Well, the Fantasy playoffs are here. Finally. In the interest of full disclosure, I made the playoffs in seven of 13 leagues this season, including an undefeated regular season in one of my longest-running leagues and a second-round berth in the Scott Fish Bowl -- no small feat, given that 1,920 teams were competing in that one. Seven out of 13 isn't quite as good as I was hoping for, but I've got quite a lot to keep playing for over the next three weeks, and I hope you can say the same for yourselves. 

And I hope I played some small part in your march toward the playoffs. That's the whole point of this thing. If you're still playing for something, we've got Jamey Eisenberg's top waiver-wire targets for Week 15 plus a first look at my rankings for each position plus the top-150 flex rankings. Those will be updated throughout the week, obviously, but at the bottom of today's newsletter you can see how I view things as the week opens up. 

If your season is over, well I hope you'll still hang out anyways! Over the next few weeks, I'll be looking ahead to the 2022 offseason and looking back at the 2021 season, trying to figure out where things went wrong, what we got right, and how we can improve moving forward. To that end, I'd love to hear from you, my subscribers, so feel free to email me at Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com with your biggest hits, biggest misses, and other general thoughts or questions moving forward. I'll be including your questions and comments in upcoming newsletters, so use the subject line "FFT in review" to be included.

Of course, if you've still got something to play for, make sure you tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET for updates on the latest injury news, and for help locking in your waiver-wire claims join Heath Cummings, Adam Aizer and me on the FFT YouTube stream tonight at 8 p.m., where we'll be taking your questions live for an hour. If you have any questions before then, as always, you can email me at Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com with the subject line "#AskFFT" to be included this week -- including in tomorrow's trade mailbag. 

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And here's what we've got on tap in today's newsletter: 

  • ➕Top Week 15 Waiver Wire Targets
  • 📈Week 15 Rankings📉

➕Top Week 15 Waiver Wire Targets

Titan Douglas DeFelice / USA TODAY Sports

There's no one obvious must-have player on this week's list, but if you're looking for RB help, there are some intriguing options available. You can find Jamey's full breakdown of his top targets here, but here are the top options: 

Jamey Eisenberg's top targets

  1. Rashaad Penny, RB, SEA (27%) -- Penny seems like the obvious add for this week, as he seems like the Seahawks No. 1 RB moving forward. Obviously, his injury history is a potential hindrance, but Penny has given the Seahawks more of a spark than any of their other RB options this season, including Chris Carson before his injury. I'm not sure how much of a passing game role Penny will have, but he's an RB2 for Week 15 for me.
  2. Boston Scott, RB, PHI (43%) -- With questions looming around the availability of Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard, Scott might just find himself as the lead back for the Eagles against Washington. Or, he might be a total non-factor if Howard and Sanders are available. Hopefully, we'll get some clarity by Tuesday afternoon.
  3. K.J. Osborn, WR, MIN (39%) -- In the first game without Adam Thielen in Week 14, Osborn had 83 yards and a touchdown, and he could have had even more had he caught more than three of his nine targets. The Vikings run much of their passing game through their top two WR, and Osborn looks like he could be a viable starter in Thielen's absence.
  4. DeVante Parker, WR, MIA (61%) -- Parker has been neck and neck with Jaylen Waddle in target share this season, and while there's no question you'd rather use Waddle, Parker has at least 62 yards in each of his past three games and four of six overall, with at least four catches and seven targets in each game. And he gets the Jets in Week 15. Parker is a WR3 candidate this week. 
  5. Gabriel Davis, WR, BUF (7%) -- Davis flashed big potential as a rookie, but he hasn't really had the opportunity to follow up on it. However, with Emmanuel Sanders likely out with a knee injury, Davis has a huge opportunity here. He played a season-high 83% of the snaps in Week 14 and should see a similar role in Week 15. Given his big-play abilities and red zone skills, Davis could emerge as a must-start option down the stretch if Sanders' absence lingers. 

