Are there too many IDP starting lineup decisions for you this week? Can’t decide which linebacker or edge rusher to start? Which safety gets the nod this week?”
This will not be the typical ‘obvious starters’ type of article. Always start your studs like Myles Garrett, Jordyn Brooks, and Talanoa Hufanga. What needs to be shared is who we start and sit out of the not-so-obvious players. You will not see many of the top-10 players listed in these articles because we are all already familiar with starting these players.
Week 15 brings us zero Byes; they are all done for 2025. It is time to win your first-round playoff game.
***Please note that all rankings are pulled from FantasyPros.com’s current weekly rankings for DL, LB, and DB.
More NFL Week 15 Fantasy Football Advice From IDP+
Week 15 – DL/Edge Starters
Jeffery Simmons – Tennessee Titans
A lot of owners do not like starting DTs over DE/Edge players. They won’t even look at them as an option. Simmons is one of the exceptions. He is the #3 scoring Defensive Lineman over the last two weeks combined. The only two players ahead of him are Maxx Crosby and Josh Hines-Allen. That means Simmons has more points scored over the past two weeks than Myles Garrett. Over the past 2 games combined, he has produced 13 tackles (4 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, 5 QB hits, 2.5 sacks, and 1 pass defended. Last week was against the eighth toughest team against opposing DTs. In Week 15, Simmons gets the 27th-ranked 49ers, and his stat line should be full. Most likely another Top 3 performance for the 11th-ranked DL this week.
Tommy Togiai – Houston Texans
Togiai is working on five straight weeks of double-digit scoring. He will have no problem getting to number six with the 25th-worst team against DTs coming to Houston. Simmons had his season-high score against the Cardinals. Vita Vea had his 3rd-highest season score against the Cardinals. Cameron Jordan had his 2nd-highest season score against the Cardinals. Togiai just put up 10 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and 1 sack against the tough #10-ranked Chiefs last week. He is unranked this week, but you will be glad you started him.
Josh Hines-Allen – Jacksonville Jaguars
Hines-Allen has had four straight games of 20+ points in IDP scoring against some weak opponents. The weak opponent streak continues this week with the #23-ranked Jets. He has at least one sack in five of the last six games. His combined stats over the past 4 games include 15 tackles (9 solo), 6 tackles for a loss, 7 QB hits, 5 sacks, 1 safety, and 1 pass defended. The #16-ranked DL this week should post a Top 5 stat sheet for your IDP squad. Start him with confidence.
Week 15 – DL/Edge Sits
Jonathon Cooper – Denver Broncos
Cooper has zero sacks in the past 3 games and only 1.5 sacks in the past 6 games. The Raiders are the #30 worst offense in allowed scoring to opposing DE/Edge players. The Broncos played the Raiders twice over the last four games, and Cooper managed just a half sack combined in both games. He gets to play the tough #10 Packers this week, and his stat line should be quiet. His #17 ranking seems much too high for this week.
Nick Herbig – Pittsburgh Steelers
Herbig has played just 56 total defensive snaps for about 37% over the past 2 games. Alex Highsmith got healthy and has played over 70% of the defensive snaps, which has killed Herbig’s production. Last week, against the #24-ranked Ravens in points allowed to opposing DE/Edge players, Herbig produced one assisted tackle in 27 defensive snaps. As long as Highsmith is playing, Herbig belongs on your bench. Especially this week, going against the extremely tough #3-ranked Dolphins.
Week 15 – LB Starts
Foyesade Oluokun – Jacksonville Jaguars
In the last two games against very forgiving offenses, ranked #29 and #32 in points allowed to opposing linebackers, Oluokun has posted a combined 19 tackles. The Jets are his opponent this week, and they are ranked #31 in the same category. This should be his only start, as the rest of his opponents are ranked 8th or better. Look for double-digit tackles this week for the #12-ranked LB this week. He will probably get a pass defended also. Start him with a lot of confidence this week.
Bobby Wagner – Washington Commanders
The 35-year-old LB just keeps going and going like the Energizer Bunny. He has posted double-digit scoring in every game this season. Wagner had 16 tackles last week and a sack against the #23-ranked Vikings in points allowed to opposing LBs. He gets an even weaker team in the #27-ranked Giants this week. Wagner already has as many tackles this year as he did all of last year. He produced 10 tackles with a tackle for a loss in his last game against the Giants. A Top 5 performance is in the cards for the Week 15 #10-ranked LB.
