This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
The Week 15 NFL main slate begins Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EDT and features 12 games. The Chargers and Raiders will kick off the week Thursday night, followed by Saturday's Bills-Broncos and Panthers-Packers games before the week concludes with Monday's Steelers-Bengals matchup. Some of the standout Week 15 options include a quartet of rookies, a pair of slot receivers in different areas of the price spectrum and a star quarterback who's putting his team on his back as the chase for a playoff spot heats up.
TOURNAMENTS (GPP – GUARANTEED PRIZE POOL)
QB: Taysom Hill, NO vs. KC ($27): The Chiefs have defended the pass well this season, but Hill's dual-threat ability should help exploit Kansas City's vulnerable run defense while still keeping the secondary honest. He has a 4:2 TD:INT through the air plus four rushing touchdowns in four starts since Drew Brees (ribs) went down, scoring between 18.52 and 24.42 fantasy points in each game. If Brees continues to sit, Hill's high floor thanks to his rushing production coupled with a game script that will require an aggressive approach from the Saints' offense to keep pace with Kansas City make the fill-in starter an appealing option relative to his affordable valuation -- 15 quarterbacks are priced above Hill in Week 15.
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC at NO ($15): Sticking with Sunday's premier matchup, Edwards-Helaire is primed to outplay his modest valuation in a game that's tied with Lions-Titans for Sunday's highest over/under at 51.5. New Orleans' stout front finally showed some cracks in last week's loss to the Eagles, allowing two 100-yard rushers after going 55 games without letting a player reach that threshold. Even if the Saints return to their stingy ways against the run, Edwards-Helaire remains a prominent touchdown threat in a Chiefs offense that ranks second with 31.0 points per game, and the rookie first-round pick is also a capable pass-catcher out of the backfield. He has caught at least three passes in eight of 12 games played, including five catches for 59 yards on six targets in last week's win over Miami.
WR: Lynn Bowden, MIA vs. NE ($12): Bowden stepped up after a rash of injuries afflicted Miami's receiving corps last week, finishing with at least a share of the team lead in targets (nine), catches (seven) and receiving yards (82) in the failed comeback bid against Kansas City. Wide receivers DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant both exited that contest with hamstring injuries, while tight end Mike Gesicki hurt his shoulder after scoring a pair of touchdowns, leaving Bowden and Mack Hollins (five catches for 66 yards on nine targets) as Tua Tagovailoa's primary receiving options down the stretch. The versatile Bowden, who played wildcat quarterback in college last season after converting from wide receiver, has now caught 11 of 13 targets over the last two weeks, and he has also been entrusted with six rushing attempts this season. Given all the missing pieces for Miami, Bowden should get some use in a few different facets of the offense against the Patriots, giving him intriguing upside relative to his affordable valuation. Parker has been practicing on a limited basis, but his return could actually boost Bowden's outlook, as the more established receiver will likely draw the attention of top cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Other Against-the-Grainers
QB: Jalen Hurts (PHI, $27), Tua Tagovailoa (MIA, $23), Chase Daniel (DET, $23)
RB: Chris Carson (SEA, $25), Gus Edwards (BAL, $17), Cam Akers (LAR, $29)
WR: Michael Thomas (NO, $29), Jamison Crowder (NYJ, $11), Amari Cooper (DAL, $19)
TE: Gerald Everett (LAR, $14), Logan Thomas (WAS, $18)
DST: Chicago Bears (at MIN, $14), Tennessee Titans (vs. DET, $11)
CASH GAMES (H2H, 50/50s and DOUBLE UPS)
QUARTERBACK
Lamar Jackson, BAL vs. JAX ($33): Jackson has gotten back to what he does best over the last two weeks, running wild against the Cowboys and Browns to the tune of 218 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. His return to dominance as a runner has kept the Ravens from falling behind and having to rely too much on Jackson's passing ability, though he has still chipped in a 3:1 TD:INT through the air in these past two games. A Jaguars defense that has been gashed for a league-high 418.9 scrimmage yards per game has little chance of slowing down the reigning MVP.
RUNNING BACK
Jonathan Taylor, IND vs. TEX ($29): Taylor has been unstoppable in two games since returning from the reserve/COVID-19 list, piling up 300 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. Even with Nyheim Hines and occasionally Jordan Wilkins eating into his workload, volume shouldn't be an issue for Taylor in the Colts' run-first offense against a Texans defense that has allowed a league-high 1,790 rushing yards to running backs and is tied with Detroit for the most rushing touchdowns allowed to the position at 16. When these teams met in Houston two weeks ago, Taylor racked up 91 yards on 13 carries to go with three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. It wouldn't be surprising to see him top that output in the rematch.
