Adam Thielen Fantasy Hub: Week 15 Injury Update, Start/Sit Advice, Projections, and More

The Carolina Panthers will face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding WR Adam Thielen.

Check out the FREE Start/Sit Optimizer from Pro Football Network to ensure you are making the right decisions for your fantasy lineup every week!

Is Adam Thielen Playing in Week 15?

Thielen is not listed on the injury report this week, so barring any unexpected setbacks, he is on track to play this weekend.

We’ll continue to monitor the Panthers’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.

Should You Start or Sit Adam Thielen in Week 15?

Thielen has reached 19 PPR points in consecutive games, the first player 34 years or older to do that since Larry Fitzgerald (2017). The storytelling stats are nice, but I have less confidence in the predictive ones.

Thielen has been thriving based on slot usage and extreme efficiency. The slot role is going to be his for the rest of the season, but once Jalen Coker returns, his volume of looks in that spot is destined to decline.

As for the efficiency, an 81% catch rate over the past two weeks is difficult to project to sustain in any situation, let alone a Bryce Young-led offense. The Cowboys’ defense has shown life since Micah Parsons returned to the mix in Week 10; if the Cowboys are afforded the opportunity to pin their ears back, Thielen’s fantasy stock could come crashing back to Earth this week.

Keep an eye on Coker’s status. If he sits again, Thielen will elevate into the Darnell Mooney tier of my ranks, a range in which I’m comfortable Flexing. If that’s not the case, he’s going to struggle to crack my top 40 at the position.

Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 15 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.

Adam Thielen’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 15

As of Sunday morning, Thielen is projected to score 12.2 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 4.6 receptions for 49.7 yards and 0.4 touchdowns.

Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.

PFN Insight on the Cowboys’ Defense

The Dallas Cowboys defense has fallen off a cliff following Quinn’s departure. Losing Micah Parsons for an extended stretch didn’t help, but his return hasn’t consistently led Dallas back into the top 10. They’ve ranked inside the top 15 in five straight games, but that is still well below last year’s levels.

Having been a top-five unit for each of the last three seasons, falling to outside the top 20 is a massive drop-off in a single season and shows the value Quinn was bringing to this franchise.

The most promising performances in recent weeks have been in Week 12 against Washington and then this week against Cincinnati. Both are good offenses, so to be a middle-of-the-pack unit against them is a sign of progress from where they were earlier this year.

However, it’s still some distance from where this team wants to be.

Third downs have been a positive area for the Cowboys in recent weeks, and this has translated to the season as a whole. This week was actually their worst in that area since Week 8, allowing the Bengals to convert on 40% of their third-down attempts, below their season average of 34.6% (fifth).

Dallas’ pass defense struggled this week, allowing a 43.5% success rate and a -0.22 EPA per dropback. The run defense was fairly solid, with a 64.7% success rate and a 0.06 EPA per rush. That is in contrast to the rest of the season, where they are posting some of the worst EPA numbers against the run (-0.06 EPA per rush) in the last six seasons.

Additionally, Dallas is the worst team in the NFL when it comes to red-zone defense, allowing touchdowns on 74.4% of drives inside the 20-yard line. They fared better this week, allowing just a 50% red-zone efficiency rate against the Bengals.

For more insight on all other team defenses, head to our PFN Defense+ Metric Analysis.

Adam Thielen’s Fantasy Ranking

Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 11:35 AM ET on Sunday, December 15. If you’re in a Superflex league, make sure you check out our Weekly Consensus Superflex Rankings.

