In the fantasy playoffs, it is crucial to consider all aspects of a player's outcome before locking them in your lineup. In this piece, we will look at three proven wide receivers who have a wide range of outcomes in Week 16.
Terry McLaurin has emerged as a legit WR1 but faces a tough Philadelphia secondary, while Cooper Kupp and Adam Thielen are both coming off disappointing showings, especially Kupp, who scored zero points last weekend.
Should these three wide receivers be in our starting lineup? Let's dive in.
Should I Start Terry McLaurin for Fantasy Football?
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has enjoyed a fantastic campaign with Jayden Daniels under center. Over his previous three games, the Ohio State product has found the end zone five times and averaged 82.7 yards per game with a stellar 24.9 PPR points per game.
Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin are just so damn good. can’t believe this is my life. pic.twitter.com/04XSytpe8h
— Jackson Didlake (@diidlake) December 15, 2024
Since Week 3, McLaurin has only had one game where he scored less than 10.0 PPR points. This was against the Philadelphia Eagles, who he will be facing again on Sunday.
In the first matchup, McLaurin caught just one of his two targets for 10 yards. Even though the Eagles have allowed the fewest PPR points to opposing wideouts, fantasy managers should not consider sitting McLaurin in any format. He is a must-start WR2.
Should I Start Cooper Kupp for Fantasy Football?
Last Thursday, Cooper Kupp had his first zero-point fantasy output since the 2017 season. During this game, Kupp was unable to bring in any of his three targets. However, before this poor showing, the 31-year-old has averaged a strong 18.0 PPR points per game while tallying 72.9 yards per game since Week 8.
Cooper Kupp WOW!!!! 😤
Rams add to their tally with another TD!!
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/g1HjTzUl1q
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 8, 2024
Despite letting fantasy managers down last weekend, Kupp should still be viewed as a high-floor WR2, especially in PPR formats. Since Week 8, Kupp has seen an average of 9.1 targets per contest.
Even though he will face a tough New York Jets secondary that has allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points to opposing wideouts, fantasy managers in three-WR formats should still feel confident putting Kupp in their lineup. He should be poised for a nice bounce-back showing given his reliable target share.
Should I Start Adam Thielen for Fantasy Football?
Despite leading the team in targets (seven), Thielen was only able to bring in five of them for a mere 51 yards. This was his lowest yardage output since returning from a hamstring injury in Week 12.
Adam Thielen bustin out the Griddy after a game winning TD 😭 pic.twitter.com/YYT9Xf2UVi
— Jason Harmon (@_jason_777) December 2, 2024
Before his Week 15 showing, Thielen was building a nice connection with Bryce Young as he averaged a strong 86.0 yards per game while tallying an excellent 17.3 PPR points per game. During this span, Thielen has emerged as Young's go-to option in the passing game.
Even though he has a tougher matchup this weekend against the Arizona Cardinals, who have allowed the 13th-fewest PPR points to opposing wideouts, fantasy managers should continue to view him as a high-end WR3 who carries a safe floor.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Terry McLaurin, Cooper Kupp, Adam Thielen compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Cooper Kupp or Terry Mclaurin
Ladd Mcconkey or Terry Mclaurin
Courtland Sutton or Cooper Kupp
Dk Metcalf or Adam Thielen
Chuba Hubbard or Terry Mclaurin
Brian Thomasjr or Terry Mclaurin
Courtland Sutton or Terry Mclaurin
Dj Moore or Terry Mclaurin
Jerry Jeudy or Cooper Kupp
Ladd Mcconkey or Adam Thielen
Bucky Irving or Terry Mclaurin
Jauan Jennings or Terry Mclaurin
Devonta Smith or Adam Thielen
Malik Nabers or Terry Mclaurin
Josh Downs or Adam Thielen
Brian Thomasjr or Cooper Kupp
Breece Hall or Cooper Kupp
Tee Higgins or Terry Mclaurin
Zay Flowers or Terry Mclaurin
Isaac Guerendo or Terry Mclaurin
Drake London or Terry Mclaurin
Marvin Harrisonjr or Adam Thielen
