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: DraftKings | FanDuel
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 values | Lineup 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 | Busts | Start '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 |
