One single misstep in your starting fantasy football lineup could be the mistake that ends your season and vanquishes your hopes for a fantasy championship all at once. Do you have the information you need to dominate your matchup?
To help guide you, here are some of my start/sit options at the WR position for Week 15 of NFL action.
Which WRs Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers (at ARI)
This one might seem a bit obvious, but one simply cannot afford to send San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel to the fantasy bench right now. Samuel is coming off of two straight 30+ point fantasy outings, which include consecutive 100+ yard receiving performances.
The Arizona Cardinals don’t have a ton of talent in the secondary, as evidenced by the fact that they’re allowing the 17th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this year. This puts Samuel in line for another big performance against a division rival.
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens (at JAX)
The playing conditions for the Baltimore Ravens passing game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday were far from ideal. Yet, rookie WR Zay Flowers managed to score a touchdown for a second straight week, while also recording 10+ targets in a game for the first time since Week 5.
MORE: Positional Start/Sits — QB | RB | TE
Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. appear to have emerged as the top pass-catching options for QB Lamar Jackson, which makes him a high-end WR2 option in my rankings for Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Which WRs Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers (vs. ATL)
Carolina Panthers WR Adam Thielen may have had a bounce-back performance against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday with five receptions for 74 yards, but I’m still not 100% sure he’s done enough to jump back into the WR2 conversation.
Thielen has failed to see 10+ targets in three straight games, which was the main thing making him a reliable fantasy starter earlier this season. In a game that is highly unlikely to be a high-scoring affair against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15, I would consider going in a different direction with your advancement in the fantasy playoffs at stake.
Gabe Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills (vs. DAL)
There hasn’t been a bigger roller-coaster player in fantasy football this season than Buffalo Bills WR Gabe Davis. For the third time in the last six games, Davis was held without a single catch. Over that same six-game stretch, Davis has two 20+ point fantasy outings, which makes him a huge headache for fantasy managers in the playoffs.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Looking ahead to Week 15, the Dallas Cowboys defense plays man coverage at one of the highest rates in the NFL, which could give Davis a handful of opportunities to make big plays and produce a monster fantasy outing.
However, unless I’m completely desperate for a starting option or you need to hit a home run in your fantasy matchup where your opponent is significantly favored to win, then Davis is simply too boom or bust to start in Week 15.
Trending Searches for WR Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network?! It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup!
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, and we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity on!
Should You Start Davis or Josh Downs?
Indianapolis Colts rookie WR Josh Downs has teased fantasy managers throughout most of the 2023 season. His big-play capabilities and random spike weeks in production have left fantasy managers wanting to project a strong finish to his rookie campaign.
Unfortunately, Downs hasn’t produced a double-digit fantasy performance in PPR formats since Week 8. The fantasy floor may be a tad higher for him, but the higher ceiling feels like it sides with Davis. This one feels a bit more matchup specific.
If you need to hit a home run against a heavily favored opponent, I’d roll the dice with Davis. If you’re looking for someone to just get you north of five fantasy points, then I’d insert Downs into your starting lineup.
Should You Start Flowers or DeAndre Hopkins?
Placing your faith in any Tennessee Titans pass catcher with your fantasy playoffs on the line feels like a risky venture. However, DeAndre Hopkins has occasionally reminded us that he’s still capable of virtuoso performances, even in a poor passing offense.
The target volume favors Hopkins, while the efficiency favors Flowers. It’s worth mentioning that Flowers has scored three touchdowns over the last two weeks, which could suggest an expanding role with TE Mark Andrews out of the lineup.
Roll with Flowers in hopes that Jackson can build off a fantastic performance through the air against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!