📈Week 15 Rankings📉

Reinhold Matay / USA TODAY Sports

Here's where things stand for me in my first run through of the Week 15 rankings for PPR leagues. You can find Jamey, Dave, and Heath's rankings right here:

Quarterbacks

Week 14 was the best week of QB play we've seen Week 7, as we saw an average of 17.15 Fantasy points from just passing production in six-points-per-pass-TD scoring per game. No other week in the previous six had been above 16.2 -- so that's not nothing. Of course, it also would have been the lowest number for any of the first seven weeks of the season, when quarterbacks averaged 18.5 points per game; in seven weeks since, that average is down to 15.5 points per game.

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It's been a strange phenomenon, and even with bye weeks coming to an end in Week 15, injuries threaten to lower the level of play around the league anyway. It's going to be very interesting to see how these trends play out over the final four weeks of the season -- and how they impact the QB position for 2022 -- but the reality is, as we head into the Fantasy playoffs, I'm not sure I really trust anyone outside of my top eight in the rankings -- and three of those QBs have injury questions we'll need answers to this week. 

Injuries, news, and notes

  • Josh Allen has a foot injury -- It's not clear if it's a foot issue or a toe injury, but Allen was in a walking boot after Sunday's game, putting his availability for Week 15 in some question. The concern would be that, even if he does play, Allen's rushing production would be limited. Considering he's averaging 8.4 Fantasy points per game from his rushing over the past three weeks (6.0 for the season), that would be a problem.
  • Aaron Rodgers' toe remains an issue -- Rodger told reporters after Sunday's game that he had a "setback" with his lingering toe fracture. Surgery remains a last-ditch solution, but it's possible they opt for that solution after Rodgers' latest setback. Even surgery is not expected to be a multi-week issue, but it's obviously something you need to watch for Week 15 just in case they do decide to fix the issue now.
  • Lamar Jackson is dealing with an ankle injury -- The Ravens have downplayed the injury since he left Sunday's game, so I've got him ranked, but you can't ignore the risk here. Even if he's healthy enough to play, will Jackson run like he normally does? Or can he pass well enough against a tough Packers defense to be worth starting anyway? 
  • Cam Newton will start, but PJ Walker will have a role to play -- Newton played 75% of the snaps in Week 14, and I would expect much the same this week based on what we've heard. That makes Newton impossible to trust for the Fantasy playoffs. 

Rankings

  1. Josh Allen vs. CAR
  2. Kyler Murray @DET
  3. Tom Brady vs. NO
  4. Jalen Hurts vs. WAS
  5. Justin Herbert vs. KC
  6. Aaron Rodgers @BAL
  7. Lamar Jackson vs. GB
  8. Dak Prescott @NYG
  9. Patrick Mahomes @LAC
  10. Tua Tagovailoa vs. NYJ
  11. Matthew Stafford vs. SEA
  12. Russell Wilson @LAR
  13. Taysom Hill @TB
  14. Justin Fields vs. MIN
  15. Jimmy Garoppolo vs. ATL
  16. Kirk Cousins @CHI
  17. Ben Roethlisberger vs. TEN
  18. Ryan Tannehill @PIT
  19. Joe Burrow @DEN
  20. Teddy Bridgewater vs. CIN
  21. Derek Carr @CLE
  22. Carson Wentz vs. NE
  23. Baker Mayfield vs. LV
  24. Cam Newton @BUF

Running backs

Running back is probably the deepest position in Fantasy at this point, but there are also a lot of moving pieces at this point. Heck, we don't even know who will be available for the Dolphins -- they don't currently have a running back on their active roster after Myles Gaskin, Phillip Lindsay, and Salvon Ahmed are all on the COVID/reserve list. And there are real questions about how the running back situations in Los Angeles (both teams!), New England, Buffalo, Houston, Philadelphia, Detroit, and San Francisco will play out as of Monday. You're probably not going to be able to just set it and forget it this week. There are too many moving parts. 

