“I've been uptight and made a mess
But I'll clean it up myself, I guess
Oh, the sweet smell of success
Handle me with care.”
“Handle With Care” - The Traveling Wilburys
We made it! The fantasy football playoffs are upon us. Congratulations if you’re still competing for a championship. This article looks at the best plays for Week 15 and beyond so we can cash checks and hoist trophies as fake football champions. Don’t be afraid to carry two defenses at this point. Having a great matchup stashed on your bench can be advantageous and blocking your opponent from playing them can be equally as valuable.
Maybe you’re a DFS player looking for ideas to create a million-dollar winning lineup. Good news, we can help you too. Just remember to leave a tip for your old pal Drake when you hit the big one!
We want to focus on high-leverage spots where the DST will press the quarterback and force sacks and turnovers. We key on bad lines, play-callers, and quarterbacks. That said, how did we do last week?
Let’s look back at Week 14’s results from my top 5 adds.
- Arizona: -1 pts
- Seattle: 7 pts
- LA Chargers: 4 pts
- Dallas: 4 pts
- New Orleans: 10 pts
A down week for DST scoring as a whole. Only four teams scored over 10 points. All of those teams ended up being owned in well over 65% of Yahoo leagues. I’m sorry about the Arizona call. Full transparency: I played them in several leagues of my own. So I feel your pain. Those kinds of things happen; we just need to sharpen our pencils and work harder on the plays for this week. I’m confident we can find some low-owned options to help us advance to the next round.
DST ownership based on Yahoo league percentages under 50%
DRAKE’S TOP 5 DST ADDS FOR WEEK 15
- Washington @ NO
- Atlanta @ LV
- NY Jets @ JAX
- Arizona vs. NE
- Cincinnati @ TEN
Higher-owned Options
Baltimore Ravens (BAL, 66%) — I still can’t believe that this Ravens unit is owned in such a high percentage of leagues. They have scored double-digit fantasy points just once this season, and they’re coming off a bye. That said, their ownership keeps them from my list. But if they are available, I’d strongly consider them against Drew Lock and the Giants. If you simply want to look at what the G-Men are allowing to the position, it’s encouraging. Three straight DSTs have hit at least 10 points. The pass funnel Ravens should bait Lock into dropping back early and often. That’s exactly what we, as streamers, need to create fantasy points.
Denver Broncos (DEN, 68%) — A rested Denver D coming off the BYE to host Anthony Richardson at Mile High? Um, yes, please. I can’t guarantee another two pick-sixes, but I’d be some dead Presidents that Richardson will find a Bronco or two with an errant pass. The interesting nugget here is that Indy hasn’t allowed a sack in two games. Denver, on the other hand, has 16 sacks in their last four.
Top Targets
Washington Commanders (WSH, 16%) — Washington isn’t a great unit, so don’t get too excited. They’ve underwhelmed versus two of the top-7 offenses in points allowed before their Week 14 BYE. This is a play on the Saints being absolutely putrid with Jake Haener or (throws up in mouth) Spencer Rattler under center. The Commanders haven’t had an interception since Week 10. They’ve only accumulated five sacks in their last three games. It’s a great matchup against a bad QB without any receivers. I just caution that Washington needs to push the pace for New Orleans to force their QBs to pass; otherwise, we could see a massive run-heavy game plan.
Atlanta Falcons (ATL, 10%) — These Falcons can be a two-week play. Use them this week against the Raiders and next Sunday versus the Giants. Vegas is likely without QB Aiden O’Connell (Godspeed, Trooper Farva), which opens the door for a Desmond Ridder revenge game. While typically a punchline, Ridder has yet to throw a pick this season. It could be another hide-the-quarterback game as the Raiders look to run Sincere McCormick down the Falcons' throats. What once was an invisible pass rush has come to play of late with nine sacks in their last two games. Per Fantasy Points Data, Atlanta ranks in the top 10 in terms of pressures on QB dropbacks at 36.5%.
New York Jets (NYJ, 43%) — The Jets scored negative fantasy points last week (one of two who did so, as I’m still recommending both). New York didn’t register a sack, interception, or fumble recovery in losing to the Dolphins. This Sunday shouldn’t be as hard. Gang Green faces Mac Jones and the Jaguars' offense. If you can’t pick off a Jones pass, stop playing football. He’s thrown five picks in his last four games. New York has gotten to the passer recently. Over the last two weeks, New York is seventh in the NFL in QB pressures. If the Jets have any testicular fortitude, they’ll show up and wreck Mac Jones.
Targeting Against Awful Offenses
Arizona Cardinals (ARI, 36%) — Last week, I told you this was my number one streaming option, and they burned us with negative points. I’m back for more because I believe in any DST facing the Patriots. Drake Maye has tossed an interception in five straight games. He’s been sacked 16 times over that same span. It’s a home game for Arizona. Their backs are against the wall, and I like their chances of scoring ten fantasy points.
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN, 34%) — The Bengals defense stinks. I’m going to be honest. So does their Week 15 opponent, Tennessee. It’s in my contract to tell you which DST opposes Will Levis each week, as the Titans give up the most points to the position. Cincy can get to the quarterback. Trey Hendrickson is a beast. It wouldn’t shock me if he and his mates sack Levis three times and force an interception. One thing we know is that the Bengals can push the pace and force the Titans to throw the football. That’s where the magic happens for DSTs like Cincy.
Who To Stream Against In The Playoffs?
We want to target a few teams with below-average QBs and offensive lines. So, instead of listing teams to add, let’s look at who to stream against. This way, you can plan ahead and possibly add multiple defenses. Here are the top teams regarding points allowed to the opposing DST and their playoff schedule.
Tennessee: CIN, @ IND, @ JAX
Cleveland: KC, @ CIN, MIA
NY Giants: BAL, @ ATL, IND
Las Vegas: ATL, JAX, @ NO
New England: @ ARI, @ BUF, LAC
Seattle: GB, MIN, @ CHI
Chicago: @ MIN, DET, SEA
Miami: @ HOU, SF, @ CLE
Atlanta: @ LV, NYG, @ WAS
New Orleans: WAS, @ GB, LV
Jacksonville: NYJ, @ LV, TEN
DFS PLAYS FOR WEEK 15 TOURNAMENTS (DraftKings)
Titans $2300 vs CIN: Burrow drops back a ton and has thrown a pick in back-to-back games. He’s also taken at least two sacks in four straight.
Patriots $2400 @ ARI: We know that Kyler Murray isn’t afraid to throw into trouble. He’s tossed five interceptions in his last three outings. The Patriots always put up a fight and are well-coached on defense.
Dolphins $2500 @ HOU: Miami can absolutely push the pace with Houston. The Texans' line is sub-par at best. Dolphins rank in the top 12 in QB pressures over the last two weeks.
Bills $2600 @ DET: Nobody wants to click the DST vs the Lions. For a large field GPP, this is a good call if you’re trying to be different. Detroit has injuries along its offensive line, and with a potential shoot-out in the cards, there’s a higher-than-normal chance for a strip sack or pick-six.
Panthers $2700 vs DAL: The Cowboys line is a mess. Cooper Rush was sacked three times against a borderline competitive Bengals team.
Jaguars $2700 vs NYJ: If the reports of Aaron Rodgers’ injuries are true, he’s a sitting duck in the pocket. AR has taken three sacks in three of four games. Get weird with this one in a tournament.
