The fantasy football playoffs are upon us, which means there is no room for error when making decisions on who to start in your fantasy lineup with your season on the line.
Here are some of my start/sit options at the QB position for Week 15 of NFL action.
Which QB Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (vs. DEN)
The Detroit Lions are coming off of a head-scratching loss against the Chicago Bears. In particular, QB Jared Goff had arguably his worst game of the season, throwing two interceptions and failing to throw for more than 200 yards in a game for the first time this year.
The Lions return home in Week 15 to take on the Denver Broncos, which isn’t a cupcake matchup on paper, but Goff has been great at home over his last four games, with eight touchdown passes to just one interception.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (vs. WAS)
Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford has managed to turn back the clock with three consecutive outings with 3+ passing touchdowns.
Throwing 10 touchdown passes over a three-game span is fantastic production, no matter who the opponent happened to be. The fact that Stafford torched two of the best defensive units in the league during this stretch — the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens — makes this feat even more impressive.
This week, he’ll square off against the Washington Commanders, who are giving up an average of 266 passing yards and 20.4 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this season. Start Stafford with confidence in Week 15.
Which QB Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (at LAR)
After a solid stretch of six straight games with 40+ passing attempts and 240+ passing yards, Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell finally had a disappointing outing through the air against the Miami Dolphins back in Week 13.
Howell managed to save his fantasy day by rushing for two scores.
MORE: Positional Start/Sits — RB | WR | TE
But the writing may be on the wall for some tough outings in the fantasy playoffs as they face the Los Angeles Rams, the New York Jets, and the San Francisco 49ers over the next three weeks.
Howell’s 127 passing yards and a pick against Miami — plus five interceptions over the last three games — have the young QB trending in the wrong direction heading into Week 15.
Trending Searches for QB Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, and we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on!
Should You Start Goff or Russell Wilson?
Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson hasn’t thrown for over 300 yards in a game since Week 3 but still sits as the QB13 in fantasy with a healthy 23 touchdown passes to just eight interceptions this season.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
The Broncos face off against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night, which makes for a fantasy-friendly matchup for Wilson, with the Lions’ defense giving up 26+ points in five straight games. However, Goff presents a similar floor with a higher fantasy ceiling, which has me leaning towards going with Goff in Week 15.
Should You Start Howell or Justin Fields?
Once upon a time, I picked Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields as my breakout candidate at the QB position heading into the 2023 season. This projection came from my belief that Fields would continue producing elite numbers as a runner while improving as a passer with the arrival of WR DJ Moore.
This has been the case for the majority of his last three games under center, where he has three straight games with 58+ rushing yards while leaning on Moore as his go-to guy through the air.
Yes, the matchup against the Cleveland Browns defense isn’t ideal on paper, but Fields’ recent production as a runner gives him a slightly higher floor than Howell, with a similar ceiling, in Week 15.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!