Injuries, news, and notes

  • Austin Ekeler (ankle) did not practice Monday -- The Chargers have publicly expressed optimism about Ekeler's chances, but the quick turnaround for their Thursday game against the Chiefs may be too much to overcome. Obviously, we'll be keeping a close eye on this over the next few days. 
  • Kareem Hunt (ankle) is unlikely to play this week -- That's what Kevin Stefanski told us Monday. Nick Chubb figures to see most of the RB touches, but D'Ernest Johnson could see an increased role for Saturday's game against the Raiders and is a must-add handcuff as he is now just one injury away from a potential league-winning role. 
  • Malcom Brown (quad, IR) could practice this week -- Brown has been out since Week 7 with this injury, but with the Dolphins COVID issues, he could have a big role to play against the Jets this week -- which would be enough to make him at least a low-end RB2. Lamar Miller is also working out for the Dolphins and could be part of their solution at the position if Gaskin, Lindsay, and Ahmed aren't able to play.
  • Alexander Mattison tested positive for COVID -- Mattison was placed on the COVID list Monday, and with reports indicating he is not vaccinated, Mattison will miss Monday's game against the Bears at least due to isolation protocols. 
  • Michael Carter (ankle) is expected to return this week -- Carter should return from IR and resume his role as the team's lead back, and he's probably the only player on the Jets worth using for Fantasy. However, I would probably look at him as more of an RB2 at this point. 

Rankings

  1. Jonathan Taylor vs. NE
  2. Dalvin Cook @CHI
  3. Leonard Fournette vs. NO
  4. Alvin Kamara @TB
  5. Najee Harris vs. TEN
  6. Joe Mixon @DEN
  7. Cordarrelle Patterson @SF
  8. Nick Chubb vs. LV
  9. Josh Jacobs @CLE
  10. Sony Michel vs. SEA
  11. Antonio Gibson @PHI
  12. Ezekiel Elliott @NYG
  13. David Montgomery vs. MIN
  14. Saquon Barkley vs. DAL
  15. Devonta Freeman vs. GB
  16. James Conner @DET
  17. Clyde Edwards-Helaire @LAC
  18. Javonte Williams vs. CIN
  19. Aaron Jones @BAL
  20. AJ Dillon @BAL
  21. Melvin Gordon vs. CIN
  22. Rashaad Penny @LAR
  23. Miles Sanders vs. WAS
  24. Michael Carter @MIA
  25. James Robinson vs. HOU
  26. D'Onta Foreman @PIT
  27. Chase Edmonds @DET
  28. Chuba Hubbard @BUF
  29. Jeff Wilson vs. ATL
  30. Damien Harris @IND
  31. Justin Jackson vs. KC
  32. Rhamondre Stevenson @IND
  33. Ty Johnson @MIA
  34. Godwin Igwebuike vs. ARI
  35. Ameer Abdullah @BUF
  36. Craig Reynolds vs. ARI
  37. Rex Burkhead @JAX
  38. Mike Davis @SF
  39. Devin Singletary vs. CAR
  40. Jeremy McNichols @PIT
  41. Nyheim Hines vs. NE
  42. Joshua Kelley vs. KC
  43. Zack Moss vs. CAR
  44. Corey Clement @NYG
  45. Darrel Williams @LAC
  46. Kenneth Gainwell vs. WAS
  47. Brandon Bolden @IND
  48. Matt Breida vs. CAR

Wide receivers

If you're inclined to be optimistic about DeAndre Hopkins value moving forward, as I am, Monday's game against the Rams was actually pretty positive. Sure, he had just five catches for 54 yards, which isn't great, but he also had 12 targets in the game, his high for the season. The Cardinals were chasing points for nearly the entire game and ended up passing 49 times, but with their backs against the wall, they leaned heavily on Hopkins -- something I've thought they might do when the schedule toughened up. Hopkins wasn't great Monday, but I'll still take that game as a positive. He's still a solid WR2 at a position with surprisingly few reliable options right now. 

