NFL Week 15: Bengals vs Vikings fantasy football starts and sits

Hopefully, your season is going way better than the Bengals’ year has been, especially over the last two weeks.

Here are the Bengals and Vikings who could help you reach your championship game.

Must starts

Adam Thielen (Vikings WR): Thielen has been one of the best NFC receivers this season, and with the Bengals short handed in the secondary. William Jackson has been great this season, but the Bengals don’t have him shadow the top receiver. You should expect Thielen to take advantage of this thin defense.

Favorable matchups

Latavius Murray (Vikings RB): Murray has been the hot hand for the Viking backfield in recent games. He has had over 15 carries for every game except for two since Week 4. The Bengals are coming off a thrashing from the Bears. They got ran all over. The Bengals will be without Vontaze Burfict and Nick Vigil again this week. They will also be without Kevin Minter as well, who was put on Injured Reserve. The Vikings should be able to run all over this Bengals team, and Murray will have the most opportunity.

Case Keenum (Vikings QB): Keenum has been one heck of a fantasy quarterback. He has had the benefit of playing with Thielen, Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph though will be out this week, but the Bengals are thin enough on defense that he should be able to put up a few touchdowns. He has thrown at least two touchdowns in five of the six weeks.

Good but not great

Joe Mixon or Giovani Bernard (Bengals RB): This is a matter of if Mixon is active then he is the running back to play. Otherwise Bernard becomes the play. It is more a matter of volume that whoever starts will see. The Vikings have the stingiest rushing defense in the NFL, but the Bengals are good about getting their running backs involved in the passing game as well. Either of these guys are a flex play at best.

Stefon Diggs (Vikings WR): Diggs hasn’t been productive from a fantasy standpoint for most of this season. He hasn’t gone over 70 yards or scored a touchdown in four weeks. If you are in a deep league though it is possible Diggs could help you get over the hump.

A.J. Green (Bengals WR): Green could have touch matchup with Xavier Rhodes. Rhodes has turned into one of the best corners in the game, and his matchup with Green hurts his value. Still it is Green, so he could still pull off a decent game for you, so you shouldn’t be sitting him with your season on the line.

Jerick McKinnon (Vikings RB): McKinnon has the ability to break any run for a touchdown. That kind of speed really gave the Bengals defense trouble last week, and with the Bengals’ thin at linebacker, McKinnon could run free in coverage. His limited amount of touches makes him a flex play at best tough.

Unfavorable matchups

Andy Dalton (Bengals QB): I mean I don’t need to tell you that Dalton will have some tough sledding against the Vikings defense. If Mixon plays though I think that should help balance out the offense and open some things up for Dalton. If you lost Wentz and missed out on waiver wire quarterbacks like Nick Foles and Jimmy Garoppolo than Dalton may be your best bet.

Just sit them

Brandon LaFell (Bengals WR): Don’t chase points with LaFell, who scored a touchdown last week. This is the game that will either get you in the championship game or playing for third place. You really want to risk your season on LaFell? You don’t think that will eat away at you all offseason?

Tyler Kroft (Bengals TE): Kroft has recorded two catches for 30 yards over the last two games. It is clear Kroft is just a touchdown vulture at this point. At best gets you seven points, and at worst he gets you zero.