Fantasy Football Today: Start or Sit (NFC): Can We Trust the Cowboys? Kyren Williams? Jauan Jennings? Tetairoa McMillan? (12/12/25)

Episode Theme:
The crew breaks down key NFC Start/Sit decisions for Week 15, focusing on high-stakes matchups and tough calls, including how much to trust the Cowboys’ offense, the fantasy viability of Kyren Williams, Jauan Jennings, and Tetairoa McMillan, and sorting through cluttered WR/RB groups for your playoff lineups. The tone is casual, engaging, and detail-oriented, with lively host banter and plenty of actionable advice.

Key Takeaways & Discussion Points

1. Thursday Night Football Recap: Falcons 29, Buccaneers 28

• Standouts: Kyle Pitts posted career highs across the board; Mike Evans returned to form.
• Kyle Pitts Outlook:
  • "Next year gonna be Kyle Pitts this year – telling you, finally gonna happen." – Adam (06:07)
  • Health is key; panel agrees he looks fully healthy for the first time in 3 years.
• Bucs WR room:
  • Mike Evans must-start; Chris Godwin solid; Mecca Buka high-end WR3/flex; McMillan is the clear WR4, only desperation play (08:00-09:10).
  • "We almost got our 200-plus yards for Mike Evans. Clearly he's the guy, so you're starting him without hesitation." – Jamie (07:58)
• RB Notes:
  • Bucky Irving inefficient with red zone concerns; Sean Tucker got goal-line work.

2. Injury & News Roundup (13:00-15:30)

• Key Players:
  • Christian McCaffrey limited (illness, will likely play), Josh Jacobs (knee, game-time call; Emmanuel Wilson top-15 RB if Jacobs is out).
  • CeeDee Lamb cleared concussion protocol; Devonte Adams’s hamstring worth watching.
• TE Notes: Ferguson (calf) DNP, but not yet a cause for panic.
• Defensive injuries: Several key CB/DL injuries affecting secondary matchups (Cleveland, Buffalo, Houston, etc.).

3. Rapid-Fire Start/Sit, One-Question-Per-Game

Minnesota at Dallas (16:30-19:00, 26:04-32:31)

• Justin Jefferson:
  • All panelists expect a WR2 finish: "Thirteen receivers have at least seven targets vs Dallas. All have at least 14.7 PPR points." – Dave (17:03)
  • “Start him and live with the consequences.” – Adam (30:10)
• Cowboys stars: Start Dak, Lamb, Pickens without hesitation.
• Rico Dowdle vs. Devin Neal: "I have Dowdle higher, but it's close." – Dave (21:23)
• Jake Ferguson: "Low-end TE1; you're hoping for a touchdown." – Dave (32:03)
• Pollard skepticism: Don’t chase last week’s outlier; still touchdown dependent (25:06-25:43).

Other NFC Games – Key Calls

• Cleveland at Chicago (17:29, 36:43-40:53):
  • Best flex: Michael Fannin (Jamie, 17:57).
  • Khalil Judkins vs. Aaron Jones: Split panel.
  • Swift/Mononga split makes Swift a risky RB2; Bears RBs only flex plays.
• Detroit at Rams (18:38, 44:21-51:32):
  • Kyren Williams: Still a high-end RB2, even in tough matchup.
  • "You're starting Kyren Williams. You're doing it as a high-end number two fantasy running back." – Dave (44:49)
  • Jared Goff: Top-10 QB upside in shootout; panel slightly prefers Dak over Goff.
  • "This is the type of game I think they're gonna go back and forth." – Jamie (51:06)
  • Jameson Williams a must-start with upside, but big-play rate unsustainable.
• Washington at Giants (20:53, 52:02-56:57):
  • Bonanza upside, but panel lacks 'confidence' outside McLaurin & Dart.
  • "Everyone should be in play but excitement level is low." – Adam (54:01)
  • Wandale Robinson praised for high floor; Dart and McLaurin seen as the only true 'exciting' options.
• Carolina at New Orleans (21:07, 59:32-66:09):
  • Dowdle over Devin Neal, but both are RB2/flex range.
  • Olave must-start; decline in target share under Tyler Shuck is noted.
  • Tedro McMillan: Risky low-end WR2; need positive game script to pay off.
• Colts at Seahawks (23:01, 67:15-73:11):
  • Jonathan Taylor: Must-start even in awful matchup ("You're not benching Jonathan Taylor." – Jamie, 23:01)
  • Pittman & Pierce: Only desperation WR3/flex; hope for garbage time on volume.
  • Tyler Warren (TE): Still startable, but expectations tempered.
  • Seahawks RBs: Ken Walker is a benchable RB2/3 unless desperate; Charbonnet (low upside) into the flex mix.
• Tennessee at San Francisco (25:06, 73:11-76:44):
  • Start all 49ers, sit all Titans.
  • "Jauan Jennings is a start. ... Four TDs in last five games." – Jamie (74:43)
  • Purdy a "top 5-10" QB for both Dave and Jamie given TD upside even on modest attempt volume.
  • Kittle remains an auto-start; 49ers DST top-4.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Justin Jefferson / Cowboys Trust Level

