4 NFL DFS Matchups to Target in Week 15

When playing NFL DFS on FanDuel, we have to factor in matchups when rostering players. A running back who was a superb play one week might be a poor play the next week.

This article will help identify the best matchups to target on a given main slate. Which matchups stand out this week?

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published. We'll reference our NFL DFS projections.

NFL DFS Matchups to Target for Week 15

Rico Dowdle vs. Panthers Rush Defense

Over the last three games, we've seen Rico Dowdle ($7,100) average 25.0 adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) and 120.7 scrimmage yards, and he now gets to face one of the league's worst rush defenses.

The Carolina Panthers not only rank 31st in both schedule-adjusted rush defense and adjusted total defense, but they've given up the most FanDuel points per game to running backs.

Although this matchup has an underwhelming 42.5 total, these teams have a reasonable chance of exceeding that low bar and creating a more fantasy-friendly game environment.

For one thing, Dallas also has a poor defense, ranking 28th by numberFire's adjusted metrics, giving us a pair of bottom-five units in the same game.

Bryce Young has also played better since Carolina's bye, averaging 0.08 expected points added per drop back (via NFL Next Gen Stats), so he should help the Panthers' offense hold up their end of the bargain. Meanwhile, while Cooper Rush hasn't exactly been crushing it, even he could have a productive day against a defense that's last in pressure rate.

Dallas loves to play fast, too, and our Brandon Gdula projects this matchup to be the fifth-best in pace this week.

Put it all together, and not only does Dowdle have a fantastic individual matchup, but this game might even have some sneaky shootout potential. With that in mind, we should also consider...

Chuba Hubbard vs. Cowboys Rush Defense

The Panthers' Chuba Hubbard ($7,500) is fresh off logging 36 adjusted opportunities and a 97.1% snap rate in Week 14, and with Jonathon Brooks ruled out for the season, he could be in for another hefty workload. Hubbard also played every red zone snap and saw 72.7% of the carries and targets in the red area, further enhancing his appeal.

Even if his usage gets dialed back from those heights, we've seen Hubbard average 25.4 adjusted opportunities per game and a 45.9% red zone opportunity share since he saw a spike in work back in Week 3.

His individual matchup within this Cowboys-Panthers battle is every bit as good as Dowdle's, too. Dallas is 32nd in adjusted rush defense and has allowed the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to RBs.

Our NFL DFS projections are also high on Hubbard, pegging him as the third-best point-per-dollar value among main slate running backs.

Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson vs. Jaguars Pass Defense

The New York Jets haven't been a fun offense to dip into this season, and this game could be light on play volume in what's projected to be the week's slowest matchup in pace. As if we needed further evidence, this game also comes in with the slate's lowest total (40.5).

While the risks are crystal clear, we did just see Davante Adams ($7,900) and Garrett Wilson ($7,400) both earn double-digit targets and clear 100 receiving yards last week, so the concentrated nature of this passing attack still leaves the door open for these two to have some upside when things break right.

That's certainly possible against perhaps the NFL's worst defense. The Jacksonville Jaguars rank 32nd in adjusted pass defense, 31st in pressure rate, and 30th in sack rate. The juicy matchup could be coming at just the right time, as Aaron Rodgers is fresh off his first 300-yard passing game of the year, and he was actually rather efficient, too, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt and 0.28 expected points added per drop back.

Since the Davante Adams trade, we've seen Adams and Wilson dominate opportunities in this passing attack. Adams has logged a 29.4% target share and 34.9% air yards share over those seven games while Wilson's at a 26.0% target share and 40.0% air yards share.

Our model places both players inside the top 10 in projected targets this week, which is another encouraging sign.

Calvin Ridley vs. Bengals Pass Defense

The Cincinnati Bengals have more or less been a traveling shootout waiting to happen every week, boasting the 7th-best adjusted offense combined with the 30th-ranked adjusted defense. Even with the Tennessee Titans falling flat on their faces in a cupcake matchup against the Jaguars last week, this matchup still has a solid 46.5 total.

Rostering the Bengals' star-studded cast is pretty much in play every week, but Calvin Ridley ($6,000) gives us an enticing bring-back option or one-off on the other side.

Since Will Levis returned to the lineup in Week 10, Ridley has led the way with a 27.8% target share, 46.3% air yards share, and 45.5% red zone target share. While playing in an offense led by an erratic Levis hasn't led to consistent results, he had a 2-touchdown game in Week 10 and came just short of 100 receiving yards in Week 12, so the potential for a big game is still there.

As home underdogs against one of the league's top offenses, Tennessee is likely to find itself in a negative game script, which ought to aid Ridley in getting peppered with targets this weekend.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.