Fantasy football managers know that every lineup decision can make or break a week, and choosing the right players to start or sit is where championships are won. With the 2025 NFL season underway, matchups, stats, and trends are more important than ever. From favorable matchups and scoring trends to players you should avoid in tough spots, my weekly positional start and sit guide is built to give you an edge.
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DEF to Start
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are in a prime streaming spot this week against a Jets offense that is once again dealing with instability at quarterback. With Justin Fields nursing a knee injury and Tyrod Taylor leaving Week 14 with a groin issue, undrafted rookie Brady Cook may be forced into another start after throwing two interceptions against Miami. New York has been one of the most sack-prone teams in football all season, taking the third-highest sack rate and allowing 47 sacks overall. Jacksonville has quietly become a strong defensive unit, generating pressure at a 38% rate since its bye while also playing excellent run defense. They’ve posted six double-digit fantasy performances and rank seventh among fantasy defenses at 7.8 points per game. Even if Cook doesn’t start, this matchup still heavily favors Jacksonville due to the Jets’ offensive struggles. With turnovers likely and sacks almost guaranteed, the Jaguars are one of the best widely available plays of Week 15.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have underwhelmed as a fantasy defense for much of the season, but they enter Week 15 with an ideal matchup against a Titans offense averaging just 15.5 points per game. San Francisco is coming off a bye, giving them extra preparation time and much-needed rest as they continue to deal with injuries across the roster. Although the Titans haven’t been the pushover they once were for fantasy defenses, they remain limited offensively and have struggled to sustain drives. The 49ers have logged three double-digit games this season, including two over their last three contests, and their athleticism still gives them a high weekly ceiling. Tennessee recently held Cleveland and Seattle to modest defensive outputs, but that doesn’t erase their season-long inconsistency. Given the Titans’ scoring issues and lack of explosive playmakers, the 49ers are a viable Week 15 streamer.
Chicago Bears
The Bears are a risky but justifiable streaming defense this week thanks to a matchup with a Browns offense that still lacks stability despite a recent surge. Cleveland is averaging just 17.2 points per game on the season and now enters Week 15 dealing with major offensive line injuries, including the loss of center Ethan Pocic and the likely absence of right guard Wyatt Teller. Shedeur Sanders has taken eight sacks in his three starts and has shown a tendency to hold the ball, which plays directly into Chicago’s hands, racking up more sacks. The Bears rank first in turnover rate and 12th in opponent scoring rate over the last two months, forming one of the most opportunistic units in football. With the Browns missing multiple linemen and facing one of the NFL’s most opportunistic units, the Bears have sneaky streaming appeal.
DEF to Sit
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have been one of the best fantasy defenses over the last two months, but a matchup against the Lions makes them a clear sit for Week 15. Detroit has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing defenses and boasts the league’s top-ranked scoring offense. Even worse for Los Angeles, this game is indoors in a stadium Jared Goff knows extremely well, which minimizes turnover opportunities and boosts Detroit’s scoring potential. The Rams rank top-12 or better across several defensive metrics recently, including EPA allowed, turnover rate, and pressure rate, but those strengths are unlikely to matter against an elite, well-protected offense. Detroit has simply been too efficient to target with opposing defenses. No matter how well the Rams have played, they should be firmly on the bench this week.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have been dependable for fantasy, but this is not the week to trust them with Josh Allen and the Bills coming to town. Buffalo is scoring nearly 30 points per game since their Week 7 bye and producing over 380 total yards per contest, creating one of the worst matchups imaginable for opposing defenses. New England’s defense has slipped since losing Milton Williams, ranking bottom three in defensive success rate and struggling heavily against the run. While the Patriots still excel in pressure rate and opponent scoring rate over the last two months, those strengths typically do not translate well against Josh Allen and the Bills. Even if the Patriots find a way to force a takeaway, the overall damage is likely to outweigh any fantasy value. This is a matchup to avoid completely with your playoff hopes on the line.
Kickers to Start
Ka’imi Fairbairn HOU
Ka’imi Fairbairn has been one of the most consistent kickers in fantasy this season and enters Week 15 with a strong matchup against a Cardinals defense that consistently allows scoring opportunities. He has scored at least eight fantasy points in eight straight games and is 29-of-32 on field goal attempts, with all three misses coming from 50+ yards. Fairbairn averages nearly three field goal attempts per game, giving him one of the most reliable workloads in the league. Arizona’s defense has surrendered nine or more points to kickers nine times this season, including five such games since Week 10. If you’ve been riding Fairbairn, you keep rolling him out with confidence.
Eddy Pineiro SF
Eddy Pineiro returns from a two-game absence and a Week 14 bye, giving him extra rest to recover from a hamstring injury just in time for an excellent matchup. Before getting hurt, Pineiro was perfect on all 22 field goal attempts, including six from 50+ yards, showing both reliability and elite leg strength. Despite missing multiple games, he still ranks as the K15 on the season thanks to strong early-season production. The Titans have been one of the more generous defenses to opposing kickers, ranking inside the top 12 in fantasy points allowed to the position. There is some risk with him coming off injury, but the matchup and talent level outweigh the concern. Pineiro carries legitimate top-10 upside this week.
Kickers to Sit
Matt Prater BUF
Matt Prater has been consistent but unspectacular recently, failing to score more than eight fantasy points in six straight games and seeing his season average dip to a modest 7.5 points per game. This week he draws the Patriots, who have allowed just five fantasy points per game to kickers, one of the lowest marks in the league. The projected high game total doesn’t help him either, as New England tends to force touchdowns rather than field goal tries. Given his recent decline in volume and a difficult defensive matchup, Prater becomes a liability in the fantasy playoffs. Managers should look for kickers with safer workloads and more favorable matchups.
Harrison Butker KC
Harrison Butker has become nearly unstartable, posting single-digit fantasy points in eight of his last nine games and managing just three points in Week 14 against Houston. Kansas City’s offense has been inconsistent all season, limiting his scoring opportunities despite strong accuracy. The Chargers present another difficult matchup, allowing fewer than seven fantasy points per game to opposing kickers since Week 7. Even though Butker scored 11 points against them in Week 1, the Chiefs’ offense has regressed and now struggles to sustain drives. With a projected total in the low 40s, this game offers little scoring upside for kickers on either side. Butker’s floor is simply too low to trust in the fantasy playoffs. unities even further. With both poor recent form and a tough matchup, Elliott is an easy sit for Week 14.
