It’s fantasy football return league playoff time and your returner combinations will make or break everything you’ve worked for all season. Luckily, some of our most consistent returners have kept on ticking while others have completely broken out. No one more so than Ravens kick returner Jacoby Jones who scored his first return touchdown of the season on Sunday against the Vikings and has now posted 170+ total yards in three consecutive games.
Let’s take a look at the best and most consistent kick and punt returners for fantasy football return leagues in Week 15.
| Consistency Rank |
Player |
# |
# |
Notes |
| 1 | Cordarrelle Patterson |
9 of 13 |
5 of 13 |
Cordarelle has been unstoppable in the return game, topping 100 return yards in five of his last seven games. He also saw the most yardage that he’s had all season through the air on Sunday, catching five passes on seven targets for 141 yards and a touchdown. He’s a must-start in return leagues for the fantasy playoffs. |
| 2 | Ted Ginn Jr. |
9 of 13 |
4 of 13 |
It was another ho-hum game for Ginn but his role on both kick returns and the receiving game keeps him fantasy relevant. Although he caught just two passes on five targets for five yards, he returned two kicks for 73 yards and a punt for 32 yards. He doesn’t have a particularly high ceiling but he has a fairly high fantasy floor. |
| 3 | Keshawn Martin |
9 of 13 |
2 of 13 |
Martin saw the most offensive action of his season, catching four passes on six targets for 28 yards and a touchdown. He also put up 61 return yards for his fourth straight game with at least total 80 yards. He doesn’t figure to see a lot of offense but he’s been reliable down the stretch. |
| 4 | Julian Edelman |
8 of 13 |
3 of 13 |
After being targeted 23 times over the previous two games, Edelman fell back to earth but still had a solid fantasy day. He caught six passes on nine targets for 64 yards and a touchdown and returned a couple of punts for seven yards. With Rob Gronkowski out for the season, Edelman is a weekly must-start. |
| 4a | Golden Tate |
8 of 13 |
3 of 13 |
Tate had a strong all-around day on Sunday against the Niners, catching six passes on eight targets for 65 yards and adding 64 return yards. His previous two games were rough but he had at least 100 total yards in four straight games before that and appears back at that level, especially if Percy Harvin doesn’t return. |
| 5 | Darren Sproles |
7 of 12 |
2 of 12 |
It was another slow day for Sproles who carried the ball just once for 38 yards, caught three passes for 23 yards, and returned two punts for 17 yards. He’s not the same producer when he’s not returning kickoffs so he’s not a must-start but remains startable because of his potential. |
| 6 | Jacoby Jones |
5 of 9 |
3 of 9 |
Jacoby had a monster game against the Vikings, returning four kickoffs for 152 yards and a touchdown, four punts for 44 yards, and catching four passes on seven targets for 37 yards. He’s now surpassed 176 total yards in three straight weeks and is a must-start for the playoffs. |
| 7 | Dexter McCluster |
7 of 13 |
3 of 13 |
McCluster had a huge day against the Redskins, returning seven punts for 177 yards and a touchdown and adding four receptions on five targets for 22 yards. This was by far the most total yards he’s had all season and he’s not likely to repeat that effort so he’s not in the must-start category at all. |
| 8 | Devin Hester |
7 of 13 |
1 of 13 |
Hester only returned two kickoffs for 52 yards and a punt for 19 yards on Monday, the second time in four games that he hasn’t touched 80 total yards. Since he doesn’t play any offense, there isn’t much use in starting him. |
| 9 | Brandon Tate |
6 of 11 |
0 of 11 |
Tate had a very solid day, returning three kickoffs for 86 yards and four punts for 73 yards. It was the first time in three games that he has put up over 70 yards, however, so he’s not start-worthy either. |
| 10 | Dwayne Harris |
6 of 12 |
3 of 12 |
Harris came back from his injury in a big way, returning four kickoffs for 103 yards. He had to leave the game after re-aggravating his hammy injury, however, and is questionable so he’s not startable. |
| 11 | Tavon Austin |
6 of 13 |
3 of 13 |
Austin continues to be a kick return demon, returning four kicks for 95 yards against the Cardinals on Sunday. He only caught one pass for nine yards, his lowest total in four games but carried the ball once for 56 yards to bring his day together. He has been huge for the Rams down the stretch and is a must-start for the playoffs. |
| 12 | Jacquizz Rodgers |
6 of 13 |
2 of 13 |
Although he rushed the ball seven times for just 14 yards, Rodgers had his biggest output of the season on Sunday as he returned six kickoffs for 126 yards and caught three passes for 33 yards. It was the first time that he has surpassed 80 yards in four weeks so he’s not startable unless Steven Jackson gets hurt. |
