Fantasy football: Zay Flowers, DeVonta Smith among 5 must-start WRs in Week 15

MIAMI, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Zay Flowers and DeVonta Smith are among my five must-start wide receivers for Week 15 of the fantasy football season.

If you need more options for your roster, check out my top add/drops article. My Week 15 rankings for quarterbacks and running backs are also available and will be updated throughout the week.

A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Puka Nacua, Deebo Samuel and Stefon Diggs lead my Top 50 Week 15 wide receiver rankings, which are listed below. Michael Pittman Jr, DK Metcalf, Ja'Marr Chase, Chris Olave and Tyreek Hill round out my Top 10.

All of my must-start options rank inside the Top 28 in my rankings, meaning all should be started in leagues that include at least 14 teams. Players from Thursday's Los Angeles Chargers-Las Vegas Raiders were removed from my rankings.

DK Metcalf

Metcalf scored five touchdowns over his last three games, including four in his last two appearances. The Seattle Seahawks star lands at No. 7 in my Week 15 rankings.

The Seahawks will face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in Seattle. The Eagles allowed the most fantasy points, receptions and touchdowns and the second-most receiving yards per game to wide receivers through 14 weeks.

The Eagles surrendered six touchdowns to the position over their last two games. They allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw multiple touchdown passes in six-consecutive outings. Look for the Seahawks' talented pass-catching group to provide fantasy football relevancy in the first week of the playoffs.

DeAndre Hopkins

Hopkins eclipsed 65 yards just once and failed to score a touchdown through his first six games this season for the Tennessee Titans. He is playing much better lately, with a touchdown in three of his last four games. Hopkins also logged 12 targets in each of his last two outings. He hauled in seven catches for 124 yards and a score in Week 14.

This week, the Titans will host the Houston Texans. The Texans started the season very stingy against opposing wide receivers, allowing just one score through five weeks. They were more generous over their last five games, allowing touchdowns to the position on each occasion.

Hopkins and rookie quarterback Will Levis continue to build rapport and should connect with regularity again in Week 15. Hopkins is my No. 12 option and can be used as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2.

DeVonta Smith

Smith is another solid WR2 for Week 15. The Eagles playmaker was targeted 22 times over the last two weeks and drew an average of 9.3 looks per game over his last four appearances.

Smith scored touchdowns in four of his last six games. He also totaled at least 90 receiving yards in four of his last six appearances. This week, the Eagles will face a Seahawks defense that allowed the fifth-most fantasy points, sixth-most catches and 10th-most receiving yards per game to wide receivers so far this season. They also tied for allowing the fifth-most receiving scores per game.

San Francisco 49ers teammates Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk recorded respective performances of 149 and 126 yards against this defense in Week 14. Look for the Eagles' top pass catchers -- Smith and A.J. Brown -- to provide similar production.

Smith is the No. 14 player in my rankings.

Courtland Sutton

Sutton scored a career-high 10 touchdowns through his first 13 appearances this season, failing to reach the end zone on just two occasions. He also scored in his last two appearances.

The Denver Broncos pass catcher recorded at least 60 yards in each of his last four games. This week, the Broncos will face a Detroit Lions defense that allowed the ninth-most fantasy points and tied for allowing the third-most touchdown catches per game to wide receivers so far this season.

They also surrendered at least 100 yards and/or a touchdown to a No. 1 wide receiver in five-consecutive games.

Look for Sutton's touchdown trend to continue this week, with the wide receiver hauling in at least five catches for 75 yards and a score. He is my No. 15 option.

Zay Flowers

Flowers was another player who didn't produce much earlier this season, at least for a scoring standpoint. The rookie playmaker found the end zone twice over his last two games with the Baltimore Ravens.

Flowers also totaled 18 targets during that span. He averaged about five catches for 50 yards over his last four appearances. Ravens veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. also has quickly developed chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson, which should only help Flowers' value, as the offense sustains longer drives and reaches the red zone more often.

The Ravens will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15. The Jaguars allowed the sixth-most receiving yards and seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers through 14 weeks. They also surrendered more than 300 passing yards and multiple touchdowns to quarterbacks in each of their last three games.

Look for Jackson to finish the week as one of the top quarterbacks in fantasy football, which should result in solid production for Beckham and Flowers.

Flowers can be used as a low-end WR3, with more value in points-per-reception formats. He is my No. 24 wide receiver.

Week 15 fantasy football wide receiver rankings

1. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles at SEA

2. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at BUF

3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams vs. WAS

4. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers at ARI

5. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills vs. DAL

6. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. PIT

7. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. PHI

8. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. MIN

9. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints vs. NYG

10. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins vs. NYJ

11. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions vs. DEN

12. DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans vs. HOU

13. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at GB

14. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at SEA

15. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos at DET

16. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. NYJ

17. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears at CLE

18. Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens at JAX

19. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams vs. WAS

20. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns vs. CHI

21. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets at MIA

22. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at CIN

23. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs at NE

24. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at JAX

25. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at ARI

26. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons at CAR

27. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers vs. ATL

28. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings at CIN

29. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals vs. MIN

30. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders at LAR

31. Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns vs. CHI

32. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. PHI

33. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers at IND

34. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at GB

35. Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys at BUF

36. Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. BAL

37. Gabe Davis, Buffalo Bills vs. DAL

38. Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. BAL

39. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers at IND

40. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers vs. TB

41. Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers vs. ATL

42. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers vs. TB

43. Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders at LAR

44. Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams vs. WAS

45. Noah Brown, Houston Texans at TEN

46. Marquise Brown, Arizona Cardinals vs. SF

47. Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants at NO

48. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts vs. PIT

49. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. PHI

50. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals vs. MIN