You can't whiff on your Week 16 fantasy start 'em, sit 'em decisions. We can't whiff on our Week 16 fantasy lineup advice. So, let's nail this thing together, win some fantasy football championships (or NFL DFS cash), and have a wonderful Christmas.
Once again, injuries will play a role in the lineups you put out there for your fantasy title game. The top players to watch include Dalvin Cook (shoulder), Chris Godwin (hamstring), Mike Evans (hamstring), JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee), Evan Engram (Foot), DJ Chark (ankle), Nelson Agholor (knee), Greg Olsen (concussion), Gerald Everett (knee), Jordan Howard (shoulder), Damien Williams (ribs), and Kerryon Johnson (knee).
WEEK 16 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em: Quarterbacks
Regular starts
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (at CHI), Lamar Jackson, Ravens (at CLE), Deshaun Watson, Texans (at TB), Russell Wilson, Seahawks (vs. ARI), Drew Brees, Saints (at TEN), Dak Prescott, Cowboys (at PHI), Aaron Rodgers, Packers (at MIN)
Stronger starts
Ryan Tannehill, Titans (vs. NO). Whether he does it with passing or running, he’s been a consistent multiple-TD machine since taking over. He’ll find a way to make some key plays again, although his ceiling might be lower given how the Saints are playing.
Matt Ryan, Falcons (vs. JAX). He’s at home with a red-hot Julio and other strong weapons minus Calvin Ridley, and the Jaguars’ defense isn’t that scary.
Kyler Murray, Cardinals (at SEA). He should need to throw a ton and maybe run plenty, too, and the Seahawks’ pass defense is really hurting.
Philip Rivers, Chargers (vs. OAK). He melted down in the first matchup on the road, but the Raiders’ reeling pass defense has gotten a lot worse since.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Dolphins (vs. CIN). It’s yet another revenge game, and even though the Bengals’ pass defense has been better, he can get you pleasing streaming digits from both gunslinging and running.
DFS bargains
Drew Lock, Broncos (vs. DET, $5,600 on DraftKings, $7,300 on FanDuel). Lock isn’t afraid to throw downfield and has pretty good weapons who can get deep. He faces a Lions defense back home that gave up big play after big play last week.
Dwayne Haskins, Redskins (vs. NYG, $4,700 on DraftKings, $7,000 on FanDuel). This is as low you can go for a starter, save for yet another rookie, Will Grier, making his first start. Haskins looked pretty good against the Eagles, and this matchup at home is even better.
Deep streamers
Gardner Minshew, Jaguars (at ATL), Andy Dalton, Bengals (at MIA)
WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Fantasy Football Week 16 Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks
Weaker starts
Carson Wentz, Eagles (vs. DAL). The Cowboys’ pass defense has been up-and-down, but the Eagles need to lean more on the run again to protect their defense, giving him a limited ceiling after struggling badly in the first meeting.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings (vs. GB). Although being at home helps after the bad first game against this good pass defense, you can’t trust his volume to come through.
Baker Mayfield, Browns (vs. BAL). The Browns won the first meeting, but the Ravens’ pass defense is a lot better now.
Sam Darnold, Jets (vs. PIT). He did OK against a AFC North nasty defense last week, but he won't even do that well this time around.
Deep traps
Jacoby Brissett, Colts (vs. CAR), Mitchell Trubisky, Bears (vs. KC)
WEEK 16 DFS LINEUPS:
FD Cash | FD GPP | DK Cash | DK GPP | Y! Cash | Y! GPP
Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em: Running backs
Regular starts
Christian McCaffrey, Panthers (at IND), Dalvin Cook, Vikings (if he plays, or Alexander Mattison, or Mike Boone, vs. GB), Saquon Barkley, Giants (at WAS), Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys (at PHI), Aaron Jones, Packers (at MIN), Derrick Henry, Titans (vs. NO), Leonard Fournette, Jaguars (at ATL), Alvin Kamara, Saints (at TEN), Nick Chubb, Browns (vs. BAL), Le'Veon Bell, Jets (vs. PIT), Mark Ingram, Ravens (at CLE), Todd Gurley, Rams (at SF), Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler, Chargers (vs. OAK), Chris Carson, Seahawks (vs. ARI), Joe Mixon, Bengals (at MIA), Josh Jacobs, Raiders (at LAC)
Stronger starts
Marlon Mack, Colts (vs. CAR). Forget what you saw against the Buccaneers and Saints. He’s finally facing a sieve of an NFC South run defense -- at home, to boot.
