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Bets Dressed - Week 15 - Thursday Night Football Uniform Matchup and Fantasy Plays

Welcome to Week 15. Say bye-bye to bye weeks. It's all hands on deck from here on out. Only four weeks left in the regular season. And we've got a game that matters on Thursday Night Football. The 49ers can slam the door on the Seahawks and claim the NFC West crown. But Seattle has other ideas and will be pulling out all of the stops and using whatever they can to prop that door open. May I suggest a green highlighter?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Highlighter Bowl!

A quick note on methodology.

As always, I’m analyzing every NFL uniform matchup and picking a winner against the spread based on who dresses best. And just because a team’s wardrobe is ranked higher in the Power Rankings doesn’t mean that it will automatically win the uniform matchup. It’s what you wear in the instant matchup that counts.

And don’t forget the Triple Mismatch Club wrinkle. I’m making three unit plays whenever the best dressed team in the matchup is a member of the Club (different colored helmet, jersey, and pants). And nine unit plays if both members of the week’s best matchup are members.

Week 14 Recap.

Before we discuss Thursday Night Football and Week 15 Fantasy Plays, let’s take a look back at Week 14:

4-9. They say bad things come in threes. And that's certainly been the case the past three weeks. 15-29 in that span. Woof. Four more weeks plus the postseason to turn this bad boy around. I'm keeping the faith in the uniform gods. Just gotta believe.

Thursday Night Football Uniform Matchup.

A tale of two uniforms to get Week 15 going on Thursday Night Football. The 49ers icy white throwbacks are among the best in the league. Drop shadow is hard to pull off. But when done right (like with San Francisco here), it can take a uniform to the next level. Meanwhile, the "action green" Seahawks are an eyesore. Neon never plays well. But glass half full: the neon jerseys are much more tolerable with navy pants. If nothing else, these outfits are polar opposites and provide a nice contrast. The Niners run away with this one and may be the easiest pick of the week.

Well hello there, Brock Purdy. From Mr. Irrelevant to surprise San Francisco start to GOAT slayer, it's been quite a season for the rookie out of Iowa State. Now he has a chance to lead the 49ers in an NFC West clinching spot against the Seahawks. Geno Smith and Seattle have been one of the stories of the season, but the magic appears to be running out. Even if they can pull this one out, the NFC West appears out of reach. A wild card spot is their best chance at the postseason, but it's an uphill climb with the Niners, Chiefs, Jets, and Rams on the docket to end the season. The uniform gods have steered us toward Mr. Purdy and the juggernaut 49ers defense. No complaints here.

The Pick: 49ers -3 (-115)

Club SDR - Week 15 Fantasy Plays.

Week 14 was ugly all around. 0-3 even with the Club SDR season yardage leaders. Time to get back on track. The theme of the week is redemption, and we're putting our trust in Single Digit Revolution representatives from the Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday slates that are primed to bounce back.

Ken Walker - Over 49.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Ken Walker has been nothing short of sensational this season. The only thing holding him back has been injuries. After missing last week's game against the Panthers and coming off a couple of low yardage stinkers, Walker is primed to go off . . . on Amazon Prime. Go figure. He only got four carries against the Niners back in Week 2. Look for that number to jump way up in this one (with a corresponding bump in rushing yards to boot).

Isaiah McKenzie - Over 26.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

With the Bills signing Cole Beasley to the practice squad, the message to Isaiah McKenzie is clear: we're not fully satisfied with what you're bringing to the slot receiver position. I think that message is about to be received, and I think McKenzie is going to have something to say about it. The last time he played the Dolphins, he had his best day in receptions (7) and second best day in yardage (76). I think he's in for a repeat performance.

Travis Etienne - Over 51.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

From Weeks 5 through 9, Travis Etienne peaked - clearing the number and going for over 100 total yards in five straight games. But ever since, he's only cleared the number once. While the excellent Dallas defense may seem like a bad draw for a bounce back spot, the Cowboys have actually given up the 10th most rushing yards in the NFL. I like Etienne to hit the total and then some (and don't be surprised if he helps the Jaguars pull off the upset at home).

The Gridiron Uniform Database.

The uniform graphics you see here are courtesy of The Gridiron Uniform Database. If you’ve never paid their site a visit, stop what you’re doing right now and check it out. It is my favorite site on the Internet and an invaluable resource to uniform nerds and casual fans alike.

Drop me a line.

You can always find me on Twitter at NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) or via email at [email protected]. Come talk uniforms and all things football, and let me know what you think of the newsletter.

Coming Attractions.

We've got a healthy slate of Saturday games this week. So Bets Dressed Week 15 coverage will be back with a special edition detailing the three Saturday games. Then it's back to the usual Sunday routine for the rest of Week 15.

Look for the Saturday and Sunday issues to hit your inbox prior to the earliest kickoff. As I’ve noted previously, we live in a world without a uniform scheduling czar, so it’s sometimes a chore finding out a team’s wardrobe ahead of time. In instances where it’s not 100% clear, I’ll make a best guess and update the issue later.

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And always remember: Look Good. Feel Good. Pay Good.