The NFL playoff push has started to intensify, just as the fantasy football playoffs kick into high gear. For most of the fantasy owners still alive, making the right start 'em, sit 'em decisions at crucial roster spots like running back will be the difference between going for the money and a useless third-place matchup. Save yourself from fantasy purgatory! Check our Week 16 RB rankings so we can help you determine who you can trust with the keys to your fantasy destiny.
Of course, to achieve success, we must be on top of recent developments. Keep an eye on Austin Ekeler (@ Colts in Week 16), who got dinged up and ceded some carries to Joshua Kelley in the Chargers' Week 15 knock-down, drag-out battle with Tennessee. Still, Ek was clearly more explosive (5.0 yards per touch compared to Kelley's 3.1) and qualifies as a potential matchup-winner against the Colts if he's a full go this weekend. Speaking of Indy, Jonathan Taylor (ankle) hit the trainer's room early last Saturday, and with nothing left to play for, he could be out again this week. Enter Zack Moss and Deon Jackson (vs. Chargers) into the flex conversation, as L.A. has surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to RBs this season.
Jerick McKinnon (vs. Seahawks) could also be a league-winner, as he's caught fire over the past two weeks. McKinnon has surpassed rookie Isiah Pacheco in terms of floor and ceiling after back-to-back monster performances. Both backs are strong plays against a soft Seahawks D allowing the most fantasy points to RBs over the past four weeks (41.6 per game).
WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Jeff Wilson Jr. (vs. Packers) could return from his hip injury this week, but we have running mate Raheem Mostert remaining ahead of him in the rankings, as he should continue to see the bulk of Miami's RB touches. Similarly, New England's backfield belongs to Rhamondre Stevenson (vs. Bengals), so we don't have high hopes for Damien Harris (thigh) even if he does return.
WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
We saw meager Week 15 game logs from the RBs in the Lions-Jets game, but we're not too worried about Detroit's Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift (@ Panthers) or New York's Zonovan Knight (@ Jaguars). Carolina just surrendered 156 ground yards and three rushing TDs to the Steelers last week, and the Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to RBs in the NFL over the past two weeks (and 11th-most on the season). We also expect bounce-back efforts from Tampa Bay's Rachaad White and Leonard Fournette (@ Cardinals), who remain almost equal in value. Arizona has yielded the seventh-most fantasy points over the past month, so consider both backs in the RB2/flex conversation.
WEEK 16 DFS: Best values | Best stacks
The same goes for Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott (vs. Eagles) in a slightly below-average matchup against Philadelphia and Devin Singletary and James Cook (@ Bears) in a favorable matchup in Chicago. Given their respective offenses, their ceilings are too high for you to sit them in 12-team leagues. D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard (@ Lions) are slightly riskier, especially with Detroit playing better defense lately, but the Lions entered Week 15 allowing the seventh-most rushing yards per game, so you can take a chance on Foreman as a low-end RB2 and Hubbard as a flex. Ditto for JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards (vs. Falcons) in a favorable home matchup.
WEEK 16 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Several prominent backs could be on start 'em, sit 'em bubbles thanks to tough matchups this week, including Travis Etienne Jr. (@ Jets), Joe Mixon (@ Patriots), Miles Sanders (@ Cowboys), David Montgomery (vs. Bills), James Conner (vs. Buccaneers), Cam Akers (vs. Broncos), and Brian Robinson (@ 49ers). Mixon and Sanders are in too good of offenses to sit in 12-team leagues, and Conner is playing his best football of his season right now, so we'd stick with him, too.
WEEK 16 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Akers is a tougher call, but he serves as the Rams' bell-cow back for the foreseeable future, and Denver just let Conner rack up 91 yards and a score, so he can still work as a 12-team flex. Montgomery is interesting with Khalil Herbert (hip) possibly back, but he's versatile enough to rack up some cheap points in catch-up mode against Buffalo. Etienne is truly on the bubble, as Robert Saleh's D has allowed 52.6 ground yards per game to the past five lead backs New York has faced, but Etienne gets good enough volume work as a flex in most formats.