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Injuries, news, and notes

  • D.J. Moore (hamstring) is day-to-day -- That's about as vague as you can get. Moore did play through the injury Sunday, but who knows how he'll respond in the coming days. For now, consider him a risky start for Week 15 against the Bills, and make sure you've got some alternatives ready to go in case he can't play.
  • Mike Williams (heel) didn't practice Monday -- Technically, none of the Chargers practiced as Monday was just a walkthrough day, but this is still something to be concerned about right now. Williams is more of a WR3 for Fantasy with Keenan Allen expected to return from the COVID list in time for Thursday's game against the Chiefs, a surprisingly tough matchup for outside WR.
  • Kadarius Toney, Josh Gordon, Quez Watkins, and Cedrick Wilson were added to the COVID list -- That puts each player's availability for Week 15 in doubt. 
  • Emmanuel Sanders (knee) is likely out for Week 15 -- That means Gabriel Davis is likely to see an increased role this week, and he's worth adding in all formats as a big-play option for the Bills. 
  • Elijah Moore (quad) is expected to return this season -- Robert Saleh told reporters he expects Moore to be back for Week 17, so don't just drop him unless you really need the roster spot.
  • Will Fuller (finger) is not expected to practice this week -- Fuller's bad luck has cropped back up this season, and at this point, I'm not sure you can expect him to return and make an impact if you've been stashing him. 

Rankings

  1. Davante Adams @BAL
  2. Justin Jefferson @CHI
  3. Cooper Kupp vs. SEA
  4. Stefon Diggs vs. CAR
  5. Keenan Allen vs. KC
  6. Chris Godwin vs. NO
  7. Diontae Johnson vs. TEN
  8. Tyreek Hill @LAC
  9. Tyler Lockett @LAR
  10. Mike Evans vs. NO
  11. CeeDee Lamb @NYG
  12. Jaylen Waddle vs. NYJ
  13. Deebo Samuel vs. ATL
  14. Ja'Marr Chase @DEN
  15. Tee Higgins @DEN
  16. Hunter Renfrow @CLE
  17. Amari Cooper @NYG
  18. D.K. Metcalf @LAR
  19. Brandin Cooks @JAX
  20. D.J. Moore @BUF
  21. DeAndre Hopkins @DET
  22. Michael Pittman vs. NE
  23. Jarvis Landry vs. LV
  24. Cole Beasley vs. CAR
  25. Marquise Brown vs. GB
  26. Brandon Aiyuk vs. ATL
  27. DeVonta Smith vs. WAS
  28. DeVante Parker vs. NYJ
  29. Odell Beckham vs. SEA
  30. Van Jefferson vs. SEA
  31. Russell Gage @SF
  32. Chase Claypool vs. TEN
  33. K.J. Osborn @CHI
  34. Julio Jones @PIT
  35. Mike Williams vs. KC
  36. Jerry Jeudy vs. CIN
  37. Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. ARI
  38. Rashod Bateman vs. GB
  39. Michael Gallup @NYG
  40. Sterling Shepard vs. DAL
  41. Jakobi Meyers @IND
  42. Laviska Shenault vs. HOU
  43. Marvin Jones vs. HOU
  44. Darnell Mooney vs. MIN
  45. Kenny Golladay vs. DAL
  46. Allen Robinson vs. MIN
  47. Gabriel Davis vs. CAR
  48. Jamison Crowder @MIA

Tight ends

I'm not sure when the last time Travis Kelce wasn't the default No. 1 tight end outside of his bye weeks, but he's not my top pick this week. Don't overreact, because he's still No. 2, so you're still starting him, but he's been downright mediocre recently, averaging 3.7 catches for 42.7 yards over his past three games. Of course, he had 119 yards on eight catches the week before that stretch, which is why you don't want to sit him. However, with the way Mark Andrews is playing, he deserves to be ahead, and you can make a strong case for George Kittle ahead of him too. 

