For Week 14, I recommended Cam Newton against the Falcons, Taysom Hill against the Jets, and Taylor Heinicke against the Cowboys. Hill had another monster game from his rushing production while Newton salvaged a rough outing with a rushing touchdown but was disappointing overall. And unfortunately, Heinicke was eaten alive by Dallas’s front seven and couldn’t even manage to scrape together much garbage time production after exiting the game with a knee injury.
Overall, Week 14 was hit or miss for fantasy GMs who eschewed drafting a quarterback early and have been streaming the position. If you drafted Kyler Murray early or managed to snag Tom Brady later on in your drafts, this article probably isn’t for you. But if you’ve been streaming quarterbacks this season or have a questionable Josh Allen on your fantasy roster, here are some viable Week 15 quarterback streamers with good matchups for the first week of the fantasy playoffs.
What!? Your league isn’t hosted on Fantrax!? Once you see how Fantrax stacks up to the competition, we think you’ll be singing a different tune next season.
Week 15 Quarterback Streamers
Check out our Week 15 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | PPR | Flex
Note: The below quarterback streamers are the “best of the rest”, meaning that they’re generally rostered in less than about 60-65 percent of major fantasy football platforms at the time of this writing even after waivers have run on Wednesday.
Tua Tagovailoa (45% on ESPN, 40% on Yahoo)
Fresh off their bye, Tua Tagovailoa should have his duo of Jaylen Waddle and DeVante Parker at their healthiest so far this season. He threw for close to 300 yards and two touchdowns when facing the Jets in New York a few weeks ago, and there’s no reason to expect a lesser performance this week at home in Miami. Tagovailoa has the safest fantasy floor among this week’s quarterback streamers, and he has a fair ceiling as well.
While Tagovailoa hasn’t aired it out much this year with his 6.6 average intended air yards per game (IAY) ranking second-lowest in the league behind only Mike White, he’s been efficient on deep throws. Tagovailoa’s 56 percent deep ball completion rate ranks second among quarterbacks, and the Jets give up a lot of big plays through the air. They rank dead last in pass defense DVOA, and they’ve allowed the most points per game to opponents this season as well as the sixth-most passing yards per game.
Update: With Waddle now on COVID reserve, Tagovailoa gets a slight bump down but still has a decent fantasy floor and ceiling given how favorable the matchup is against the Jets.
Justin Fields (18% on ESPN, 21% on Yahoo)
It’s hard not to like Justin Fields this week when he finished as the no. 12 fantasy quarterback in Week 14 despite throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble against Green Bay on Sunday night. The rookie has struggled as a passer, but Fields remains an enticing fantasy play due to his running ability. Even in the ugly loss to the Packers in primetime, Fields put on a strong fantasy performance by running for 74 yards on just nine rushing attempts.
Fields’ inconsistency as a passer behind a Chicago offensive line that ranks dead last in adjusted sack rate gives him a dangerously low floor in fantasy, but his tantalizing ceiling keeps him among the top Week 15 quarterback streamers. The Vikings rank just 22nd in pass rush win rate and give up both the eighth-most passing yards per game along with the eighth-most points per game to opponents. If Fields can manage a decent passing performance on Monday night to supplement his rushing production, an elite top-five fantasy quarterback finish isn’t out of the question this week.
Taysom Hill (62% on ESPN, 57% on Yahoo)
In his two starts so far this season, Taysom Hill has been phenomenal in fantasy. He’s averaged 23.5 fantasy points per game over the last couple of weeks, finishing as the No. 6 fantasy quarterback in Week 13 and the No. 4 fantasy quarterback in Week 14. Hill’s fantasy success has largely come from his rushing production, as he’s run for 174 yards and two touchdowns over that span. However, like Fields, Hill is a risk/reward play with an overlooked low floor among this week’s quarterback streamers.
Were it not for a 44-yard rushing touchdown to close out the win over the Jets last week, Hill would’ve had a far less impressive 15.9 fantasy points. And although the Buccaneers just allowed Josh Allen to run all over them for 109 yards and a score, he also threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns in the overtime loss. Hill will face a tougher passing matchup than Fields this week despite both having rushing upside. While the Buccaneers’ defense has given up the ninth-most passing yards per game to opponents, they’ve allowed just the 14th most points per game, and they rank fifth in turnovers generated.
Honorable Mentions
In deeper leagues, if none of the above-recommended quarterback streamers are available, Jimmy Garoppolo has been playing better as of late and gets an Atlanta defense that ranks 29th against the pass, though there’s a prevalent risk of Elijah Mitchell or Deebo Samuel vulturing the touchdowns when the 49ers get close to the end zone. And if you’re desperate, Teddy Bridgewater could be a serviceable option if the Broncos’ defense can’t stop the Bengals from scoring, forcing Bridgewater to keep up in a higher-scoring affair.
For more fantasy football and NFL content, follow me on Twitter @FFA_Meng.
More fantasy football fun for Week 15: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | D/ST Streamers
Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2020, and we’re not stopping now. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.