WEEK 16 START ‘EM, SIT ‘EM
Week 15 Top Performers:
QB:
- Lamar Jackson – 15/23 – 212 yards – 5 TD’s / 8 carries – 86 yards
- Jameis Winston – 28/42 – 458 yards – 4 TD’s / 2 carries – 4 yards
- Drew Brees – 29/30 – 307 yards – 4 TD’s
- Ryan Tannehill – 22/36 – 279 yards – 2 TD’s – 1 INT / 3 carries – 10 yards – 1 TD
- Patrick Mahomes – 27/34 – 340 yards – 2 TD’s – 1 INT / 3 carries – 11 yards
RB:
- Kenyan Drake – 22 carries – 137 yards – 4 TD’s / 1 reception – 9 yards
- Christian McCaffrey – 19 carries – 87 yards – 2 TD’s / 8 receptions – 88 yards
- Miles Sanders – 19 carries – 122 yards – 1 TD / 6 receptions – 50 yards – 1 TD
- Ezekiel Elliott – 24 carries – 117 yards – 2 TD’s / 3 receptions – 43 yards
- Saquon Barkley – 24 carries – 112 yards – 2 TD’s / 4 receptions – 31 yards
WR:
- Breshad Perriman – 5 receptions – 113 yards – 3 TD’s / 1 carry – 3 yards
- Julio Jones – 13 receptions – 134 yards – 2 TD’s
- Michael Thomas – 12 receptions – 128 yards – 1 TD
- Jamison Crowder – 6 receptions – 90 yards – 2 TD’s
- Anthony Miller – 9 receptions – 118 yards – 1 TD
TE:
- George Kittle – 13 receptions – 134 yards
- Travis Kelce – 11 receptions – 142 yards
- Tyler Higbee – 12 receptions – 111 yards
- Darren Waller – 8 receptions – 122 yards
- Zach Ertz – 5 receptions – 61 yards – 1 TD
Criteria for the Start/Sit categories
Auto start players would be guys you don’t have to think twice about, guys that will be starters no matter the matchup. Starters are players that are most likely in your lineups unless you have auto start players that can be played in their spot instead. Sit players are players I’m not playing in lineups based on the matchup and other possible reasons. I would not play these players in the sit category unless your options are limited. Don’t Sweat It players are players that are irrelevant at the moment, they should be nowhere near your starting lineups.
TEXANS @ BUCCANEERS
Auto Start:
- Deshaun Watson
- DeAndre Hopkins
Start:
- Carlos Hyde
- Jameis Winston
- Breshad Perriman
- Justin Watson
Sit:
- Duke Johnson
- Will Fuller V
- Kenny Stills
- Ronald Jones II
- Peyton Barber
- Scott Miller
- O.J. Howard
- Cameron Brate
Don’t Sweat It:
- Jordan Akins
- Darren Fells
- Chris Godwin (INJURED)
- Mike Evans (INJURED)
Conclusion:
No Godwin, no Evans, I think I’m gonna cry. The leagues passing yards leader, Jameis Winston, should still be starting in lineups, especially against a defense that is struggling and an offense that puts points on the board. In replacement of Godwin and Evans, Breshad Perriman and Justin Watson should be the next guys up. For the Texans, the status for Will Fuller V is always up in the air and Kenny Stills hasn’t been much of a factor either. Outside of the usual Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins start, Carlos Hyde isn’t a bad option to consider once the Texans go up big on the Bucs.
BILLS @ PATRIOTS
Auto Start:
- NONE
Start:
- James White
- Julian Edelman
Sit:
- ALL BILLS PLAYERS
- Tom Brady
- Sony Michel
- N’Keal Harry
Don’t Sweat It:
- Rex Burkhead
- Mohamed Sanu
- Phillip Dorsett
Conclusion:
Not a lot to like here fantasy wise. Being that the last time Josh Allen played the Patriots it didn’t go well, I’ve decided to bench all Bills players. This is a “don’t overthink it” type of situation. As for the Patriots, It’s the championship round, and the only player the could win you your fantasy match up is Julian Edelman. Considering he’s had 10 plus targets in more games than not and currently WR9 in fantasy, I think we can go ahead and say he’s an easy start as long as he’s on the field. James White is the only other option here as well. He doesn’t provide you with a massive ceiling but he did catch 8 balls last time he played Buffalo, the 2nd most amount of receptions for him this season.