Injuries, news, and notes

  • Tyler Higbee was placed on the COVID list -- This happened just a few hours before kickoff Monday and led to a flurry of roster moves to add Kendall Blanton, who had just two catches for 29 yards. Higbee is a fringe starter as is, so Blanton can be safely ignored. 
  • T.J. Hockenson (hand) is day to day -- The Lions hope they can have Hockenson back this week, but we'll let him get through the week in practice before saying whether you should plan on having him available. For now, make sure you have an alternative plan.
  • Jared Cook (quad) did not practice -- That's per the team's estimated participation report, at least. We'll see what his practice status is Tuesday and Wednesday, but Cook would be a viable low-end starter if healthy.

Rankings

  1. Mark Andrews vs. GB
  2. Travis Kelce @LAC
  3. George Kittle vs. ATL
  4. Rob Gronkowski vs. NO
  5. Dallas Goedert vs. WAS
  6. Kyle Pitts @SF
  7. Austin Hooper vs. LV
  8. Mike Gesicki vs. NYJ
  9. Ricky Seals-Jones @PHI
  10. Dalton Schultz @NYG
  11. Dawson Knox vs. CAR
  12. Noah Fant vs. CIN
  13. Jared Cook vs. KC
  14. Zach Ertz @DET
  15. Foster Moreau @CLE
  16. James O'Shaughnessy vs. HOU
  17. Hunter Henry @IND
  18. Cole Kmet vs. MIN
  19. Gerald Everett @LAR
  20. Evan Engram vs. DAL
  21. C.J. Uzomah @DEN
  22. Geoff Swaim @PIT

