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

1 month ago by John Johnson

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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. Who Should I Start For Fantasy Football Wild Card Round? Vikings D/ST, Rams D/ST, Will Reichard

7. Who Should I Start For Fantasy Football Wild Card Round? Aaron Jones, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison

8. Who Should I Start For Fantasy Football Wild Card Round? Sam Darnold, Matthew Stafford, T.J. Hockenson

9. Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Wild Card Round? Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams

10. Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 18? DK Metcalf, Brian Thomas Jr., Deebo Samuel Sr.

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.

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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:

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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?

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