Shakir, Thielen among 4 must-start Week 15 fantasy football wide receivers

MIAMI, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Khalil Shakir and Adam Thielen are among my four must-start wide receivers for Week 15 of the fantasy football campaign, when most leagues start the playoffs.

Puka Nacua leads my Week 15 Top-50 rankings, which are listed below. Ja'Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson and Nico Collins join Nacua inside the Top 5 of my rankings.

Brian Thomas Jr., Drake London, Jakobi Myers, Davante Adams and Jordan Addison join those pass catchers in my Top 10. Jauan Jennings and Darnell Mooney join Shakir and Thielen as my four must-start plays.

Those who roster Ladd McConkey, George Pickens and other players dealing with injuries should monitor their status before plugging them into starting lineups.

No teams are on bye this week, leaving fantasy football players with more matchup- and health-based decisions. My rankings, which will be updated based on injuries and other factors, should assist in your starting lineup deliberation.

Khalil Shakir

Shakir provided WR1-level production in Week 14, when he hauled in five catches for 106 yards and a score in a Buffalo Bills win over the Los Angeles Rams. He continues to see a healthy target total, with at least seven looks in each of his last seven games.

Shakir and the Bills will now face the Detroit Lions in what I expect to be the highest-scoring game of the week. The Lions allowed the second-most catches (14.7) and receiving yards (185.9) per game to wide receivers through 14 weeks. They also surrendered 114 yards to Christian Watson in Week 14, 97 yards and a score to D.J. Moore in Week 13 and 96 yards to Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 12.

Look for Josh Allen, who continues to play at an MVP level, to target this speedster with regularity. Shakir is my No. 13 option, but is best used as a WR2/WR3.

Jauan Jennings

Jennings sits at No. 20 in my rankings and can be used as a borderline WR2 or high-end WR3. The San Francisco 49ers pass catcher provided the fifth-most points among wide receivers in Week 14, when he caught seven passes for 90 yards and two scores.

He also provided WR1-level value over the last four weeks, when he averaged the 13th-most fantasy points among wide receivers. Jennings was targeted more than eight times per game, on average, over the last five weeks. He eclipsed 90 yards and scored three times during that span.

He will now face the same Rams defense that just allowed Shakir's big day and surrendered the eighth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers so far this season.

I expect Jennings to catch at least six passes for 75 yards. He could climb into WR1 territory if he finds the end zone in what oddsmakers expect to be the second-highest scoring game of the weekend.

Adam Thielen

Thielen consistently provided WR2 fantasy football production for his stockholders as of late. The veteran wide receiver totaled 21 targets, 17 catches, 201 yards and a score over the last two weeks, including a season-high 11 looks, nine catches and 102 yards in Week 14.

Now, he will face a Dallas Cowboys defense that just surrendered 177 yards and two scores to Ja'Marr Chase in Week 14. The Cowboys also allowed nine touchdowns to the position over their last eight games.

Thielen is my No. 22 play and can be used as a low-end WR2.

Darnell Mooney

Mooney is another decent WR2/WR3 play in Week 15, when his Atlanta Falcons play the Las Vegas Raiders. The Falcons veteran erupted for a career-high 142 yards in Week 14. He also recorded at least 86 receiving yards in five of his last nine games. He scored four times during that span.

The Raiders just allowed 69 yards to Mike Evans, 63 yards to Sterling Shepard and 59 yards and two scores to Jalen McMillan in Week 14. They also surrendered at least 273 passing yards to quarterbacks in each of their last four games and gave up multiple passing scores in five of their last six appearances.

Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins failed to throw a touchdown pass in each of his last four starts, but Mooney still provided value despite that drought. Look for Cousins' scoring skid to end, while he continues to target Mooney against a vulnerable defense.

Mooney is my No. 26 play for Week 15.

Week 15 wide receiver rankings

1. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams at SF

2. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals at TEN

3. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at CAR

4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI

5. Nico Collins, Houston Texans vs. MIA

6. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars vs. NYJ

7. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons at LV

8. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. ATL

9. Davante Adams, New York Jets at JAX

10. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings vs. CHI

11. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams at SF

12. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns vs. KC

13. Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills at DET

14. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions vs. BUF

15. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins at HOU

16. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals at TEN

17. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears at MIN

18. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders at NO

19. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at LAC

20. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers vs. LAR

21. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles vs. PIT

22. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers vs. DAL

23. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets at JAX

24. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos vs. IND

25. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at NYG

26. Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons at LV

27. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. GB

28. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals vs. NE

29. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans vs. CIN

30. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions vs. BUF

31. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears at MIN

32. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers at SEA

33. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins at HOU

34. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. LAR

35. Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers vs. TB

36. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. GB

37. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts at DEN

38. DeAndre Hopkins, Kansas City Chiefs at CLE

39. Malik Nabers, New York Giants vs. BAL

40. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles vs. PIT

41. Amari Cooper, Buffalo Bills at DET

42. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers vs. TB

43. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans vs. CIN

44. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, New Orleans Saints vs. WAS

45. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs at CLE

46. Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears at MIN

47. Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers vs. DAL

48. Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns vs. KC

49. Ray-Ray McCloud, Atlanta Falcons at LV

50. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers at SEA