Top-150 Flex Rankings

  1. Jonathan Taylor vs. NE
  2. Dalvin Cook @CHI
  3. Davante Adams @BAL
  4. Leonard Fournette vs. NO
  5. Alvin Kamara @TB
  6. Justin Jefferson @CHI
  7. Najee Harris vs. TEN
  8. Cooper Kupp vs. SEA
  9. Joe Mixon @DEN
  10. Cordarrelle Patterson @SF
  11. Nick Chubb vs. LV
  12. Josh Jacobs @CLE
  13. Stefon Diggs vs. CAR
  14. Sony Michel vs. SEA
  15. Keenan Allen vs. KC
  16. Chris Godwin vs. NO
  17. Diontae Johnson vs. TEN
  18. Tyreek Hill @LAC
  19. Antonio Gibson @PHI
  20. Ezekiel Elliott @NYG
  21. Tyler Lockett @LAR
  22. Mike Evans vs. NO
  23. David Montgomery vs. MIN
  24. Saquon Barkley vs. DAL
  25. Mark Andrews vs. GB
  26. Devonta Freeman vs. GB
  27. CeeDee Lamb @NYG
  28. James Conner @DET
  29. Travis Kelce @LAC
  30. Clyde Edwards-Helaire @LAC
  31. Jaylen Waddle vs. NYJ
  32. Deebo Samuel vs. ATL
  33. Javonte Williams vs. CIN
  34. Aaron Jones @BAL
  35. Ja'Marr Chase @DEN
  36. George Kittle vs. ATL
  37. Tee Higgins @DEN
  38. Hunter Renfrow @CLE
  39. AJ Dillon @BAL
  40. Amari Cooper @NYG
  41. D.K. Metcalf @LAR
  42. Melvin Gordon vs. CIN
  43. Rashaad Penny @LAR
  44. Rob Gronkowski vs. NO
  45. Brandin Cooks @JAX
  46. D.J. Moore @BUF
  47. Miles Sanders vs. WAS
  48. Michael Carter @MIA
  49. DeAndre Hopkins @DET
  50. Michael Pittman vs. NE
  51. Jarvis Landry vs. LV
  52. Cole Beasley vs. CAR
  53. Marquise Brown vs. GB
  54. Brandon Aiyuk vs. ATL
  55. DeVonta Smith vs. WAS
  56. James Robinson vs. HOU
  57. DeVante Parker vs. NYJ
  58. Odell Beckham vs. SEA
  59. Van Jefferson vs. SEA
  60. Russell Gage @SF
  61. D'Onta Foreman @PIT
  62. Chase Claypool vs. TEN
  63. K.J. Osborn @CHI
  64. Chase Edmonds @DET
  65. Julio Jones @PIT
  66. Chuba Hubbard @BUF
  67. Jeff Wilson vs. ATL
  68. Mike Williams vs. KC
  69. Dallas Goedert vs. WAS
  70. Jerry Jeudy vs. CIN
  71. Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. ARI
  72. Damien Harris @IND
  73. Rashod Bateman vs. GB
  74. Michael Gallup @NYG
  75. Kyle Pitts @SF
  76. Sterling Shepard vs. DAL
  77. Jakobi Meyers @IND
  78. Justin Jackson vs. KC
  79. Rhamondre Stevenson @IND
  80. Ty Johnson @MIA
  81. Laviska Shenault vs. HOU
  82. Marvin Jones vs. HOU
  83. Godwin Igwebuike vs. ARI
  84. Foster Moreau @CLE
  85. Darnell Mooney vs. MIN
  86. Kenny Golladay vs. DAL
  87. Allen Robinson vs. MIN
  88. Ameer Abdullah @BUF
  89. Craig Reynolds vs. ARI
  90. Austin Hooper vs. LV
  91. Gabriel Davis vs. CAR
  92. Jamison Crowder @MIA
  93. Rex Burkhead @JAX
  94. Mike Davis @SF
  95. Mecole Hardman @LAC
  96. Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. LV
  97. Mike Gesicki vs. NYJ
  98. Ricky Seals-Jones @PHI
  99. Devin Singletary vs. CAR
  100. Dalton Schultz @NYG
  101. Tyler Boyd @DEN
  102. Adam Humphries @PHI
  103. Nico Collins @JAX
  104. Tim Patrick vs. CIN
  105. Courtland Sutton vs. CIN
  106. Dawson Knox vs. CAR
  107. Jeremy McNichols @PIT
  108. Noah Fant vs. CIN
  109. Nyheim Hines vs. NE
  110. Joshua Kelley vs. KC
  111. Zack Moss vs. CAR
  112. Braxton Berrios @MIA
  113. Bryan Edwards @CLE
  114. Jared Cook vs. KC
  115. Corey Clement @NYG
  116. Darrel Williams @LAC
  117. Christian Kirk @DET
  118. Zach Ertz @DET
  119. Kenneth Gainwell vs. WAS
  120. Laquon Treadwell vs. HOU
  121. Marquez Valdes-Scantling @BAL
  122. Zach Pascal vs. NE
  123. Robby Anderson @BUF
  124. T.Y. Hilton vs. NE
  125. Rondale Moore @DET
  126. Keelan Cole @MIA
  127. James O'Shaughnessy vs. HOU
  128. Brandon Bolden @IND
  129. Hunter Henry @IND
  130. A.J. Green @DET
  131. Marquez Callaway @TB
  132. Matt Breida vs. CAR
  133. Cole Kmet vs. MIN
  134. Gerald Everett @LAR
  135. Sammy Watkins vs. GB
  136. JaMycal Hasty vs. ATL
  137. Dontrell Hilliard @PIT
  138. Nelson Agholor @IND
  139. Evan Engram vs. DAL
  140. Allen Lazard @BAL
  141. Kendrick Bourne @IND
  142. DeAndre Carter @PHI
  143. C.J. Uzomah @DEN
  144. Devontae Booker vs. DAL
  145. Curtis Samuel @PHI
  146. Peyton Barber @CLE
  147. David Johnson @JAX
  148. Carlos Hyde vs. HOU
  149. DeeJay Dallas @LAR
  150. Samaje Perine @DEN

So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 15 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that has out-performed experts big-time.