As you set your lineups for this important round of the fantasy playoffs, Scott Engel of RotoExperts.com gets you fully prepared with his matchup breakdowns.
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Felix Jones gets the call here to take over as the prime RB for the Cowboys, and he faces Tampa Bay's 28th-ranked run defense. Jones should definitely be started as a RB2. Dallas still will throw often, though, and Tony Romo should pick up a lot of completions. Expect 300-plus passing yards and two TDs from Romo. Jason Witten could haul in a lot of balls and Laurent Robinson, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant have a chance for at least three receptions each. Expect Robinson to score again, while Austin and Bryant are strong WR2 options. LeGarrette Blount should see a lot of work as the Buccaneers attempt to control the clock, so use him as a RB2. Kellen Winslow could get you a lot of catches, but the inconsistent Mike Williams can't be relied on in the fantasy playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
The Bears rank 10th against the run, but even if they somehow limit the yardage production of Marshawn Lynch, they might not be able to keep him out of the end zone. Tarvaris Jackson will try to complete short passes to several receivers if the Bears load up against Lynch. Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin are decent PPR options in larger leagues. The Seahawks are 11th against the run, yet Marion Barber is running with tenacity and breaking tackles. He is a respectable flex option. Johnny Knox is a nifty start at WR3. His speed and moves in the open field could present a big challenge for the Seattle CBs.
Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs
Expect a decent day for Ryan Grant. He seems to be running with more confidence and the Chiefs allow 132.5 rushing yards per game. Aaron Rodgers should be undaunted by the loss of Greg Jennings. Just about every Packers WR has value this week -- Jordy Nelson and James Jones could both score while Randall Cobb and Donald Driver could post decent PPR totals. Before you start getting concerned about Rodgers being benched early in a blowout, remember he has to stack up some pretty good numbers to get the big lead. The Chiefs have no running game to speak of and Kyle Orton can't offer much, especially when playing from behind. Reserve all Chiefs other than Dwayne Bowe, who can deliver adequate PPR totals as Orton should lean on him frequently.
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Matt Moore should be good to go and is a quality starting option against Buffalo's vulnerable pass defense. Brandon Marshall could have a big day, and this might be a good week to start Anthony Fasano as well. Reggie Bush likely will be very busy as both a runner and receiver, and expect him to find the end zone yet again. Miami has the league's third-best run defense, so you should not use C.J. Spiller unless your other flex choices are lacking. Ryan Fitzpatrick should throw often with mixed results. Expect a very good day for Stevie Johnson and a TD for David Nelson, but Fitzpatrick may also turn the ball over more than twice and is not recommended for usage.
Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans
The Texans have the top-ranked defense in the league and seem poised to shut down DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. No defense, though, can fully contain Cam Newton, and he should still come through with very good fantasy point totals. Arian Foster can easily carry you into the next round of the playoffs against a defense that allows 128.9 rushing yards per game. You also have to consider Ben Tate as a flex option. T.J. Yates can manage a game and will try to get the ball to Owen Daniels and Joel Dreessen. But Yates is still much too inexperienced to risk using him in the fantasy playoffs, even after he showed some promise last week.
Cincinnati Bengals at St. Louis Rams
The Rams have the worst run defense in the league, and Cedric Benson is a top start as a RB2. That should allow Andy Dalton to operate with more ease, and you can expect more than one TD. A.J. Green is one of the very best WR starts of Week 15, and expect Jermaine Gresham to score. Jerome Simpson should also post some quality yardage numbers. Kellen Clemens may have to start for the Rams, and his presence at QB downgrades the potential production of Brandon Lloyd, who should be benched if you have a tight decision between him and another WR. Steven Jackson probably will get a lot of work again, and he is savvy enough to turn many touches into good production even if the defense hones in on him.
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
Chris Johnson is running much better than the first time he faced the Colts and is set to tear major holes in Indy's 30th-ranked run defense. Matt Hasselbeck (calf) should be able to start and could throw more than one TD pass as the Colts focus on stopping Johnson. Damian Williams is a fine WR start and Lavelle Hawkins should also find the end zone. Nate Washington (ankle) could break a few big plays, if he is able to play. The Titans rank 20th against the pass, so Pierre Garcon and Reggie Wayne won't totally flop if you are forced to use them. Donald Brown should get a chance to score from short range, but you really do not want to use any Colts if you seriously intend to advance in your playoffs.
