Fantasy Football Week 16 Starts, Sits: Advice For Toughest Lineup Decisions
Championship week has arrived for fantasy football owners.
This week’s games will be filled with plenty of nerves, including the buildup to Thursday when owners are determining which players to start and sit for the final matchup of the season. Hopefully we can ease that burden for you with our start/sit advice below.
Editor’s Note: Consistent fantasy studs such as Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Antonio Bryant and Rob Gronkowski are must-starts and were omitted from these lists.
Quarterbacks
Start: Blake Bortles (JAC), Ryan Fitzpatrick (NYJ), Tyrod Taylor (BUF), Derek Carr (OAK), Matthew Stafford (DET), Teddy Bridgewater (MIN), Kirk Cousins (WSH), Jay Cutler (CHI), Jameis Winston (TB), Philip Rivers (SD), Alex Smith (KC)
Sit: Matt Ryan (ATL), Matt Hasselbeck (IND), Blaine Gabbert (SF), Zach Mettenburger (TEN), Brock Osweiler (DEN), A.J. McCarron (CIN), Brandon Weeden (HOU), Kellen Moore (DAL), Ryan Tannehill (MIA), Johnny Manziel (CLE), Sam Bradford (PHI), Jimmy Clausen (BAL)
Bridgewater, Cousins, Taylor and Bortles have the best matchups. Stafford’s recent quality performances should make him a low-end QB1 for Week 16.
Fantasy owners should stay away from the Monday Night Football matchup between A.J. McCarron and Brock Osweiler because both the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals have excellent pass defenses.
Running Backs
Start: Doug Martin (TB), Latavius Murray (OAK), David Johnson (ARI), Charcandrick West (KC), Darren Sproles (PHI), Alfred Morris (WSH), Lamar Miller (MIA), Tim Hightower (NO), Karlos Williams (BUF), Denard Robinson (JAC), James White (NE)
Sit: Theo Riddick (DET), Ameer Abdullah (DET), DeMarco Murray (DAL), Ronnie Hillman (DEN), C.J. Anderson (DEN), Chris Ivory (NYJ), Eddie Lacy (GB), Antonio Andrew (TEN), Jeremy Langford (CHI), Jay Ajayi (MIA), Brandon Bolden (NE)
Martin, Murray, Robinson and West all have favorable matchups against defenses giving up more than 110 rushing yards per game and more than four yards per carry. White is a must-start in PPR leagues and has scored a touchdown in four of his last five games.
Hillman and Anderson are not able to be trusted because they’re splitting carries and going up against a stingy Bengals run defense. Langford has seen his touches drop significantly since Matt Forte returned to the Bears lineup, and Brandon Bolden isn’t likely to produce against the Jets’ No. 2-ranked run defense.
Wide Receivers
Start: Allen Robinson (JAC), Martavis Bryant (PIT), Jeremy Maclin (KC), Doug Baldwin (SEA), Allen Hurns (JAC), Michael Floyd (ARI), Kamar Aiken (BAL), Larry Fitzgerald (ARI), Stefon Diggs (MIN), Golden Tate (DET), John Brown (ARI), T.Y. Hilton (IND), Willie Snead (NO), Rueben Randle (NYG), Brandon LaFell (NE), Markus Wheaton (PIT), Devin Funchess (CAR), DeSean Jackson (WSH), Jordan Matthews (PHI)
Sit: A.J. Green (CIN), Randall Cobb (GB), Travis Benjamin (CLE), Tavon Austin (STL), Marvin Jones (CIN), Davante Adams (GB), Nate Washington (TEN), Dorial Green-Beckham (TEN), Roddy White (ATL), Tyler Lockett (SEA), Cecil Shorts (HOU), Eddie Royal (CHI), Mike Wallace (MIN), Devante Parker (MIA)
Baldwin has been the best fantasy receiver over the last four weeks with 10 touchdowns in that span. Bryant, Tate, Hilton, Bryant, Wheaton and Aiken all have very favorable matchups against weak pass defenses.
Green had only one reception last week and will be covered by one of two elite Broncos cornerbacks, Chris Harris Jr. or Aqib Talib. He also has an inexperienced quarterback targeting him, which makes the veteran wideout a risky play in Week 16.
Cobb and Adams have a tough matchup against a very good Cardinals defense whose secondary is still loaded with top-tier talent despite the loss of injured safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Tight End
Start: Jordan Reed (WSH), Gary Barnidge (CLE), Antonio Gates (SD), Delanie Walker (TEN), Eric Ebron (DET), Julius Thomas (JAC), Kyle Rudolph (MIN), Zach Ertz (PHI), Heath Miller (PIT), Jason Witten (DAL)
Sit: Will Tye (NYG), Charles Clay (BUF), Richard Rodgers (GB), Luke Wilson (SEA), Vernon Davis (DEN), Owen Daniels (DEN), Jacob Tamme (ATL)
Reed is now the third-ranked tight end behind Gronkowski and Greg Olsen.
Walker, Barnidge and Walker have been among the most consistent second-tier tight ends throughout the season and don’t have difficult matchups in Week 16.
Davis and Daniels have dropped too many passes over the last couple of weeks to be trusted in a tough matchup versus the Bengals. Tamme isn’t likely to be effective against an elite Carolina Panthers defense that has shut down opposing tight ends all year.
Thumbnail photo via Mitch Stringer/USA TODAY Sports Images