Bobby Okereke – New York Giants
Okereke had his best game of the season in Week 1 against the Commanders. The Commanders are the 7th-worst team in points allowed to opposing LBs. He has already posted 110 tackles on the season, and 16 of those were completed against the Commanders. Okereke is ranked #41 out of all LBs this week, and he should be a Top 24 easily. He is on the field for 100% of the defensive snaps, and the opportunities will be plentiful.
Week 15 – LB Sits
Demario Davis – New Orleans Saints
Davis plays 100% of the defensive snaps, but does not produce like he used to. Last week against the #24-ranked Buccaneers, Davis posted 4 solo tackles and 3 assisted tackles for his second-lowest scoring output of the year. This week, he plays the stingy #4-ranked Panthers. In their previous contest, Davis had his third-worst scoring output of the season. Keep Davis on your bench this week. He will not attain his #18 ranking for this week.
Quay Walker – Green Bay Packers
Walker has not had a double-digit tackle week since Week 4. He has not scored more than 18 points in a game since Week 7. Walker plays in Denver this week against a stingy #12-ranked Broncos offense in points allowed to opposing LBs. Don’t expect even the #32 ranking this week for Walker. You can safely keep Walker on your bench.
Week 15 – DB Starts
Quick Tip – When having a hard time deciding on a DB to start, and a rookie CB is one of those players, always choose the rookie CB if they are going against a pass-heavy team.
Kamari Lassiter – Houston Texans
Start this CB in any league that requires a CB in your lineup, and even those defensive back lineups that don’t require the CB. Lassiter has as many tackles as some safeties at the top of the DB ranks. His year totals include 72 tackles (50 solo), 7 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 12 passes defended, and 3 interceptions. He has had double-digit scoring in every game but one, which was against the 7th stingiest team in points allowed to opposing CBs. Lassiter gets the #23-ranked Cardinals this week after putting up his second-best score of the season last week against the #17-ranked Chiefs. Start the second year pro and watch him blow away his #43 ranking and lead your IDP team into the second round of your playoffs.
Cooper DeJean – Philadelphia Eagles
DeJean continues to impress in his second year with the Eagles. He is currently on a seven-game streak of double-digit scoring. Those performances include two games against the #2 and #4 stingiest offenses in points allowed to opposing CBs. Week 15 brings one of the worst as his opponent in the Raiders. You should see multiple tackles, multiple passes defended, and an interception from the most intercepted QB in the league. Another CB that deserves to be in the lineup and will reward those that do start him.
Kevin Winston – Tennessee Titans
Winston earned the start and 100% of the defensive snaps four weeks ago and has done nothing but deliver. He is currently on a three-game stretch of 24 or more IDP points scored in each game. The rookie has a combined 23 Tackles (15 solo), 4 tackles for a loss, 3 QB hits, 1 sack, and 2 passes defended over these past 3 games. He is the #31-ranked DB this week and might post a Top 5 score this week as he is the #5-ranked scoring Safety over the past three weeks. Start him with a great deal of confidence.
Week 15 – DB Sits
Camryn Bynum – Indianapolis Colts
Bynum has a different role with the Colts compared with the role he had with the Vikings. He has four single-digit scoring games this season. Bynum has five games with three tackles or fewer. With only four games left, Bynum has just over half the tackles he had last year. This week, he gets to square off against the 4th stingiest team in points allowed to opposing Safeties. You can confidently leave the #36-ranked DB for Week 15 on your bench, as even #36 is too high.
Geno Stone – Baltimore Ravens
Stone is playing against the Ravens this week, the same Ravens as two weeks ago. He managed just four solo tackles for 10 IDP points two weeks ago, and don’t expect much different this week. Stone plays nearly all of the defensive snaps, but there shouldn’t be a lot of opportunity for him to post those IDP points this week. His #9 ranking for this week seems much too high.
Thank you for checking out my Week 15 IDP Start/Sit Advice article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP+ author page. Be sure to follow me on X at @OldMan_FF and @IDP_Plus (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber. Week 4 IDP Start Sit
