NFL Week 15 fantasy football takeaways: Jacoby Brissett shines again

If you're reading this, that likely means you won your first-round matchup to advance to the next round of your fantasy football playoffs. In that case, congratulations!

Your job isn't done yet, though. To help you navigate the upcoming semifinals, here are our four biggest fantasy takeaways from NFL Week 15. 

Jacoby Brissett is a matchup-proof QB1. Wait, what?

Yes, we really just typed that without an ounce of sarcasm. 

Going up against the Houston Texans, the No. 1-ranked defense in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, Brissett threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns to finish with 20.56 fantasy points. Since taking over the Arizona Cardinals' starting job in Week 6, the veteran QB has averaged 20.5 fantasy points per game. Josh Allen (24.6) and Patrick Mahomes (21.1) are the only QBs who have averaged more fantasy points per game than Brissett this season. 

Brissett has been an elite fantasy QB because the Cardinals can't run the ball and fall behind in every game they play. That's why he's attempted at least 40 passes in six straight games. Brissett can lead you to a championship with solid matchups against the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals on deck. 

It's time to bench Justin Jefferson

If you held onto Jefferson and are lucky enough to still be alive in the playoffs, it's time to find a replacement. This has been true for a few weeks, but it's never been clearer. Over the last three games, Jefferson has caught just six of his 18 targets for 37 yards and no touchdowns. He hasn't hit the griddy in the end zone since Week 9, and he's failed to reach double-digit fantasy points in five of his last six games. 

Jefferson simply doesn't have a strong connection with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and it's hard to imagine that will magically change in Week 16. Jefferson should be ranked outside the top 25 wide receivers in fantasy football. 

Kyle Pitts could be a league-winning tight end

Pitts has been one of the most frustrating fantasy players to own over the last few years, but he might be the key to a fantasy championship in 2025. The Atlanta Falcons tight end caught 11 of his 12 targets for 166 yards and three touchdowns (45.6 PPR points) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15.

Over the last three weeks, Pitts has scored 75.8 PPR points thanks to his 30 targets from Kirk Cousins. Keep firing him up as a top-five fantasy tight end. 

The Colts should be downgraded across the board

The Colts were a fantasy football gold mine for most of the season, but it's going to be tough sledding without quarterback Daniel Jones. Indianapolis brought 44-year-old Phillip Rivers out of retirement in Week 15 to start on short notice, and it went how you probably expected. 

Rivers threw for just 120 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 27 pass attempts. WR Michael Pittman Jr. snagged three of his five targets for 26 yards, and TE Tyler Warren caught three of his six targets for just 19 yards. Even Jonathan Taylor managed only 87 rushing yards on 25 carries, as the Seattle Seahawks loaded the box to stop the ground game. 

Rivers understandably can't push the ball down the field, so Indy will operate as a dink-and-dunk offense with no explosivity down the stretch.