Some fantasy football managers are weighing whether to start Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, or Kadarius Toney (if active) in Week 15. If you’re one of them, drop me a tweet so we can discuss the perils. Or, you can read below and see why your probability of success is around 20-30% — certainly doable, but a roll of the dice just the same.
Update 12/19/21: Kadarius Toney remains on the reserve/COVID list. Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton are all active for this game against the Cowboys.
Kenny Golladay Week 15 fantasy outlook
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way” is how I usually introduce Kenny Golladay, the Giants’ prized offseason free-agent acquisition. His $72 million contract ($40 million guaranteed) was supposed to guarantee this franchise a true No. 1 receiver. Before injuries slowed his career, Golladay was a breakout star in his second NFL season, finishing as the WR21 in 2018.
He followed that up with a WR9 campaign in 2019. Last year’s 16.5 fantasy points per game in four full contests (he was knocked out for the season in his fifth game) put him on pace for a top-14 WR campaign.
But this year, injuries and erratic QB play have turned him into an afterthought. We should not forget that Golladay averaged 11.4 fantasy points in his first four games — not great, but also very startable in some leagues. However, he has yet to find the end zone, and his offensive snaps (below 60% in two of his last five contests) are too unpredictable for a player of his caliber.
If everything breaks right, Golladay can crack the top 28. Yet, if you’re starting him, you’re trying to strike gold in an abandoned monastery. We know there’s treasure to mine, but it might take weeks or even years to find.
Sterling Shepard Week 15 fantasy outlook
Remember when Sterling Shepard looked like a steal in fantasy drafts? In his first two weeks, the sixth-year WR racked up 41.8 fantasy points and appeared to be on his way to WR2 glory. But just as with Golladay (and most of this team’s offense), injuries and poor quarterbacking have reduced this longtime fringe fantasy starter to a non-starter.
It’s hard to know where Shepard fits into this offense. It’s stacked on paper but brittle and uninspiring on the field. The former second-rounder owns a WR3 ceiling and WR6 floor in Week 15.
Kadarius Toney Week 15 fantasy outlook
“The rich get richer” is how someone must have described the Giants selecting Kadarius Toney in the first round of this year’s draft. Toney is a legit NFL talent, as reinforced by his 10-189-0 outburst in Week 5. That week, the only other healthy wideouts were John Ross, C.J. Board, Collin Johnson, and the team’s mascot.
New York added Toney to the COVID list last Monday. As with many other Giants, he has not scored this season. Still, his 11 fantasy points on 12 targets in Week 11 — the last game he played — indicates his steep climb to relevance. If active, Toney would share Shepard’s ceiling and floor.
Darius Slayton Week 15 fantasy outlook
I picked up Darius Slayton in my league earlier this season, didn’t play him, and then dropped him. He’s that sweater you keep in your bottom drawer that you once liked because a long-ago girlfriend liked it. And two years ago, she moved away without saying goodbye. A few weeks ago, a mutual friend said she’s been married for two years, confirming that she’s still not your girlfriend. Yes, that sweater.