Robinson Jr. has also played well enough to merit consideration as a flex, but he shouldn't be blindly started against San Francisco's top-ranked run defense, especially with Antonio Gibson continuing to steal touches. Similarly, Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier (@ Ravens) eat into each other's values, and in a matchup against Baltimore's third-ranked run defense, it's tough to trust either despite their obvious talent.
We also want nothing to do with Houston's committee of Royce Freeman, Dare Ogunbowale, and Rex Burkhead (@ Titans). If you need to start one, Freeman looks like the best bet, but you can do better. Dameon Pierce was the only fantasy-relevant asset in H-town, but his Week 14 ankle injury ended all that. Don't ruin your playoff run by trusting the untrustworthy.
Note: We'll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.
Week 16 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues
Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring leagues
Rank Player
1 Derrick Henry, Titans vs. Texans
2 Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ Colts
3 Alvin Kamara, Saints @ Browns
4 Christian McCaffrey, 49ers vs. Commanders
5 Dalvin Cook, Vikings vs. Giants
6 Josh Jacobs, Raiders @ Steelers
7 Saquon Barkley, Giants @ Vikings
8 Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Bengals
9 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks @ Chiefs
10 Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Raiders
11 Nick Chubb, Browns vs. Saints
12 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Eagles
13 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins vs. Packers
14 JK Dobbins, Ravens vs. Falcons
15 Jamaal Williams, Lions @ Panthers
16 Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs vs. Seahawks
17 Zonovan Knight, Jets @ Jaguars
18 Devin Singletary, Bills @ Bears
19 Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Seahawks
20 Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Cardinals
21 Aaron Jones, Packers @ Dolphins
22 David Montgomery, Bears vs. Bills
23 Joe Mixon, Bengals @ Patriots
24 Miles Sanders, Eagles @ Cowboys
25 Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. Eagles
26 Zack Moss, Colts vs. Chargers
27 D'Onta Foreman, Panthers vs. Lions
28 Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars @ Jets
29 James Conner, Cardinals vs. Buccaneers
30 Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers @ Cardinals
31 D'Andre Swift, Lions @ Panthers
32 Deon Jackson, Colts vs. Chargers
33 Jeff Wilson Jr., Dolphins vs. Packers
34 Cam Akers, Rams vs. Broncos
35 Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders @ 49ers
36 Chuba Hubbard, Panthers vs. Lions
37 James Cook, Bills @ Bears
38 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons @ Ravens
39 Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons @ Ravens
40 Latavius Murray, Broncos @ Rams
41 Gus Edwards, Ravens vs. Falcons
42 Royce Freeman, Texans @ Titans
43 Antonio Gibson, Commanders @ 49ers
44 Damien Harris, Patriots vs. Bengals
45 AJ Dillon, Packers @ Dolphins
46 Michael Carter, Jets vs. Jaguars
47 Jordan Mason, 49ers vs. Commanders
48 Khalil Herbert Bears vs. Bills
49 Joshua Kelley Chargers @ Colts
50 Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs. Raiders
51 Samaje Perine, Bengals @ Patriots
52 Dare Ogunbowale, Texans @ Titans
53 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles @ Cowboys
54 Kyren Williams, Rams vs. Broncos
55 Kareem Hunt, Browns vs. Saints
56 Alexander Mattison, Vikings vs. Giants
57 Justin Jackson, Lions @ Panthers
58 Marlon Mack, Broncos @ Rams
59 Zamir White, Raiders @ Steelers
60 Travis Homer, Seahawks @ Chiefs
61 JaMycal Hasty, Jaguars @ Jets
62 Keaontay Ingram, Cardinals vs. Buccaneers
63 Ameer Abdullah, Raiders @ Steelers
Week 16 RB fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks
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