Fabs Five Fantasy Football Sleepers For Week 15: Start Rico Dowdle, Adam Thielen

Michael Fabiano | 3 Hours Ago

Rico Dowdle (left) and Adam Thielen (right) are sleeper starts in fantasy football Week 15. / Adam Thielen: Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesRico Dowdle: Sam Hodde/Getty Images

Welcome to the fantasy football postseason! Now is the time to lean on your big names to carry you to a league championship, but managers also have to make smart lineup choices when a “set-it-and-forget-it player” isn’t available at a specific position or positions.

Looking at the Week 15 matchups, here are five players you didn’t draft or aren’t locked-in starters who you should consider. Also, for those who want even more fantasy advice, check out Lindsay Rhodes and me on Fantasy Dirt five days a week and live on Sundays!

If you're looking to make smart lineup decisions, check out my player rankings and start 'em, sit 'em colums below.

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Week 15 Fantasy Sleeper Starts

RB – Rico Dowdle at Panthers

Dowdle, listed in this space over the last two weeks, has scored a combined 36.4 fantasy points in those contests. He’s also seeing a 45 percent touch share in the Dallas backfield over the last two weeks and a matchup against the Panthers makes him a solid option. No team in the league has allowed more fantasy points to running backs this season.

RB – Braelon Allen at Jaguars

I’m going to mention Allen and Isaiah Davis here, as the rookie duo shared the workload for the Jets last week in the absence of Breece Hall. If Hall is unable to play this week too, I’d consider both players to be flex options in a plus matchup against the Jaguars. Their porous run defense has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to enemy backs.  

RB – Sincere McCormick vs. Falcons (Mon.)

McCormick appears to have taken over the lead role in the Raiders backfield, seeing 35.4% of the touches last week. With Zamir White being placed on injured reserve, it seems that sort of workload will continue when he faces the Falcons on Monday night. Their defense has allowed seven backs to score 15-plus points against them since Week 7.

WR – Adam Thielen vs. Cowboys

Thielen has been on fire since his return to action, scoring a combined 43.1 points in his last two games. During that span, he’s also seen 21 targets. The Cowboys have struggled against wide receivers lately too, allowing the fifth-most points per game to the position over the last eight weeks. That makes Thielen a viable flex starter this weekend.

WR – Quentin Johnston vs. Buccaneers

Johnston is coming off his best game since Week 6, scoring 15.8 points in a loss to the Chiefs. If the Chargers are without Ladd McConkey again, he would have some flex appeal in a plus matchup against the Buccaneers. Their defense has allowed the eighth-most PPR points per game to perimeter receivers, including giving up nine touchdowns in 2024.