Sometimes, it's tempting to overthink things and question starting players that you drafted early in fantasy football drafts this season. Other times, your players underperform all year, and you might not know if you should start them over waiver wire pickups.
Three players that fit one of these molds are Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, A.J. Brown, New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams, and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (knee). Brown and Adams are known studs with consistency issues, and Waddle has simply had a poor season.
Let's dive into which you should start and which should be left on the bench.
Should I Start A.J. Brown for Fantasy Football?
Sure, it hasn't been pretty for Brown this season, but it's extremely risky to bench a player with this much upside. The Eagles could also opt to stop driving running back Saquon Barkley into the ground and grinding his bones to dust by giving him a thousand touches every game. It's been puzzling to see, as they'll need him for the playoffs.
AJ BROWN
pic.twitter.com/jeXbhBXw4s https://t.co/YZrhKMgf7Y— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) December 15, 2024
He's still an utterly elite WR, he just hasn't been thrown the ball as much this season. They'll need to take some load off Barkley's shoulders if they want to maximize his chances of staying healthy for the playoffs. Start AJB no matter what.
Should I Start Davante Adams for Fantasy Football?
You probably should. He had a massive game in Week 15, scoring 42.8 PPR fantasy points. It was against the Jacksonville Jaguars' awful secondary, but Adams has quickly become the favorite target of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Since joining his new team, Tae has been targeted nine, six, 11, 13, seven, 12, 11, and 12 times.
Davante Adams body control is NEXT LEVEL 🤯
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/zcsvzXasWy
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 15, 2024
He looked washed in Las Vegas, but separation stats suggested that he just didn't care while he was there. He's back to trying his best now that he's been reunited with his old pal.
Should I Start Jaylen Waddle for Fantasy Football?
Waddle (knee) didn't practice on either Wednesday or Thursday, and is now being considered as doubtful for Week 16. Even if he does play, he'll likely be dealing with significant pain and/or discomfort. And even if he were fully healthy, he might not be the best player to start.
Happy Birthday Jaylen Waddle, yesterdays performance was special ‼️🐧
- 8 Rec
- 144 YDS
- 18 YPC
- TD pic.twitter.com/7gLNFGtIhY— Bobby Shouse (@B_Shousejr) November 25, 2024
He's still a pretty good player, but Miami's offensive line was bad to start the season, and now is extremely banged up. Both the team's starting offensive tackles missed Week 15 and are in danger of missing Week 16 as well, as neither Terron Armstead (knee) or Kendall Lamm (back) practiced Wednesday.
We don't expect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to have much time in the pocket to get off his passes this week. Nick Bosa, the star defensive end from the opposing San Francisco 49ers team, could have a field... er, backfield day against Miami.
Popular Week 16 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 16 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for A.J. Brown, Davante Adams, Jaylen Waddle 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:
Nico Collins or Davante Adams
Terry Mclaurin or Davante Adams
Brian Thomasjr or Davante Adams
Ladd Mcconkey or Aj Brown
Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams
Ladd Mcconkey or Davante Adams
Khalil Shakir or Davante Adams
Courtland Sutton or Aj Brown
Courtland Sutton or Davante Adams
Darnell Mooney or Jaylen Waddle
Malik Nabers or Davante Adams
Brian Thomasjr or Aj Brown
Drake London or Davante Adams
Jerry Jeudy or Davante Adams
Josh Downs or Jaylen Waddle
Mike Evans or Davante Adams
Dk Metcalf or Aj Brown