Rhamondre Stevenson or Adam Thielen
Devonta Smith or Cooper Kupp
Jalen Mcmillan or Terry Mclaurin
Tyreek Hill or Terry Mclaurin
Jerry Jeudy or Terry Mclaurin
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Terry Mclaurin
Tony Pollard or Adam Thielen
Terry Mclaurin or Adam Thielen
Aaron Jones or Terry Mclaurin
Calvin Ridley or Adam Thielen
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Cooper Kupp
Jerry Jeudy or Adam Thielen
Garrett Wilson or Terry Mclaurin
Jayden Reed or Terry Mclaurin
Jonathan Taylor or Terry Mclaurin
Rachaad White or Adam Thielen
Breece Hall or Terry Mclaurin
Jalen Mcmillan or Adam Thielen
Jayden Reed or Adam Thielen
Romeo Doubs or Adam Thielen
Terry Mclaurin or Cooper Kupp
Jerome Ford or Adam Thielen
Joe Mixon or Terry Mclaurin
Zay Flowers or Adam Thielen
Cooper Kupp or Adam Thielen
Jauan Jennings or Adam Thielen
Jordan Addison or Terry Mclaurin
Rico Dowdle or Adam Thielen
Jerome Ford or Terry Mclaurin
Dandre Swift or Terry Mclaurin
Dk Metcalf or Terry Mclaurin
Rico Dowdle or Terry Mclaurin
Brian Robinsonjr or Cooper Kupp
Bucky Irving or Cooper Kupp
Courtland Sutton or Adam Thielen
Davante Adams or Terry Mclaurin
Keenan Allen or Adam Thielen
Khalil Shakir or Terry Mclaurin
Mike Evans or Terry Mclaurin
Devonta Smith or Terry Mclaurin
Drake London or Adam Thielen
Tony Pollard or Terry Mclaurin
Tyrone Tracyjr or Terry Mclaurin
Aaron Jones or Cooper Kupp
Adam Thielen or Terry Mclaurin
Darnell Mooney or Adam Thielen
Deandre Hopkins or Adam Thielen
Garrett Wilson or Cooper Kupp
Jordan Addison or Adam Thielen
Ladd Mcconkey or Cooper Kupp
Tee Higgins or Cooper Kupp
Aj Brown or Adam Thielen
Alexander Mattison or Adam Thielen
Jalen Coker or Adam Thielen
Jauan Jennings or Cooper Kupp
Khalil Shakir or Adam Thielen
Khalil Shakir or Cooper Kupp
Malik Nabers or Cooper Kupp
Xavier Worthy or Adam Thielen
Aj Brown or Cooper Kupp
Breece Hall or Adam Thielen
Brock Bowers or Cooper Kupp
Dandre Swift or Adam Thielen
Deebo Samuelsr or Adam Thielen
Isiah Pacheco or Cooper Kupp
Jakobi Meyers or Adam Thielen
James Cook or Terry Mclaurin
Jameson Williams or Adam Thielen
Jerome Ford or Cooper Kupp
Mike Evans or Cooper Kupp
Najee Harris or Cooper Kupp
Patrick Taylorjr or Terry Mclaurin
Tyreek Hill or Cooper Kupp
Tyrone Tracyjr or Adam Thielen
Zay Flowers or Cooper Kupp
Alvin Kamara or Terry Mclaurin
Amari Cooper or Adam Thielen
Brian Robinsonjr or Terry Mclaurin
Calvin Ridley or Terry Mclaurin
Davante Adams or Cooper Kupp
Deandre Hopkins or Terry Mclaurin
Isaac Guerendo or Adam Thielen
Jakobi Meyers or Cooper Kupp
James Conner or Cooper Kupp
Javonte Williams or Adam Thielen
Kendre Miller or Adam Thielen
Marvin Harrisonjr or Cooper Kupp
Marvin Harrisonjr or Terry Mclaurin
Nico Collins or Terry Mclaurin
Tyreek Hill or Adam Thielen
Aaron Jones or Adam Thielen
Alvin Kamara or Cooper Kupp
Brian Robinsonjr or Adam Thielen
Deandre Hopkins or Cooper Kupp
Drake London or Cooper Kupp
Jakobi Meyers or Terry Mclaurin
Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp
Najee Harris or Adam Thielen
Nico Collins or Cooper Kupp
Puka Nacua or Terry Mclaurin
Travis Etiennejr or Adam Thielen
Alexander Mattison or Cooper Kupp
Amari Cooper or Cooper Kupp
Ceedee Lamb or Adam Thielen
Ceedee Lamb or Terry Mclaurin
Chuba Hubbard or Adam Thielen
Dandre Swift or Cooper Kupp
Darnell Mooney or Terry Mclaurin
Davante Adams or Adam Thielen
David Njoku or Adam Thielen
Deebo Samuelsr or Cooper Kupp
James Conner or Adam Thielen
James Cook or Cooper Kupp
Jayden Reed or Cooper Kupp
Joe Mixon or Cooper Kupp
Jonnu Smith or Adam Thielen
Justin Jefferson or Terry Mclaurin
Kyren Williams or Cooper Kupp
Kyren Williams or Terry Mclaurin
Malik Nabers or Adam Thielen
Quentin Johnston or Adam Thielen
Rashod Bateman or Adam Thielen
Rome Odunze or Adam Thielen
Tank Dell or Adam Thielen
Tj Hockenson or Adam Thielen
Trey Mcbride or Adam Thielen
Trey Mcbride or Terry Mclaurin
Aaron Rodgers or Cooper Kupp
Aj Brown or Terry Mclaurin
Allen Lazard or Adam Thielen
Alvin Kamara or Adam Thielen
Amari Cooper or Terry Mclaurin
Ameer Abdullah or Adam Thielen
Amonra Stbrown or Cooper Kupp
Amonra Stbrown or Terry Mclaurin
Braelon Allen or Adam Thielen
Brenton Strange or Adam Thielen
Brian Thomasjr or Adam Thielen
