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Week 15 fantasy TE PPR rankings

Matt Lutovsky

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34 slides

Our Week 15 fantasy TE PPR rankings is one of our strongest editions yet, and it's not just because the bye weeks are over. Sure, that helps, but tight ends returning from injuries is an even bigger development. Not only does that make the rankings stronger at the top, but it also creates more potential sleepers and waiver-wire streamers.

Because most leagues are in the playoffs, you might not think sleepers and streamers matter that much, but tell that to the owners who have been piecing their TE spot together since Kyle Pitts and Zach Ertz got injured. Even if you have a decent starter, it never hurts to check for a better available option. When it's "win-and-go-home" season, you don't want to settle.

Is it safe to use Darren Waller (hamstring) and Dallas Goedert (shoulder) if they come off the IR this week? We wouldn't hesitate with Goedert (vs. Bears in Week 15) given his standard of production, but Waller (vs. Patriots) is a bigger worry given how long he's been out. A favorable matchup puts him squarely on the "start" side of things, though, so even though it's a risk, we're trusting the talent. We'd say the same about Hayden Hurst (calf) if he's back against the Bucs.

WEEK 15 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | D/STs | Kickers

Similarly, we'd go with Juwan Johnson (ankle) if he returns in a favorable matchup against Atlanta. Johnson has been one of the top fantasy TEs in the second half, and Atlanta entered Week 14 allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to TEs, giving Johnson a high floor and ceiling. The same goes for Greg Dulcich (vs. Cardinals) and Hunter Henry (@ Raiders), who are both inconsistent but in great spots this week.

WEEK 15 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

For those in deeper leagues, you could try Tyler Conklin (vs. Lions), Robert Tonyan (vs. Rams), and Logan Thomas (vs. Giants). Again, none are consistent, but they get fairly regular targets, which raises their floors in PPR leagues. Tonyan's matchup doesn't look as good as the others on paper, but L.A. has allowed a TE touchdown in five of the past seven games, so he's still in a favorable situation this week.

WEEK 15 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel

If you really want to go deep, Kylen Granson (@ Vikings), Austin Hooper and Chig Okonkwo (vs. Chargers), and Jonnu Smith (@ Raiders) also have favorable matchups, but they're better suited for the standard-league crowd. Their targets are impossible to predict, so you're really just hoping for one big play. Okonkwo has repeatedly shown the ability to produce a big catch, but he's still tough to trust in the fantasy playoffs if WR Treylon Burks (concussion) returns.

WEEK 15 DFS: Best values | Best stacks

It's unlikely that fantasy owners will need to dig that deep, as bubble TEs like Dalton Schultz (@ Jaguars), Gerald Everett (vs. Titans), and even Dawson Knox (vs. Dolphins) have favorable matchups and should be solid plays. Pat Freiermuth (vs. Panthers) has a tough matchup, but he's one of the few guys you can count on for targets, so we wouldn't advise sitting him in PPR formats unless you have another top option.

WEEK 15 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

In deeper leagues, we'd consider benching last week's hero Evan Engram (vs. Cowboys), Tyler Higbee (@ Packers), Noah Fant (vs. 49ers), and Cole Kmet (vs. Eagles). All face defenses that entered Week 14 in the bottom 10 for FPPG allowed to TEs. With so many widely available sleepers in more favorable matchups, there's no need to risk it with these TD-or-bust types

We'll be updating these TE PPR rankings as needed throughout the week, so check back for the latest changes and analysis.