Week 15 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings: Justin Jefferson’s Time to Shine

Maximize your fantasy football lineup in Week 15 with our full PPR and non-PPR wide receiver rankings, featuring top options, waiver-wire gems, and key injury insights.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) practices before the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Welcome to Week 15 where bye weeks are a thing of the past and the fantasy football postseason begins. We are now in win-or-go-home mode and the margin for error has never been thinner. 

We all know that in fantasy football, volume is king. While quarterbacks and running backs typically handle heavier workloads than any other position, it’s wide receivers who often make the difference with their explosive plays, particularly in PPR formats. Just look at how Michael Wilson and Puka Nacua performed in the fantasy football regular-season finale in Week 14. Wilson, who was on the waiver wire for most of the season, turned a whopping 16 targets into 11 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns. His 37.2 fantasy points paced all wideouts. And he was on the waiver wire for half of the season!

78.3% of Yahoo teams that started Michael Wilson this week won their matchup 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KXI9BFNmaZ

— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) December 9, 2025

Nacua, who was a first-or-second-round pick in most formats had one of his best games of the year. The All Pro pass catcher caught seven of 11 targets for 167 yards and found the end zone twice. Fantasy managers with one of these two players on their roster likely were victorious in Week 14. And maybe that’s the only reason you squeaked into the postseason. 

Those were monster outings but they weren’t the only receivers who posted difference maker stats. Six more wideouts eclipsed 20 fantasy points in PPR formats – Jaxon Smith-Ngigba, Tee Higgins, Ryan Flournoy, Christian Watson, DK Metcalf, and Zay Flowers. While plenty of elite names appear on that list, it was the waiver-wire wonder—Flournoy—who reminded us that late-season roster management often determines ultimate success in fantasy sports.

Injuries always swing the fantasy landscape, but for wide receivers, losing a quarterback can be even more devastating than losing the receiver himself. Daniel Jones’ torn Achilles, for instance, turns Michael Pittman Jr. into an impossible start in Week 15. Despite being a top-10 option at his position this season, you are much bolder than I am if you are rolling him out in your starting lineup. Tee Higgins managers, meanwhile, are refreshing injury reports by the hour, hoping he clears concussion protocol before Cincinnati’s showdown with the Ravens. And if you roster Drake London, you probably need a backup plan. With a short week and the Falcons already eliminated, Atlanta has zero incentive to rush their star wideout back.

In PPR formats, dependable chain-movers are fantasy gold, and slot technicians like Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Amon-Ra St. Brown continue to offer safe floors with immense upside. As we head into a season-defining Week 15, every wide receiver decision carries added weight. Lean on these rankings to fine-tune your lineup and give yourself the best shot at advancing in the fantasy quarterfinals.

The Best Wide Receivers In 2025 Fantasy Football Leagues

Through 14 weeks of NFL action, here are the top 12 wide receivers in PPR formats:

1. Jaxon Smith-Ngigba, Seattle Seahawks
2. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
3. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
5. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
6. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
7. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
8. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
9. Michael Pittman Jr. Indianapolis Colts
10. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
11. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
12. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

With Week 15 kicking off on Thursday night as the Atlanta Falcons take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, let’s examine some of the most noteworthy wide receivers in our weekly rankings,

Trust Terry McLaurin in Week 15

Since returning from injury, McLaurin has been nothing short of impressive. Over the past three games, he’s hauled in 13 of 24 targets for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and he’s showcased his big-play ability with at least one reception of 20+ yards in each contest. 

Whether lined up for Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota, McLaurin’s volume and explosive potential remain consistent. This week, the Commanders face the New York Giants—a defense surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025—making McLaurin an enticing option for fantasy lineups.

Michael Pittman Jr. Belongs On The Bench

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) against the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL Berlin Game at Olympic Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We can’t trust Michael Pittman this week. The quarterback carousel hit a new low after both Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard went down in Week 14. The Colts were so desperate that they just signed 44-year-old Phillip Rivers. With so much uncertainty at the position, options are extremely limited. Unless something drastic changes before kickoff, Tyler Warren is the only Colts pass-catcher worth considering for fantasy lineups this week.

ESPN Sources: 44-year-old Philip Rivers, who has not played in the NFL since the 2020 COVID season, is signing to the QB-needy Indianapolis Colts practice squad. pic.twitter.com/oOIVQEY38x

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 9, 2025

Jones had been averaging nearly 250 passing yards per game, but with Rivers under center, the Colts are expected to lean heavily on Jonathan Taylor and the ground game. Fantasy managers should anticipate about a 20% drop in opportunities for Pittman, who had been WR9 in PPR formats through 14 weeks of action.

The Seattle Seahawks have surprisingly boasted one of the top defenses in the NFL this season. They limited the Atlanta Falcons to just nine points on Sunday and completely shut out the Max Brosmer led Minnesota Vikings in Week 13. Seattle is allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing wideouts. Given the tough matchup, quarterback downgrade, and new offensive scheme, Pittman checks into Week 15 at his lowest ranking in over a month (WR32 in PPR formats). 

This is the Week Justin Jefferson Finally Rewards Fantasy Managers

Fantasy managers who drafted Justin Jefferson are understandably scarred after a brutal season in 2025, but Week 15 gives us a reason to feel optimistic. The sensational talent gets a juicy matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, who are giving up the most fantasy points to wide receivers in the entire league. This could be the bounce-back game—even if it’s just a one-week reprieve.

While caution is warranted for Week 16 and beyond, this week presents a near-perfect opportunity for Jefferson to make an impact. The veteran currently sits as WR25 in PPR formats and has failed to reach double-digit points in four of his last five games, but the matchup screams upside. The Cowboys’ secondary has been historically bad, and if the Vikings hope to pull off the upset, J.J. McCarthy will have to air it out and let Jefferson shine after the catch. Don’t be surprised if he sees 15+ targets and reminds fantasy owners why he was a first-round pick.

We are five spots higher than the consensus on Jefferson in Week 15 and we expect him to flirt with WR1 numbers.

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Let’s take a look at where the rest of the NFL’s wide receivers stack up in our Week 15 rankings.

Week 15 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings