Editor's note: The following was written on Friday, so be sure to consult our experts' real-time rankings for fantasy football start/sit advice on any COVID- or injury-impacted players.
Setting your lineups can be difficult, especially with everything on the line in the fantasy football playoffs.
Below you will find some wide receivers I like, as well as some I don't like for Week 15 based on matchups, injuries, trends and more.
Which Wide Receivers To Start/Sit In Week 15
Van Jefferson, Rams vs. Seahawks
Jefferson had been trending into the must-start territory ever since Robert Woods went down for the year. He found the end zone in each of the past three games and was the WR12 in half PPR on a per-game basis over that span. The matchup against the Seahawks isn't great, but Jefferson becomes an even more appealing start this week with Odell Beckham Jr. testing positive for COVID-19. He should be considered a WR2 with upside.
Verdict: Start as WR2
DeVante Parker, Dolphins vs. Jets
Parker was one of my favorite waiver adds this week. Throughout his career, he has been a solid play — when healthy — and appeared to be good to go before the Dolphins’ bye after missing seven games earlier this year. Parker caught all five of his targets for 62 yards against the Giants, but took a backseat to Jaylen Waddle, Mike Gesicki and Albert Wilson. Parker would have been an interesting flex play, even before the news of Jaylen Waddle being placed on the COVID-19/reserve list. The Dolphins will also be playing very shorthanded with multiple running backs on the COVID-19/reserve list. I expect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will have to air it out a bit in this game, which is good news for Parker, who will be team's de facto No. 1 assuming Waddle cannot clear the protocol before Sunday.
Verdict: Start as WR1 (if Jaylen Waddlie is out)
Christian Kirk, Falcons at Lions
Kirk isn't the flashiest name, but the Year 4 wideout is averaging 10.3 fantasy points per game in half PPR. He leads the Cardinals in targets, catches and yards and trails only DeAndre Hopkins in touchdowns. He should have the opportunity to step up big time with Hopkins declared out for the rest of the fantasy season with a knee injury. A.J. Green, Rondale Moore and Zach Ertz should also benefit from Hopkins' absence. Kirk should be considered a WR3 with WR2 upside on the road against the Lions.
Verdict: Start as WR3 with WR2 upside
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions vs. Cardinals
St. Brown has exactly 12 targets in each of the last two games. He found the end zone for the first time in Week 13 against the Vikings and caught eight passes for 73 yards in Week 14 against the Broncos. He has been quietly emerging as the Lions' No. 1 receiver and could even find himself as the No. 1 option in this offense with tight end T.J. Hockenson just declared out for the year with a thumb injury. The Cardinals have been middle of the road against receivers for fantasy and this game script should be pass-heavy for the Lions, who enter this matchup as 13-point underdogs. St. Brown is a WR3 this week with even higher upside in PPR formats.
Verdict: Startas WR3
K.J. Osborn, Vikings at Bears
Osborn garnered a lot of early season hype after tallying 12 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown over the Vikings' first two games. He cooled off after that, taking a clear backseat to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Thielen remains out of practice and will likely miss his second game in a row after suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 13 in Detroit. Osborn has been a beneficiary of Thielen's absence, as the Year 2 wideout has scored in two straight games and tied a season-high nine targets last week against the Steelers. He faces the Bears defense this week, which has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers this season. He should be considered a solid WR3 play once again.
Verdict: Start as WR3
Terry McLaurin, Washington at Eagles
McLaurin was knocked out of Washington's Week 14 duel against the Cowboys early with a concussion. He exited having caught zero of three targets. He is at risk of missing this game entirely if he does not clear the concussion protocol by Sunday. Even if he plays, I'm not excited to start him given his recent production and the matchup. Since Week 8 against the Broncos, McLaurin is WR58 in half PPR on a per-game basis. He is a risky, low-end WR2 this week against the Eagles, who have been rather stingy against the pass and rank third-best against fantasy wide receivers this year. You probably can't sit McLaurin but you might wish you could.
Verdict: Sit
Michael Pittman Jr., Colts vs. Patriots
Pittman had a couple of rough weeks against the Bills and Buccaneers, but bounced back in Week 13 on the road against the Texans. He caught six of eight targets for 77 yards and tacked on two rushes for 33 yards in the contest, finishing as WR16 for the week in half PPR. I expect him to struggle this week with the Patriots on deck. New England's defense has been strong overall and is allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points to receivers and third-fewest passing yards per game this year. Pittman is a low-end WR2 with downside in Week 15.
Verdict: Sit
Jerry Jeudy, Broncos vs. Bengals
Jeudy is a frequent flyer on this report as a fringe starter for fantasy. He has been serviceable, but not great since returning from injury in Week 8 and has yet to find the end zone all year. He is coming off of another lackluster performance in Week 14 against the Lions in which he caught five of six targets for 47 yards. The Broncos are becoming one of the most run-heavy teams with the one-two punch of Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon, which isn't great news for the passing game. This matchup is slightly positive against the Bengals, who rank 13th-worst against fantasy wide receivers this year, but I have lost all faith in any Broncos not named Williams or Gordon. Jeudy is a low-end, low-upside WR3 this week.
Verdict: Sit
Marvin Jones Jr., Jaguars vs. Texans
Jones had a nice game in Week 14 against Tennessee's leaky secondary and caught six of seven targets for 70 yards. It was his first double-digit fantasy performances since before the Jaguars' Week 7 bye. Many expected more production from Jones after the attrition of Jamal Agnew, Dan Arnold and D.J. Chark Jr., but he has been largely unremarkable all season. Perhaps we'll see a repeat of his Week 1 performance against the Texans in which he reeled in five of nine targets for 77 yards and a touchdown, but I am not counting on it — especially with the entire Jaguars team in shambles. He is a WR4 this week and well outside of the start-worthy conversation.
Verdict: Sit
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns vs. Raiders
This may seem pretty counterintuitive given the Browns will likely be down multiple pass catchers for their Saturday matchup against the Raiders. Peoples-Jones was a popular waiver add this cycle as one of the lone healthy wideouts for the team. That said, he will be catching passes from backup quarterback Case Keenum at best (Keenum reportedly tested positive Thursday) with starter Baker Mayfield testing positive for COVID-19. Peoples-Jones is coming off of a strong Week 14 in which he caught five of seven targets for 90 yards against the Ravens. However, I am struggling to envision him popping off this week given how decimated the Browns' offensive line is and the matchup against the Raiders, who rank sixth-best in fantasy points allowed to receivers this year. Peoples-Jones is a risky dart-throw flex play this week.
Verdict: Sit
