Fantasy Football Heat Index: Jared Goff, Jerome Ford, Jalen McMillan

Every Monday of the NFL regular season, we look at breakout performances from the weekend and analyze their potential for sustained success. We will rank these performances from 1-5 based on whether we believe they are momentary or long-term options for your fantasy teams.

Fantasy Football Heat Index

Quarterback

Jared Goff (QB – DET)

Stats: 38-of-59, 494 passing yards, five touchdowns, two carries, 13 rushing yards

Position Rank (pre-MNF): QB2 (41.1 fantasy points)

Analysis: This season has been a bit of a rollercoaster for Lions quarterback Jared Goff. In 14 starts this season, Goff has finished as the QB10 or better six times. He’s finished no higher than QB15 in Detroit’s eight other contests, making him one of the more unpredictable fantasy assets in the league.

Fortunately for those starting Goff, the Lions signal-caller reached new heights in Week 15. An early two-touchdown deficit forced Detroit into a pass-happy game script and Goff responded by going toe-to-toe with MVP frontrunner Josh Allen. He racked up an impressive 494 passing yards and five touchdowns in defeat.

Detroit won’t be forced into abandoning the run very often, but when they are, Goff has shown the ability to elevate this passing offense. He should remain a boom-or-bust QB1 option next week against Chicago.

Heat Index: 3

Running Back

Jerome Ford (RB – CLE)

Stats: Seven carries, 84 rushing yards, one touchdown, two receptions, 20 receiving yards

Position Rank (pre-MNF): RB7 (17.4 fantasy points)

Analysis: Browns running back Jerome Ford saved his best game of the season for round one of the fantasy playoffs. He scored double-digit fantasy points for the first time since September, finishing with a season-high 17.4 half-PPR points in Cleveland’s 21-7 loss to Kansas City.

Much of Ford’s Week 15 production came on his impressive 62-yard third-quarter touchdown run. He had 44 total yards on his other eight touches, but the totality of his stats has him sitting as the RB7 heading into a two-game Monday Night Football slate.

Under normal circumstances, Ford’s Week 15 performance would be considered fluky and something to avoid moving forward. However, with Browns starting running Nick Chubb breaking his foot on Sunday, Ford will jump into the RB2 conversation against Cincinnati and Miami over the next two weeks.

Heat Index: 4

Wide Receiver

Jalen McMillan (WR – TB)

Stats: Five receptions, 75 receiving yards, one touchdown

Position Rank (pre-MNF): WR16 (16 fantasy points)

Analysis: The drumbeat on Jalen McMillan is growing louder by the week in Tampa Bay. One week after finishing as the WR8 (19.9 fantasy points), McMillan had another productive outing in Week 15. He scored 16 fantasy points and is the current WR16 on the week.

McMillan’s ascension to Baker Mayfield‘s No. 2 pass-catching option has pushed the rookie into WR3/Flex territory moving forward and all but killed Cade Otton‘s fantasy stock. Assuming that trend continues, McMillan could end the season as a league-winning waiver wire pickup. He has favorable matchups against Dallas and Carolina on deck.

Heat Index: 3

Tight End

Brenton Strange (TE – JAX)

Stats: 11 receptions, 73 receiving yards

Position Rank (pre-MNF): TE4 (12.8 fantasy points)

Analysis: On Friday, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson announced starting tight end Evan Engram would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. On Sunday, Jaguars No. 2 TE Brenton Strange responded with the best fantasy outing of his rookie season.

Strange caught 11 of his 12 targets for 73 receiving yards in Jacksonville’s 32-25 defeat to the New York Jets on Sunday. He’s the current TE4 on the week and has juicy matchups against Las Vegas and Tennessee to wrap up the fantasy season.

Heat Index: 2