James Cook or Davante Adams
Aaron Jones or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Davante Adams
Jauan Jennings or Aj Brown
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Davante Adams
Joe Mixon or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Rome Odunze or Jaylen Waddle
Adam Thielen or Jaylen Waddle
Bucky Irving or Aj Brown
Isaac Guerendo or Davante Adams
Jauan Jennings or Davante Adams
Jerome Ford or Jaylen Waddle
Khalil Shakir or Aj Brown
Romeo Doubs or Jaylen Waddle
Aaron Jones or Davante Adams
Breece Hall or Aj Brown
Devon Achane or Davante Adams
Drake London or Aj Brown
James Cook or Aj Brown
Jordan Addison or Davante Adams
Kyren Williams or Aj Brown
Quentin Johnston or Jaylen Waddle
Tee Higgins or Davante Adams
Zay Flowers or Davante Adams
Amonra Stbrown or Aj Brown
Brian Robinsonjr or Aj Brown
Brian Thomasjr or Jaylen Waddle
Bucky Irving or Davante Adams
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Derrick Henry or Davante Adams
Dj Moore or Aj Brown
Jakobi Meyers or Jaylen Waddle
Jalen Mcmillan or Jaylen Waddle
Jerome Ford or Davante Adams
Keenan Allen or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Davante Adams
Nico Collins or Aj Brown
Rashod Bateman or Jaylen Waddle
Tee Higgins or Davante Adams
Tee Higgins or Davante Adams
Terry Mclaurin or Aj Brown
Aj Brown or Davante Adams
Alvin Kamara or Davante Adams
Amari Cooper or Aj Brown
Amari Cooper or Jaylen Waddle
Bijan Robinson or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Aj Brown
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Chase Brown or Davante Adams
Chuba Hubbard or Davante Adams
Chuba Hubbard or Davante Adams
Courtland Sutton or Davante Adams
Courtland Sutton or Jaylen Waddle
Davante Adams or Aj Brown
Derrick Henry or Aj Brown
Garrett Wilson or Davante Adams
Garrett Wilson or Davante Adams
Isiah Pacheco or Davante Adams
Isiah Pacheco or Jaylen Waddle
Jalen Coker or Jaylen Waddle
Jamarr Chase or Davante Adams
Javonte Williams or Jaylen Waddle
Jayden Reed or Jaylen Waddle
Jayden Reed or Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Warren or Jaylen Waddle
Jerome Ford or Davante Adams
Jerome Ford or Jaylen Waddle
Jerome Ford or Jaylen Waddle
Jonathan Taylor or Davante Adams
Jordan Addison or Aj Brown
Justin Jefferson or Davante Adams
Keenan Allen or Jaylen Waddle
Kendre Miller or Jaylen Waddle
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Nico Collins or Aj Brown
Puka Nacua or Aj Brown
Rhamondre Stevenson or Jaylen Waddle
Rico Dowdle or Davante Adams
Tee Higgins or Davante Adams
Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jaylen Waddle
Xavier Worthy or Jaylen Waddle
Adam Thielen or Aj Brown
Adam Thielen or Davante Adams
Aj Brown or Davante Adams
Aj Brown or Davante Adams
Aj Brown or Davante Adams
Aj Brown or Davante Adams
Aj Brown or Davante Adams
Alvin Kamara or Aj Brown
Amari Cooper or Aj Brown
Amonra Stbrown or Aj Brown
Amonra Stbrown or Aj Brown
Amonra Stbrown or Davante Adams
Amonra Stbrown or Davante Adams
Amonra Stbrown or Davante Adams
Bijan Robinson or Davante Adams
Bijan Robinson or Davante Adams
Bo Nix or Davante Adams
Breece Hall or Aj Brown
Breece Hall or Davante Adams
Brenton Strange or Jaylen Waddle
Brian Robinsonjr or Aj Brown
Brian Thomasjr or Aj Brown
Brian Thomasjr or Aj Brown
Brian Thomasjr or Aj Brown
Brian Thomasjr or Davante Adams
Brian Thomasjr or Davante Adams
Bucky Irving or Davante Adams
Cedric Tillman or Jaylen Waddle
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Ceedee Lamb or Davante Adams
Chase Brown or Aj Brown
Chase Brown or Aj Brown
Christian Watson or Jaylen Waddle
Chuba Hubbard or Aj Brown
Chuba Hubbard or Davante Adams
Chuba Hubbard or Davante Adams
Chuba Hubbard or Davante Adams
Chuba Hubbard or Jaylen Waddle
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Aj Brown
Cooper Kupp or Davante Adams
Cooper Kupp or Davante Adams
Cooper Kupp or Davante Adams
Courtland Sutton or Aj Brown
Courtland Sutton or Aj Brown
Courtland Sutton or Davante Adams
Courtland Sutton or Davante Adams
