Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 15? Adam Thielen, Brian Thomas Jr., Mike Evans

by John Johnson

Link copied to clipboard!

Who should I start for Week 15? Fantasy football outlooks for Adam Thielen, Brian Thomas Jr., Mike Evans. Our expert fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks.

In This Article hide

2. Should I Start Brian Thomas Jr. for Fantasy Football?

3. Should I Start Mike Evans for Fantasy Football?

5. More Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks

6. Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

7. Blake Corum, Devin Neal, Chris Rodriguez Jr.: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

8. Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, Woody Marks: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

9. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

10. Fact or Fiction: Fantasy Football Outlooks for Shedeur Sanders, Tony Pollard, Blake Corum, Ryan Flournoy, Josh Oliver

It's Week 15, meaning the first game of the fantasy football playoffs for most leagues is about to begin. Some players are lineup locks and must-starts for this pivotal matchup, but most managers don't have the luxury of being loaded with some of the best players at each position this season.

Players can be inconsistent scorers for a variety of reasons, including poor quarterback play due to an injured starting QB, age, injury issues, load management, role in the offense, overall productivity of the team's passing attack, and vulnerability to volatile scoring depending on the strength of the opponent.

Let's break down three inconsistent WRs and whether they should be started in the first game of the fantasy playoffs.

Should I Start Adam Thielen for Fantasy Football?

Thielen caught eight of his 10 targets for 99 yards and a touchdown in Week 13 and followed that with nine catches on 11 looks for 102 yards. Those efforts were good for 23.9 and 19.2 PPR fantasy points. He's the clear favorite target for quarterback Bryce Young, who's now slung passes his way 21 times in the past two games.

Adam Thielen clearly getting a lot of the designed targets right now, and he looks fresh.

+ Out and up
+ Fake screen and release
+ Cover 1 first read target
+ 3rd-and-13 comeback (great ball)
+ Cover 1 first read target pic.twitter.com/dmqJVn5vzK

— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) December 10, 2024

Somehow, at 34 years old and coming off a hamstring injury, the longtime vet continues to beat coverages, get open, and reliably catch plenty of passes for the Panthers. Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles was supposed to present a poor matchup for him, yet he logged his first 100-yard receiving effort of the season.

The return of rookie WR Jalen Coker (quad) is unlikely to cut into Thielen's targets heavily. He plays plenty of snaps in the slot. We'd recommend starting him in leagues with 12 or more teams. The overall productivity of the passing offense is still a bit suspect, and in shallower leagues, you'll likely have better options.

In PPR leagues, his target volume and catch rate combine to make him a great player to start, though.

Should I Start Brian Thomas Jr. for Fantasy Football?

Thomas already looks like one of the NFL's most talented wideouts on tape. His ridiculous combination of elite speed and acceleration (4.33-second 40-yard-dash, over 22 MPH top speed) and 6-foot-2 height and extremely long arms make him an absolute nightmare of a coverage assignment.

Press coverage vs. Brian Thomas Jr.?!

Bold strategy pic.twitter.com/wSpSY9y2eV

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) December 11, 2024

It's virtually impossible to cover him 1-on-1. We even saw him burning Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey on a deep route in Week 1. The problem has been essentially everything outside of Thomas. BTJr has had to deal with horrible offensive play-calling from Jags offensive coordinator Press Taylor, who hasn't deserved a job in the NFL for years.

In addition, his starting QB, Trevor Lawrence (concussion, shoulder), has now been shut down for the season. Backup signal-caller Mac Jones has not been stellar. Still, Thomas is the WR10 in PPR scoring on the year, and we recommend starting him from now on. He has a great matchup with a now-struggling New York Jets defense coming up.

Start him in all leagues.

Should I Start Mike Evans for Fantasy Football?

We would recommend that you start him. Evans (hamstring) was managing a hamstring issue and wasn't at practice on Wednesday, but this has been the case for several weeks now, so it's likely nothing to be concerned about. We expect him to suit up. He'll face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.

30 Year old 6’5 225lb Mike Evans just hurdled a man! pic.twitter.com/mJGppPp6c7

— Ashlie (@EMT_Ashlie) December 8, 2024

Sometimes, you just have to start elite players. And with fellow WR Chris Godwin (ankle) no longer there to compete with him for targets, he's the clear WR1 and far more talented than the other wideouts on the team's roster. He's the favorite WR of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who's having the best season of his career so far.

Evans should be started. The upside is tremendous here. TB's defense hasn't been playing very well, either, which provides more opportunity for offensive scoring since they're unlikely to be able to build a lead and grind down the clock with a run-heavy game plan.

