Fantasy Football Dating App, Week 15

Every Sunday morning, fantasy owners face similar choices to the ones "dating" app users do on Saturday night. When faced with lots of options, do you want to swipe left and pass on potential opportunity or do you want to swipe right and open the door for exciting possibilities? Each week, we'll talk about specific players and what you should do with them (particularly when setting your daily fantasy lineups).

Swipe Left

Devonta Freeman

This isn't meant to take away anything Devonta, as he's propelled many a team to the fantasy playoffs this year. But after starting the season so cheap that it was like getting a free man, he's now the most expensive running back in the game. The entire point of daily fantasy is not paying for past production, as only a single week's stats count, and as of late, Freeman has slowed down tremendously. He hasn't cracked 50 yards or scored on the ground since the day after Halloween. He's still been active in the passing game, but without success running the ball, it's hard to believe he's the top running back available. Save your money here and invest in a top WR instead.

Randall Cobb

When Jordy Nelson went down, expectations for Cobb went up. Many thought he'd enjoy an increased share of the offense and become an elite fantasy receiver. Instead, he's spent the entire season being just ok. He's fine. He's tolerable. But he hasn't been elite. Elite receivers score in more than just four of 13 games. Elite receivers don't go 11 straight games without cracking 100 yards. Elite receivers catch more than eight balls at least once during the year. Elite receivers win you weeks. Average receivers do not. So when potential elite receivers like Eric Decker, Jarvis Landry and Sammy Watkins cost the same amount, it's hard to say OK to Randall Cobb.

Delanie Walker

Did you know that Delanie Walker leads all tight ends in receptions? You did? Congrats, you must be Delanie Walker. To the general public, everyone on the Titans besides Mariota has been miserable this season, but Walker has been quietly very good. However, the combination of price and opponent make him difficult to select this week. You would think that with so many teams playing behind against them, the Pats would concede lots of easy yards to tight ends. That's not the case though, as the Pats have held opposing TEs to 50 yards or less 10 times this year. Trapped in a bad offense and facing a tough opponent, Walker enjoys limited upside. As a result, I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and get Jordan Reed or save some money on guys like Gary Barnidge, Benjamin Watson or Julius Thomas, who might have a lower floor, but also have higher ceilings.

Swipe Right

Calvin Johnson

You guys watch that awesome Giants-Saints game earlier this season? So did the Lions. Heck, Megatron might have streamed it during his own game since he's spent big chunks of the season being ignored by his team. Lately though, Detroit has come up with a revolutionary strategy: involving their best player—and he's responded by looking like the freak wide receiver of old. With a national TV audience tuning in Monday night and the horrible Saints secondary lined up across from him, Johnson has as good a chance as any receiver to turn in this week's high score. Since he costs several thousand less than the very top options, his explosive potential in this matchup makes him a strong selection.

Tim Hightower

Saints running backs are like First CitiWide Change Bank. How do they turn a profit? One word: Volume. Whenever a single back dominates the carries in a Sean Payton offense, they tend to put up highly useful numbers. Mark Ingram was one of the top backs in fantasy before he went down and now Tim Hightower has stepped into his place. One start and 28 carries later, Hightower is suddenly swinging playoff matchups across the country. While it might be too late for him to win you your league, he's a dirt-cheap RB2 who could win you your week in daily games.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Is there anyone in the NFL more recognized for where he went to college than Fitzpatrick? There are Heisman winners less associated with their alma maters than Fitzpatrick is with Harvard. Recently, Fitzpatrick's brawn has finally exceeded his brain in our collective conscious as he's torched opposing defenses for three straight weeks, averaging over 26 fantasy points per game. That's better than Brady, Newton, Rodgers and Brees over the same time frame. He doesn't possess those great players' floor, but you can use the $2,000+ you save to increase your ceiling at other positions. While you may not have his fancy diploma, you don't have to be a genius to recognize great value and given his hot streak, Fitzy seems like a solid bet to exceed his modest cost.