Darnell Mooney or Aj Brown
Darnell Mooney or Jaylen Waddle
Darnell Mooney or Jaylen Waddle
Darnell Mooney or Jaylen Waddle
Davante Adams or Aj Brown
Davante Adams or Aj Brown
David Njoku or Jaylen Waddle
Deandre Hopkins or Jaylen Waddle
Deebo Samuel or Jaylen Waddle
Deebo Samuelsr or Jaylen Waddle
Deebo Samuelsr or Jaylen Waddle
Derrick Henry or Davante Adams
Devonta Smith or Aj Brown
Dj Moore or Aj Brown
Dj Moore or Davante Adams
Dj Moore or Davante Adams
Dk Metcalf or Jaylen Waddle
Drake London or Davante Adams
Garrett Wilson or Aj Brown
Garrett Wilson or Aj Brown
Garrett Wilson or Davante Adams
Geno Smith or Jaylen Waddle
George Pickens or Davante Adams
Isaac Guerendo or Aj Brown
Isaac Guerendo or Davante Adams
Isaac Guerendo or Davante Adams
Isiah Pacheco or Jaylen Waddle
Isiah Pacheco or Jaylen Waddle
Jahmyr Gibbs or Davante Adams
Jahmyr Gibbs or Davante Adams
Jakobi Meyers or Aj Brown
Jakobi Meyers or Aj Brown
Jakobi Meyers or Davante Adams
Jakobi Meyers or Davante Adams
Jakobi Meyers or Jaylen Waddle
Jalen Mcmillan or Jaylen Waddle
Jalen Mcmillan or Jaylen Waddle
Jalen Tolbert or Jaylen Waddle
James Conner or Aj Brown
James Conner or Davante Adams
James Conner or Davante Adams
James Cook or Davante Adams
Jauan Jennings or Aj Brown
Jauan Jennings or Davante Adams
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Aj Brown
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Aj Brown
Jayden Reed or Jaylen Waddle
Jayden Reed or Jaylen Waddle
Jayden Reed or Jaylen Waddle
Jayden Reed or Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Warren or Jaylen Waddle
Jerome Ford or Aj Brown
Jerome Ford or Jaylen Waddle
Jerry Jeudy or Aj Brown
Jerry Jeudy or Aj Brown
Jerry Jeudy or Aj Brown
Jerry Jeudy or Davante Adams
Jerry Jeudy or Jaylen Waddle
Joe Mixon or Aj Brown
Joe Mixon or Davante Adams
Jonathan Taylor or Davante Adams
Jonnu Smith or Jaylen Waddle
Jonnu Smith or Jaylen Waddle
Jordan Addison or Davante Adams
Jordan Addison or Jaylen Waddle
Jordan Addison or Jaylen Waddle
Keenan Allen or Aj Brown
Keenan Allen or Jaylen Waddle
Keenan Allen or Jaylen Waddle
Keenan Allen or Jaylen Waddle
Kenneth Walkeriii or Aj Brown
Kenneth Walkeriii or Davante Adams
Kenneth Walkeriii or Jaylen Waddle
Keon Coleman or Jaylen Waddle
Khalil Shakir or Aj Brown
Khalil Shakir or Davante Adams
Kyren Williams or Aj Brown
Ladd Mcconkey or Aj Brown
Ladd Mcconkey or Jaylen Waddle
Malik Nabers or Aj Brown
Malik Nabers or Aj Brown
Malik Nabers or Aj Brown
Malik Nabers or Davante Adams
Malik Nabers or Davante Adams
Malik Nabers or Davante Adams
Marvin Harrisonjr or Jaylen Waddle
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Aj Brown
Mike Evans or Davante Adams
Mike Evans or Davante Adams
Najee Harris or Aj Brown
Najee Harris or Davante Adams
Najee Harris or Jaylen Waddle
Najee Harris or Jaylen Waddle
Nico Collins or Aj Brown
Nico Collins or Davante Adams
Nico Collins or Davante Adams
Nico Collins or Davante Adams
Pat Freiermuth or Jaylen Waddle
Puka Nacua or Aj Brown
Puka Nacua or Aj Brown
Puka Nacua or Aj Brown
Puka Nacua or Aj Brown
Puka Nacua or Davante Adams
Puka Nacua or Davante Adams
Quentin Johnston or Jaylen Waddle
Rachaad White or Jaylen Waddle
Rashod Bateman or Aj Brown
Rico Dowdle or Aj Brown
Rico Dowdle or Davante Adams
Romeo Doubs or Jaylen Waddle
Tee Higgins or Aj Brown
Tee Higgins or Aj Brown
Tee Higgins or Aj Brown
Tee Higgins or Aj Brown
Tee Higgins or Davante Adams
Tee Higgins or Davante Adams
Terry Mclaurin or Aj Brown
Terry Mclaurin or Aj Brown
Terry Mclaurin or Davante Adams
Tj Hockenson or Jaylen Waddle
Tony Pollard or Davante Adams
Tyjae Spears or Jaylen Waddle
Tyreek Hill or Aj Brown
Tyreek Hill or Aj Brown
Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams
Tyrone Tracyjr or Davante Adams
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jaylen Waddle
Tyrone Tracyjr or Jaylen Waddle
Wandale Robinson or Jaylen Waddle
Xavier Worthy or Jaylen Waddle
Zay Flowers or Aj Brown
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