Eli Manning had his best game of the season on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Credit: @NFLExperience
Week 15 was very important for many fantasy owners looking to make it into the championship round of the playoffs. For those lucky enough to have won, they can probably thank at least one of the players on the following list. There is not much time left in the football season, but these players are still performing at an elite level. Here are some of the best performances from Week 15 in fantasy football.
Todd Gurley, RB Los Angeles Rams:
By far the most dominant player in fantasy football this weekend, Todd Gurley had his best game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. In what was supposed to be a tough matchup for the third year running back, he single-handedly took down the Rams’ division rival on the road. Gurley ran the ball 21 times for 152 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching three passes for 28 yards and another score. Fantasy owners were rewarded with 42 points in standard scoring leagues, making him the highest scoring player this week in fantasy football. Gurley has been everything the Rams had hoped for when they drafted him in the first round a few years ago, and after a sluggish performance last season, he is back to being an elite runner. Los Angeles is one of the best offenses in the league, and after scoring 42 points against Seattle Sunday, they have more than enough confidence to go far in the playoffs. Gurley should be a reliable start in the last two games of the season, as long as they don’t bench him in Week 17 to keep him fresh for the postseason.
Kareem Hunt, RB Kansas City Chiefs:
After five straight games of single-digit fantasy point performances, Kareem Hunt has gotten hot again, giving owners 52.4 points in standard scoring over the last two weeks. The Kansas City Chiefs are back on track to clinch the AFC West even after suffering through a slump following their five-game win streak to start the season, and a lot of the success has to do with keeping the ball on the ground. This week against the Chargers, Hunt carried the ball 24 times for 155 yards and a touchdown, he also caught seven passes for 51 yards and another score. The big game gave fantasy owners 32.6 fantasy points in standard scoring and came at a great time in the fantasy football playoffs. Before last week’s game against the Raiders, Hunt hadn’t found the end-zone since Week 3 against the Chargers but has now scored three times over the last two games. The rookie is set to finish the season as one of the best running backs in the NFL, and should easily be a first-round draft pick in fantasy leagues next season.
Cam Newton, QB Carolina Panthers:
After being considered a bust in fantasy football through the first three weeks of the season, Cam Newton has turned his year around to become the fourth highest scoring quarterback with two games left to go. Since Week 4 of this season, “Super Cam” has three games of more than 31 fantasy points and only one game with less than 10. His ability to have an explosive performance any given week is what makes the veteran special, and he certainly did that this game in a crucial matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Newton threw for 242 yards and four
touchdowns, and he also ran the ball 14 times for an additional 58 yards. This performance came at a critical time for fantasy owners looking to make it further in the playoffs, as this 31.5 point game in standard scoring was his third best week so far this season. For owners who were lucky enough to advance in the playoffs, the Panthers have an easy schedule coming up when they play the Buccaneers and the Falcons, both of which should be easy to score on. Newton has proven once again that he is a viable fantasy quarterback, and will be drafted within the Top-10 next season.
Keelan Cole, WR Jacksonville Jaguars:
Nobody saw it coming on draft day, but here at the end of football season, the Jaguars’ wide receiver to own is Keelan Cole. Coming into the year Allen Robinson was the receiver you would want, but after his injury and injuries to both Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee, Cole is one of the only healthy players left to catch the ball. The undrafted rookie out of Kentucky Wesleyan College has been good over the past few weeks and just had the best game of his young career Sunday against the Texans. Cole caught seven passes for 186 yards and a touchdown; this marked the third game in a row that he has scored and was the first time he topped 100 receiving yards in his professional career. The Jaguars have an easy matchup in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers but will have a tougher assignment the following week when they play a divisional game against the Titans. Both matchups should give Cole enough opportunity to finish the season strong and prove he deserves to be a starter next season. It might be difficult to trust the rookie this far into the fantasy playoffs, but if you are desperate, he should receive a lot of attention if both Lee and Hurns remain out.
Eli Manning, QB New York Giants:
It might be hard to find anyone who decided to start Eli Manning Sunday against a solid Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. Luckily, owners that decided to give him a shot, or people that played him in their DFS lineup were rewarded when Manning put on a masterful performance. In a game that the Giants would eventually end up losing, the veteran threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns giving him 27.4 fantasy points in standard scoring. Despite the loss, it was a promising showing from Manning and the entire Giants’ offense by proving that they still have some fight in them despite a dreadful season. The future remains a mystery for the two-time super bowl champion, but whether he stays with the Giants or moves on to another team, he will still carry some fantasy value heading into next season. It is tough to recommend starting Manning for the last two games of the year, but if you have to, he might be able to put up some decent numbers against the Cardinals and Redskins.
