The New York Jets will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15. Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Jets and 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.
Aaron Rodgers, QB | NYJ
Aaron Rodgers was very good on Sunday. Against the Dolphins, the future Hall of Famer produced a season-high 8.7 yards per pass, ripped off his first 300-yard effort in 35 games, and nearly led the Jets to an upset win over a Dolphins team that is still hanging onto postseason hope.
He looked reasonably spry, was without his star second-year running back, and heavily featured his dynamic receiving duo (Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson were responsible for 53.8% of his targets, 59.3% of his completions, and 65.8% of his passing yards).
He was QB11 on a week that featured six teams on a bye and multiple injuries to starting signal callers.
It was fun to see a vintage performance, but understand that we are a long way away from assuming that he is going to offer up viable fantasy numbers with your season on the line. The Jaguars are a bottom-five pressure and blitz rate team, a matchup that you’d assume Rodgers could pick apart, but I’d tread lightly.
Rodgers when not pressured, 2024 (among 23 qualified QBs):
- 2.2% interception rate (17th)
- 5.2 YAC per completion (19th)
- 92.5 passer rating (21st)
- 6.6 yards per attempt (23rd)
If you’re frustrated with Kyler Murray or fear the Denver matchup for Anthony Richardson, you have my blessing to roll the dice on Rodgers, but that’s about the only situation I’m going to green light. I prefer Drake Maye in a good spot against the Cardinals and while Jared Goff is in a tough matchup (vs. BUF), his floor is something that I find more appealing than the overall Rodgers profile.
Mac Jones, QB | JAX
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.
Braelon Allen, RB | NYJ
Braelon Allen was hyped up once we got news that Breece Hall was going to sit last week in Miami, and he was fine (15 touches for 81 yards), but he didn’t assume the bell-cow role we were hoping for.
In fact, Isaiah Davis actually had more carries through New York’s first two drives. That’s not to say that this is a committee situation should Hall sit again, but I’d be careful in pushing Allen into the top 20, even in a plus-matchup.
That said, I’d still start Allen as a Flex option in my situation. The Jags allow the ninth-most yards per carry before contact this season, and if this explosive rookie can get out in space, a triple-digit afternoon in terms of scrimmage yards is very possible.
Breece Hall, RB | NYJ
Breece Hall was forced to miss last week with a knee injury that has been nagging at him for a while. In his stead, New York’s running backs carried 21 times for 83 yards.
Hall was a star in the early going this season, but with just one top-15 finish since Week 8, a compromised version of him is a scary thought. Reports surfaced last last week that the eliminated Jets had no plans of shutting down their starting RB, and while we have no choice but to take them at their word in that regard, the fact that they felt the need to say that has me thinking that we could be looking at a multi-week absence.
If Hall finds a way onto the field this weekend, we can circle back to this, but as things stand right now, I’m not counting on having him at my disposal.
Isaiah Davis, RB | NYJ
Isaiah Davis was used next to Braelon Allen last week on the ground, and that means he deserves to be rostered until Breece Hall returns.
The rookie out of South Dakota State has scored in consecutive weeks, and while that isn’t going to sustain, it’s at least interesting that he’s been trusted with valuable touches.
Allen is more of a deep-league stash, but there isn’t much to be gained in starting him this week without much of a defined role in New York’s inconsistent offense.
Tank Bigsby, RB | JAX
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 | JAX
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 | JAX
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.
Davante Adams, WR | NYJ
Over the past months, Davante Adams has seen elite volume (43 targets in four games), but at 6.5 yards per target, the efficiency continues to underwhelm.
He and Aaron Rodgers connected on a 3-yard score last week on a play that very much resembled their time together in a different shade of green, giving us a flicker of hope that there is strong production to chase down the stretch of this season.
I’m cautiously optimistic. The Jets have dialed back Adams’ aDOT significantly, and while that is an issue when it comes to making the upside case, it should result in an increase in efficiency with time. I’ve got Adams ranked in the same low-end WR2 tier as DK Metcalf and Zay Flowers for this week, talented players with a range of outcomes that are just large enough to make us sweat.
Garrett Wilson, WR | NYJ
Vibes weren’t great for Garrett Wilson’s managers heading into Week 14. They were invested in a struggling Jets offense that had shown few signs of life in this lost season. In Weeks 10-13, Wilson had a total of 100 yards on 24 targets, production that is more symbolic of a waiver wire option rather than a high-pedigree receiver playing with a future Hall of Fame QB.
Everything changed in Week 14 against the Dolphins. Wilson was responsible for three of Aaron Rodgers’ first seven completions and 55 of his first 98 passing yards. He was featured from the jump and even had a 35-yard catch to pick up a fourth down in the second quarter.
Where has this been all season?
The 7-114-0 stat line was a sight for sore eyes, and it could have been much better if Rodgers wasn’t a touch off target on a deep pass in the third quarter. Wilson was able to adjust and make it a 42-yard gain, but if hit in stride, we are talking about a 68-yard touchdown.
Jets WRs aDOT, Weeks 7-14:
- Garrett Wilson: 10.8
- Davante Adams: 8.5
The Jaguars are the most vulnerable deep-ball defense in the league, allowing 16.4 yards per pass with one of every nine attempts resulting in a touchdown. Wilson could be the top-producing Jet receiver in this specific matchup, a player take that could lead to you building a profitable DFS lineup.
In season-long formats, last week was encouraging enough to play both of Rodgers’ top receivers.
Parker Washington, WR | JAX
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 | JAX
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 | JAX
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.
Tyler Conklin, TE | NYJ
If you liked what you saw from Aaron Rodgers on Sunday and want exposure this weekend, do so in the DFS streets. That’s a place where you can be properly rewarded for creativity – in season-long leagues, you’re simply taking on levels of risk that are difficult to justify if you’re considering Tyler Conklin at this point.
Yes, his 15.2% on-field target share last week was his best since Week 8, but with Allen Lazard working his way back to full strength and a 3-33-0 stat line to show for Rodgers’ best game in quite some time – what is the realistic ceiling that you’re targeting?