Fantasy Playoffs: Five Toughest Schedules for Wide Receivers

This week’s Dolphins-Bills game could be make-or-break for many fantasy managers.

It’s Week 15 in the NFL – welcome to the fantasy playoffs! If you’re still alive, congratulations. Take yourself a victory lap … but make it a quick one because there is plenty of work to be done.

As always, success in fantasy football is all about matchups. Any fantasy lineup good enough to make the playoffs has its share of must-start players – guys you need to play no matter who they’re facing. The Bears have the second-best pass defense in the NFL, but you’re not benching Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown when they go to Soldier Field this week. Still, matchups matter.

Fantasy Playoffs Toughest Strength of Schedule
Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends

Based on the strength of schedule during the fantasy playoffs – Weeks 15-17 – here’s a look at the five toughest matchups for wide receivers:

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chiefs
Smith-Schuster is the Chiefs’ leading receiver after Travis Kelce, but from a fantasy standpoint, he’s just WR28 this season. With no more byes, there’s not really any other Kansas City receiver in play. The Chiefs’ next three opponents – Houston, Seattle, Denver – are all in the top seven in the fewest fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.

Justin Jefferson, Vikings
Jefferson likely is the main reason you’re in the fantasy playoffs, and your playoff opponent is cringing to see the Vikings’ wideout in your lineup. It just so happens that Jefferson’s Week 15 opponent, Indianapolis, ranks No. 1 in the fewest fantasy points allowed to receivers. Giants and Packers in Weeks 16-17 aren’t great matchups, either, but this week is the challenge.

Rams receivers
Well, this part is easy. Does it really matter who the Rams are playing? Even if Baker Mayfield continues to work magic, it’s not as if Cooper Kupp is coming back after ankle surgery. If Ben Skowronek is a starting option for you, then you are not in the fantasy playoffs.

Stefon Diggs, Bills
The good news is that Diggs doesn’t have to play the Jets again anytime soon – he had three catches for 37 yards Sunday, both season lows. But the next three games aren’t easy. If he does okay against the Dolphins and Bears, his Week 17 opponent is the Bengals, who have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to receivers.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins
Two of Miami’s next three games are rematches vs. division foes (Buffalo and New England). In his first game against the Bills, Hill had just two catches for 33 yards.