The Jacksonville Jaguars will face the New York Jets in Week 15. Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Jaguars skill player who has the potential to make a fantasy impact during the game.
Looking for more lineup advice? Head over to our Week 15 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Mac Jones, QB
Mac Jones doesn’t require your attention. It was nice to see him force feed Brian Thomas in the second half of Week 13, and at the end of the day, that’s how he will be judged — by his ability to support his rookie receiver and not his individual fantasy production.
Jones threw a pair of touchdown passes against the Texans in Week 13, but his other 91 passes this season have resulted in zero scores and five picks.
Tank Bigsby, RB
Tank Bigsby has established himself as the top dog in this offense, and while it’s fair to worry about its overall potency, sheer volume this time of year is valuable in an RB2 sort of way.
Bigsby had an eight-yard touchdown and a fourth-down conversion in the fourth quarter last week against the Titans, solidifying himself as a bell cow that we can trust. At 5.0 yards per carry this season, the second-year back projects as a top-20 play against a defense that ranks in the bottom five in both rush count and rush TD rate through 14 weeks.
For your mental health, I encourage you to remember a very important thing about fantasy: just because you started a player doesn’t mean you have to put yourself through the viewing experience of a Jacksonville game. You can check in occasionally, make sure that Bigsby is getting the touches, and be on your way, but the numbers should be there by the end of 60 minutes.
Travis Etienne Jr., RB
The Jaguars couldn’t run the ball at all last week in Tennessee (26 carries for 71 yards), but it was clear who the team trusted with the result in the balance.
Travis Etienne Jr. was on the field for 48.4% of their offensive snaps last week, a rate that can return value if he was heavily involved, but he’s not. Tank Bigsby out-carried him 18-4 last week; while the preseason starter was able to turn four targets into four catches and 50 yards, he’s profiling as the accent piece these days.
I’m in no hurry to play Jaguars, and that’s especially true for the wrong side of a committee in an offense with an implied total of 18.5 points this week.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR
Brian Thomas Jr. was an afterthought in the first half last week.
“Afterthought” isn’t accurate. Sorry. He wasn’t a thought at all. The talented rookie didn’t have a single reception during the first 30 minutes against the Titans, something that is close to inexcusable.
Safe to say, this fact was addressed at halftime:
Thomas finished with eight receptions after intermission — tied for the fourth-most by a rookie in the second half of a game during the 2000s.
So, whaddaya say, Mac? Maybe we look in the direction of the most talented skill player on this roster from the jump this time around? I love that Jacksonville was able to scheme up opportunities for BTJ last week because I think they are going to need to do that again in this spot against the second-best blitzing defense in the league.
I’m choosing to buy the second-half production more than fear whatever the first half was last week, and that lands him inside of my top 30 this week.
Parker Washington, WR
Parker Washington lit up the Texans in Week 13 to the tune of 103 yards and a score on 12 targets, but he was an afterthought last weekend in Tennessee (two targets on 31 routes).
I’m not comfortable in assuming quality from this Jaguars passing game, and while Washington has shown capable of making plays on occasion, a 12.9% career on-field target share isn’t nearly enough to overcome Mac Jones’ struggles.
Brenton Strange, TE
Brenton Strange may not be the name you thought you’d be counting on this time of year, but that doesn’t make it wrong. The 23-year-old has cleared 9.0 PPR points in all three games this season when he’s run 20+ routes, a near certainty this week and moving forward with Evan Engram (labrum) done for the season.
The Jets matchup isn’t ideal, but they are one of two defenses yet to intercept a short pass and rank 21st in red zone defense. It’s unlikely to be a high-volume day, but 4-6 targets are possible, and if the game script works in his favor, a scoring chance gives him a top-15 appeal free of cost on your waiver wire.
Evan Engram, TE
Well…that took a turn. Engram went from simply not practicing on Wednesday or Thursday to done for the season.
Engram has a torn labrum in his shoulder and will undergo surgery. Brenton Strange will be the TE1 for the next four games, and he’s not worth starting in your fantasy playoff matchups.