Fantasy Football Week 16: Preview and Predictions

Week 16 of the 2015 fantasy football season has arrived. Hopefully, you are reading this article because you’ve advanced to the championship round. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for making it this far.

OK, stop congratulating yourself and get back to business. This article will preview all of the all-important Week 16 games from a fantasy football perspective and make some bold predictions as well.

Let’s win a championship.

At quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars signal-caller Blake Bortles continues his strong (fantasy) play, and he finds himself in the top five as we head into the championship round. Another unfamiliar name—Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins—is also ranked among the elite this week.

Arizona Cardinals rookie running back David Johnson stole the show in Week 15, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be back at it in Week 16. Is he fantasy’s best running back as we enter the final week of the season?

Two Pittsburgh Steelers wideouts—Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant—are set for massive games in Week 16. In fact, both players are ranked in the top 10, with one of them (it shouldn’t be too hard to guess who) occupying the top spot.

This is just a taste of the previews of each position. This slideshow will check in on every position entering Week 16 and will also provide several bold predictions.

QBs: Blake Bortles a Top-5 Option

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Blake Bortles

Who would have thought—way back in August, before the season began—that some of the top fantasy quarterback options heading into championship weekend would be Blake Bortles of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kirk Cousins of the Washington Redskins?

Bortles has established himself as a mid-tier QB1 all season long, so it’s not surprising to see his name on the list anymore. Cousins, on the other hand, is just now making his presence felt in fantasy land. He’s breaking out at the right time.

Week 16’s Top 10 QBs

1. Cam Newton (at ATL)
2. Ben Roethlisberger (at BAL)
3. Tom Brady (at NYJ)
4. Russell Wilson (vs. STL)
5. Blake Bortles (at NO)
6. Carson Palmer (vs. GB)
7. Aaron Rodgers (at ARI)
8. Drew Brees (vs. JAC)
9. Matthew Stafford (vs. SF)
10. Kirk Cousins (at PHI)

Breakout QB of the Week: Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

Dare you trust Captain Kirk in the championship round of the fantasy playoffs?

If you’ve been streaming quarterbacks all the way to the championship, then look no further than Cousins this week. He gets to play the Philadelphia Eagles, who have been miserable against the pass for much of the season.

For his part, Cousins tossed four touchdown passes last week and now has a respectable 16 passing throws in his past eight games. However, in five of those games, he only threw for one touchdown, while in the other three, he threw for either three or four touchdowns.

Long story short: Cousins is a streaky player when it comes to touchdown passes. But he’s consistent everywhere else. He has completed over 70 percent of his passes in three straight games and has over 300 yards in four of his past six. He also has an NFL quarterback rating of over 100 in five of his past six games.

Cousins is on a roll, and he should be considered a tail-end QB1 as a result.

QB Bust of the Week: Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns

There were an awful lot of Manziel-led fantasy squads in the first round of the playoffs this season.

There should be no Manziel-led squads in the championship round.

He has played in eight games this season, and he has one (or zero) touchdowns in seven of those games. He has also thrown for less than 200 yards in six of those games and has completed less than 60 percent of his passes five times.

He simply isn't that good, and up next for Manziel are the Kansas City Chiefs, who are among the 10 worst teams a quarterback can face from a fantasy perspective this season, per ESPN.com.

RBs: David Johnson Assumes Top Spot in Championship Week

Michael Perez/Associated Press

David Johnson

If you patiently waited for David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals to assume a larger role in that offense, congratulations. That means you are likely in the championship round as a result of patience and trust in talent.

It also means you have the top running back in all of fantasy heading into the most important week of the season. Johnson narrowly edges out Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson for the top spot this week, aided in part because of Peterson’s injured ankle. (Peterson should still suit up despite the sprained ankle, however, according to ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling.)

Week 16’s Top 10 RBs

1. David Johnson (vs. GB)
2. Adrian Peterson (vs. NYG)
3. DeAngelo Williams (at BAL)
4. Doug Martin (vs. CHI)
5. Charcandrick West (vs. CLE)
6. Devonta Freeman (vs. CAR)
7. Lamar Miller (vs. IND)
8. Todd Gurley (at SEA)
9. Latavius Murray (vs. SD)
10. Matt Forte (at TB)

Breakout RB of the Week: Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders

Murray is playing against San Diego in Week 16. The Chargers are still among the five best teams a fantasy running back can face this season, per ESPN.com.

While San Diego did completely shut down Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller last week (just 12 yards on nine carries), Miller’s teammate—rookie Jay Ajayi—was able to score a touchdown.

Murray hasn’t had a fantastic game since early November, but he has seen 20-plus carries in three of his past four games. If he sees that type of volume against the Chargers, he could be in for a strong outing. 

RB Bust of the Week: Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens

Allen is a risky play at running back this week for multiple reasons. For starters, he’s playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been one of the best teams in the league at slowing fantasy running backs.

