Fantasy Football Week 16 Starts, Sits: Advice For Toughest Lineup Decisions

The next two weeks will make the difference between fantasy football glory or despair.

For most leagues, the championship begins in Week 16, and getting off on the right foot is essential.

With that in mind, here are NESN.com’s starts and sits for Week 16:

STARTS
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
The two interceptions Roethlisberger threw last week against the New England Patriots were a bit off-putting, but he still found the end zone twice. Since Pittsburgh’s Week 7 bye, he’s thrown at least two touchdowns in all but one game, and now he’ll face a downright porous New Orleans Saints pass defense that he should be able to carve up.

Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
Chubb has scored a touchdown in five of his last six games, and though the one contest he put a up goose egg in was Week 15, he instead eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground. While Chubb consistently elevating his game is nice, he’s also got a favorable matchup against a Cincinnati Bengals team that has given up the most points to running backs this season.

Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Cooper came back down to Earth in Week 15, but we have a suspicion that might be short-lived. The wideout mostly has thrived with the Cowboys since getting traded to Dallas, and he’ll face an underwhelming Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that he should be able to do damage against.

Jared Cook, TE, Oakland Raiders
The Raiders as a whole stink out loud, but Cook doesn’t. He had a down week in Week 15, but he otherwise has been good for either a touchdown or bunch of receptions (sometimes both) each matchup. He’ll also square off against the Denver Broncos in a meaningless Week 16 game, so there’s a pretty high ceiling for him.

SITS
Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Goff simply hasn’t been great in the Rams’ three games since their bye, and we don’t think he’ll magically turn things around against a solid Arizona Cardinals pass defense. If you have a suitable backup, this would be the week to pass on Goff.

David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
It has been a disappointing season for Johnson, and it’s due in part to the fact that he’s one of the only decent players on the Cardinals’ offense. The Rams defense mostly has been a middle of the road bunch this season, but they’re good enough that they should be able to stop Johnson and an anemic Arizona offense.

Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots
You can look at Josh Gordon’s departure two different ways. For one, it could give Edelman more opportunities for targets, but conversely it could mean he’ll have more challenging matchups against defensive backs. The Bills have a good secondary, so Edelman may struggle to make a huge impact.

Trey Burton, TE, Chicago Bears
Burton scored a touchdown in Week 15, but he has struggled to be effective in recent weeks. The San Francisco 49ers have done a fine job covering tight ends this season, so we’re thinking his impact may be minimized.