Miles Sanders, Eagles (vs. DAL). The rookie from Penn State is now the focal point of the offense and that won’t change, either via running or short receiving, against the Cowboys. Boston Scott is usable in deep PPR leagues as a FLEX.
Kenyan Drake, Cardinals (vs. SEA). So much for less volume. He won’t duplicate the four-TD bomb as a RB1, but he can be a high-floor RB2 against a banged-up defense with Bobby Wagner (ankle) among the hurting.
Devonta Freeman, Falcons (vs. JAX). The Jaguars are very soft in the middle with a bad replacement-level linebacker corps, and the Falcons will feed him plenty.
Tarik Cohen, Bears (vs. KC). He’s the third option in their pass-happy approach, and the Chiefs’ linebackers can’t cover him. He’s a sneaky good PPR play.
DFS bargains
Phillip Lindsay, Broncos (vs. DET, $5,300 on DraftKings, $6,300 on FanDuel). The game flow didn’t allow him to get a good workload in the snow in Kansas City in a good matchup. This is another strong one, only with great chance of Denver playing with a lead for most of the game.
Adrian Peterson, Redskins (vs. NYG, $5,000 on DraftKings, $6,500 on FanDuel). Old Man All Day has been remarkable with his youthful burst, and he has a coach in Bill Callahan who loves him and wants to keep feeding him. Expect 20 more touches in a fine matchup.
SATURDAY DFS: DraftKings main slate lineup | Showdown lineups
Fantasy Football Week 16 Sit 'Em: Running backs
Weaker starts
James Conner, Steelers (at NYJ). He looked OK, but not great, in his return from shoulder injury against the Bills, despite the receiving TD. The Jets are very stingy against backs and more vulnerable against wideouts.
Kareem Hunt, Browns (vs. BAL). Chubb stays in after what he did against the Ravens the first time, but they are good at covering backs in the passing game.
David Montgomery, Bears (vs. KC). The Chiefs can be leaky against the run, but he’s game-script dependent and this more screams checkdowns for Cohen in trail mode.
Latavius Murray, Saints (at TEN). Given Kamara isn’t putting up great numbers with volume and not scoring, you can’t go here in a big week.
All Chiefs, all Lions, all Dolphins. On Dancer, On Prancer, On Donner, On Blitzen. There’s no way you should trust any of this is any capacity with everything on the line.
MORE WEEK 16 DFS: Stacks | Values | Lineup Builder
Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em: Wide receivers
Regular starts
DeAndre Hopkins, Texans (at TB), Michael Thomas, Saints (at TEN), Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (at CHI), Davante Adams, Packers (at MIN), Julio Jones, Falcons (vs. JAX), Keenan Allen, Chargers (vs. OAK), Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, Vikings (vs. GB), Tyler Lockett, Seahawks (vs. ARI), Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, Cowboys (at PHI), Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, Browns (vs. BAL), Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, Rams (at SF), Allen Robinson, Bears (vs. KC), D.J. Moore, Panthers (at IND), Julian Edelman, Patriots (vs. BUF), Courtland Sutton, Broncos (vs. DET), DeVante Parker, Dolphins (vs. CIN), D.J. Chark, Jaguars (if he returns, at ATL)
Stronger starts
Terry McLaurin, Redskins (vs. NYG). He’s back to being scary as his old Ohio State QB is locked into him.
Tyler Boyd, Bengals (at MIA). The Dolphins cannot cover him in the slot.
DK Metcalf, Seahawks (vs. ARI). The Cardinals get burned by big speedy outside wideouts all the time.
T.Y. Hilton, Colts (vs. CAR). He’s a sneaky play in his second game back, as the Colts will get him in position to roast Donte Jackson at home.
Darius Slayton, Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard, Giants (at WAS). All three produced against the Dolphins and this matchup is easier, and New York is bound to throw more here with either Eli Manning or Daniel Jones.
James Washington, Steelers (at NYJ). Duck Hodges remains the QB, and he prefers the red-hot Washington downfield.
Dede Westbrook, Jaguars (at ATL). The Falcons can be ripped apart by good slot receivers with limited cornerback depth.
DFS Bargains
Mike Williams, Chargers (vs. OAK, $5,000 on DraftKings, $6,500 on FanDuel). He’s suddenly found the end zone in making big plays in consecutive weeks. The Raiders’ secondary stinks, so take advantage of his price staying low for a second straight game.
