Who Should I Start? Adam Thielen or Tony Pollard

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.

Sunday, December 7, 6:09 PM

Tennessee Titans running back had 25 carries, 161 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Cleveland Browns. His touchdowns came on long runs from 32 and 65 yards out, respectively. Pollard's big performance seemed to come out of nowhere. Over the last three weeks, he struggled to amass more than a dozen touches per game, averaged fewer than 4.5 yards per carry, didn't score a touchdown, and essentially split snaps 50/50 with Tyjae Spears. However, that entire dynamic changed this Sunday as Pollard shattered his previous season-high rushing attempt total (20) and posted his best fantasy performance of the season. Pollard played well early in the game, so it seems like Tennessee simply rode the hot hand and kept him in the game as long as he continued to play well. That same trend should continue in Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers, and Pollard has the early advantage over Spears given his excellent showing this Sunday. He's back into the RB2 tier for Week 15.