Fantasy Football Week 15: Kevin Smith and Injury-Prone Stars Worth Gambling on

December 18, 2011   ·   Mike Chiari   ·   Jump to comments

While there are still three weeks remaining in the NFL‘s regular season, the playoffs are in full swing in nearly every fantasy league. The stakes can’t possibly get any higher, and because of that you may have to make some extremely difficult decisions.

One of those decisions could be whether or not to start an injury-prone player. While putting them in your lineup could be potentially devastating due to the possibility of that player having to leave the game, it could also pay off huge if further injury is avoided.

Here are three oft-injured stars who should take a chance on in Week 15.

Peyton Hillis – Cleveland Browns

The 2011 season has been an incredibly rough one for Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis. Not only has he failed to produce at the same level he did last year when on the field, but he has been hampered by injuries as well. Hillis got through last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, though, and looks to be in line to start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

While the Cards have been improving on defense during their recent hot streak, they only rank 19th in the league when it comes to stopping the run. With quarterback Colt McCoy out due to a concussion, the Browns are likely to have a very run-focused attack with Hillis being the key cog, although Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya could eat into his production.

The reason why I would be willing to take a chance and start him, though, is that Hillis’ contract is up at the end of the year and the Browns will want to see if he can regain his form from last season. Hillis only has three games to prove his worth and two of them are against the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, so I think he will be motivated and ready to produce against Arizona.

Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers

This, of course, is completely contingent upon whether he will suit up for Monday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, but if Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is healthy enough to play, then you have to start him. The Niners’ defense as a whole is excellent, but they have proven to be susceptible against top-flight quarterbacks.

Roethlisberger is most definitely reaching that category as he has 3,526 yards passing and 21 touchdowns on the year. Despite their reputation, the Steelers are undoubtedly a passing team and Big Ben is the one that makes everything go. If it looks like Roethlisberger isn’t going to play by the time your backup is scheduled to go, then you may have to take the safe route, but if there is any inkling Big Ben is going to play, then you have to start him.

San Francisco is allowing just 70 yards per game on the ground and have yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season. That means that there certainly won’t be much running room for Rashard Mendenhall. The best way to beat the Niners is by utilizing the passing game, so there is big scoring potential for Roethlisberger if his ankle is healed enough.

Kevin Smith – Detroit Lions

Of all the possible decisions you might have to make this week, none has bigger boom-or-bust potential than Detroit Lions running back Kevin Smith. When Jahvid Best went on injured reserve, the Lions brought Smith back into the fold, and he paid immediate dividends by compiling 201 total yards and three scores against the Carolina Panthers.

Since that game, though, Smith has left two games early with an ankle injury and missed another contest. In the two games Smith was forced out of he was already putting up big numbers and seemed poised for monster games. Smith says that he will play and start on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, who rank 29th in the league against the run.

The Lions want to utilize the running game in order to keep defenses off balance against quarterback Matthew Stafford, so Smith should see his fair share of touches. Smith looked hobbled in the last game he played against the New Orleans Saints, but two weeks off should have done a world of good. If you’re looking for a wild card that could win you your week, then Smith is the guy to go with.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com