Curtis Samuel, Panthers (at IND, $4,500 on DraftKings, $6,000 on FanDuel). Grier is an aggressive thrower, and the Colts’ secondary is a mess right now. He should take several shots at Samuel deep and some will come through.
Greg Ward, Eagles (vs. DAL, $4,200 on DraftKings, $5,700 on FanDuel). This is scraping the bottom of the barrel for the most viable play. The former college QB can you get decent return in a cash game and allow you load up elsewhere.
Deep sleepers
Diontae Johnson, Steelers (at NYJ), Kenny Stills, Texans (vs. TB), Corey Davis, Titans (vs. NO)
MORE WEEK 16:
Waiver pickups | FAAB planning | Stock watch | Snap counts | Fantasy playoff tips
Fantasy Football Week 16 Sit 'Em: Wide receivers
Weaker starts
A.J. Brown, Titans (vs. NO). Brown is clearly Tennessee's No. 1 after his late rookie breakout. That should make him the marked man for the Saints’ secondary, and that means plenty of Marshon Lattlimore, a tough draw for an inexperienced route runner.
Kenny Golladay, Lions (at DEN). He will see either double-teams or Chris Harris Jr. with a struggling rookie QB. No thanks.
Anthony Miller, Bears (vs. KC). The Chiefs also are very good in the back end, so you can’t extend to him after Robinson.
Christian Kirk, Cardinals (at SEA). You can’t trust him with a chance to see a good chunk of Shaquill Griffin.
Robby Anderson and Jamison Crowder, Jets (vs. PIT). They shocked us with production against the Ravens. That doesn’t happen again against Joe Haden, Stephen Nelson and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Tyrell Williams, Raiders (at LAC). Good night and good luck against his former teammate Casey Hayward.
Marquise Brown, Ravens (at CLE). His volume remains low, and the Ravens should go run-happy on the Browns.
Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em: Tight ends
Regular starts
George Kittle, 49ers (vs. LAR), Travis Kelce, Chiefs (at CHI), Darren Waller, Raiders (at LAC), Zach Ertz, Eagles (vs. DAL), Hunter Henry, Chargers (vs. OAK), Austin Hooper, Falcons (vs. JAX), Jared Cook, Saints (at TEN), Mark Andrews, Ravens (at CLE)
Stronger starts
Jacob Hollister, Seahawks (vs. ARI). Will Dissly did the damage against the league’s worst tight end defense in the first game. Now it’s his turn at home with no Josh Gordon.
Dallas Goedert, Eagles (vs. DAL). He will do some decent PPR damage as a glorified wide receiver.
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings (vs. GB). The Packers have had tight end issues of late, so he can easily score at home again.
Greg Olsen, Panthers (vs. IND). He likely wants to end his career on a high note, and the Colts cannot cover him.
DFS Bargain
Noah Fant, Broncos (vs. DET, $3,700 on DraftKings, $5,900 on FanDuel). Fant is feeling it downfield with fellow rookie Lock, and they make for a nice alternative tournament stack. The Lions can’t cover anything in the deep middle, either.
Fantasy Football Week 16 Sit 'Em: Tight ends
Weaker starts
Jack Doyle, Colts (vs. CAR). The Panthers still cover the position well even though they struggle against running backs and wide receivers.
Jonnu Smith, Titans (vs. NO). The Saints are good against tight ends with their safety play, and he’s still in a committee.
Jason Witten, Cowboys (vs. PHI). Sentiment aside, you’re purely rolling the dice on a TD here.
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins (vs. CIN). The matchup isn’t as good as you think it is, and you can’t trust him getting the ball.
Tyler Eifert, Bengals (at MIA). The matchup isn’t as good as you think it is, and you can’t trust him getting the ball.
Fantasy Football Week 16 Start 'Em: Defenses
Stronger starts
Patriots (vs. BUF), Ravens (at CLE), Steelers (at NYJ), Broncos (vs. DET), Chiefs (at CHI), Seahawks (vs. ARI), Falcons (vs. JAX), Bills (at NE), Chargers (vs. OAK), Colts (vs. CAR)
DFS Bargain
Dolphins (vs. CIN, $2,900 on DraftKings, $4,000 on FanDuel)
Fantasy Football Week 16 Sit 'Em: Defenses
Weaker starts
Vikings (vs. GB), Giants (at WAS), Texans (at TB), Jets (vs. PIT), Rams (at SF), Packers (at MIN), Eagles (vs. DAL), Bears (vs. KC), Titans (vs. NO), Saints (at TEN), Cowboys (at PHI)