Additionally, Allen was benched in Week 15 after fumbling the ball yet again.

He should be back on the field for the Ravens in Week 16, but he’ll be on a short leash. That, combined with the tough matchup against the Steelers, makes Allen the most likely top-24 running back to bust this week.

WRs: Martavis Bryant Set for a Breakout Game

Don Wright/Associated Press

Martavis Bryant

Earlier this season, we often had two teammates—Denver Broncos wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders—grace the top 10 together. But ever since Denver’s offense fell apart, we haven’t seen teammates land in the top 10 in a while.

That changes in Week 16, with Pittsburgh Steelers weapons Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant serving as bookends for the top 10.

For what it’s worth, New York Jets wideout Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker almost made the top 10 together, with Marshall ranking No. 9 and Decker just missing the cut.

Week 16’s Top 10 WRs 

1. Antonio Brown (at BAL)
2. DeAndre Hopkins (at TEN)
3. Allen Robinson (at NO)
4. Calvin Johnson (vs. SF)
5. Julio Jones (vs. CAR)
6. Alshon Jeffery (at TB)
7. Jeremy Maclin (vs. CLE)
8. Mike Evans (vs. CHI)
9. Brandon Marshall (vs. NE)
10. Martavis Bryant (at BAL)

Breakout WR of the Week: Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers 

Bryant will face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. The Ravens have given up the most points to fantasy wideouts so far this season, according to ESPN.com.

Bryant was still suspended when the Steelers and Ravens teed off in Week 4, but the Ravens did give up 11 receptions for 100-plus yards to Pittsburgh wide receivers in that game.

The Pittsburgh offense is firing on all cylinders right now, and Bryant seems “due” for a touchdown. He hasn’t scored in two straight weeks, and he has never gone three straight weeks without a score. (His career admittedly only began last season, but that’s impressive nonetheless.)

WR Bust of the Week: Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers

Cobb plays against the Arizona Cardinals this week. The Cardinals are a top-10 team when it comes to slowing fantasy wideouts this season, per ESPN.com.

Even though Arizona lost safety Tyrann Mathieu to a torn ACL this week, per ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss, this will still be a difficult matchup for Cobb, who is in a bit of a slump right now.

Cobb hasn’t scored a touchdown in four straight games, and he now only has two touchdowns in his previous 11 outings. He has also failed to top 100 receiving yards in a game since Week 2.

TEs: Jordan Reed Slides into No. 2 Spot Behind Gronk

Andrew Harnik/Associated Press

Jordan Reed

Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed continues to make waves this season, and his two-touchdown effort in Week 15 shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone.

In fact, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see him score twice again in Week 15 against Philadelphia, even though the Eagles have been the best team in the league at slowing fantasy tight ends this year, per ESPN.com. That’s just how good Reed has been.

Week 16’s Top 10 TEs

1. Rob Gronkowski (at NYJ)
2. Jordan Reed (at PHI)
3. Greg Olsen (at ATL)
4. Delanie Walker (vs. HOU)
5. Travis Kelce (vs. CLE)
6. Gary Barnidge (at KC)
7. Antonio Gates (at OAK)
8. Ben Watson (vs. JAC)
9. Julius Thomas (at NO)
10. Eric Ebron (vs. SF)

Breakout TE of the Week: Eric Ebron, Detroit Lions

Ebron and the Lions will host the San Francisco 49ers this week. Ebron nearly scored a touchdown in Week 15, which would have given him two straight games with a score. With the Detroit Lions mysteriously not looking Calvin Johnson’s way (he has just two receptions in the past two games combined), Ebron has become a more intriguing fantasy asset.

It’s true that Ebron hasn’t topped three receptions in a game since mid-November, but the number of targets he’s seeing near the red zone is enough to warrant consideration.

TE Bust of the Week: Zach Miller, Chicago Bears

Miller is playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. The Buccaneers haven't given up a passing touchdown to a tight end since Week 8, and they have only ceded four on the entire season.

Miller is considered a tail-end TE1 by some, but he’s a risky bet this week (or any week, for that matter).

He does have two straight games with six targets, but it’s still hard to trust him as a top-10 tight end option in the final week of the 2015 season. He has just 34 targets on the season as a whole, and the vast majority of his fantasy points this season came in Week 10, when he had a fluky 87-yard touchdown reception. Miller is a low-ceiling tight end who shouldn’t be considered anything more than a good backup.

Kickers: Dustin Hopkins Rises into Top 10

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Dustin Hopkins

Dustin Hopkins of the Washington Redskins is a new name in the top 10 of the kicker rankings this week. He’s aided by a strong matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles and the overall impressive play of Washington's offense.

