Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 19th at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Betting Odds: ARI -13.5, 47.5 total via Oddsshark
Network: FOX
Writer: Bryan Sweet (@FantasyFreakTN on Twitter, @bsweet0us on Reddit)
Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback
Kyler Murray (Start, QB1)
It was a struggle to watch Kyler Murray pile up 444 yards against the Rams with nary a TD and the Cardinals looked outmatched for the entire game despite a difference of just seven points on the final scoreboard. A date with Detroit is good medicine after an uninspiring outing and Murray should be able to return to elite fantasy QB status against a defense that has struggled for most of the season. Murray helped get you this far, roll with him again in Week 15.
Running Backs
James Conner (Start, RB2), Chase Edmonds (Start, RB2), Eno Benjamin (Sit)
There’s a lot to unpack in this section as the status of James Conner is still up in the air. Conner suffered an injury late in the game last week and limped off the field. Conner sounded unconcerned about the injury, but the team still performed an MRI on his injured ankle so a more significant injury can’t be ruled out. Conner has been a fantasy MVP this season and, if healthy, should be able to have his way with the Lions. However, the injury concerns and the apparent return of Chase Edmonds caps Conner’s upside. Fantasy managers who have been rewarded throughout the season by trusting in Conner should be able to pencil him in for RB2 numbers with upside this week but make sure he’s playing before committing to him fully.
Speaking of Edmonds, all signs are pointing to him returning this week but it remains to be seen how big of a role he’ll step back into. If Conner is healthy, I think the team might want to ease Edmonds back in to get his conditioning back and not risk any sort of reaggravation. Fortunately for Edmonds, even the lesser part of a timeshare against the Lions should provide upside similar to Conner’s. Fantasy managers who stashed Edmonds on the IR or scooped him up after another manager couldn’t wait on him should look for RB2 production this week.
If Arizona thinks they can win without Conner, the team might let him get in some extra rest this week and elevate Eno Benjamin into a part-time role with Edmonds. Benjamin has flashed in the limited role he’s gotten but might provide some appeal against Detroit. If Conner plays, Benjamin is a non-factor but if he can see 15-20 snaps he could be an emergency Flex option for managers who are struggling to find viable options due to injury or COVID. I don’t think Benjamin has the upside to warrant a “start” recommendation regardless of Conner’s status, but I can see the consideration given the circumstances around the NFL.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
A.J. Green (Start, WR3/Flex), Christian Kirk (Start, WR2), Rondale Moore (Sit), Zach Ertz (Start, TE1)
Reports came out yesterday that DeAndre Hopkins is dealing with an injury that looks like it will sideline him for the rest of the regular season; a significant blow to fantasy managers who were hoping to have him for the fantasy playoffs. So the question now becomes how will the other receiving options step up in his absence? Hopkins did miss time earlier this season in Weeks 9-11 but Murray was also absent so we don’t have real-life data to compare directly to each other but Christian Kirk seems like the biggest beneficiary. Kirk has been fairly consistent this season despite a couple of one-catch games and he should see a slight uptick in targets with Hopkins out. The Lions don’t present much of a challenge and Kirk should be able to hit WR2-level production in a larger role.
A.J. Green has looked like he’s turned back the clock this season including a 100-yard performance last week. Green, like Kirk, should see a larger role with Hopkins sidelined and might even be a better PPR option than Kirk given his size and ability to play as more than a downfield threat. Kirk provides a more explosive element to his game but Green is a sure-handed option for Murray and should continue to get peppered with targets. Arizona might put this game away early and take the air out of the ball, making Green a better WR3 or Flex option for fantasy managers this week.
Rondale Moore has brought energy and excitement to Arizona’s offense but has been relegated to trick plays and short passes designed to take advantage of his short-area quickness and burst. With only a few exceptions, Moore has struggled to capitalize on his opportunities as his Average Depth of Target is a paltry 1.7 yards. In Week 11, Moore caught all 11 of his targets but was able to manage only 51 yards. Moore might evolve into a consistent fantasy option, but his involvement in the offense doesn’t inspire confidence for fantasy managers. Maybe he’ll see his role grow in the absence of Hopkins but he simply can’t be trusted right now in the fantasy playoffs.
