Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Khalil Shakir

Sunday, December 21, 6:12 PM

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson looked more like his old self on Sunday by catching six passes on eight targets for 85 yards despite losing his starting quarterback for the second half in a 16-13 victory against the New York Giants. The superstar receiver had multiple impressive catch-and-runs, made an excellent sideline catch, and was on pace for a big day, but settled for merely a good one after J.J. McCarthy (hand) was lost for the day right before halftime. Still, it was a welcome slump-buster for Jefferson, who caught more than five passes for the first time since Week 9 and surpassed 80 yards for the first time since Week 5. It was a welcome sight for managers who survived the worst three-game stretch of Jefferson's career, but the immediate future looks uncertain. If McCarthy cannot return in time for a Christmas Day showdown against Detroit, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer would be in line for another start.

Saturday, December 20, 10:40 AM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir hauled in all five of his targets for 65 yards in the 35-31 win over the division rival New England Patriots. With struggling weapons in the Bills' receiving room, Shakir has retained his WR1 role in the offense, giving him fantasy value moving forward. Shakir has caught 62 passes for 650 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games this season, placing him as WR33. However, production may be hard to come by against this Browns secondary, which has given up the second-fewest receiving yards to wide receivers this season. They've also allowed only 6.4 fantasy points per game to slot receivers this season, which is where Shakir consistently lines up. Despite being the WR1 in this strong Bills offense, Shakir is a fade this week against this strong Browns secondary.