Mike Davis, CAR at GB ($20): Davis' production had faded a bit following a strong start to his tenure as Christian McCaffrey's replacement in Carolina's backfield, but he rediscovered his form with 93 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in last week's loss to Denver and should keep rolling against a Packers defense that has been vulnerable to running backs, especially through the air. Green Bay's 18 scrimmage touchdowns allowed to the position are tied for second most in the league, and the Packers have surrendered a league-high 660 receiving yards to running backs. Davis has the pass-catching skills to capitalize on this matchup, having drawn at least six targets in seven of the last 12 games and catching five or more passes seven times in that stretch while totaling seven scrimmage scores. As long as McCaffrey, who's listed as doubtful, ends up sitting, Davis is a strong choice for contests that encompass Saturday's games.
WIDE RECEIVER
Brandon Aiyuk, SF at DAL ($24): Aiyuk has been a dominant force over his last five appearances, totaling 36 catches for 495 yards and three touchdowns on 56 targets. The rookie first-round pick is the clear-cut top receiving option for the 49ers in the wake of Deebo Samuel's hamstring injury, and Aiyuk should make the most of that prominent role against a Cowboys defense that has allowed a league-high 22 touchdowns to wide receivers this season.
Cooper Kupp, LAR vs. NYJ ($23): Los Angeles' passing game should have a field day against a Jets defense that's allowing the second-most passing yards per game overall (286.8) and has been burned for seven passing scores and 71 points in the past two weeks. Despite coming in $2 cheaper than fellow wideout Robert Woods, Kupp leads the team in targets with 110 -- four more than Woods and 13th league-wide -- as well as catches (79, 11th in the league) and receiving yards (869, 17th). The slot receiver's shortcomings have come in the touchdown department, as he has only three, but Kupp's 10 touchdowns on 94 receptions last season suggest the lack of scoring is due more to bad luck than a lack of ability. If that luck turns around against the Jets, he should finish among this week's most productive receivers.
Danny Amendola, DET at TEN ($13): If you have your eye on some big-name options at other positions and are looking for an affordable high-floor receiver, Amendola's a strong option regardless of whether the Lions have Matthew Stafford (ribs) or Chase Daniel under center. The shrewd slot receiver does most of his damage underneath, so he won't require a quarterback who's proficient at pushing the ball downfield to find success against a Titans defense that has allowed 210 catches (second most in the league), 2,420 yards (fifth most) and 15 catches (seventh most) to wide receivers. Amendola has carved out a consistent role with at least 62 yards in four of his last six games and 54 in one of the other two, and he has seen more passes thrown his way since Kenny Golladay (hip) went down. In the last four games sans Golladay, Amendola has been targeted 25 times, catching 19 of those.
TIGHT END
Rob Gronkowski, TB at ATL ($19): Gronkowski understandably had some rust to shake off at the start of the season following a year away from football, but he has rounded into form over the past two months, finding the end zone in five of his last eight games and topping 50 yards in five of his last nine after failing to do either in his first four appearances. The veteran tight end's season stats are dragged down by his slow start, but he has been a relatively steady source of production in a position that hasn't had many of those, and he's primed for another strong effort against a Falcons defense that has allowed the 10th-most yards (723) to tight ends and is tied for the third-most touchdowns (nine) allowed to the position.
DEFENSE
Los Angeles Rams, LAR vs. NYJ ($21): This is one of those weeks where paying up for an elite defense will likely be worth it. The Rams allow the fewest scrimmage yards (285.8) and third-fewest points (18.9) per game, while the Jets' offense brings up the rear in both categories at 269.8 and 14.1, respectively. Los Angeles also features plenty of playmakers on defense, as this unit has scored a touchdown in each of the last three games while racking up 10 sacks, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries in that stretch. Few matchups have featured this high a floor and ceiling for a defense this season.
Honorable Mentions
QB: Jared Goff (LAR, $29), Aaron Rodgers (GB, $35), Patrick Mahomes (KC, $38)
RB: Derrick Henry (TEN, $38), Miles Sanders (PHI, $20), Jeff Wilson (SF, $18)
WR: Marquise Brown (BAL, $16), Terry McLaurin (WAS, $27), T.Y. Hilton (IND, $19)
TE: Tyler Higbee (LAR, $16), Robert Tonyan (GB, $21)
DST: Buffalo Bills (at DEN, $16), Seattle Seahawks (at WAS, $14)
