FanDuel Week 16 Lineup: Best Player Picks In DFS Fantasy Football

Each team will play just two more in the NFL regular season, which means your chances to make some cash playing daily fantasy football on FanDuel are almost out. But it’s not over just yet, and Week 16 happens to be loaded with good matchups that’ll let you fill out your lineup without hurting your wallet.

Here are our FanDuel picks for Week 16.

Quarterback: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons ($8,100)
Ryan’s 4,336 passing yards are the third-most in the NFL, and the Carolina Panthers have the worst pass defense in the league. The Falcons signal-caller also might get back Julio Jones, his No. 1 wide receiver, Saturday, but he has remained productive without him either way. Expect Matty Ice to put up plenty of points.

Running Backs: DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans ($8,400); Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears ($7,200)
Murray has been one of the most reliable backs all season, as he’s posted fewer than 65 rushing yards in just three games and still put up solid fantasy points in those weeks thanks to his pass-catching prowess. He’ll take on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 21st-ranked rushing defense Saturday, and the Titans will be going all-out, as they have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

Howard has been a monster this season, is nearly as reliable as Murray and continues to be a fairly low-cost option on your daily fantasy roster. The Bears will meet the Washington Redskins, who rank 22nd in rush defense, on Saturday.

Wide Receivers: T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts ($7,600); Michael Crabtree, Oakland Raiders ($6,200); Golden Tate, Detroit Lions ($6,000)
Hilton ranks second in receiving yards this season with 1,248 and is the No. 1 option in a fairly thin Colts offense. The Minnesota Vikings, who boast the NFL’s third-best defense, held Hilton to 45 yards in Week 15, but he’ll likely bounce back Saturday against the third-worst defense in the Oakland Raiders.

If the Raiders’ defense is giving up points to Hilton, that means quarterback Derek Carr will be throwing the ball quite a bit. Cue Crabtree, who has actually been more reliable than Oakland’s No. 1, Amari Cooper. The Colts’ defense isn’t much better than the Raiders’, so Crabtree is the cheaper option who should put up as many, if not more, points than Cooper.

Tate hasn’t been putting up flashy numbers this season, but Monday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys is a recipe for his success. Despite Dallas’ NFC-leading 12-2 record, the club’s pass defense is ranked 28th, and they’ve been even worse with cornerback Morris Claiborne out. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford likes to throw the ball, too, so Monday should be Tate’s night.

Tight End: Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,600)
Brate is tied with the San Diego Chargers’ Hunter Henry for the most touchdowns among tight ends (seriously) with seven, and he has been even more important to the Bucs’ offense of late. Plus, wide receiver Mike Evans may or may not be playing injured — he didn’t practice Tuesday and missed eight snaps in Week 15 — and the Saints’ defense is abysmal.

Kicker: Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts ($5,100)
The Raiders’ defense is bad, but they’re also fighting to win the AFC West and still have a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC. We have to imagine they’ll hold the Colts to a few field goals but still allow at least a couple touchdowns, which gives Vinatieri plenty of opportunities to put up points. And as history shows, he probably will.

Defense: Green Bay Packers ($4,600)
The Vikings are 31st in total offense, and the Packers rank 25th in the league in points allowed (327). Green Bay’s defense also ranks second with 16 interceptions, so its chances of picking apart their divisions rivals are good.

Thumbnail photo via Tim Fuller/USA TODAY Sports Images