Week 16’s Top 10 Ks 

1. Stephen Gostkowski (at NYJ)
2. Steven Hauschka (vs. STL)
3. Cairo Santos (vs. CLE)
4. Graham Gano (at ATL)
5. Brandon McManus (vs. CIN)
6. Chandler Catanzaro (vs. GB)
7. Dustin Hopkins (at PHI)
8. Justin Tucker (vs. PIT)
9. Matt Prater (vs. SF)
10. Mason Crosby (at ARI)

Breakout K of the Week: Dustin Hopkins, Washington Redskins

As noted above, Hopkins plays against the Eagles this week. Philadelphia remains the only team in the league that a kicker has not missed against (either extra point or field goal).

Additionally, Washington’s offense is expected to roll in Week 16 (see Cousins predicted as the quarterback breakout of the week in the earlier slide), so the Redskins should find themselves in field-goal range throughout the day.

K Bust of the Week: Josh Brown, New York Giants 

Brown and the Giants will travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in Week 16. The weather could be dicey, which means Brown could have a hard time connecting on what would otherwise be easy field-goal attempts.

Additionally, Odell Beckham Jr.—the most important piece of New York’s offensive puzzle—will likely be suspended for the game (pending an appeal), which means the Giants could struggle getting into field-goal range altogether.

Defense and Special Teams: Houston Texans D/ST Worth Streaming in Week 16

Patric Schneider/Associated Press/Associated Press

JJ Watt

The Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs boast two of the league's best D/ST units, and both have juicy Week 16 matchups. It's almost unfair.

Beyond these fantasy stalwarts, some other D/ST units are worth knowing this week, including the Houston Texans, who will face the backup quarterback-led Tennessee Titans.

Week 16’s Top 10 D/STs 

1. Seattle Seahawks (vs. STL)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (vs. CLE)
3. Denver Broncos (vs. CIN)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (at DEN)
5. Carolina Panthers (at ATL)
6. New England Patriots (at NYJ)
7. Houston Texans (at TEN)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (at BAL)
9. Buffalo Bills (vs. DAL)
10. Arizona Cardinals (vs. GB)

Breakout D/ST of the Week: Houston Texans

The Houston Texans D/ST will face the Tennessee Titans in Week 16. The Titans will be turning to backup quarterback Zach Mettenberger, as starter Marcus Mariota suffered an MCL sprain in Week 15 and will miss the rest of the season, per ESPN.com.

It should also be noted that the New England Patriots hadn't scored a D/ST touchdown all season until Week 15—when they played the Titans. Good things happen to D/ST units when the Titans are on the other side of the field.

D/ST Bust of the Week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a strong fantasy playoff schedule for D/ST purposes—with games against the New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams and Chicago Bears—but the team’s defense has lost its mojo, as evidenced by the 31 points the Rams put on Tampa Bay in Week 15.

The Buccaneers now have nothing to play for, and the Chicago Bears offense does feature a number of strong playmakers, including Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte.

Bold Predictions: Doug Baldwin Keeps His Touchdown Streak Alive

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Doug Baldwin

Below are five bold predictions for Week 16 of the 2015 fantasy football season.

• Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers throws for three touchdowns and rushes for 50-plus yards again. From Weeks 1-7, Newton had no games with three-plus touchdowns. If he reaches that milestone in Week 16, it’ll give him six three-score games in eight tries, including four straight. He torched the Atlanta Falcons to the tune of five touchdowns just two weeks ago, and he gets another shot at them this week.

• David Johnson rushes for more than 150 yards again. After flirting with the 100-yard barrier in his first couple of starts for the Arizona Cardinals, the rookie took over the game on Sunday Night Football, scoring three times and gaining more than 180 yards on the ground. Now that the Cardinals know he’s capable of such a huge game, it makes sense for them to lean on him once again in Week 16.

• Seattle Seahawks wideout Doug Baldwin catches two touchdown passes again. It seems impossible, but Baldwin’s touchdown streak just keeps on going. He now has 10 scores in his previous four games, and this prediction says he’ll make it 12 scores in five games. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans had success against the Rams last week, and Golden Tate of the Detroit Lions was strong against them in Week 14, so Baldwin has a good chance to keep his streak alive.

• Ben Watson has 100-plus receiving yards and scores for the New Orleans Saints. The 35-year-old tight end is somehow still relevant in fantasy football, and he’ll prove it in a big way this week with a 100-plus yard effort to go along with a score. Watson is facing the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are one of the five worst teams at slowing fantasy tight ends this season, per ESPN.com.

• San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates catches two touchdowns. Gates has been knocking on the door for three straight weeks now, and we know that when Gates scores, he scores big (he has two multi-touchdown games this season and no games with just one touchdown). Gates has been consistent lately, catching six passes in three straight games, and his yardage has been trending in the right direction in that span: 50, 76 and 88. Now he just needs to start scoring again. 

The rankings provided throughout this article are the author's own preliminary Week 16 rankings. His rankings are updated throughout the week at FantasyPros.com.