Answering Week 15's biggest fantasy football questions
— -- NFL Nation reporters answer the 10 biggest fantasy questions of the week, posed by ESPN fantasy football analyst Mike Clay.
Miami Dolphins
What implications will the quarterback change to Matt Moore have on Miami's wide receivers this week?
It will have a sizable impact in terms of fantasy. All Miami's skill players could get downgraded a peg since Moore is taking over for Ryan Tannehill. That's not a knock on Moore; it's simply a lot of change for the entire offense in a short week. The Dolphins will try to get RB Jay Ajayi the football, but the Jets know that too. I expect an ugly, low-scoring game, which means there aren't many fantasy points to be had. -- James Walker
New England Patriots
The Patriots attacked Denver through the air last year, but the Broncos' run defense has struggled this season. What game plan are you expecting from New England and how effective will it be?
Establishing the line of scrimmage with the LeGarrette Blount-led running game will be a priority, similar to Monday night against the Ravens. The Patriots know they can't play the same one-dimensional way they did in last postseason's AFC Championship Game and win, so expect plenty of Blount. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
How do you expect the Jets to distribute running back touches if? Matt Forte sits out this week?
Forte, who revealed this week he's been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee, could still play. It'll be a game-time decision. Even if he does play, which is a good chance, he won't get the usual number of carries. Look for Bilal Powell, coming off a career game, to get at least 50 percent of the carries. -- Rich Cimini
Baltimore Ravens
Would it be fair to say that Kenneth Dixon has emerged as Baltimore's lead back?
Dixon fits the Ravens' pass-heavy game plan better than Terrance West. He's a more natural receiver and more elusive in space. But West will likely start on Sunday against Philadelphia and get the early touches. West will also be Baltimore's primary back in the red zone on the early running downs because he's the more physical back. Dixon, though, is making big plays more frequently, and the Ravens will give him more snaps if he continues to play that way. -- Jamison Hensley
Oakland Raiders
Is? Michael Crabtree a good bet for a big week, or is Derek Carr's finger injury going to hold the offense back?
This would be the perfect time to play Crabtree, who despite leading the NFL with 10 dropped passes, per Pro Football Focus, has been Carr's security blanket this season. Crabtree has been dealing with a left ring finger injury since dislocating it against Buffalo in Week 13 before banging it up again last week in Kansas City. The extra rest should do well for him. Plus, Crabtree has had big games every third outing since Oct. 30, going from 108 yards receiving to 27 yards to 5 yards to 110 yards to 74 yards to 21 yards. In other words, he's due. -- Paul Gutierrez
San Diego Chargers
How do you expect the Chargers to distribute running back touches if Melvin Gordon is out?
Kenneth Farrow, an undrafted rookie out of Houston, will likely shoulder a bulk of the workload on Sunday against the Raiders. At 5-foot-9 and 219 pounds, Farrow is a bruising, in-between-the-tackles runner who will be used on early downs and near the goal line. Recent addition Ronnie Hillman can fill a role as an option on third down and in the red zone. -- Eric D. Williams
Detroit Lions
What has happened to Eric Ebron in recent weeks? Do you expect his production to bounce back in the coming weeks?
Teams have been focusing on Ebron more the past few weeks, particularly Jacksonville and Minnesota. QB Matthew Stafford, as he's done all season, has thrown to the open guy. Stafford's finger injury, though, could actually help Ebron. If Stafford doesn't think he can get the right grip on deeper passes, the Lions could stick with even more of a short/intermediate throwing game. That could mean more targets for Ebron and more catches. But somewhere between four and six catches is a reasonable total for Ebron. Anything more would be a surprise. -- Michael Rothstein
Atlanta Falcons
After a rare down week, is it fair to expect Devonta Freeman to rebound in a big way against San Francisco's weak defense on Sunday?
Yes, it's fair to say Freeman should have some success against the 49ers, who are surrendering a league-worst 170.8 rushing yards per game. Although Matt Ryan certainly should be able to air it out, establishing the run always is the emphasis for the Falcons to set up the passing game. So expect Freeman to get his early opportunities and break some long ones. -- Vaughn McClure
New Orleans Saints
What's gone wrong with the Saints' offense, and is there any hope of a resurgence at Arizona this week?
Of course there is hope of a resurgence, since the Saints still have the No. 1 offense, the No. 1 passing offense and the No. 1 third-down offense in the NFL despite their back-to-back flops. Those last two performances are far from the norm, and there's a good chance they'll get WR Michael Thomas and C Max Unger back from injuries. QB? Drew Brees said this week that he's disappointed in himself, but he's been through lulls before and knows how to fix it. However, this week's game at Arizona is not the ideal formula for a bounce-back game -- across the country, on a natural grass surface, and against a solid defense. It's especially difficult to trust Saints RB Mark Ingram for fantasy production, since he's still splitting time evenly with Tim Hightower. Plus, the Saints' run game has been practically nonexistent the last two weeks. -- Mike Triplett
San Francisco 49ers
With Vance McDonald out, could 2015 fourth-round project Blake Bell make a splash as a pass-catcher in the coming weeks?
There's no doubt that Bell will get more snaps as the season goes on, but whether that turns into production remains to be seen. He did make a 30-yard catch last week against the Jets, but he also missed a chance for another big catch later in the game. Garrett Celek will become the primary receiving target among the tight ends, but Bell hasn't showed enough consistency with his hands to be a reliable fantasy play. -- Nick Wagoner
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