QB – Jay Cutler – He is coming off of his best fantasy effort of the season last week throwing for 244 yards with 4 TD’s and no interceptions. There is no question that Cutler is a capable fantasy QB, but he is not yet considered in the elite class of NFL gunslingers. While he continues to show improvement, Cutler is prone to the occasional bad game. This week he will face an improved, but vulnerable Texans pass defense. You should consider him a very good, but not great, starting option for week 15.
RB – Selvin Young – Based on the way week 14 played out, it appears that Young will get the majority of the carries in the Broncos running game from here on out. He is coming off a great 156 yard effort in week 14 and Thursday’s match up against the 23rd ranked Houston run defense looks very favorable. The only downside is that he will still give up a number of carries to Travis Henry, likely including those in goal line situations. Considering the match up and Young’s abilities, you should still consider him a decent starting option.
RB – Travis Henry – He did manage to find the end zone last week, but he only had 24 yards rushing on 10 carries, as Selvin Young received the bulk of the workload for Denver. You should probably expect a similar scenario this week, which drops Henry’s fantasy value considerably. On a positive note, Henry will likely continue to receive the goal line carries, so he still carries some value with TD potential. He is a risky week 15 starting option under the current circumstances.
WR – Brandon Marshall – Week 14 proved to be a monster for Marshall and fantasy owners alike as he hauled in a career best 10 passes for 115 yards and 2 TD’s. He has been one of the most reliable fantasy WR’s of the ’07 season, and continues to put up solid numbers on a weekly basis. The Houston pass defense has done a decent job in slowing down big play WR’s throughout the season, but they also have plenty of weaknesses. Expect another solid effort from Marshall in week 15. He should definitely be in your starting line up.
WR – Brandon Stokley – While he has had some nice fantasy outings recently, Stokley should be considered a risk for your starting roster in week 15. He missed Tuesday’s practice with a knee injury and is listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game. When healthy, Stokley has proven to be a decent starting option, but under the current circumstances, you may want to look elsewhere. You should keep tabs on his status heading into Thursday if you are planning on starting him. If he plays, you should consider him as a #3 WR or flex option on your roster this week. (Check injury report: knee)
WR – Javon Walker – Despite high hopes for fantasy owners since his return from injury, Walker has only managed 1 catch in the last 3 weeks. He is obviously still bothered by his surgically repaired knee, and has little fantasy value until he can prove otherwise. Walker should not be considered for your starting roster in week 15.
TE – Tony Scheffler – He has not been very productive in the last couple of weeks, but this week’s match up against Houston should help turn things around. While the Texans rank a decent 14th against the pass, they have had trouble containing TE’s all season. It is hard to make a guarantee any week with even the best TE, but this match up is at least in his favor, and Scheffler should rebound with a nice game. He is not a lock, but depending on your other options, Scheffler should probably be in your starting line up.
TE – Daniel Graham – He is coming off of a nice week 14, but he has not proven to be a consistent fantasy option throughout the season. Graham is not reliable enough to seriously consider for your starting line up in week 15.
Broncos Defense – This defense has had some bright spots throughout the season, including a great performance last week, but they should still be considered risky. They get a fair amount of turnovers and sacks on a weekly basis, but only 3 defenses in the NFL have given up more points than the Broncos. While the week 15 match up against Houston does not appear too frightening, the Texans can be dangerous on offense. Consider the Denver defense a fair to midline starting option this week.
HOUSTON
QB – Sage Rosenfels – He can not be considered a top fantasy QB for week 15, but Rosenfels has shown promise at times, including a very good performance last week against a tough Tampa Bay defense. This week he will face a Denver pass defense that ranks 7th in the NFL, but the Broncos are susceptible to giving up big plays in the passing game. If you are in need of a capable fantasy QB for week 15, Rosenfels is not a bad starting option.
RB – Ron Dayne – While the Texans coaching staff remains optimistic about his chances to start on Thursday, the odds of him doing so remain slim. Even if Dayne does start, his bad ankle will likely limit him given the short week of rest. The match up against Denver’s 29th ranked run defense appears favorable, but under the circumstances, he would be a very risky start. You should keep track of his progress over the next day or two before even considering him for your starting line up in week 15. (Check injury report: ankle)
RB – Darius Walker – If Ron Dayne is unable to play with his bad ankle; Walker will likely be the starting RB for Houston on Thursday. Despite a lackluster performance on the ground last week against Tampa, Walker did provide some fantasy value with 6 catches for 35 yards. If he does get the start, Walker would be looking at a favorable match up against Denver, but we know very little about his ability after only 1 game, and the Houston running game has not been very successful all season with any back. Consider Walker an emergency fill in at best for week 15, and only if Dayne is unable to play.
WR – Andre Johnson – In his last 2 games Johnson has 18 receptions for 198 yards and 2 TD’s. He is simply one of the best fantasy WR’s in the NFL. Despite a potentially tough match up against shut down CB Champ Bailey on Thursday night, we like his chances for another big game. He is a must start for week 15.
WR – Kevin Walter – In spite of a strong week 14 effort, Walter has been unreliable since the return of Andre Johnson. He is a capable fantasy WR under the right circumstances, but Walter is too much of a liability for your starting roster this week.
WR – Andre Davis – At this point, Davis is merely an afterthought in the Texans offensive game plan and is not worth consideration in week 15.
TE – Owen Daniels – He has stepped up recently, scoring a TD in 2 of his last 3 games, but he has also seen a drop in his reception and yardage totals. At this point in the season, it is difficult to consider Daniels a top flight fantasy TE, but he remains a solid option any week. It is not an easy task to make predictions on TE’s, but considering that Denver has struggled to defend opposing TE’s most of the season, the prospects of a good game appear promising for Daniels. He should make for a solid start.
Texans Defense – The Houston defense can be considered mediocre at best, and they rank in the bottom half of almost every statistical fantasy category. They are much too risky to start against an unpredictable and dangerous Broncos offense. The Texans defense is not a good starting option for week 15.
