The fantasy football playoffs are well in swing in most leagues, while some just wrapped up the regular season in Week 15. This is a critical juncture of the season, and things continue to change.
Some teams are giving younger players a look down the stretch, as evaluations begin for the 2025 season.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will have some strange rest patterns for players. In Week 16, we have two Saturday games, and in Week 17 we’ll have a pair of Wednesday games. Fantasy managers will have to be on their toes during the holiday season, adjusting to personnel changes and a different schedule, too.
We’ll take a look at the latest usage changes to help you going forward in the fantasy playoffs.
Jacksonville Jaguars TE Brenton Strange
The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled TE Evan Engram (shoulder) out for the remainder of the season last week. The biggest beneficiary is TE Brenton Strange, who will get a long look down the stretch.
Strange racked up a career-high 11 receptions on 12 targets, while finishing with 73 yards against the New York Jets in Week 15.
The 23-year-old Penn State product has had three games with 59 or more receiving yards this season with Engram on the shelf. The tight end spot is such a wasteland behind the top-tier options in fantasy that anyone who does anything remotely decent shoots up the rankings.
Strange had just five receptions in the previous five games with 66 yards prior to Week 15, so it takes a little bit of a leap of faith. But his 11-catch effort should ease the minds of fantasy managers. In Week 16, Strange and the Jaguars meet the Las Vegas Raiders, and he could be a useful fantasy option down the stretch, especially since after WR Brian Thomas Jr., there aren’t a lot of big-time receiving options in Duval.
Dallas Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle
The Dallas Cowboys handed the keys to the offense to Rico Dowdle, moving on from fan-favorite Ezekiel Elliott. The move has paid off nicely.
On Thanksgiving Day, Dowdle registered a career-high 112 yards and 5.1 yards per carry against the New York Giants. On Monday Night Football in Week 14, he set a new career best with 131 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt.
In Week 15, Dowdle was back home in front of friends and family near his native Asheville, N.C., and where he played college ball at South Carolina. He set a new career high for the third straight game, going for 149 yards on 25 carries, good for 6.0 rushing yards per attempt.
As long as Dallas can keep games close down the closing stretch, Dowdle could be a dude helping fantasy managers hoist a championship trophy. That said, with three difficult matchups ahead (TB, PHI, WAS) gamers should temper expectations.
Cleveland Browns RB Jerome Ford
Might Cleveland Browns RB Jerome Ford be the future? The team will have a handful of games down the stretch to find out.
RB Nick Chubb suffered a broken foot in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, so the Browns will have to turn to Ford to carry the mail down the stretch. With just Pierre Strong and D’Onta Foreman on the depth chart, it’s the Ford show.
Ford is just 25 years old, and he is a fifth-round pick in 2022, so the team didn’t spend a lot to get him. He is still young and hasn’t suffered season-ending injuries in the past two seasons like Nick Chubb, who may have played his final game in Cleveland.
Ford was good for 84 yards and a 62-yard touchdown in Week 15 against the Chiefs. It was his highest production since dropping 107 yards on the road in Baltimore Nov. 12, 2023. He has low-end RB2 or flex fantasy value down the stretch.
Denver Broncos running backs
The Denver Broncos running backs situation has really been tough to figure out.
Jaleel McLaughlin appeared to seize the top job in Week 13, and he entered Week 15 after the bye with the same status. Then, he suffered a quadriceps injury.
Against the Indianapolis Colts, once McLaughlin went down, it was a slow go for Javonte Williams and rookie Audric Estime. It’s going to be a tough turnaround with a Thursday game, and it will be even tougher against an angry Los Angeles Chargers team that was obliterated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Proceed with caution. If McLaughlin is sidelined, Williams is likely to be the better fantasy option, with Estime seeing a larger role. Williams should be treated as a RB3 or flex fantasy option after posting 15 rushing yards on six carries against the Colts. He also has the better hands out of the backfield.