Popular Week 15 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons

Below are some popular Week 15 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Adam Thielen, Brian Thomas Jr., Mike Evans compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:

More Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks

Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

It's the most wonderful time of the year, the fantasy playoffs! Getting those start/sit decisions right is now more important than ever before, as managers are just one slip-up away from being eliminated. Luckily for you, RotoBaller is here to help. Today, we'll look at three rookie running backs: Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, and TreVeyon […]

Aidin Ebrahimi

Blake Corum, Devin Neal, Chris Rodriguez Jr.: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

For most, Week 15 is the opening week of the fantasy football playoffs. It is time to pull out the stops in a quest for a fantasy football championship. That could mean leaning on players that may not have traditionally been in your lineup, especially if you find yourself as the underdog in your playoff […]

Dan Fornek

Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, Woody Marks: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

The fantasy football playoffs are here! It's now more important than ever to get those start/sit decisions right, as managers are just one slip-up away from being eliminated. Luckily for you, RotoBaller is here to help. Today, we'll look at three running backs: Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, and Woody Marks. Dowdle has regressed since taking […]

Aidin Ebrahimi

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

Winning is no longer an option for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; it's a necessity. They started the season 6-2, with victories over contenders such as the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers. However, the annual Todd Bowles midseason slump has hit them hard this year. They've lost four of their last five following […]

Aidin Ebrahimi

Fact or Fiction: Fantasy Football Outlooks for Shedeur Sanders, Tony Pollard, Blake Corum, Ryan Flournoy, Josh Oliver

Welcome back to Fact or Fiction, RotoBaller's weekly look at some of the NFL's most shocking performances, and boy, did we have some Week 14 shockers! The Browns' offense came alive! The Titans' run game did too! What's going on here??? Week 15 likely marks the beginning of the fantasy football playoffs in your league, so […]

Justin Carter

Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

Get Real-Time Fantasy News & Alerts

Forgot Password

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 15? Adam Thielen, Brian Thomas Jr., Mike Evans

Should I Start Adam Thielen for Fantasy Football?

Should I Start Brian Thomas Jr. for Fantasy Football?

Should I Start Mike Evans for Fantasy Football?

Popular Week 15 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons

More Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks

Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, TreVeyon Henderson: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

Blake Corum, Devin Neal, Chris Rodriguez Jr.: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, Woody Marks: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 15

Fact or Fiction: Fantasy Football Outlooks for Shedeur Sanders, Tony Pollard, Blake Corum, Ryan Flournoy, Josh Oliver

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Brandon ClarkeDecember 15, 2025

Rome OdunzeDecember 15, 2025

James HardenDecember 15, 2025

Ja MorantDecember 15, 2025

James HardenDecember 15, 2025

John KoncharDecember 15, 2025

Julian StrawtherDecember 15, 2025

James HardenDecember 15, 2025

Tari EasonDecember 15, 2025

Daniel GaffordDecember 15, 2025

Davante AdamsDecember 15, 2025

Kyle FilipowskiDecember 15, 2025

Brandon WilliamsDecember 15, 2025

Tyler HerroDecember 15, 2025

Jaylen WarrenDecember 15, 2025

Anthony DavisDecember 15, 2025

Georges NiangDecember 15, 2025

Jamison BattleDecember 15, 2025

Immanuel QuickleyDecember 15, 2025

RJ BarrettDecember 15, 2025

Jalen SuggsDecember 15, 2025

Payton PritchardDecember 15, 2025

Will SmithDecember 15, 2025

Andrei VasilevskiyDecember 15, 2025

Dylan HollowayDecember 15, 2025

Patrick KaneDecember 15, 2025

Quinton ByfieldDecember 15, 2025

Mika ZibanejadDecember 15, 2025

Connor BedardDecember 15, 2025

Bhayshul TutenDecember 15, 2025

Joe BurrowDecember 15, 2025

Jayden DanielsDecember 15, 2025

Philip RiversDecember 15, 2025

Drake LondonDecember 15, 2025

CFBDecember 15, 2025

Micah ParsonsDecember 15, 2025

CFBDecember 15, 2025

Adolis GarcíaDecember 15, 2025

Jaylen WarrenDecember 15, 2025

Bam KnightDecember 15, 2025

Brandon RoyvalDecember 15, 2025

CFBDecember 15, 2025

CFBDecember 15, 2025

Manel KapeDecember 15, 2025

New York JetsDecember 15, 2025

Kevin VallejosDecember 15, 2025

Christian WatsonDecember 15, 2025

Giga ChikadzeDecember 15, 2025

CFBDecember 15, 2025

Cesar AlmeidaDecember 15, 2025

Cezary OleksiejczukDecember 15, 2025

Teddye BuchananDecember 15, 2025

Morgan CharrièreDecember 15, 2025

Melquizael CostaDecember 15, 2025

Lane HutsonDecember 15, 2025

Kirill KaprizovDecember 15, 2025

Marcus BuchechaDecember 15, 2025

Benjamin KindelDecember 15, 2025

Alex TuchDecember 15, 2025

Quinn HughesDecember 15, 2025

Kennedy NzechukwuDecember 15, 2025

David JiricekDecember 15, 2025

Marcus JohanssonDecember 15, 2025

James HardenDecember 15, 2025

RANKINGS

RANKINGS