NFL Fantasy 2021 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 15: Wide receivers

Well, let’s hope all of these points come in the first half. Because lord knows there will not be an adjustment at halftime, especially if Matt Nagy is having too much fun. And if Nagy is fired before this column runs, I apologize. Though it’s mid-day Monday as I write this and it feels like if it hasn’t happened now, it’s not happening. But Nagy is great against the Lions and Vikings. And Mooney has had at least five targets in 12 of 13 games. The Vikings have allowed the most fantasy points per game to receivers this year. About the only people who could slow down Mooney in this game are the Bears coaching staff. But I’m starting him. 

He’s averaged about eight targets per game over the last four weeks. He’s had at least 50 yards in five of his last six games. And honestly, we never thought he was going to get to this point of consistency. Especially after he didn’t get 50 yards in any of the first seven. But this is another great spot for him because the Falcons have allowed the most targets and receptions to wide receivers over the last month. 

Hey look, the Cowboys are back. I was pretty worried headed into last week against Washington. I guess Mike McCarthy is a master motivator and I never realized it. Gallup has been pretty good over the last couple of weeks. He leads the Cowboys in targets, receptions and receiving yards over the last four weeks. The Giants have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to receivers over the past month. And all of the rando Chargers players were scoring points last week. Fire up all of your Cowboys pass catchers. 

The Titans have allowed the most targets, receptions and receiving yards to the position this year. But I would be intellectually dishonest if I didn’t note the Titans have played much better in recent weeks. They have beaten a lot of really good teams and they are going to be a force in the playoffs. Let’s not kid ourselves. But I love this as a potential game-script situation for the Steelers, which means to start their wideouts. You’d all riot if I said Diontae Johnson in this space. But Ray-Ray had a breakout game against Minnesota last week. And I don’t think Chase Claypool is going to be given much love. I’d take a chance. 

I’m obviously fading everyone against the Patriots this week. Just to make that clear. But Pittman has gone four games without a touchdown reception. The Patriots have not allowed a top-30 receiver since Week 8. So if there is a Colts receiver who catches a touchdown, it’s going to be some rando and we’ll talk about it on That Helps No One the following week. 

It’s getting pretty tough with Brown. He has had fewer than 60 receiving yards and no touchdowns in five consecutive games. The Packers have allowed the sixth-fewest receptions to receivers this season. There is no way you can trust Brown heading into the playoffs. 

The Patriots defense gets a lot of love. Rightly so. New England has been excellent on defense. And if you want to get snarky and say the weather helped a few weeks ago, that’s fair. But it has been good. But the Colts have been pretty good against receivers, too. The Colts have allowed only one top-20 receiver in the last four games. That was Stefon Diggs. And Bourne makes some huge plays, but he’s had more than five receptions only once in the last nine games. 

He was our guy last week and was sort of decent. He didn’t keep you from making the playoffs. But he could keep you from advancing this week. He’s got a tough matchup against the Cardinals, who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to slot receivers this year headed into Week 14. That’s right, I’m not going to let Cooper Kupp move the needle on this one. The Cardinals are tough on slot receivers, and unless your QB is exceptional (and he’s not), we need to keep him on the bench.