Week 15 WR PPR Rankings

1) Ja’Marr Chase | CIN (at TEN)

2) Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET (vs. BUF)

3) Puka Nacua | LAR (at SF)

4) Justin Jefferson | MIN (vs. CHI)

5) Nico Collins | HOU (vs. MIA)

6) A.J. Brown | PHI (vs. PIT)

7) Tyreek Hill | MIA (at HOU)

8) Mike Evans | TB (at LAC)

9) Terry McLaurin | WAS (at NO)

10) Drake London | ATL (at LV)

11) Malik Nabers | NYG (vs. BAL)

12) CeeDee Lamb | DAL (at CAR)

13) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA (vs. GB)

14) Courtland Sutton | DEN (vs. IND)

15) Cooper Kupp | LAR (at SF)

16) Tee Higgins | CIN (at TEN)

17) Davante Adams | NYJ (at JAX)

18) Calvin Ridley | TEN (vs. CIN)

19) Jerry Jeudy | CLE (vs. KC)

20) Jauan Jennings | SF (vs. LAR)

21) Garrett Wilson | NYJ (at JAX)

22) Zay Flowers | BAL (at NYG)

23) DK Metcalf | SEA (vs. GB)

24) Khalil Shakir | BUF (at DET)

25) DJ Moore | CHI (at MIN)26) Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX (vs. NYJ)

27) Ladd McConkey | LAC (vs. TB)

28) Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI (vs. NE)

29) Jaylen Waddle | MIA (at HOU)

30) Jordan Addison | MIN (vs. CHI)

31) DeAndre Hopkins | KC (at CLE)

32) Michael Pittman Jr. | IND (at DEN)

33) Jayden Reed | GB (at SEA)

34) Keenan Allen | CHI (at MIN)

35) Jakobi Meyers | LV (vs. ATL)36) Adam Thielen | CAR (vs. DAL)

37) Jameson Williams | DET (vs. BUF)

38) Elijah Moore | CLE (vs. KC)39) Darnell Mooney | ATL (at LV)

40) Amari Cooper | BUF (at DET)

41) DeVonta Smith | PHI (vs. PIT)

42) Tank Dell | HOU (vs. MIA)

43) Rome Odunze | CHI (at MIN)44) DeMario Douglas | NE (at ARI)

45) Rashod Bateman | BAL (at NYG)

46) Christian Watson | GB (at SEA)

47) Xavier Worthy | KC (at CLE)

48) Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF (vs. LAR)

49) Michael Wilson | ARI (vs. NE)

50) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | TEN (vs. CIN)

51) Marquez Valdes-Scantling | BUF (at DET)

52) Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL (at LV)

53) Alec Pierce | IND (at DEN)

54) Quentin Johnston | LAC (vs. TB)55) Xavier Legette | CAR (vs. DAL)

56) Jalen McMillan | TB (at LAC)

57) Kendrick Bourne | NE (at ARI)58) Parker Washington | JAX (vs. NYJ)

59) Tim Patrick | DET (vs. BUF)

60) Wan’Dale Robinson | NYG (vs. BAL)61) Devaughn Vele | DEN (vs. IND)

62) Calvin Austin III | PIT (at PHI)

63) Joshua Palmer | LAC (vs. TB)

64) Demarcus Robinson | LAR (at SF)65) Tre Tucker | LV (vs. ATL)

66) Brandin Cooks | DAL (at CAR)

67) Dontayvion Wicks | GB (at SEA)68) David Moore | CAR (vs. DAL)

69) Sterling Shepard | TB (at LAC)

70) Tyler Lockett | SEA (vs. GB)

71) Mike Williams | PIT (at PHI)

72) Keon Coleman | BUF (at DET)

73) Darius Slayton | NYG (vs. BAL)

74) Van Jefferson | PIT (at PHI)

75) Adonai Mitchell | IND (at DEN)

76) Jalen Tolbert | DAL (at CAR)

77) Allen Lazard | NYJ (at JAX)78) Ricky Pearsall | SF (vs. LAR)79) Tyler Boyd | TEN (vs. CIN)

80) Andrei Iosivas | CIN (at TEN)

81) Jalen Nailor | MIN (vs. CHI)

82) KaVontae Turpin | DAL (at CAR)

