It’s Week 15 in the NFL – welcome to the fantasy playoffs! If you’re still alive, congratulations. Take yourself a victory lap … but make it a quick one because there is plenty of work to be done.
As always, success in fantasy football is all about matchups. Any fantasy lineup good enough to make the playoffs has its share of must-start players—guys you need to play no matter who they’re facing. The Bears have the second-best pass defense in the NFL, but you’re not benching Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown when they go to Soldier Field this week. Still, matchups matter.
Fantasy Playoffs Toughest Strength of Schedule
Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends
Based on the strength of schedule during the fantasy playoffs – Weeks 15-17 – here’s a look at the five toughest matchups for quarterbacks:
Taylor Heinicke, Commanders
Heinicke faces the Giants this week. The G-Men can’t stop anyone, and Heinicke passed for 275 yards and two TDs against them just two weeks ago. But don’t get excited. After that, Heinicke must take on the 49ers and Browns, among the top seven in the fewest fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks.
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
If fantasy managers with Murray as their starter can somehow survive Week 15, maybe they’ve got a shot with the Buccaneers and Falcons on tap in Weeks 16-17. But this week’s matchup with Denver is a killer. The Broncos allow the second-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
Lawrence exploded for 33.4 fantasy points in Week 14, but now he’s got to face an angry Cowboys defense, followed by Sauce Gardner and the impressive Jets defense. The Week 17 matchup with the Texans isn’t terrible … but if you’re rolling with Lawrence at QB, it’s extremely doubtful you’ll be around in Week 17.
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
Two of Tagovailoa’s matchups in the fantasy playoffs are against AFC East teams he’s already faced – and those early games against the Patriots and Bills were two of his worst games of the season. In between those games, Tagovailoa gets the Packers on Christmas Day.
Andy Dalton, Saints
When the Saints played Atlanta, their Week 15 opponent, in Week 1, Jameis Winston was starting. Winston threw two TD passes in that game, so Dalton could be productive here. But then he has back-to-back road games against the Browns and Eagles. Not good.
