The Worksheet, a comprehensive fantasy football preview by Rich Hribar, breaks down everything you need to know about the Week 15 matchup between the Rams and Lions.
Find a breakdown of every Week 15 NFL game in our Worksheet Hub.
| Detroit | Rank | @ | LA Rams | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | Spread | -6.0 | ||
| 24.75 | Implied Total | 30.75 | ||
| 30.3 | 1 | Points/Gm | 29.2 | 4 |
| 23.4 | 0 | Points All./Gm | 17.5 | 0 |
| 61.2 | 17 | Plays/Gm | 61.2 | 17 |
| 62.2 | 18 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 64.7 | 28 |
| 6.2 | 1 | Off. Yards/Play | 6.1 | 3 |
| 5.2 | 13 | Def. Yards/Play | 4.9 | 6 |
| 44.35% | 15 | Rush% | 43.47% | 19 |
| 55.65% | 18 | Pass% | 56.53% | 14 |
| 42.57% | 16 | Opp. Rush % | 40.78% | 8 |
| 57.43% | 17 | Opp. Pass % | 59.22% | 25 |
- The Rams have 19 more plays of 20-plus yards than their opponents, the league's largest margin.
- The Rams have 14 more plays of 30-plus yards than their opponents, 1st in the league.
- The Lions are 2nd in the league in plays of 20 or more yards per game (4.7) and 30-plus yards per game (2.1).
- Since Week 8, the Lions are averaging a league-high 6.5 yards per play.
- The Rams are 2nd over that span, averaging 6.3 yards per play.
- The Rams are 2nd in points per drive (2.76).
- The Lions are 3rd in points per drive (2.69).
- The Rams have scored a touchdown on a league-high 35.6% of their drives.
- The Lions have scored a touchdown on 32.9% of their drives, 2nd in the league.
- Detroit has allowed 2.32 points per drive over their past six games (26th) after 1.89 per drive prior (10th),
- Detroit is 31st in EPA as pass defense over their past five games (-32.0).
- The Lions are 7-0 when tied or leading at the half compared to 1-5 when trailing at the half.
- Only 36% of the Rams' sets of downs reach third down, the lowest rate in the league. The league average is 46.8%.
- The Rams have reached third and long (needing 7 or more yards) on 13.6% of their sets of downs, the lowest rate in the league. The league average is 21.8%.
Trust = spike production for that player
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford (TRUST): After a hiccup against the Panthers in Week 13, Stafford got back on track Sunday, closing the week as the QB4 (23.2 points).
Stafford threw for 9.1 yards per pass attempt, his best rate in a game since Week 4.
He tossed 3 more touchdowns, giving multiple passing touchdowns in seven straight games and in 11 of his past 12.
The Rams dusted off their heavy personnel on Sunday, using 13 personnel on 59.7% of their snaps and 38.7% of their passing plays.
Those were their highest rates in a game this season.
Stafford was 9 of 12 for 93 yards when throwing out of 13 on Sunday.
He has thrown 11 touchdowns out of 13 personnel. The next closest player (Aaron Rodgers) has 3.
It will be interesting to see whether the Rams roll that approach back here or adjust for the opponent.
It makes sense to go heavy against an Arizona defense that was depleted in the front seven, but the Lions are banged up on the back end.
Brian Branch suffered an Achilles injury on Thursday that will cost him the remainder of the season.
Kerby Joseph has missed the past seven games with a knee injury, and Terrion Arnold is out for the season.
Detroit has allowed a league-high 1,274 passing yards and 10 touchdowns over the past five games.
They have allowed 8.3 yards per pass attempt over that stretch (30th).
Over those games, they have allowed Marcus Mariota (18.7 points), Jameis Winston (32.2 points), Jordan Love (25.8 points), and Dak Prescott (18.4 points) to turn in strong fantasy lines.
This is the wrong time to face the league’s best passer.
The Lions have been roughed up in the play-action game over the period, allowing 9.9 yards per pass attempt (27th), with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.
They have allowed a league-high 12.1 yards per pass attempt against passing from under center.
Stafford leads the league in under-center rate (59.5%) and play-action rate (37.3%).
Despite injuries on the back end, the Lions have played man coverage 34.8% of the time (2nd) and 35.4% over the past five weeks (4th).
Stafford has thrown 21 touchdowns and 0 interceptions against man coverage this season.
Jared Goff: Goff is coming off an efficient outing against the Cowboys, connecting on 25 of 34 attempts (73.5%) for 309 yards (9.1 Y/A) with a touchdown.
The only thing that kept him at QB14 (16.2 points) was that Detroit had 4 rushing touchdowns.
The matchup is not as clean for Goff, but he is a QB1 option in a game where this should be a strong game environment, and the Lions should be pressed to be aggressive as road underdogs.
The Rams have been a sturdy pass defense, allowing 6.5 yards per pass attempt (7th) and a 3.9% touchdown rate (8th).
The Rams are sixth in passing points allowed per attempt (0.359) while Goff is third in passing points per attempt (0.552) behind Stafford (0.616) and Drake Maye (0.561).
Los Angeles has been a bit more vulnerable to play-action passes, allowing a 75.6% completion rate (31st) and 7.6 yards per pass attempt (13th), compared to a 60.9% completion rate (8th) and 6.2 Y/A allowed (9th) against static dropbacks.
For as good as the Rams have been, they have allowed QB1 scoring weeks to Bryce Young (22.5 points) and Jacoby Brissett (19 points) the past two weeks, and we have seen an under-center Mac Jones have two QB1 weeks against them.
One thing to keep tabs on for Goff is the Detroit offensive line on the interior.
The team attempted to bring Frank Ragnow out of retirement, but he failed his physical.
They were rotating left guards on Thursday, with Miles Frazier and Trystan Colon both playing.
The duo combined to allow 7 pressures and 4 hits on Goff Thursday night.
The rest of the line allowed 5 pressures and 1 hit.
One fun wrinkle that Detroit used since they had three tight ends out was to use Dan Skipper for 22 snaps at in-line tight end.
The Rams are strong up front, ranking 10th in pressure rate (39%) despite blitzing at the third-lowest rate in the league (19%).
When the Rams do blitz, they generate pressure on 49% of their blitzes, sixth in the league.
Running Back
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More Week 15 Fantasy Breakdowns From The Worksheet:
| Matchup | Time |
|---|---|
| Falcons @ Bucs | Thursday Night Football |
| Browns @ Bears | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Ravens @ Bengals | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Chargers @ Chiefs | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Bills @ Patriots | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Commanders @ Giants | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Raiders @ Eagles | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Jets @ Jaguars | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Cardinals @ Texans | Sunday -- 1 p.m. ET |
| Packers @ Broncos | Sunday -- 4:25 p.m. ET |
| Lions @ Rams | Sunday -- 4:25 p.m. ET |
| Panthers @ Saints | Sunday -- 4:25 p.m. ET |
| Titans @ 49ers | Sunday -- 4:25 p.m. ET |
| Colts @ Seahawks | Sunday -- 4:25 p.m. ET |
| Vikings @ Cowboys | Sunday Night Football |
| Dolphins @ Steelers | Monday Night Football |