83) Kevin Austin Jr. | NO (vs. WAS)

84) JuJu Smith-Schuster | KC (at CLE)

85) Malik Washington | MIA (at HOU)

86) Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN (vs. IND)

87) Josh Downs | IND (at DEN)

88) Tutu Atwell | LAR (at SF)

89) Mack Hollins | BUF (at DET)90) Cedrick Wilson Jr. | NO (vs. WAS)91) Justin Watson | KC (at CLE)

92) Curtis Samuel | BUF (at DET)

93) Devin Duvernay | JAX (vs. NYJ)94) Michael Woods II | CLE (vs. KC)

95) Jahan Dotson | PHI (vs. PIT)

96) Bo Melton | GB (at SEA)

97) Greg Dortch | ARI (vs. NE)

98) Jalen Reagor | LAC (vs. TB)

99) Jalin Hyatt | NYG (vs. BAL)100) Derius Davis | LAC (vs. TB)101) Zay Jones | ARI (vs. NE)

102) Terrace Marshall Jr. | SF (vs. LAR)

103) Jermaine Burton | CIN (at TEN)

104) Jonathan Mingo | DAL (at CAR)105) DJ Chark | LAC (vs. TB)

106) Tyler Johnson | LAR (at SF)

107) Trey Palmer | TB (at LAC)108) Ben Skowronek | PIT (at PHI)109) Rakim Jarrett | TB (at LAC)

110) Jalen Brooks | DAL (at CAR)

111) Jake Bobo | SEA (vs. GB)112) Xavier Gipson | NYJ (at JAX)

113) Kadarius Toney | CLE (vs. KC)

114) Malik Heath | GB (at SEA)

115) Johnny Wilson | PHI (vs. PIT)

123) Romeo Doubs | GB (at SEA)

Cowboys and Panthers Trends and Insights

Dallas Cowboys

Team: The Cowboys scored 14 points on 17 plays across the opening drives of both halves on Monday Night … they scored 6 points on 42 plays on all other drives

QB: Cooper Rush has failed to clear 195 passing yards on 30+ attempts in consecutive games, first against the Giants and on Monday night against the Bengals. He is the only QB to check both of those boxes against either of those defenses this season.

Offense: Scripting wasn’t an issue on Monday night against the Bengals: their first possession of the first half was a nine-play drive that resulted in a touchdown, and their first possession of the second half was an eight-play drive that also resulted in six points.

Defense: The Cowboys have allowed under 2.0 points per drive five times this season — they are 5-0 in those games. They’ve allowed over 2.0 points per drive eight times (2.3 on Monday night) — they are 0-8 in those games.

Fantasy: Rico Dowdle has run for 100+ yards in consecutive games, the first Cowboy to do that since Tony Pollard (Weeks 8-10, 2022). Between those two instances, 31 times did a non-Cowboy RB register consecutive 100-yard rushing games.

Betting: Either Dallas has covered and the over has hit, OR they’ve failed to cover with the under coming through in each of their past five short rest games.

Carolina Panthers

Team: Four straight home-or-neutral games featuring the Panthers have been decided by a field goal or less.

QB: Bryce Young was a perfect four-of-four passing in the red zone on Sunday (previous two games: seven-of-20).

Offense: The Panthers have converted 10 of their 11 goal-to-go trips into touchdowns over their past seven games.

Defense: Carolina’s red zone defense had no answer for Philadelphia last week (three touchdowns on three red zone drives), something that had proven to be a strength of theirs in the three games prior (five touchdowns allowed on 13 such drives).

Fantasy: Adam Thielen has reached 19 PPR points in consecutive games, the first 34+-year-old receiver to do that since Larry Fitzgerald (2017).

Betting: The Panthers have covered four straight home games and seen over tickets cash in five of their past six at home.

Looking for more? Head over to our Week 15 Stats, Trends, and Insights for more research around the NFL.

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