We are officially past the halfway point of the NFL season, meaning the fantasy playoffs are a mere month away. With fringe teams fighting for playoff seeding and juggernauts looking to keep their strongholds over league mates, now is not the time to let up. We break down this week’s best and worst matchups to keep you ready for whatever curveballs your lineup throws at you.
Quarterback
Best: QB Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals
There’s been lots of fantasy surprises this year, but Joe Flacco’s Cincinnati resurrection may take the cake. The 40-year-old vet has dominated since taking over as the Bengals’ signal caller, ranking as the QB6 overall and averaging 25.4 fantasy points per game since Week 6.
Now, he faces a reeling Steelers defense allowing a league-high 269.4 passing yards per game and surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points per game (21.4) to quarterbacks. The Bengals’ defense is among the worst in the league, allowing a league-high 33.3 points per game, which means the Bengals will likely need to lean on Flacco to keep up in the contest.
Flacco lit up the Steelers back in Week 7, throwing for 342 yards and 3 TDs. Coming off the bye, expect the Joe Flacco victory tour to roll on.
Worst: QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
While Seattle continues to dominate, Sam Darnold’s MVP campaign has cooled off significantly in recent weeks. Since Week 7, Darnold has been the QB21, averaging 14.6 fantasy points per game. This week, he faces a Rams defense that has quietly become one of the most dominant in the league.
The Rams allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, and hold signal callers to the ninth-lowest QB rating per game (88.6). Even bigger, LA ranks ninth in pressure rate, and Darnold’s passer rating plummets from 128.6 in a clean pocket to 83.8 when under duress.
Darnold has thrown an interception in three straight games now, and the Rams’ defense is tied for the fifth-most turnovers in the league (14). This is also the same Rams defense that sacked Darnold a whopping nine times in last year’s NFC wild-card game. Darnold could end up seeing ghosts again this week.
Running Back
Best: RB Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Woody Marks is finally finding his footing after an up-and-down start to his rookie season. He’s logged double-digit touches in four straight games, topping 12 fantasy points in three of them and averaging 73 scrimmage yards over his last two.
The rookie continues to flash burst and balance as both a runner and receiver for Houston, even while operating in one of the league’s least efficient offenses. Coming off a 16-touch, 81-yard, one-touchdown outing in Week 10, Marks now draws a dream matchup against a Titans defense that’s surrendered 12 rushing scores to running backs—tied for most in the league—and the third-most fantasy points per game to the position. Marks is in the perfect position to build on last week’s momentum and deliver another solid performance.
Worst: RB Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Kenneth Walker III has been one of the bigger disappointments of the 2025 fantasy season, with fellow stable-mate Zach Charbonnet siphoning touchdowns from him on what seems like a weekly basis. Despite maintaining a steady workload of at least 11 touches in five straight games, Walker hasn’t cracked double-digit fantasy points in any of them and hasn’t found the end zone since Week 3.
That’s bad news against a Rams defense that’s allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to running backs and just one rushing touchdown all season. Similar to Darnold’s foreboding matchup, Walker doesn’t fare too well against the Rams either.
Wide Receiver
Best: WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
While CeeDee Lamb was sidelined, Pickens exploded for 120 yards per game and four touchdowns over three contests, finishing as a weekly WR1. Since Lamb’s return, Pickens has only finished as a top-24 wideout once and has failed to score a single touchdown.
The volume is still there, though — Pickens has commanded nine targets in two of three games and averaged 79.6 yards per outing. This week, he faces a Raiders defense that’s allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. With Dallas coming off their bye and one of the slate’s highest implied point totals, Pickens has a clear path to a top-12 finish and should be considered a high-end WR2 with upside.
Worst: WR Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders
Deebo has had an up-and-down year. He opened the season red hot for Washington, ranking as the WR7 through five weeks, but has come back down to earth over the past month. The 29-year-old veteran scored just 23.9 points in his past four appearances, and now faces a Miami Dolphins’ defense that has locked up receivers all season.
Despite their record, the Dolphins allow the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers (20.6) per game, and allow just 207 passing yards per game to opposing offenses. While Samuel averages 8.65 fantasy points per game with Mariota under center, in two of those four games, he scored less than four points. Even with Terry McLaurin ruled out, Samuel is in for a tough outing against Miami.
Tight End
Best: TE Theo Johnson, NY Giants
Theo Johnson has been quite the surprise since Jaxson Dart took over under center in New York. From Weeks 4–9, Johnson quietly ranked as the TE8 in fantasy points per game, handling an 18.6% target share and averaging 31.7 yards per game and 1.17 yards per route run. He’s also been a steady red-zone factor, drawing six looks inside the 20 and converting five of them for touchdowns over that stretch.
Now, he takes on a Packers defense that allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Even with Dart potentially sidelined and a head-coaching change in line for Big Blue, Johnson should continue to be a steady security blanket to whoever is under center and flirt with TE1 numbers yet again this week.
Worst: TE Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Otton has been rock solid since the Bucs’ wide receiver room got ravaged with injury. Since Week 5, Otton has been the TE13 in half-point PPR, averaging 5.8 catches and 63.8 receiving yards per game — but he’s still searching for his first touchdown of the year.
That streak isn’t likely to end this week. Buffalo has blanketed tight ends this season, allowing the second-least fantasy points per game to the position, and only one touchdown to tight ends all year.
The Bucs’ passing offense could be in for a tough day in general, as the Bills allow the third-fewest passing yards per game to opposing offenses and the second-fewest receptions per game. While Otton will continue to serve as the Bucs’ No. 2 receiving option, he will face an uphill battle this week.
