Week 16 DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football Picks, Lineup Tips for Sunday

By this point in the NFL regular season, we have a strong idea of which matchups are most beneficial to our DraftKings daily fantasy football lineups.

One of the first matchups to turn to each week is running backs against the Carolina Panthers and their league-worst rushing defense.

Carolina's allowed over 200 rushing yards in each of the last three games, and on Sunday, it faces James Conner and the Arizona Cardinals.

Conner is one of the most obvious targets for DFS lineups on Sunday, but with that, comes a likely high roster percentage.

You can use Conner and other players in favorable matchups, but in order to differentiate yourself from the pack, you need one or two out-of-the-box selections for your lineup from games that don't stand out right away, like the bottom-feeder battle between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.

Build Around Arizona's Rushing Attack

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 01: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) hands the ball to running back James Conner (6) during the NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings on December 1st, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

James Conner and Kyler Murray should be a popular DFS roster tandem in Week 16.

Arizona's backfield duo face a Carolina defense that can't stop anything on the ground right now.

Rico Dowdle, Saquon Barkley and Bucky Irving all turned in 100-yard performances against the Panthers in the last three weeks.

Conner is trending in the right direction with 200 rushing yards across his last two games, so this sets up to be an ideal matchup for him.

Conner's DFS salary sits at $7,100, which is a steal considering his matchup and the $1,200 salary drop from Barkley to him.

Murray hasn't rushed as much in recent weeks, but he could do more damage with his legs because of the matchup at hand.

Murray sits at $6,100 on the DraftKings DFS salary table. He needs a rushing touchdown to make his roster addition worth it compared to Josh Allen and other top quarterbacks.

A combined 200 or 250 yards between Conner and Murray is a real possibility. If you want to get deeper into the matchup, Arizona backup Trey Benson is worth a look as a sleeper pick in case the game gets out of hand early.

Target the Jaguars-Raiders Game For Sleeper Plays

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 15: Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (85) runs with the ball after a catch past New York Jets defensive end Haason Reddick (7) during the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets on December 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The late-afternoon clash between Jacksonville and Las Vegas likely won't have many eyes on it.

However, it could be an ideal matchup for DFS players to find sleeper picks to take advantage of two bad defenses.

Jacksonville's offense hit the 20-point mark in two of the last three weeks with Mac Jones in charge.

Rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas is the obvious DFS target after his 105-yard, two-score game against the New York Jets, but tight end Brenton Strange carries a ton of value as well.

Strange is now Jacksonville's No. 1 tight end with Evan Engram out for the season. He had 11 catches on 12 targets last week and now faces a Las Vegas defense that gives up the fourth-most receiving yards to tight ends.

Aidan O'Connell's return for Las Vegas means Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers' stock should go up against the Jags' second-worst passing defense.

Strange carries the best DFS value of the pass-catchers mentioned above at $3,500, but Meyers, Bowers and Thomas could all be strong roster choices as well in the $5,000-$7,000 salary range.

Target Ja'Marr Chase in AFC North Clash

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 15: Ja'Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals breaks a tackle by James Williams #52 of the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter at Nissan Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Three of Ja'Marr Chase's six-best receiving performances of 2024 have come against AFC North foes.

Chase ran rampant on two occasions against the Baltimore Ravens with 264 yards and three scores in one game and 194 yards and two scores in the other. He also posted 86 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chase had an average five-catch, 55-yard day against the Cleveland Browns in Week 7, but he could be poised for an even bigger day against the Browns in Week 16.

The Cincinnati Bengals are in a must-win spot to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive, and that should mean Chase is heavily involved early.

Cleveland's held its last two opponents under 200 passing yards, but its defense has had trouble keeping teams out of the end zone. The Browns allowed at least 20 points in 12 of their 14 games.

The scoring potential for Chase is there for the taking, and with Cincinnati's situation in mind, he should put up one of the higher sets of receiving totals on Sunday.

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