Brock Bowers or Terry Mclaurin
Bucky Irving or Adam Thielen
Cedric Tillman or Adam Thielen
Ceedee Lamb or Cooper Kupp
Chase Brown or Cooper Kupp
Chris Godwin or Cooper Kupp
Christian Watson or Adam Thielen
Chuba Hubbard or Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp or Cooper Kupp
Curtis Samuel or Adam Thielen
Derrick Henry or Adam Thielen
Derrick Henry or Cooper Kupp
Derrick Henry or Terry Mclaurin
Devon Achane or Cooper Kupp
Dj Moore or Cooper Kupp
Garrett Wilson or Adam Thielen
Isiah Pacheco or Adam Thielen
Jalen Mcmillan or Cooper Kupp
James Conner or Terry Mclaurin
James Cook or Adam Thielen
Jameson Williams or Terry Mclaurin
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Adam Thielen
Jaylen Waddle or Adam Thielen
Jonathan Taylor or Adam Thielen
Jonnu Smith or Cooper Kupp
Jonnu Smith or Terry Mclaurin
Jordan Addison or Cooper Kupp
Josh Allen or Cooper Kupp
Josh Downs or Terry Mclaurin
Kareem Hunt or Adam Thielen
Keenan Allen or Cooper Kupp
Keenan Allen or Terry Mclaurin
Kenneth Walkeriii or Adam Thielen
Kenneth Walkeriii or Cooper Kupp
Kenneth Walkeriii or Terry Mclaurin
Keon Coleman or Adam Thielen
Kyle Pitts or Cooper Kupp
Marquez Valdesscantling or Adam Thielen
Michael Pittmanjr or Adam Thielen
Mike Williams or Terry Mclaurin
Patrick Mahomes or Terry Mclaurin
Puka Nacua or Adam Thielen
Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp
Quentin Johnston or Terry Mclaurin
Rachaad White or Terry Mclaurin
Rhamondre Stevenson or Terry Mclaurin
Rico Dowdle or Cooper Kupp
Romeo Doubs or Terry Mclaurin
Sam Laporta or Adam Thielen
Sincere Mccormick or Adam Thielen
Tank Bigsby or Adam Thielen
Tee Higgins or Adam Thielen
Tony Pollard or Cooper Kupp
Travis Etiennejr or Terry Mclaurin
Trey Mcbride or Cooper Kupp
Tucker Kraft or Cooper Kupp
Tyjae Spears or Adam Thielen
Tyler Allgeier or Terry Mclaurin
Tyler Lockett or Adam Thielen
Tyrone Tracyjr or Cooper Kupp
Zach Charbonnet or Adam Thielen
More Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks
Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 16? Garrett Wilson, Keenan Allen, Jameson Williams
You might not have all three of these players on your rosters unless you're in a ton of leagues, but sometimes things are out of your control in life. Maybe you couldn't help yourself and joined a bunch of random public leagues on ESPN or various Sleeper leagues. Maybe you play dynasty, redraft, and best […]
Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 16? Mike Williams, Calvin Austin III, Justice Hill
With the injury to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) and the plethora of ailments to key running backs heading into Week 16, fantasy managers are rightfully wondering who they should start in place of their key players if they end up missing the next slate of games. The Steelers have two potential options […]
Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 16? Joe Mixon, Isiah Pacheco, DeAndre Hopkins
Can you believe it’s already Week 16, and we’re making start/sit decisions for the fantasy football semi-finals? If you are still playing for a championship, congratulations! Regardless, some of you may be playing for third place or in the consolation bracket, avoiding the league penalty for last place. This article will closely examine some interesting […]
Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 16? Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth
The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the better offenses in the league this season. They rank 11th in total points per game this year despite being a run-heavy group and technically not having had their starting quarterback for the first six games of 2024. They rank in the bottom half of teams in offensive yards […]
Who Should I Start for Fantasy Football Week 16? Xavier Worthy, Dalton Schultz, Noah Gray
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans have a variety of offensive players who have been key contributors in helping fantasy football teams make it to the playoffs. Not all of them have played well consistently, though, so making decisions about which ones to start and sit can be difficult. Chiefs' wide receiver Xavier […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!