Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Khalil Shakir

Sunday, December 7, 12:53 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen are active for Sunday's Week 14 contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Both players are making their team debuts. Valdes-Scantling was signed from the Steelers' practice squad earlier this week after previously playing for the Buffalo Bills. In five games with Buffalo, he caught four of his eight targets for 40 yards. Meanwhile, Thielen was claimed off waivers after he and the Minnesota Vikings mutually agreed to part ways. The 35-year-old had caught just eight passes through 11 games. He is one year removed from a solid 2024 campaign with the Carolina Panthers in which he caught 48 passes for 615 yards and five touchdowns. Neither player is much of a hot commodity in fantasy football, but they both have the potential to carve out significant roles. After all, the Steelers have been underwhelmed by the wide receiver position across the entire depth chart, including receivers DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III, and could be looking for meaningful contributions from new faces.

Saturday, December 6, 7:44 PM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir matched a season low with just one reception for five yards on four targets in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bills opted for a heavy run approach with 51 total carries to 23 pass attempts, and Shakir's production suffered as a result. His four targets tied for the second most on the team, but it was another frustrating performance for his fantasy managers. The 25-year-old now has three games with only one reception after recording zero such games in his breakout 2024 season. Shakir is still the clear top target for the Bills, but their run-heavy offensive approach limits his ceiling. He could have some targets taken away in Week 14 against the Bengals with the potential return of top tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring), who is currently listed as questionable to play for the first time since Week 10. It could be a great spot for Shakir to bounce back against a Bengals defense that has been the worst in the league. He ranks as RotoBaller's WR27 in PPR formats in Week 14.