RAMS @ 49ERS
Auto Start:
- NONE
Start:
- Tyler Higbee
- Raheem Mostert
- George Kittle
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Emmanuel Sanders
Sit:
- Todd Gurley
- Jared Goff
- Brandin Cooks
- Cooper Kupp
- Robert Woods
- Tevin Coleman
- Matt Breida
- Deebo Samuel
Don’t Sweat It:
- Malcolm Brown
- Darrell Henderson
- Josh Reynolds
- Gerald Everett (INJURED)
- Kendrick Bourne
Conclusion:
The only player for the Rams that has been worthy to start based on consistency is Tyler Higbee. The last three weeks he’s gone for over 100 yards making him the TE1 in those three weeks. Unfortunately for the Rams, they’re playing the Niners on the road. It won’t be easy for them as the offense has been less than impressive in 2019. For that reason I’m avoiding all other Rams options outside of Higbee. The Niners on the other hand have been better than expected. At this point of the year, Jimmy Garoppolo and Emmanuel Sanders should be just fine against an overrated Rams defense and Kittle is a force to be reckoned with. I don’t love the Niners offense but they have quite a few players who provide production in fantasy every week.
JAGUARS @ FALCONS
Auto Start:
- Austin Hooper
Start:
- Leonard Fournette
- D.J. Chark (IF HEALTHY)
- Matt Ryan
- Julio Jones (IF HEALTHY)
Sit:
- Gardner Minshew
- Dede Westbrook
- Keelan Cole
- Chris Conley
- DeVonta Freeman
- Brian Hill
- Russell Gage
Don’t Sweat It:
- Ryquell Armstead
- Calvin Ridley (INJURED)
Conclusion:
For fantasy football, this matchup could end up winning people leagues depending on which players they start. If you are a D.J. Chark owner you were hoping he’d be healthy for Week 16 and now your dream has come true. Leonard Fournette hasn’t been phenomenal the last couple weeks but fun fact, all of his 100 plus rushing yard games came on the road so you have that to look forward to. In Atlanta, Julio Jones got back on track last week with 100 plus yards and two touchdowns but even before that you weren’t sitting him unless you were worried about his injury. It’s also good to see Austin Hooper back even though the last two weeks have been less than impressive. I like him this week despite it being a game that carries no weight.
RAVENS @ BROWNS
Auto Start:
- Lamar Jackson
- Mark Ingram
- Mark Andrews
Start:
- Marquise Brown
- Nick Chubb
- Jarvis Landry
Sit:
- Gus Edwards
- Willie Snead
- Baker Mayfield
- Kareem Hunt
- Odell Beckham Jr.
Don’t Sweat It:
- Rishard Higgins
- Demetrius Harris
- David Njoku
Conclusion:
For the Ravens, this one is fairly straightforward. As one of the best offenses in the league you can play anyone outside of Willie Snead and Miles Boykin. Everyone else has been somewhat consistent in 2019 so find a way to fit guys like Marquise Brown into your flex at the very least. For the Browns, well, it’s really only been Nick Chubb and Jarvis Landry. Kareem Hunt would normally be in the mix however, being that it’s the championship round, and that the Ravens have been a top defense in the league, I’m playing it safe and starting the only players giving you guaranteed points with high upside.
PANTHERS @ COLTS
Auto Start:
- Christian McCaffrey
- Marlon Mack
Start:
- D.J. Moore
- Greg Olsen (IF HEALTHY)
- T.Y. Hilton (START IF HEALTHY)
Sit:
- Will Grier
- Curtis Samuel (INJURED)
- Ian Thomas (START IF OLSEN IS INJURED)
- Jacoby Brissett
- Nyheim Hines
- Zach Pascal
Don’t Sweat It:
- Jarius Wright
- Parris Campbell (INJURED)
Conclusion:
The Kyle Allen experiment is finally over and now it’s Will Grier time. At the beginning of the season I was higher on Grier than I was will Allen and it came as a surprise that the Panthers thought differently after spending a 3rd round pick on Grier. On this week’s podcast, I talked about how D.J. Moore is a risky play with a new QB on the road. Look I know you’re not going to bench him but if he doesn’t produce just know I warned you in advance. For the Colts, the offense is gross and doesn’t really supply the amount of fantasy production you’re looking for in your championship round. If you’re worried about Marlon Mack, don’t be. Carolina has been terrible against opposing running backs this season and there’s a good chance the Colts hold on to the ball the majority of this game.