It’s been a while since an Arizona TE has had an impact in fantasy football, but Zach Ertz has become a vital part of this offense in a short time. Ertz has scored three TDs in just seven games with the team and has regularly seen 5+ targets a game. Ertz is arguably the team’s best red-zone threat and is still trusted in the middle of the field to get the tough yards when needed. Ertz is not a flashy name among fantasy TEs anymore, but he still should find himself in the lower part of the TE1 ranks in Week 15.
Detroit Lions
Quarterback
Jared Goff (Sit)
Would it surprise you to know that Jared Goff is 20th in the NFL in passing yards? Probably not because the Lions are a terrible team. However, you might be surprised to find out that Goff is 12th in pass attempts and 11th in pass completions. This is just another reason why avoiding Goff in fantasy leagues is advised as he simply does not challenge defenses at all. Goff is content to dump off passes to his RBs or TEs and hit quick slants or screens to his WRs, but that doesn’t translate into fantasy stats. Goff’s best weapons in the passing game are out or dealing with injuries, so just don’t even consider him this week. Or any week, for that matter.
Running Backs
Craig Reynolds (Sit), Godwin Igwebuike (Sit)
Last week I thought we’d see a coming-out party for Godwin Igwbuike given what we’d seen in previous weeks and his perceived role in the passing game. It turns out that party was actually for Craig Reynolds, a guy I didn’t know was on the team before the first snap last week. I feel like we’ve been burned by this scenario before in Detroit (Hello, 2019 Bo Scarbrough), so I’m hesitant to trust that Reynolds is going to command the majority of the playing time despite looking mostly good in Week 14 (83 yards on 11 carries and two receptions for 16 yards). This is a game in which Detroit looks like they’ll be playing from behind for the majority of it, so I’d pass on either of these guys this week unless you just enjoy misery.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Josh Reynolds (Sit), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Sit, possible low-end Flex), Kalif Raymond (Sit), T.J. Hockenson (Start, TE1 if playing)
It feels a bit like a broken record writing about this team and “Sit” is the name of the album. It’s just a struggle to trust anybody from this team now that the fantasy playoffs are upon the majority of us. If there is anybody that might be worth a shot in the dark it’s Amon-Ra St. Brown. I was excited about his prospects coming out of college and he’s played like the guy I hoped he’d be the last two weeks with St. Brown has seen 12 targets in each and has turned them into 18 receptions for 159 yards and one (game-winning) TD. He’s become a target monster with D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson out. The volume for St. Brown is good but, as mentioned above, they’re primarily short routes with little to speak of regarding yards after the catch. I wouldn’t start St. Brown as anything above a low-end Flex (and not at all in a non-PPR league), but with the rash of players with unknown statuses, I can see a case for taking a chance on him this week.
Josh Reynolds looked like he might warrant some attention after a 70-yard, one-TD performance in his first start with Detroit but he’s become just another good WR on a bad team. Reynolds does have a surprising yards per reception average of more than 17 yards in the last three games, so a slight increase in targets could result in a startable statline. I just don’t see Reynolds being more than a 4-60-0 guy which just doesn’t carry enough excitement to warrant a positive endorsement this week.
Kalif Raymond was responsible for Detroit’s only TD last week but he’s barely registered anything most games this season. Raymond benefitted from the absences of Swift and Hockenson last week, but betting on another TD to salvage his fantasy day is asking for too much now that the fantasy playoffs are here. Pass on him again this week.
Fantasy managers with Hockenson on their rosters are waiting patiently for any word from the team on his availability for this weekend’s game. Hockenson missed last week with a hand injury and did not practice yesterday, raising serious concerns of another missed game. If Hockenson is available, even at less than 100%, he’s arguably the best pass-catching option the Lions have. I think you have to start him if he plays unless you have a clearly better option as an alternative. Keep a close eye on news coming out of Detroit, especially on Friday, and if Hockenson can go then give him the green light as a low-end TE1. If he misses, no other TE on the team warrants any consideration.