Week 16 Fantasy WR PPR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts

Matt Lutovsky

Week 16 Fantasy WR PPR Rankings: Must-starts, sleepers, potential busts image

Michael Thomas has been one of fantasy football's biggest disappointments this year, so it's only fitting he's on the IR and unavailable to his owners in the fantasy championship game. Of course, he won't be the only star wide receiver who isn't in our Week 16 fantasy WR PPR rankings, and those absences will just create more potential sleepers (and busts).

Because fantasy owners always obsess over matchups this time of year, they might be more worried than usual about Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf (vs. Rams), Calvin Ridley (@ Chiefs), Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore, and Curtis Samuel (@ Washington), Cole Beasley and Stefon Diggs (@ Patriots), Corey Davis and A.J. Brown (@ Packers), and Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and JuJu Smith-Schuster (vs. Colts). Very few of those players should be sat, especially in PPR formats, as almost all receive consistently high targets (and Stephon Gilmore likely being out due to a knee injury helps Buffalo's WRs). Claypool presents the biggest risk, but we know how high his ceiling is, too.

WEEK 16 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Marquise Brown (vs. Giants), Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard (@ Ravens), Jakobi Meyers (vs. Bills), John Brown (@ Patriots), and DJ Chark (vs. Bears) are typically borderline WR3s/flexes who have tougher than usual matchups this week. Shepard and Meyers are usually high-floor/low-ceiling WR3 plays in PPR, but you probably want slightly higher ceilings for your fantasy title games.

WEEK 16 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

If you're looking for high-upside sleepers, Jalen Reagor and Greg Ward Jr. (@ Cowboys), Lynn Bowden (@ Raiders), Sammy Watkins (vs. Falcons), and Darnell Mooney (@ Jaguars) all look good, with Bowden and Mooney especially standing out in PPR leagues. 

WEEK 16 DFS CASH LINEUPS: DraftKingsFanDuel

Going deeper, Marvin Hall (@ Jets), Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman (vs. Falcons), Denzel Mims and Breshad Perriman (vs. Browns), Josh Reynolds (@ Seahawks), Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard (vs. Titans), and Chad Hansen (vs Bengals) are all decent boom-or-bust options if you're willing to take a risk. Most are too risky -- especially in PPR leagues -- but Hansen has a slightly higher floor thanks to consistent targets. 

WEEK 16 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel

Fantasy owners will have no shortage of viable options regardless how they plan to put together a lineup, but make sure to watch the practice injury reports closely. With more teams officially out of playoff contention, we might see more receivers sitting out this week. We saw how that opened doors for guys like Tyron Johnson (vs. Broncos) and Russell Gage (@ Chiefs) last week, and there will be similar situations this week.

MORE WEEK 16 DFS: Best stacks | Best valuesLineup Builder

Note: Check back all week leading up to kickoff, as we'll continue to update our WR PPR rankings based on the latest news and injuries.

WEEK 16 FANTASY: Sleepers | BustsStart 'em, sit 'em

Week 16 Fantasy WR PPR Rankings

These rankings are for full-point PPR leagues

Rank Player
1 Tyreek Hill, KC vs. ATL
2 Davante Adams, GB vs. TEN
3 Stefon Diggs, BUF @ NE
4 DeAndre Hopkins, ARI vs. SF
5 Allen Robinson, CHI @ JAX
6 Mike Evans, TB @ DET
7 Chris Godwin, TB @ DET
8 Brandon Aiyuk, SF @ ARI
9 Calvin Ridley, ATL @ KC
10 A.J. Brown, TEN @ GB
11 Cooper Kupp, LAR @ SEA
12 Robert Woods, LAR @ SEA
13 Tee Higgins, CIN @ HOU
14 Amari Cooper, DAL vs. PHI
15 Adam Thielen, MIN @ NO
16 Justin Jefferson, MIN @ NO
17 Marvin Jones, DET vs. TB
18 DK Metcalf, SEA vs. LAR
19 Brandin Cooks, HOU vs. CIN
20 Tyler Lockett, SEA vs. LAR
21 Keke Coutee HOU vs. CIN
22 Emmanuel Sanders, NO vs. MIN
23 Antonio Brown, TB @ DET
24 Jamison Crowder, NYJ vs. CLE
25 JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT vs. IND
26 CeeDee Lamb, DAL vs. PHI
27 T.Y. Hilton, IND @ PIT
28 D.J. Moore, CAR @ WAS
29 Corey Davis, TEN @ GB
30 Robby Anderson, CAR @ WAS
31 Russell Gage, ATL @ KC
32 Diontae Johnson, PIT vs. IND
33 Jalen Reagor, PHI @ DAL
34 Mike Williams, LAC vs. DEN
35 Sammy Watkins, KC vs. ATL
36 Curtis Samuel, CAR @ WAS
37 Cole Beasley, BUF @ NE
38 Lynn Bowden, MIA @ LV
39 Chase Claypool, PIT vs. IND
40 Tim Patrick, DEN @ LAC
41 Darnell Mooney, CHI @ JAX
42 DJ Chark, JAX vs. CHI
43 Marquise Brown, BAL vs. NYG
44 Sterling Shepard, NYG @ BAL
45 Jakobi Meyers, NE vs. BUF
46 A.J. Green, CIN @ HOU
47 Jakeem Grant, MIA @ LV
48 Nelson Agholor, LV vs. MIA
49 Tyron Johnson, LAC vs. DEN
50 Marvin Hall, CLE @ NYJ
51 Allen Lazard, GB vs. TEN
52 Kendrick Bourne, SF @ ARI
53 Greg Ward Jr., PHI @ DAL
54 John Brown, BUF @ NE
55 Jerry Jeudy, DEN @ LAC
56 Marquez Callaway, NO vs. MIN
57 Chad Hansen, HOU vs. CIN
58 Josh Reynolds, LAR @ SEA
59 Cam Sims, WAS vs. CAR
60 Michael Gallup, DAL vs. PHI
61 Danny Amendola, DET vs. TB
62 Alex Erickson, CIN @ HOU
63 Isaiah Wright, WAS vs. CAR
64 Breshad Perriman, NYJ vs. CLE
65 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB vs. TEN
66 Denzel Mims, NYJ vs. CLE
67 Mecole Hardman, KC vs. ATL
68 Hunter Renfrow, LV vs. MIA
69 Michael Pittman Jr., IND @ PIT
70 Christian Kirk, ARI vs. SF
71 Jalen Guyton, LAC vs. DEN
72 Willie Snead, BAL vs. NYG
73 Mack Hollins, MIA @ LV
74 Darius Slayton, NYG @ BAL
75 Henry Ruggs III, LV vs. MIA
76 KJ Hamler, DEN @ LAC
77 Anthony Miller, CHI @ JAX
78 Keelan Cole, JAX vs. CHI
79 Van Jefferson, LAR @ SEA
80 Demarcus Robinson, KC vs. ATL
81 Laviska Shenault Jr., JAX vs. CHI
82 Mohamed Sanu, DET vs. TB
83 David Moore, SEA vs. LAR
84 Gabriel Davis, BUF @ NE
85 James Washington, PIT vs. IND
86 Zach Pascal, IND @ PIT
87 Damiere Byrd, NE vs. BUF
88 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI vs. SF
89 Brandon Powell, ATL @ KC
90 Scotty Miller, TB @ DET
91 N'Keal Harry, NE vs. BUF

Matt Lutovsky

Matt Lutovsky Photo

Matt Lutovsky has been a writer and editor for The Sporting News since 2007, primarily writing about fantasy sports, betting, and gaming.