Week 15 of the 2023 fantasy football season featured big surprises. Who were the big winners and losers? Which players received "A" and "F" grades?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis and Seth Walder provides his grades. We also asked NFL Nation reporters to answer questions about what happened in the Thursday and Sunday games.
Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Who got an A | Who got an F
Biggest injuries and what's next
Top questions from Week 15
Ranking fantasy winners of Week 15
1. Baker Mayfield, QB, and Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield has enjoyed a solid rebound season in Tampa, capped by what was a season high for fantasy points on Sunday with his 29.04, in a win that puts his team in realistic position for both a playoff spot and division title. This week, he made great use of all his receivers, spreading his four passing touchdowns across four different pass-catchers, but the one who stood out for fantasy in this game was the one who didn't catch a touchdown pass: Godwin (25.5 PPR fantasy points). Godwin capitalized on the absence of Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, scoring 14.6 of those points when lined up out wide. Mayfield, Godwin and Mike Evans could be sneaky-good fantasy playoff options against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16. -- Cockcroft
2. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
In a game where the Bills controlled offensive tempo, Cook had a career day in the win over the Cowboys. He posted personal bests here in fantasy scoring (36.1 points), rushing yards (179), scrimmage yards (221 yards), carries (25) and touchdowns (two), filling up the box score. Cook played at a different speed too, showing his dynamic traits with the ball in his hands. Given the volume he saw on Sunday, plus a Bills game plan that featured the run game, Cook should climb the ranks ahead of the positive Week 16 matchup against the Chargers' defense. -- Bowen
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
In a season that has been ravaged by injuries, it's an absolute pleasure to get to watch a completely healthy Christian McCaffrey, who thanks to Tyreek Hill's inactive status Sunday is now fantasy football's top scorer for the season. McCaffrey enjoyed his second 40-point performance of 2023 and sixth of his career, the latter moving him into a tie for fifth most of all time. His 353.1 PPR fantasy points for the season are the 13th most by a running back through his team's first 14 games since the merger. -- Cockcroft
4. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Tyreek Hill's (ankle) inactive status bumped up Waddle's usage, as he had team highs with nine targets and a 35% target share, but this was also a tough-matchup-busting effort for the wide receiver. Waddle lined up against star New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed for 10 of his 24 routes and totaled 18.2 of his 28.2 PPR fantasy points on them. Next up is another tough assignment against the Dallas Cowboys. -- Cockcroft
5. David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns
Njoku dropped 26.4 points on the Bears' defense in Week 15, logging a season-high 10 receptions (on 14 targets) for 104 yards and a touchdown. Njoku scored on a red zone touchdown throw from Joe Flacco, and he continues to produce on schemed concepts that create catch-and-run opportunities. Remember, Njoku totaled 27.1 points last Sunday against the Jags' defense, and he now gets the Texans in Week 16. Lock him in as a TE1 -- again. -- Bowen
6. Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Rice racked up 24.1 points on the Patriots' defense, catching all nine of his targets for 91 yards and a score, with that touchdown grab off a shovel pass from Jerick McKinnon. That's Andy Reid getting creative again in the red zone. Rice has now seen at least nine targets in four straight games, so the volume is there. Plus, he has scored a touchdown in three of his past four. It's pretty clear that Rice has emerged as a prime target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and he'll stay in my WR2 ranks ahead of the Week 15 game versus the Raiders. -- Bowen
7. Lions passing offense
Jared Goff produced his best numbers of the season, throwing five touchdown passes and totaling 31.12 fantasy points in the win over Denver, and Detroit's top targets cashed in here, too. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who finished with 28.6 points, logged three red zone touchdowns on schemed throws. Amon-Ra St. Brown posted his best numbers since Week 10, catching 7 of 9 targets for 112 yards and a score. That was good for 24.2 points. And don't forget about running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He caught a touchdown on a red zone angle route, showing that matchup ability, while rushing for 100 yards and another score. Pretty good night for the Lions' offensive playmakers, who get the Vikings' pressure-heavy defense in Week 16. -- Bowen
8. Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson's first full game played following his return from a hamstring injury (not to mention the chest issue that prematurely ended his Week 14) proved no hindrance to the rookie. Addison enjoyed his second 100-yard, multiple-touchdown receiving effort of the year, for 29.1 PPR fantasy points, with both of his scores catches that made up for awkward and/or ill-advised Nick Mullens throws (one while Mullens was being tackled, the other thrown across his body). Addison's schedule also looks plenty fantasy-friendly (DET, GB, @DET). -- Cockcroft
Ranking fantasy losers of Week 15
1. Anyone rostering Los Angeles Chargers
We've all seen the fallout from Thursday's Chargers demolition by the Las Vegas Raiders, with both general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Brandon Staley dispatched a day later, so let's recount the ugliness that transpired that evening. The Raiders raced to a 42-0 halftime lead -- three shy of the record for first-half points -- on their way to a 63-21 thrashing of these Chargers, meaning that in a five-day span, the Raiders went from shut out by the Vikings to scoring 63. Joshua Palmer (21.3 PPR fantasy points), Easton Stick (17.38) and Quentin Johnston (10.3) had respectable point totals only because of how much the Chargers were throwing during the second half, but Austin Ekeler, started in 93.1% of ESPN leagues, scored 7.8 points in this miserable performance. Kudos, however, to the Raiders' defense, which scored 25 fantasy points fueled by a pair of second-half touchdowns (John Jenkins' fumble return and Jack Jones' pick-six return). The Chargers, who should pick up the pace under new coaching in Week 16, still have their work cut out for them against the Buffalo Bills. -- Cockcroft
2. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
His heck-if-we-know patterns of usage and fantasy production have been maddening, and to see him deliver a 0.4 PPR point score in what was a dream matchup -- the opposing Carolina Panthers entered as the fourth-best schedule adjusted matchup for a running back this year -- and a critical week to our season was particularly enraging. Robinson played more snaps (59%) than Tyler Allgeier (49%), but just as was the case in Robinson's other sub-one-point game (Week 7), he had significantly fewer total touches (8) than Allgeier (15). If you survived this performance, at least Robinson gets the third-most favorable running matchup in Week 16 (IND). -- Cockcroft
3. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
Henry had a rough day in the Week 15 overtime loss to the Texans, rushing for just 9 yards on 16 carries. That's an average of only 0.6 yards per carry. And he followed that up with four receptions -- for 1 yard. The Texans' defense completely controlled the front in this game, creating immediate disruption off the ball and closing down running lanes. Henry has now scored fewer than 10 fantasy points in three of his past six games. He'll stay in the RB2 mix as a touchdown-dependent back for the Week 16 matchup against the Seahawks. --Bowen
4. Dak Prescott, QB; Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott's 6.06 points in the Week 15 loss to the Bills were his lowest since Week 5 versus the 49ers (4.32). He finished without a touchdown pass, throwing for 134 yards and a pick, while adding 27 yards on the ground. Buffalo used lots of two-high shells to limit vertical throws. With Pollard, negative game flow reduced his volume and production. He logged 57 total yards on only 13 touches, recording just 7.7 points. Tough start to the fantasy playoffs here for Prescott and Pollard, with the Dolphins' defense up next in Week 16. -- Bowen
5. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Harris posted his lowest numbers of the season in the Week 15 loss to the Colts, finishing with just 1.3 points, and he has scored fewer than 10 points in four of his past five games. Harris logged a team-high 12 carries in this one, but he totaled just 33 yards rushing, in addition to losing a fumble. Plus, Harris didn't see a single target in the pass game. Given the Steelers' total lack of offensive efficiency right now -- in both the run and pass games -- it's hard to trust Harris ahead of his Week 16 matchup versus the Bengals. -- Bowen
6. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
Though they're not yet mathematically eliminated, kiss the Giants' Cinderella-run chances of a playoff spot goodbye, especially after as pedestrian an effort as Barkley's. His nine rushing attempts were his second fewest in any career game in which he played at least half the team's offensive snaps, his 1.6 yards-per-carry average was his fifth worst, and he scored a season-low 5.7 PPR fantasy points. Barkley and the Giants have a far stiffer challenge in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles, too. -- Cockcroft
Injury impact
Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
What we know: Chase left in the second half of the win over the Vikings with a shoulder injury, and he did not return. Chase caught all four of his targets for 64 yards before the injury.
What's next: Reports indicate that Chase will be listed as day-to-day. We will continue to monitor his status ahead of the Bengals' Week 16 matchup versus the Steelers. -- Bowen
Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets
What we know: He left in the third quarter with a head injury, later revealed to be a concussion, and did not return. Wilson was just 4-of-11 passing before leaving as the Jets fell behind 24-0 at halftime, effectively taking Breece Hall (2.8 PPR fantasy points) out of the equation.
What's next: Wilson will need to clear the league's concussion protocol in order to play in Week 16. Though Aaron Rodgers is reportedly likely to be medically cleared to play during the coming week, the Jets' 5-9 record makes it unlikely he'll rejoin the lineup. Trevor Siemian, who performed poorly in relief on Sunday and dragged down the performance of fantasy-relevant Garrett Wilson (5.9 PPR points), would probably be Wilson's fill-in. -- Cockcroft
Who earned an 'A' this weekend?
Bradley Chubb, Edge, Miami Dolphins
Chubb has been a pass rush win rate stalwart all season, but the box score production hasn't quite been there. That changed Sunday: Chubb recorded a 16% pass rush win rate (low for him) but recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles (and recovered one). -- Walder
Montez Sweat, Edge, Chicago Bears
The Bears couldn't finish the job, but individually Sweat had a huge day against Joe Flacco and the Browns. Sweat recorded 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble in the loss. Sweat hasn't been strong in pass rush win rate this year even as he set a career high in sacks, but he was better in that area Sunday, too, with a 17% PRWR. -- Walder
Who earned an 'F' this weekend?
D.J. Reed, CB, New York Jets
Reed allowed five receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown on six targets as the nearest defender Sunday, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Most notably Reed was beat by Jalen Waddle on a deep ball in the second quarter for a 60-yard score. Reed is normally a strong corner, but he had a rough day Sunday -- as did many players on the Jets in their 30-0 loss. -- Walder
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Arthur Smith continued to frustrate fantasy managers rostering Robinson by giving the first-round back just seven carries, but Robinson made nothing of the opportunities he did get. He recorded just 11 yards on those seven carries, also racking up negative-21 rush yards over expectation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He had just one reception for 3 yards, too. -- Walder
Lingering questions from Week 15's games
David Njoku has been one of the best fantasy tight ends this season and his production has really spiked since the move to Joe Flacco at QB. Do you expect this trend to continue?
Without question. Njoku has emerged as the clear No. 2 option in the passing game behind Amari Cooper. In Sunday's 20-17 win over Chicago, Njoku and Cooper became the first Browns duo to each finish with more than 100 receiving yards in the same game since 2013. Njoku also had the key play on the game-winning field goal drive Sunday, a 19-yard catch on third-and-15. "He's been awesome," Flacco said. "When you get the ball in his hands, he's such a strong runner." Flacco has trust in Njoku, who is now a must-start in the fantasy playoffs. -- Jake Trotter