Washington Redskins at New York Giants
Rex Grossman is a popular name being tossed around in fantasy circles this week, as he faces a highly vulnerable New York secondary. You can use Grossman if you do not have another top-flight option, but keep in mind he is historically erratic and could shatter your fantasy playoff hopes. However, Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney are viable starting options. Roy Helu is a must-start RB2 right now. Eli Manning is playing very well right now, and only Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers may be better Week 15 starters. Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are two of the very elite WR starts for this week, and expect Brandon Jacobs to finish off a scoring drive with a TD run. Ahmad Bradshaw may be fired up after a first-half benching last week and should produce some good yardage numbers.
New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings
No team in the NFL has allowed more passing TDs than the Vikings, who have surrendered 26 scoring tosses. Drew Brees will certainly look to gun the ball at will and can carry many fantasy teams into the next round this week. Marques Colston should rack up some good PPR numbers, and expect Lance Moore to score. If you are desperate, you can also give the inconsistent Robert Meachem a shot. Darren Sproles should be used as a strong flex performer this week. Adrian Peterson will get a lot of defensive attention, and his yardage numbers may be disappointing. Yet Percy Harvin could get open often and is a prime WR2 for Week 15.
Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders
In the AFC, Oakland has allowed the second-most TD passes (23). Matthew Stafford should get 300 yards and two TDs, because the Raiders may not be able to stop the pass, even if they know it's coming. Calvin Johnson should get back into an elite groove with big numbers, and Brandon Pettigrew is starting to get back into the offensive flow. Nate Burleson, however, cannot be trusted to post the needed fantasy numbers. The Lions' 27th-ranked run defense could yield a score to Michael Bush, even though he seems to be slowing down in terms of yardage. Carson Palmer might have to throw often to keep up with Stafford, which could lead to a two-TD, two-interception type of day.
New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles
Shonn Greene is running with a lot of confidence and should enjoy another good game against an Eagles team that allows 115.1 rushing yards per game. Mark Sanchez is erratic and can't be trusted to exploit the Eagles' defense, which ranks 12th against the pass. Santonio Holmes is his go-to guy, though, and is the only Jets pass-catcher worth using this week. LeSean McCoy is the most reliable RB in fantasy football in terms of TD production. But the Eagles do not match up well with the Jets in the passing game, as the New York CBs can certainly shut down the Eagles WRs for extensive periods. Michael Vick could sputter, and this game could produce fewer points than the average onlooker might expect.
Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals
Seneca Wallace could actually put some zip into the Browns' passing game, but not enough to make any of the pass-catchers worthy of usage this late in the fantasy schedule. Peyton Hillis gets his best matchup of the late-season schedule here, but isn't quite in sync with his blockers, so he might post just mediocre numbers. Beanie Wells could be the star of this game against the worst run defense in the AFC. Joe Haden has not been a pure shutdown CB, so do not reserve Larry Fitzgerald because of the perceived matchup challenge. You must ride with your proven superstars in the fantasy postseason.
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
The Broncos have been playing pretty good defense, but the Patriots simply have too much weaponry to be fully contained. Champ Bailey is no longer capable of silencing a Wes Welker, so expect Welker to still get his numbers, and of course, the Broncos likely won't have an answer for Rob Gronkowski. Tom Brady may not have his best game, but you can't bench him. BenJarvus Green Ellis, though, might struggle to pick up yardage. Tim Tebow is gaining confidence as a passer and is a top 10-QB start. Expect him to connect with Eric Decker for a TD, and Demaryius Thomas should provide good yardage numbers again. Willis McGahee could see lots of open running lanes and should approach 100 rushing yards.
Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers
The Chargers probably don't have much hope of stopping Ray Rice, especially when you consider San Diego allows 128.9 rushing yards per game. Baltimore should also be able to throw with some success, and Torrey Smith could be a threat to make some big plays and score. Anquan Boldin, however, has frustrated fantasy owners recently and should be reserved if you have other quality options for your WR3 spot. Ryan Mathews has been performing well recently, but cannot be expected to do too much against the AFC's best run defense. Mike Tolbert should be reserved. Philip Rivers could be forced to throw a lot and might be erratic. Antonio Gates should still get his catches, but this could be one of those down weeks for Vincent Jackson.
Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers
While Rashard Mendenhall is obviously not a good start against the league's best run defense, do not overlook the fact that the 49ers rank 18th against the pass. The Steelers are a pass-first team, and Mike Wallace is very capable of scoring this week. Antonio Brown could be busy as a key pass-catcher and should finish with good PPR totals. Frank Gore is banged up, and you can find better options against the always-stout Steelers run defense. Kendall Hunter is not a recommended flex option, either. The 49ers don't have outstanding playmakers to use in this matchup. You will likely get better numbers from many other players, so steer clear of Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis if you can.
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