• "I think there is definitely an opportunity, a real opportunity for Jefferson to have a good game." – Dave, 17:03
• "You have to start those three guys (Dak, Lamb, Pickens) and live with the consequences." – Jamie, 27:04

Kyren Williams

• "You're starting Kyren Williams. You're doing it as a high-end number two fantasy running back." – Dave, 44:49

Low Confidence, High Volume

• "Confidence is a tough word. ... I'm going to start DeAndre Swift as an RB2, use Kmet as a flex, and use Luther Burden as a starter in three-receiver leagues if Odunze is out." – Jamie, 38:49

Washington-Giants Game

• "Everyone should be in play, but excitement level ... low." – Adam, 54:01

Important Start/Sit Calls By Timestamp

• Falcons/Bucs Recap: 04:19–09:41
• Injury News & Updates: 12:38–14:53
• Minnesota at Dallas Discussion:
  • Jefferson’s floor: 16:41–17:23
  • Cowboy skill-position starts: 27:04–28:57
• Detroit at Rams: 44:21–51:32
• Rapid-fire RB/WR flex comparisons: 21:23–22:39, 30:07–30:23, 61:40–62:49
• 49ers/Titans Start/Sit: 73:11–76:44

Start/Sit Debates & Flex Rankings

RBs:

• Kyren Williams = High-end RB2 despite tough matchup.
• Rico Dowdle > Devin Neal, but both borderline RB2s.
• Ken Walker/Charbonnet = risky, volume not assured.
• Emmanuel Wilson = top-15 RB only if Jacobs is out.

WRs:

• Justin Jefferson: Start (WR2)
• Mike Evans: Must-start; Godwin/Abuka = WR3/flex
• Wandale Robinson: Safe floor
• Michael Wilson, McLaurin, McMillan, Debo: Low-end WR2/Flex, upside driven by matchup/game script
• Jameson Williams: Top-12 upside play

TEs:

• Ferguson/Colby Parkinson/Tyler Warren/Isaiah Likely: All in the "streaming/low-end TE1" cluster.
• Kyle Pitts: Locked into top-5 rest of season/startable.

Quarterbacks:

• Dak, Purdy, Goff: All top-10 for panel; slight variations in preference.
• Mariota/Dart: High-upside QB2s in good matchups.

Listener Questions – Panel Consensus Highlights

• Start Emmanuel Wilson over Kyren Williams if Jacobs is out (45:22).
• Start Purdy over Dak (76:41).
• Start Wandale over McMillan (64:00).
• Prefer Saints DST over Dallas/Minnesota if possible (35:52).
• Pickens: Safe floor WR2/Flex even in tough matchups.

Podcast’s Original Language & Tone

The show features a mix of stats, humor, and realism:

• Frequent asides ("I hate when you say that"), in-jokes, and confessionals (“Tell the cat poop story!”).
• Panelists debate without sugarcoating, often referencing past performance to contextualize starts/sits.

Memorable Light Moments

• Kyle Pitts “next year” joke: “Next year is Kyle Pitts’ year!” (06:07)
• Adam’s cat poop story and dead mice in the wall anecdote: 77:52+
• Finale with game of the week music nostalgia and panelist banter about podcast history (51:41–52:00)

How To Use This Summary

If you missed this episode, this guide has you covered:

• Quickly reference clear start/sit lines for key NFC players.
• Consult at-a-glance WR/RB/TE rankings for tough calls.
• Hit noted timestamps if you want to hear specific debates or quirky moments.
• Benefit from context on injury news and matchup analysis.

Good luck in your playoff matchups! Tune in next episode for AFC starts/sits and deeper mailbag Q&A.