Week 15 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Candidates: Quarterbacks
Wondering whom to start and sit at quarterback this week? Below are two top-notch start and two sit options at the quarterback position for Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season.
Week 14 Review – half-PPR scoring
Starts
- QB Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Houston Texans – 15.55 fantasy points (QB15)
- QB Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota Vikings – 26.10 fantasy points (QB4)
- QB Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Carolina Panthers – 22.56 fantasy points (QB7)
Sits
- QB Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns) @Cincinnati Bengals – 17.34 fantasy points (QB14)
Quarterback – Starts
Mike White (New York Jets) vs. Detroit Lions
The New York Jets are 1.0-point home favorites over the Detroit Lions and the over/under has been set at a helpful 44.5 at BetMGM.
Quarterback Mike White (ribs) is expected to make his fourth consecutive start on Sunday. Since taking the reins in Week 12, White has averaged 313.0 passing yards per game, trailing only Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (317.2). White’s passing touchdown production (2.3% rate) has been streaky but he has largely played turnover-free football, averaging a 1.6% interception rate, tied for the 10th best among 40 NFL quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, per 4for4's NFL Player Stats Explorer.
White’s two carries inside the opponent’s five-yard line trail only running back Zonovan Knight (three) since Week 12.
Detroit’s offensive juggernaut should help push New York’s offensive pace. Detroit’s 375.6 offensive yards and 27.0 points per game are both top-five rates, per 4for4's NFL Team Stats Explorer.
Opposing quarterbacks are scoring 21.1 fantasy points per game versus Detroit, the third most in the NFL. Detroit’s defense is allowing 262.9 passing yards per game (No. 30) and an 11.3% explosive pass plays allowed rate (No. 32) offers high-scoring potential for opposing offenses.
Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) @ Jacksonville Jaguars
The Dallas Cowboys at Jacksonville Jaguars game features a fantasy-friendly 47.5-point over/under with both teams implied to score more than 21 points.
Jacksonville’s passing game has averaged 279.0 yards per game (seventh most) since the team’s Week 11 bye and the team overall is averaging 26.0 points per game (10th most). Their potency should keep Dallas pushing the pace, rather than funneling the offense through the backfield.
Jacksonville’s defense should facilitate a high-scoring outing for Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott as they are currently allowing 22.8 fantasy points per game to the position, the most in the NFL. The defense is also allowing 250.6 passing yards per game, ranking just 28th best overall.
Among NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks, Prescott is No. 11 in passing expected points added (EPA) per play (0.1) and tied for No. 6 in touchdown rate (5.6%).
*Check out our QB rankings here.
Quarterback – Sits
Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns) vs. Baltimore Ravens
Fantasy managers who stashed Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson were hoping for explosive dual-threat performances upon his return from an 11-game suspension. Watson has been a no-go in his first two games though and Week 16 is no different.
Watson’s 27.5 rushing yards per game are the 10th most in the NFL among NFL quarterbacks with at least 10 carries, but his passing stats leave a lot to be desired. The table below ranks Watson’s passing data among 50 NFL quarterbacks with at least 50 dropbacks.
| NFL QB Passing Data | Passing Yards/Game | TD % | INT % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | 203.5 (No. 32) | 1.6% (T-No. 44) | 3.2% (No. 37) |
The Baltimore Ravens defense is top two in both turnovers per drive (0.17) and interceptions per drive (0.11). They are allowing just 13.4 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, the seventh-fewest in the league.
Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders) vs. New England Patriots
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels will face his former mentor, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, this week. Though quarterback Derek Carr has a chance to have wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller back in the lineup, as both as designated to return from Injured Reserve, Carr cannot be trusted.
New England is allowing a moderate 9.7 half-PPR points per game to opposing tight ends while clamping down on opposing wide receivers with just 22.6 half-PPR points allowed per game, the fifth-fewest.
Among 44 NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks, Carr’s 0.061 passing EPA per play ranks a middling 14th and his 69.0% on-target rate is tied for just 25th.
New England is allowing just 12.5 fantasy points per game to the position and their 201.5 passing yards allowed per game sits eighth fewest.
Philadelphia’s lockdown defense is allowing just 178.0 passing yards per game, the fewest in the NFL.
