Sit/Start 2023 Week 15: Reviewing All Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Game Info

Kickoff: Sunday, December 17th, 1:00 PM ET

Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro Massachusetts

Betting Odds: NE +9.5, 37.5 total via oddshark.com

Network: Fox

Writer: Dustin Ludke (@TheDunit13 on Twitter)

Kansas City Chiefs

Quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes (Start, QB2)

Patrick Mahomes has been off this season, especially in the past few weeks. It seems that defenses are more in tune with his make-shift plays and perhaps the lack of a true wide receiver is finally catching up to the former MVP. Mahomes now faces a defense that is not only good at taking away the best thing you do but is also giving up the 6th fewest points to quarterbacks. After a Week 14 loss that left Mahomes steaming and put a blemish on his spotless record of being a classy loser, he will be trying to get right. At the end of the day, Mahomes is still what he has always been. The issue is that is for fantasy football a solid QB2. He is lacking the big games that we were accustomed to with Tyreek Hill. He only has six games this season in the QB1 range. You start him because he can get there any week but we need to realize he is just a solid QB2.

Running Backs

Isiah Pacheco (Sit), Jerick McKinnon (Start, Flex) Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Sit)

The run game for the Kansas City Chiefs will be lacking if Isiah Pacheco can’t play this week. He missed the last game with a shoulder injury but they did not put him on IR meaning they expect him back sooner rather than later. I’m not sure Pacheco will be able to go and even if he does he won’t be 100% so I’m not starting him. The question will be what does that mean for former break-out candidate Clyde Edwards-Helaire? Given that the Patriots are giving up the 12th fewest points to running backs I don’t like C.E.H. even if Pacheco is out. He is only averaging 3.51 yards per carry and gets taken out in obvious passing situations and two-minute drills. Sit the former 1st round pick. This leaves us with Jerick McKinnon. He hasn’t had a great season while dealing with injuries but played 45% of the team’s snaps last week. He only saw four carries and four targets but was used in the red zone where he was able to reach pay dirt. As much as things are off with Mahomes, McKinnon is one of the few players who is on the same page with him and gives him that comfort. I’m willing to roll McKinnon out as a flex play this week.

Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends

Rashee Rice (Start, WR3) Kadarius Toney (Sit), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Sit), Skyy Moore (Sit),  Travis Kelce (Start, TE1)

Let me check with the ref and make sure I’m lined up right before I start this section. Okay, they say I’m good. The Chiefs have a budding star at wide receiver in Rashee Rice. He has shown week in and week out that he can be a difference-maker. He now has six touchdowns on the year. He also has an odd pattern of scoring and then not scoring. He scored last week so maybe that pattern continues this week. It’s a tough matchup considering he will probably see Jonathan Jones in coverage. Jones is rated as the 24th-best corner by PFF.com. The Patriots are known for taking away your one weapon and they could see Rice as it. I think his past few weeks keep him in your lineup and he should be a fine WR3 this week.

The other wide receivers for the Chiefs can’t catch. The only thing they can catch is a benching in fantasy this week. Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore are barely worth rostering. They should probably be dropped at this point

Travis Kelce is as consistent as they come. He has been a TE1 in every game but one this year. The Patriots will try to take him away and considering they are giving up the fewest fantasy points to tight ends it could be a down week for Kelce but he always seems to find a way to get the ball and get into TE1 range. Start him.

New England Patriots

Quarterback

Bailey Zappe (Sit, QB2)

The New England Patriots might have found something in quarterback Bailey Zappe. In his second start on the season, he threw for three touchdowns and only one pick all while racking up 240 yards. That was against a very good Pittsburgh Steelers defense. He now gets to face the Chiefs defense which is giving up the 18.54 points to the defense which is 15th most compared to 15.23 and 9th fewest where the Steelers rate. The Chiefs do have a solid secondary and with the Patriots not having wide receivers to take advantage of some of their weaker spots I worry about what Zappe will be able to do. The Cheifs also have a very good pass rush so Zappe will have to get the ball out quick or evade pressure to keep plays and drives alive. With no more bye weeks, I think there have to be better options with better matchups this week. Sit Zappe.

Running Backs

Rhamondre Stevenson (Sit), Ezekiel Elliot (Start, Flex)

We’ve got another injured running back whose health will have to be monitored. Rhamondre Stevenson is dealing with an ankle injury that cost him the Week 14 matchup but that was a Thursday night game so he has had a few extra days to get right. The Chiefs are middle of the road in terms of giving up points to the running back position. So it’s a good matchup for whoever the lead rusher is. If Rhamondre can’t go Ezekiel Elliot would be in line for another big workload again. While his bell-cow days may be behind him Zeke was still capable of handling 22 carries as well as catching seven of his eight targets. It’s the work in the passing game that impresses me and makes him a solid Flex play if Stevenson can’t go and an RB2 if Stevenson misses. What to do with Stevenson. If he plays I’m tempering expectations. I never like starting someone coming off an injury. Sit Stevenson this week.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

Juju Smith-Schuster (Sit, Flex), Tyquon Thornton (Sit), Hunter Henry (Sit, TE2)

Nope. just No. Please stop. it takes me longer to type out Juju Smith-Schuster than it should for you to make a decision on starting a Patriots pass catcher. Let’s start with the fact the Chiefs are giving up the 9th fewest points to wide receivers. Then you look at matchups and realize they have two very good corners in Trent McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed. PFF.com has them rated as the 16th and 44th best cover corners. Juju despite having a slight revenge game will see a lot of McDuffie. I’m not buying the volume for him this week. He is a risky flex-start.

Tyquon Thornton is a field stretcher who has played a ton of snaps the past two weeks but has only seen six combined targets. He is still developing and not worth starting. The same can be said about everyone else. As long as Demario “Pop” Douglas is out the wide receivers in New England are combined going disappoint for fantasy,

Hunter Henry had a massive game last Thursday but that was against a weak matchup and on his birthday. This week is very different. It’s not his birthday and the Chiefs are giving up the 4th fewest points to tight ends. Chasing those points this week would be a disaster for your fantasy playoffs.