BENGALS @ DOLPHINS
Auto Start:
- Joe Mixon
- Devante Parker
Start:
- Tyler Boyd
- John Ross
Sit:
- Andy Dalton
- Auden Tate
- Tyler Eifert
- ALL OTHER DOLPHINS PLAYERS
Don’t Sweat It:
- Alex Erickson
Conclusion:
Realistically, Joe Mixon is the only play I truly feel confident in for the Bengals. However, it issssss the Dolphins and so I’ll give you a pass to play Tyler Boyd. Oh, what’s that? Did someone say John Ross? Someone did, it was me, and what a matchup for Ross to get back to his usual ways earlier this season. For the Dolphins, it’s Devante Parker and no one else as per usual.
STEELERS @ JETS
Auto Start:
- NONE
Start:
- James Washington
- Sam Darnold
- Jamison Crowder
Sit:
- Devlin Hodges
- Jaylen Samuels
- James Conner
- Benny Snell Jr.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Diontae Johnson
- Vance McDonald
- Le’Veon Bell
- Robby Anderson
- Demaryius Thomas
- Ryan Griffin
Don’t Sweat It:
- Mason Rudolph
- Bilal Powell
Conclusion:
This matchup, like a few others, is absolutely useless for fantasy. For the Steelers, James Washington is your best option but even then I can’t imagine you’d start him in your championship lineup. For the Jets, I’d say Le’Veon Bell and Sam Darnold would be the normal starts but to be honest Bell doesn’t have much of a ceiling and his upside rides on volume. Since the Steelers have one of the best run defenses in the league, I’m out on Bell for Week 16. At this point of the season you’re looking for guaranteed points with high upside and for the most part no one in this game will provide you with that kind of production.
SAINTS @ TITANS
Auto Start:
- Drew Brees
- Michael Thomas
- Derrick Henry
Start:
- Alvin Kamara
- Ryan Tannehill
- A.J. Brown
Sit:
- Latavius Murray
- Ted Ginn Jr.
- Jared Cook
- Corey Davis
- Adam Humphries
- Jonnu Smith
Don’t Sweat It:
- Taysom Hill
- Dion Lewis
Conclusion:
Oh boy is there a lot to like in this matchup. For the Saints, the only difficult decision is whether or not you should start Alvin Kamara. It’s sad that we’ve had to include him in this discussion but it seems the high ankle sprain has been more of an issue than we realized. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t found the end zone this year having only totaled 2 TD’s in 2019. At the very worst he has a safe floor that you can rely on. For the Titans, A.J. Brown has found his way in the NFL and gives owners one of the highest ceilings in fantasy at WR, especially the last 5 weeks. This is all thanks to Ryan Tannehill whom we’ve come to find as a startable option week in and week out. It seems Miami, Adam Gase, and injuries to Tannehill may have been a bigger problem than we realized.
GIANTS @ REDSKINS
Auto Start:
- Saquon Barkley
Start:
- Eli Manning
- Golden Tate
- Darius Slayton
- Sterling Shepard
- Adrian Peterson
- Terry McLaurin
Sit:
- Evan Engram
- Dwayne Haskins
- Chris Thompson
Don’t Sweat It:
- Wayne Gallman
- Derrius Guice (INJURED)
- Kelvin Harmon
- Jeremy Sprinkle
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a league winning player in your final week I think Darius Slayton has a lot to offer against an underwhelming defense. He’s finding the end zone more than most and with Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate along for the ride, I think it’s safe to say he offers the most upside of the trio in NY. For the Redskins, Adrian Peterson has been serviceable as a safe flex option based on volume so I don’t see him as a sit candidate against a Giants defense who has been middle of the road all season. Terry McLaurin also qualifies as an upside dart throw if you’re desperate, especially after coming off a 130 yard performance last week.
LIONS @ BRONCOS
Auto Start:
- Phillip Lindsay
- Courtland Sutton
Start:
- Drew Locke
- Noah Fant
Sit:
- David Blough
- Wes Hills
- Bo Scarbrough
- Ty Johnson
- Kenny Golladay
- Danny Amendola
- T.J. Hockensen
- Royce Freeman
- Tim Patrick
- Daesean Hamilton
Don’t Sweat It:
- Marvin Jones Jr. (INJURED)
Conclusion:
This matchup is one that no one cares about. Unfortunately for the under-performed, this game does not matter. I’m avoiding all Lions players and focusing on Denver in particular. Being that Detroit has one of the worst defenses in the league and the Broncos playing at home, I think all of Denver’s best players make for solid plays this week. Nothing more to say here and nothing less.
