most passing yards to opposing passers. Foles is my No. 18 option for Week 15 in this spot, but use him if you are desperate.
