In a pivotal Week 15 matchup, your Denver Broncos head to Pittsburgh to take on Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers. It's also a big week in fantasy football in the middle of the playoffs. There is added pressure on every single lineup decision this time of year. If you are not in the hunt for your league's fantasy title, check out Weekly Fantasy Football on DraftKings to keep your season going.
The Steelers are among the league leaders is passing yards allowed, making Brock Osweiler (DraftKings Salary: $5,100) a very good contrarian consideration on DraftKings. Osweiler registered the first 300-yard passing game of his career last week and has at least 10 fantasy points in each start with the exception of one. The Steelers have allowed over 300 yards passing seven times, including four of their last five. They have also surrendered 13 passing TDs in that span.
Ronnie Hillman ($4,300) will face a stiff test against the Steelers' stout run defense. Still, Hillman caught seven passes for 41 yards against the Raiders and should see double-digit touches for a sixth consecutive game. His usage keeps him squarely on the RB2 map. If C.J. Anderson ($4,000) is healthy enough to see game action, he should also make an impact as the Broncos attempt to control the clock and keep the Steelers offense off the field. Anderson had been playing very well prior to getting injured in Week 13.
Demaryius Thomas ($6,800) was a PPR force against the Raiders with 10 grabs for 95 yards. He will look to get back into the end zone against a Steelers defense that has allowed over 2,700 yards and 16 TDs to opposing wideouts according to NFL.com. With consistent targets each week, Thomas has been the most reliable fantasy option on the Broncos offense. The matchup and affordable salary also makes Emmanuel Sanders ($5,500) an intriguing option. He should be viewed as a solid WR3 option in seasonal formats as well.
Vernon Davis ($3,300) is a top-10 play against the Steelers, who have allowed eight TDs and over 800 yards to the tight end position. Davis just put up his best statistical game of the season with seven receptions for 74 yards. He is getting plenty of attention from Osweiler and could be in for a strong finish. Owen Daniels ($2,700) continues to stay involved in the passing game. He has at least 43 yards passing in five of his last seven outings.
It is safe to say that the Broncos ($3,400) defense is matchup-proof at this point. They have managed to shut down some of the best offenses in the game, so while the Steelers have numerous offensive weapons, the Broncos have simply been too dominant to keep on your fantasy bench. Brandon McManus continues to roll, nailing four field goals last week. The Steelers have allowed multiple field goals made in six games. McManus will try to make it seven on Sunday.
Week 15 is a great time to pay up at QB. Many of the top-tier signal callers have excellent matchups against weak secondaries. First up is Cam Newton ($7,800), who is tied for the highest QB salary on DraftKings this week. Newton is on a tremendous roll and offers an extremely high floor against the Giants. With Jonathan Stewart hurting, there could be increased opportunities for him near the goal line. Carson Palmer ($7,000) has been a fantasy MVP this season, with over 4,000 yards and 31 TDs. He faces an Eagles defense that has been shredded by opposing QBs in recent weeks. Palmer has three strong WR options to choose from, along with a reliable ground game and shutdown defense. Matthew Stafford ($6,100) has picked up his play of late, with nine TDs in his last three. He has a Monday Night showdown with the Saints, who are ceding the most points to the position according to DraftKings. If you need to cut costs even more, Alex Smith ($5,100) is averaging 17.9 Fantasy points per game and plays against a struggling Ravens squad. He is one of the safest QB plays for the money in a 50/50 or double up.
At running back, it is time to go back to the well with Lamar Miller. He torched the Giants for two TDs and 89 yards on only 12 touches. Expect heavy involvement from Miller this week against a Chargers team that has allowed the fifth most standard fantasy points according to NFL.com. With Mark Ingram out for the season, Tim Hightower ($3,900) steps into a large role for the stretch run. He was fed 29 times last week and should be the lead back once again versus the Lions. The workload, coupled with his price tag, makes him an intriguing play on DraftKings and RB2 option in seasonal formats. Melvin Gordon ($3,800) is consistently seeing double-digit touches and a date with the Dolphins' suspect run defense could be just what he needs to break out. As a tournament play, Gordon could be a difference-maker with a low ownership percentage.
Calvin Johnson ($6,900) was quiet last week after enjoying 10 straight weeks of double-digit DraftKings points. Considering his upside in a matchup against the Saints, Megatron is a reasonably priced option to stack with Stafford. Jeremy Maclin ($5,500) is streaking with 24 receptions for 323 yards and three TDs in his past three games. If you needed an additional push, the Ravens were just lit up for over 200 yards and five TDs by the Seahawks wideouts. Willie Snead ($4,600) bounced back from a calf injury with a season-high seven grabs for 122 yards against the Bucs. As we saw earlier this season, Snead is a valuable PPR asset. Consider him a money-saver at just $4,600 against the Lions. Michael Floyd ($4,400) is battling Larry Fitzgerald ($7,300) and John Brown ($4,900) for targets on a weekly basis, but his ceiling is huge. He has four 100-yard receiving games in his last five, making him too cheap to pass up against a league-worst Eagles secondary.
With all the injuries to Chargers receivers, Antonio Gates ($4,600) should continue to see significant targets from Philip Rivers ($5,500). That makes him a fine TE1 play and DraftKings option against the Dolphins. Richard Rodgers ($4,300) has a touchdown in two straight and faces off against a Raiders defense that has allowed the most TDs (11) to opposing TEs. Zach Miller ($3,600) has been making the most of his opportunity, with five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown last week. He's a great value play as the Bears take on the Vikings in Week 15.
Since Week 7, the Chiefs defense ($3,700) have at least 12 DraftKings Points every week except one. Against the Ravens lackluster attack, they should once again be considered a top-five option. The Bengals ($3,400) head to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in what should be a very lucrative matchup. If you are looking for a cheap play, look at the Jaguars ($2,400) at home against the Falcons. Atlanta is struggling on offense and Jacksonville is coming off of one of their best defensive performances of the year against the Colts.
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