RAIDERS @ CHARGERS
Auto Start:
- Darren Waller
- Keenan Allen
Start:
- Josh Jacobs (IF HEALTHY)
- Phillip Rivers
- Mike Williams
- Melvin Gordon
- Austin Ekeler
- Hunter Henry
Sit:
- Derek Carr
- DeAndre Washington
- Tyrell Williams
- Hunter Renfrow (INJURED)
- Zay Jones
Don’t Sweat It:
- Jalen Richard
- Foster Moreau
Conclusion:
I’m going to make this one short and sweet. For the Raiders, Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs have been the only two options all season long worthy of a starting spot. If you want to argue Zay Jones and Hunter Renfroe come find me, I’ll put your argument to rest. For the Chargers, play them all. Oakland has surrendered the 5th most points to opposing teams this year making all offensive players qualified fantasy starters.
COWBOYS @ EAGLES
Auto Start:
- Dak Prescott
- Ezekiel Elliott
- Amari Cooper
- Michael Gallup
Start:
- Miles Sanders
- Zach Ertz
Sit:
- Randall Cobb
- Jason Witten
- Carson Wentz
- Jay Ajayi
- J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
- Greg Ward Jr.
- Dallas Goedert
Don’t Sweat It:
- Tony Pollard
- Alshon Jeffrey
Conclusion:
Similar to the Raiders vs Chargers matchup, we will play all the necessary starters. This is a bigger game than most this week as the winner will most likely win the division. That being said, I’m still avoiding Carson Wentz with only Zach Ertz to throw to. We need to be confident in our starters at this point and unfortunately for Wentz he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype since his pre-injury MVP run.
CARDINALS @ SEAHAWKS
Auto Start:
- Kyler Murray
- Christian Kirk
- Russell Wilson
- Chris Carson
- Tyler Lockett
Start:
- Kenyan Drake
- D.K. Metcalf
- Jacob Hollister
Sit:
- Chase Edmonds
- David Johnson
- Larry Fitzgerald
- Andy Isabella
Don’t Sweat It:
- Pharoah Cooper
- Damiere Byrd
- Rashaad Penny (INJURED)
- Malik Turner
- David Moore
- Josh Gordon
Conclusion:
The only tough decision we need to discuss in this matchup is Jacob Hollister and even then the Cardinals have given us everything we need to know. They don’t worry about the TE and with how well Russell Wilson has been this season at exposing opposing defenses, Hollister should be a premier streamable option for Week 16.
CHIEFS @ BEARS
Auto Start:
- Patrick Mahomes
- Tyreek Hill
- Travis Kelce
Start:
- Allen Robinson II
- Anthony Miller
Sit:
- Darrel Williams
- Damien Williams
- LeSean McCoy
- Sammy Watkins
- Mecole Hardman
- Mitchell Trubisky
- David Montgomery
- Tarik Cohen
Don’t Sweat It:
- Taylor Gabriel
Conclusion:
It was nice to see Patrick Mahomes back to what we remember from the 2018 season. It just kind of had that same feel to it. I hate seeing it happen against my Broncos but I love to see what it’s doing for Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. The Chiefs got a taste of a tougher defense in time to prepare them for Chicago so it shouldn’t be too challenging for the Chiefs primary pass-catchers to find production. For the Bears, if I don’t have to play Allen Robinson II I’m not going to. The Chiefs allow the 2nd least amount of fantasy points to opposing WR’s and at any point Mitchell Trubisky is going to crack because the fact of the matter is, he’s just not that good. What owners a praying for is a shoot-out and in a scenario that that happens, Anthony Miller could be a solid play as he’s been productive as of late.
PACKERS @ VIKINGS
Auto Start:
- Aaron Rodgers
- Davante Adams
- Kirk Cousins
- Dalvin Cook (IF HEALTHY)
Start:
- Aaron Jones
- Mike Boone (IF DALVIN COOK IS INJURED)
- Stefon Diggs
- Kyle Rudolph
Sit:
- Jamaal Williams
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Allen Lazard
- Geronimo Allison
- Jimmy Graham
- Alexander Mattison
- Adam Thielen (START IF HEALTHY)
Don’t Sweat It:
- Jake Kumerow
- Irv Smith Jr.
Conclusion:
For our last matchup of the 2019 season we find ourselves looking at two teams with a lot to offer in the ship. For Dalvin Cook owners, it looks like he won’t be playing and you’re looking more towards starting Mike Boone given that you don’t have any other options for running backs. Everyone else is chalk on both teams. All starting players listed above have gotten you this far especially guys like Aaron Jones and Davante Adams. I’m expecting a big game for both against a defense that isn’t quite what it was in 2018.
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