NFL Sleeper Top Picks & Plays for Week 15 Thursday Night Football Featuring Chargers vs Raiders
We’re here to kick off Week 15 with a game in Allegiant Stadium between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. Unfortunately, the Chargers will be without their starting quarterback Justin Herbert for the rest of the season, and we found out yesterday that Keenan Allen is also out. There are a few big name players questionable for the Raiders, including running back Josh Jacobs and wide receiver Davante Adams, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of picks to choose from for tonight’s game.
As you may know, we’ve joined forces with our friends at Sleeper to introduce their Sleeper Picks feature. With Sleeper Picks, you can choose from a variety of players and stat lines, choose whether that player will have more or less than the given stat, and combine your picks for a chance to increase your payout. If you build enough, you can even multiply your entry up to 100x! Let’s get started and jump into some of my favorite Sleeper Picks for Week 15 Thursday Night Football!
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New to Sleeper Picks? Right now new users who sign up will get a 100% deposit match up to $100 when they use code VAULT3. You must take advantage of this offer on your mobile device so you can download the Sleeper App and participate in their Picks contests.
New to Sleeper Picks? Right now new users who sign up will get a 100% deposit match up to $100 when they use code VAULT3. You must take advantage of this offer on your mobile device so you can download the Sleeper App and participate in their Picks contests.
Sleeper Picks for NFL Week 15 Thursday Night Football Chargers vs Raiders
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
With Keenan Allen out, Joshua Palmer becomes the number one receiver on this offense. Yes, he does have Easton Stick throwing him the ball, but this number is set very low. The Raiders defense is only allowing 202.5 passing yards per game, but at 33.5, Palmer should be able to hit this easily. It may be ugly, but the target volume alone should get him there.
Pick: Joshua Palmer more than 33.5 receiving yards (1.77x)
Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
We’ve got to hope that Davante Adams suits up for this game, but even if he doesn’t, O’Connell has plenty of weapons at his disposal. He’s hit this mark in two of his last three games, and the matchup against the Chargers is one of the best he’ll see all year. They’re allowing 261.9 passing yards per game, and with Josh Jacobs banged up, I can see a heavier passing volume throughout the game.
Pick: Aidan O’Connell more than 198.5 passing yards (1.77x)
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
With Easton Stick in at quarterback, the Chargers may take a more aggressive approach to the run game, and even though they have been rotating Isaiah Spiller and Joshua Kelley into the mix, this is still Ekeler’s backfield. The Raiders are allowing 127 rushing yards per game, and with Ekeler playing 49 of the team’s 68 snaps last week, there should be plenty of opportunity for him to hit this mark
Pick: Austin Ekeler more than 48.5 rushing yards (1.72x)
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Player News
Ravens signed DT John Jenkins to a one-year contract.
The 35-year-old 13th-year pro slides in as a 1-for-1 Michael Pierce replacement after the former Raven retired in March. Although strictly a two-down player, Jenkins actually played a new career high 606 snaps for the Raiders last season. He probably won’t reach that total in Baltimore, but he should see plenty of work as a run-stopper.
49ers signed K Greg Joseph.
The 30-year-old journeyman spent time with each of the Giants, Commanders and Jets last season. He’ll serve as a veteran, in-house option should third-year pro Jake Moody look shaky this summer after an underwhelming 2024.
49ers signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract extension.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Purdy gets $181 million in total guarantees with $165.1 million in the first three new years. He is now under contract through 2030. The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant flashed in a handful of starts as a rookie and immediately proved to be Kyle Shanahan’s next efficiency phenom in 2023 with 4,280 yards and 31 scores. Purdy’s numbers fell in 2024, but he did enough to keep the offense on the tracks despite a rash of injuries, even if the 49ers lumbered to a 6-11 record. Purdy managed 3,864 yards and 20 scores in 15 games and showed an improved ability to work out of structure and under pressure. Though he may not have a truly elite ceiling, Purdy is beginning to beat the system quarterback allegations after just two seasons as the full-time starter. With the league’s easiest schedule on tap for 2025, expect a rebound from Purdy and the entire team this year.
Jets released K Greg Zuerlein.
Defensive end Michael Fletcher was signed in a corresponding move. Zuerlein has kicked for the Jets since 2022. He suffered a knee injury last year and briefly returned before being placed back on injured reserve. Zuerlein appeared in eight games and went a dreadful 9-of-15 on his field goal tries. The 60 percent hit rate was by far the worst of his career. Now 37 years old, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Legatron hang up the cleats for good after being released. If he wants to keep kicking, another team will be more than willing to at least give him a camp battle to win.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said his guess is that the NFL will ban the tush push during next week’s owners’ meeting.
Schefter didn’t cite any sources directly but reiterated the point later in the latest episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, saying he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the owners voted to outlaw the play. Losing the free touchdown play would undoubtedly hurt Philly’s offense and Jalen Hurts’ fantasy outlook, but it’s hard to imagine a team with Hurts, an elite offensive line, and Saquon Barkley not finding other ways to get in the end zone from a yard out. If the tush push is banned, it would likely just shuffle some of Hurts’ touchdowns to Barkley. Other teams including the Bills have experimented with similar plays, but no one has found as much success as the Eagles. The owners will also be voting on a change to the playoff seeding rules. The proposed change would seed teams based purely on their record instead of each division winner earning a top-four seed. While that may be a more logical way to do things, it’s certainly less fun.
Steelers beat writer Nick Farabaugh reports the team has called the Saints about a possible trade for Chris Olave.
According to Farabaugh, one source described the Steelers’ inquiry as “a due diligence call” while adding that a trade “doesn’t seem likely to happen” at this time. The Steelers trade George Pickens to the Cowboys just over a week ago, and are now looking at DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, and Calvin Austin as their top options in three receiver sets. Of those three, Metcalf is the only receiver with notable NFL success, while Wilson effectively redshirted his rookie season due to injuries. Olave caught 32 passes for 400 yards and one touchdown for the Saints last season, but missed nine games due to multiple concussions he suffered. The four-year receiver posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons during his first two years in the league, and would provide an immediate upgrade to an underwhelming Steelers receiving corps. Farabaugh reports that in addition to a trade being unlikely, that the Saints do “not seem interested in trading Olave” at this time. The Saints picked up Olave’s fifth-year option last month, and will likely look to extend him in the not too distant future.