MIAMI, Dec. 12 (UPI) — Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams are among my five must-start fantasy football quarterbacks for Week 15.
Lamar Jackson leads my Top-20 quarterback rankings, which are below. Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, Daniels and Joe Burrow are among my other Top-5 plays. Jordan Love, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Sam Darnold and Jared Goff round out my Top 10.
My Week 15 running back and wide receiver rankings remain available for your preparation. My positional rankings will continue to be updated for developments, including injuries.
Brock Purdy joins Tagovailoa, Daniels, Williams and Murray among my must-start options. Several streaming options also can be found within my rankings.
No players are on bye, leaving fantasy football players with a full complement of quarterbacks to choose from for starting lineups. Each of my must-start options land inside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings.
Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa, who also was among my must-start plays in Week 14, rewarded his stockholders with the fifth-most points among quarterbacks in the Miami Dolphins’ win over the New York Jets.
The Dolphins quarterback threw multiple touchdown tosses in five of his last seven games, including in each of his last four. He also eclipsed 300 passing yards in each of his last three games and averaged the second-most fantasy points per game among quarterbacks over the last four weeks.
Tagovailoa is an elite option going forward and should provide Top 5 value in Week 15 against the Houston Texans, who tied the Atlanta Falcons for allowing the most passing scores (2.0) per game to quarterbacks through 14 weeks.
That stretch including allowing multiple passing scores in nine of their first 13 games. They allowed 235 yards and two scores to Mac Jones, 278 yards and two scores to Will Levis and 354 yards and a score to Cooper Rush over the last three weeks.
Tagovailoa should easily eclipse 300 yards for the fourth-consecutive time. He also has a great chance to find the end zone for multiple scores against this generous secondary. He is my No. 3 option.
Jayden Daniels
Daniels averaged the sixth-most fantasy points per game among quarterbacks so far this season. He ranks fifth at the position in fantasy points per game over the last four weeks. The Washington Commanders rookie was on bye in Week 14, but was responsible for seven touchdowns — five passing and two rushing — over his last two appearances.
Daniels and the Commanders are now set to face a New Orleans Saints defense that allowed the third-fewest passing scores (0.9) per game to opposing quarterbacks, but also surrendered the fifth-most passing yards per game to the position.
The Saints allowed multiple passing scores in two of their last three games. They also allowed more than 300 passing yards in two of their last four outings and surrendered 227 passing yards and 59 rushing yards to Drew Lock in Week 14.
Look for Daniels to also eclipse the 50 rushing yard mark, while throwing for 250 yards and accounting for multiple scores. He is my No. 4 play.
Kyler Murray
Like Daniels, Murray can provide value as a passer and runner. The Arizona Cardinals quarterback threw for at least 250 yards in five of his last six games, including each of his last four. He logged just his third game this season with multiple touchdown passes in Week 14.
I expect Murray to provide QB1 value this week when the Cardinals host the New England Patriots. The Patriots allowed the 10th-most fantasy points and tied for allowing the eighth-most passing scores (1.7) per game to quarterbacks through 14 weeks. They also surrendered at least three total touchdowns to quarterbacks in each of their last three games, which they allowed 10 passing scores and a rushing touchdown.
This should be a close matchup, with the Cardinals and Patriots airing it out. That game script should result in a useful fantasy football performance from Murray, my No. 7 option.
Brock Purdy
Purdy sits at No. 12 in my Week 15 rankings and can be used as a matchup-based streaming play. The San Francisco 49ers passer totaled the seventh-most points among quarterbacks in Week 14, when he returned from an injury hiatus and threw for 325 yards and two scores in a win over the Chicago Bears
He is now set to face a Los Angeles Rams defense that allowed the ninth-most fantasy points, eighth-most passing yards (243) and tied for allowing the third-most passing scores (1.8) per game to quarterbacks so far this season.
The Rams were just torched by Josh Allen, who threw for 342 yards, rushing for another 82 and was responsible for six touchdowns in a Buffalo Bills Week 14 victory. Purdy likely won’t approach that level of production, but should easily throw for 275 yards and two scores in a 49ers victory.
Caleb Williams
Williams, my No. 14 play, was a Top 10 option — in terms of fantasy points per game — among quarterbacks over the last four weeks. The Chicago Bears rookie threw multiple passing touchdowns in each of his last three appearances. He also eclipsed 250 passing yards in two of those games and rushed for at least 27 yards in each of his last four starts, including 70 in Week 11.
Williams and the Bears will face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15. The Vikings allowed the third-most passing yards (270.8) per game to quarterbacks through 14 weeks. They also surrendered an average of nearly 310 passing yards per game over the last four weeks, including a 340-yard, two-score performance from Williams in Week 12.
Look for Williams to produce another high yardage total in this spot. He could climb into Top 10 territory if he throws multiple touchdown passes.
Week 15 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens at NYG
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills at DET
3. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins at HOU
4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders at NO
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals at TEN
6. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers at SEA
7. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals vs. NE
8. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles vs. PIT
9. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. BUF
11. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at LAC
12. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers vs. LAR
13. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams at SF
14. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears at MIN
15. Jameis Winston Cleveland Browns vs. KC
16. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos vs. IND
17. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. TB
18. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs at CLE
19. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers vs. DAL
20. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons at LV
